21 Famous Movie Beaches You Can Visit

21 famous movie beaches you can visit

Whether you're a fan of action, romance or musicals, there's a screen-worthy beach from the movies for you.

1. ‘The Notebook’

One of the most memorable scenes from the romantic movie "The Notebook" is when Ryan Gosling's character says, "If you're a bird, I'm a bird." While the movie is set in South Carolina, this moment was shot at El Matador State Beach off the Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu, California.

2. ‘Cast Away’

While there is an island named Castaway Island in the Pacific Ocean, the Tom Hanks' film "Cast Away" was filmed on the nearby Monuriki Island, which is part of Fiji. According to the Travel Channel, the island is uninhabited, but you can visit with a tour group.

3. ‘From Here to Eternity’

One of the most striking beach movie moments of all time is from 1953's "From Here to Eternity." Even though the movie is in black and white, the remote beach in the film looks gorgeous as Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr embrace in the surf. In real life, that beach is Halona Cove, located on the Hawaiian island of Oahu. Because of the film, it has earned the nickname "Eternity Beach."

4. ‘Chariots of Fire’

If you want to recreate the slow-motion beach running scene set to the "Chariots of Fire" theme by Vangelis, you need to hop on a flight to Scotland. The iconic cinema moment was filmed on West Sands Beach at St. Andrews on the Fife coast. While you're there, you can also enjoy golf and tour the campus of the third-oldest university in the English-speaking world.

5. ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’

The crew of the "Pirates of the Caribbean" franchise has traveled to oceanfront locations all over the Caribbean and the world. St. Vincent and the Grenadines were stand-ins for Port Royal and Tortuga, while Dominica played the role of the "Cannibal island" in the second and third films. A recognizable sight from the film is this natural arch in St. Lucia, from which Jack Sparrow sees hanged pirates dangling in the first movie.

6. ‘Twilight’

While much of Bella's time in the town of Forks, Washington, is spent with vampires in foggy forests, in the first film, she hits a Pacific beach with some high school pals who are going surfing. It's at La Push that she first hears the "myth" that the Cullens might not be human. You can stroll the same route as Bella and Jacob on Indian Beach at Ecola State Park in Oregon.

8. ‘Beaches’

After Hillary's health takes a turn for the worse in the movie "Beaches," she, her daughter and her best friend C.C. retreat to a cozy vintage beach house. This cottage, along with several others available to rent, are part of the Crystal Cove Historic District, which is inside Crystal Cove State Park in Newport Beach, Calif.

9. ‘Dr. No’

Perhaps one of the most famous James Bond film moments of all time is Ursula Andress' Honey Ryder making an entrance in "Dr. No." Ryder, rocking a white bikini, emerges from the water onto the private Laughing Waters Beach near Ocho Rios, Jamaica. Bond creator Ian Fleming actually lived and wrote in Jamaica, and the island makes frequent appearances in his work.

10. ‘Casino Royale’

The latest actor to play James Bond has also had an iconic beach sequence of his own. In 2006's "Casino Royale," it's beefy Brit Daniel Craig who rises out of the bright blue waters after watching a woman ride down Cove Beach on Paradise Island in the Bahamas.

11. ‘The Talented Mr. Ripley’

In "The Talented Mr. Ripley," the titular character, played by Matt Damon, travels to the fictional Italian seaside town of Mongibello to insinuate himself into the life of Dickie Greenleaf and his fiancée. Mongibello is actually the private beach of Bagno Antonio in Ischia Ponte, Italy, where you can soak up the sun like a true socialite.

12. ‘The Blue Lagoon’

Director Randal Kleiser wanted an authentic backdrop for this movie about two young cousins who get shipwrecked on a deserted tropical island. The crew found a private, picture-perfect island in Fiji with no roads, water or electricity and got permission from the owner to film there. Since then, Turtle Island, also known as Nanuya Levu Island, has been developed with villas for vacationers.

13. ‘Jaws’

Funnily enough, the movie that made people afraid to go to the beach has drawn fans of the film to the beach. The movie's "Amity Island" is actually Martha's Vineyard in Massachusetts, and many of the beach shots were filmed at Joseph Sylvia State Beach. If you visit, you just might see "Jaws" fans doing their best Chief Brody impression.

14. ‘Grease’

While it's never specified in "Grease" what American city Sandy moves to from Australia, the movie musical was filmed in California. Venice High School stood in for Rydell High, while Leo Carrillo State Park in Malibu was the backdrop for the opening scene depicting Danny and Sandy's summer fling.

15. ‘The Karate Kid’

Many classic movie moments have been filmed at Leo Carrillo State Park. Daniel first sees Mr. Miyagi do the crane kick here. The beach has also been in short scenes in films like "Inception," "The Usual Suspects," "Point Break" and "Beach Blanket Bingo."

16. ‘South Pacific’

Though the mystical Bali Ha'i in far-away shots was created using visual effects, the rest of the lush scenery of "South Pacific" is the real deal. The movie was shot on different locations in Hawaii, but Lumahai Beach on Kauai is where Mitzi Gaynor washed that man right out of her hair.

17. ‘The Goonies’

The opening scene in this coming-of-age adventure film is a car chase down the beach. After staging a prison break, the Fratellis make their getaway by speeding down Cannon Beach in Oregon.

18. ‘Forgetting Sarah Marshall’

Hawaii has been the backdrop for all sorts of movies, from YA dystopian flicks to rom-coms. The Jason Segel, Mila Kunis and Kristen Bell comedy "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" was filmed at the Turtle Bay Resort on Oahu. Bell's titular character stays in one of the resort's cottages. If that film isn't quite your genre, arena shots in "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire" were filmed just west of the resort on Kawela Beach.

19. ‘Baywatch’

While the stars of the classic TV show ran in slo-mo along Venice Beach in California, the stars of the 2017 "Baywatch" movie took to the east coast to mix things up. Actors Zac Efron, Dwayne Johnson and Priyanka Chopra flexed their muscles and raced speed boats at South Inlet Park in Boca Raton, Florida.

20. ‘Fool’s Gold’

This adventure film, starring "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Dates" co-stars Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey, follows the heroes on a treasure hunt across the glittering waters of the Caribbean. Though the locations are beautiful, they aren't actually in the Caribbean. If the movie inspires you next beach vacation, you should actually head to Lizard Island along the Great Barrier Reef. All the movie's beach locations are in Australia.

21. ‘22 Jump Street’

In this buddy cop sequel, Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill's characters go undercover at college and attend a classic college spring break in Mexico. Except "Mexico" in this movie is played by the beaches of San Juan, Puerto Rico. The boys have a literal blast on Condado Beach behind the San Juan Marriott and La Concha Resort.

22. ‘Forrest Gump’

There are many memorable moments in "Forrest Gump," including when Forrest decides to take off running and see how far he can go. "I ran clear to the ocean," he says in the Academy Award-winning movie before he arrives at Santa Monica Pier in Santa Monica, California. Forrest doesn't ride the Ferris wheel or linger long before deciding to "turn around and keep going."