Go Back to the Future With These LA Film Locations
When you're in Los Angeles, you don't have to go far to go Back to the Future. You can time travel back to "Hill Valley" in 1985 and 1955, just by exploring some of LA's neighborhoods. Read on and discover film locations from the iconic 1980s movie that can be found in or around Los Angeles.
Courthouse Square - Universal Studios Hollywood
The famous Hill Valley Courthouse, a central location in the movie, is actually located at Courthouse Square in the backlot at Universal Studios Hollywood. At the climax of Back to the Future, Doc Brown (played by Christopher Lloyd) heroically sends Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) back to the future by hanging off the courthouse clock to receive the bolt of lighting that will power the DeLorean time machine. The square is also where Biff Tannen chases Marty, who in the process "invents" the skateboard. Courthouse Square was destroyed by a fire in 2008, but has since been rebuilt.
Doc Brown's House - Gamble House
The home of Doctor Emmett Brown is actually the historic Gamble House in Pasadena. Back in 1955, Doc Brown came up with the idea for the flux capacitor in a vision after slipping in his bathroom and getting knocked out. The Gamble House is a California Historical Landmark and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Limited tickets for one-hour tours of this landmark house are available online.
At the annual Museums of the Arroyo Day, visitors are invited to explore the first floor, picnic on the lawn and shop the Gamble House Bookstore for MOTA Day specials.
DeLorean DMC-12 - Petersen Automotive Museum
The original DeLorean DMC-12, the first of three Time Machines to be built for the Back to the Future trilogy, went on public display at the Petersen Automotive Museum in April 2016. The restored DeLorean is on permanent loan to the Petersen courtesy of Universal Studios Hollywood.
Puente Hills Mall
Recognize this parking lot? It was where Marty McFly accelerated his DeLorean to 88 miles per hour on the early morning of Oct. 26, 1985 and went back to 1955. The Twin Pines Mall (aka Lone Pine Mall) in the movie is actually the Puente Hills Mall, located 20 miles east of Downtown Los Angeles in the City of Industry.
Whittier High School
Hill Valley High School, where Marty McFly meets his future parents, George and Lorraine McFly, is actually Whittier High School in Whittier. With its Art Deco design, the campus was a perfect fit to portray a high school in 1955. Whittier is a community located 20 miles east of Downtown Los Angeles.
George McFly's House - 1711 Bushnell Ave.
George McFly's house in 1955 is located at 1711 Bushnell Ave. in South Pasadena. Marty McFly visited George at this house and dressed as an alien to scare George into asking out Lorraine McFly. Just down the street is Lorraine's house at 1727 Bushnell Ave. Fun fact: the house also appeared in Teen Wolf starring Michael J. Fox.
Lorraine McFly's House - 1727 Bushnell Ave.
1727 Bushnell Ave. in South Pasadena stood in for Lorraine McFly's house in Back to the Future. It was at this home in 1955, where Marty McFly first spoke to his mother, Lorraine and introduced himself as "Calvin Klein."
Hollywood United Methodist Church
The classic "Enchantment Under the Sea" high school dance was filmed at Hollywood United Methodist Church on the corner of Highland and Franklin Avenues in Hollywood. It was at this dance where Marty McFly "invented" rock 'n' roll, just before he dashed back to 1985.