Holiday Movie Locations in Los Angeles

From the classic It's a Wonderful Life to modern favorites like How the Grinch Stole Christmas and National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, generations of holiday movies have been filmed in Los Angeles. Visit these locations with our guide and watch your favorite Holiday Movies on the big screen all season long. (Mild spoilers ahead.)

The 1992 follow-up to the blockbuster Batman, Batman Returns stars Michael Keaton as the Caped Crusader, Michelle Pfeiffer as Catwoman and Danny DeVito as the Penguin. Batman must face this double threat even as Gotham City celebrates Christmas.

Directed by Tim Burton, this darker sequel was filmed almost entirely at Warner Bros. Studios (3400 Warner Blvd, Burbank 91505) including Stage 16, which housed the Gotham Plaza set; and Brownstone Street, which stood in for various Gotham City locations and can be seen on the Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood. The tour also features DC Superheroes & Supervillains, which includes "The Batcave" with the Batmobile from Burton's original Batman, costumes and more.

"Come out to the coast, we'll get together, have a few laughs..." On Christmas Eve, NYPD Detective John McClane (Bruce Willis) flies to LA, hoping to reconcile with his estranged wife (Bonnie Bedelia) at a holiday party hosted by the Nakatomi Corporation. Unfortunately, that's when a group of terrorists led by Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman) takes everyone hostage in order to steal $640 million in negotiable bearer bonds.

Expectations for Die Hard were low in 1988. Willis and Rickman were making their big screen debuts - the role of John McClane was turned down by a Who's Who of 80s leading men, from Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone to Clint Eastwood, Paul Newman, Mel Gibson, Kurt Russell and Al Pacino, who also famously turned down Han Solo in Star Wars.

Die Hard is now regarded as one of the all-time great action films - the McClane and Gruber characters are icons of the genre - and a beloved Christmas movie. Die Hard was one of the Top 10 highest-grossing films of 1988, and earned four Oscar nominations in technical categories. Filming took place almost entirely at Fox Plaza (2121 Avenue of the Stars, Los Angeles 90064), which was under construction in Century City. There were reportedly only two requests - no filming during the day and no damage from explosions.

Directed by Joe Dante, the 1984 comedy-horror movie Gremlins, which was partially inspired by It’s a Wonderful Life (see below), takes place in the fictional town of Kingston Falls but was filmed in LA. The church where Father Bartlett and Mr. Anderson try to drop letters into an uncooperative mailbox on Christmas Eve is a set piece located on Midwest Street at Warner Bros. Studios (3400 Warner Blvd, Burbank 91505). Fans can see the church, which also appears near the end of the original Oceans 11, on the Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood. The Peltzer family house is also located on Midwest Street.

HOLIDAYS MADE HERE
Get ready to talk fast and live slow as the world of Gilmore Girls springs to life at Holidays Made Here, a one-of-a-kind immersive celebration honoring the show’s 25th anniversary. Now through Jan. 4, 2026 (closed Christmas Day), fans are invited to step into Stars Hollow, fully recreated with authentic detail and dressed for the holidays at Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood. Guests will also enjoy behind-the-scenes stories while on tour from Gremlins, Elf, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, and many other holiday favorites.

Whoville came to life on the Universal Studios lot for How the Grinch Stole Christmas, the 2000 live action version of the beloved Dr. Seuss book, directed by Ron Howard and starring Jim Carrey in the title role.

During Holidays at Universal Studios Hollywood (100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City 91608), get together with the Grinch™ at a Who-tacular celebration to enjoy the music and fun of Grinchmas™. Meet the maven of mischief himself, his dog Max, and favorite Whoville residents. You'll also witness the spectacular lighting of the one-of-a-kind Dr. Seuss-inspired tree to join in a celebration of music, song and light, and much more!

The quintessential Christmas movie, It's a Wonderful Life was a box office disappointment when it was released in December 1946. It's now widely regarded as one of the greatest films of all time - named by the American Film Institute as one of the 100 best American films ever made and selected for preservation in the U.S. National Film Registry by the Library of Congress.

Directed and produced by Frank Capra, It's a Wonderful Life stars Jimmy Stewart as George Bailey, who has given up his personal dreams to help others in his community. His suicidal thoughts on Christmas Eve alert his guardian angel, Clarence Odbody (Henry Travers), who shows George all the lives he's touched and what the world would be like if he hadn't existed.

Although many of the locations from It’s a Wonderful Life are long gone, the one-story, ranch-style home purchased by the Martini family in the film still stands at 4587 Viro Road in La Cañada Flintridge.

The third film in the comedy series, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation stars Chevy Chase as Clark Griswold and Beverly D'Angelo as his wife Ellen, with Juliette Lewis and Jonny Galecki joining the cast as their kids, Audrey and Rusty.

The cringey scene when Clark is trying to buy lingerie for Ellen with the help of shopgirl Mary (Nicolette Scorsese) was filmed at the Art Deco landmark Bullock's Wilshire, now part of Southwestern Law School (3050 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles 90010).

Designed by the father-son architecture firm of John and Donald Parkinson - which also designed and built LA icons like the Coliseum, City Hall and Union Station - Bullock's Wilshire was designated Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument No. 56 in June 1968 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in May 1978.

In the 2004 comedy Surviving Christmas, Ben Affleck stars as Chicago ad exec Drew Latham, who hires the Valco family (James Gandolfini, Catherine O’Hara, Christina Applegate, Josh Zuckerman) to pose as his family for the holidays. In the closing scene, Latham takes the Valcos to the diner where his mom worked double shifts at Christmastime.

That diner scene was filmed at Cindy's (1500 Colorado Blvd, Los Angeles 90041), owned and operated by the husband-and-wife-team of Monique King and Paul Rosenbluh. Cindy's is located in Eagle Rock off Historic Route 66 and serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, including all-day specialties like Noah's Ark (two eggs, two pancakes, two slices of bacon), Brisket Hash and Fried Chicken & Eggs.

The first feature film directed by Tim Burton and scored by Danny Elfman, Pee-wee’s Big Adventure continues to delight new generations of fans. From his iconic "Tequila" dance to rescuing animals from a burning pet shop, Pee-wee Herman (Paul Reubens) is the hero we need. Pee-wee keeps his house (1846 Oxley St, South Pasadena 91030) decorated for the holidays year-round with light-up Santas and reindeer statues. Other LA film locations include Warner Bros. Studio in Burbank, Malibu Creek State Park and Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica. "Be sure and tell 'em Large Marge sent ya!"