Location 01Coney Island / Deno's Wonder Wheel
New York, Brooklyn Free to see
Filmed here: Opening date scenes and Ferris wheel
The opening date scenes and the Ferris wheel footage were filmed here at Coney Island, including Deno's Wonder Wheel and the B&B Carousell. The area remains a public amusement destination, reachable by subway, and the Wonder Wheel still turns today, though rides operate seasonally. Fans of the film's quiet, ominous opening can ride the same attractions seen before the chaos begins.
Location 02Brooklyn Bridge
New York, New York City Free to see
Filmed here: Evacuation and bridge destruction scenes
The evacuation and bridge destruction scenes unfold here as the creature's attack drives crowds out of Manhattan. The real bridge is a public crossing with a pedestrian walkway open around the clock, and it draws heavy tourist traffic. Visitors can walk the span that serves as the backdrop for one of the film's most destructive sequences, filmed on a combination of location work and studio sets.
Location 03Time Warner Center / Columbus Circle
New York, New York City Free to see
Filmed here: Beth's apartment and party flashbacks
Beth's apartment and the party flashback sequences were associated with this location, a public mall and plaza at Columbus Circle. Shops and dining operate daily, so visitors can explore the complex at their leisure. The circular plaza outside sits at the southwest corner of Central Park, making it an easy pairing with other Manhattan filming spots from the film.
Location 04Greyshot Arch, Central Park
New York, New York City Free to see
Filmed here: Final shelter scene under arch
The final shelter scene, where the camera comes to rest as the last survivors take cover, was filmed under this arch. The working title Greyshot came directly from this Central Park arch. It sits on a public park path near 61st and 62nd Street and is accessible on foot, a simple and free stop for anyone tracing the film's ending through the park.
Location 05Park Avenue near Grand Central
New York, New York City Free to see
Filmed here: Running to helicopters and street chaos
The street chaos and the survivors' desperate run to the helicopters were staged along this busy stretch of Park Avenue. Today it is an ordinary public street near Grand Central Terminal, and visitors should stick to the sidewalks as they take in the canyon of buildings that framed the film's panicked evacuation sequences in the final act.
Location 06Warner Bros. New York Street backlot
California, Burbank Studio set
Filmed here: Military strike and tank scenes
The military strike and tank scenes were shot on this Burbank backlot, a purpose-built stand-in for Manhattan streets. It is not independently visitable, but it is included as a stop on the studio tour, so film fans can stand on the same ground where the army rolled through a fake New York. Access is through the studio's official tour operation only.
Location 07Westfield Santa Anita Shopping Center
California, Arcadia Free to see
Filmed here: Department store / Bloomingdale's interior and military HQ
This public mall in Arcadia stood in for the department store, with the Bloomingdale's interior and the military headquarters scenes filmed inside. The shopping center is open daily with free entry, making it one of the easiest Los Angeles area locations to visit. Shoppers walk past the same spaces that doubled as both a Manhattan store and an emergency command post.
Location 08Paramount Pictures backlot
California, Hollywood Studio set
Filmed here: Street scenes and Statue of Liberty head
Street scenes and the memorable Statue of Liberty head sequence were shot on the Paramount backlot in Hollywood, an image inspired by the Escape from New York poster. The backlot is accessible only via the studio tour, which passes through its New York Street sets. Visitors can see how Los Angeles facades stood in for a devastated Manhattan.
Location 09San Pedro subway set
California, Los Angeles Private property
Filmed here: Subway station and tunnel scenes
The subway station and tunnel scenes, where the group travels beneath the city in darkness, were filmed on a set in San Pedro in Los Angeles. The site occupies a former industrial area and is not publicly accessible, so there is nothing to visit today. It remains a behind-the-scenes footnote explaining how the underground sequences were built rather than filmed in real tunnels.
Location 10Santa Clarita Central Park
California, Santa Clarita Free to see
Filmed here: Helicopter crash in Central Park
The helicopter crash landing in Central Park was actually filmed at this public park in Santa Clarita, north of Los Angeles. The park is open for visitors and offers a pleasant, free stop for film fans driving through the area. It stands in for the Manhattan green space during one of the film's most intense late-story moments.
Location 111100 Wilshire Boulevard
California, Los Angeles Outside only
Filmed here: Beth's apartment building lobby
The lobby of Beth's apartment building was filmed at this Los Angeles tower on Wilshire Boulevard. It is a private residential building, so access is limited to viewing the exterior from the street. Still, it gives visitors a tangible Los Angeles anchor for a building presented as a Manhattan residence in the finished film.
Location 12Downey Studios
California, Downey Closed
Filmed here: Bridge and helicopter sequences
The bridge and helicopter sequences were staged at Downey Studios, a former Boeing plant converted into a large-scale production facility. The facility is now closed with no public access, so it cannot be visited. Its massive stages allowed the production to build and destroy set pieces that would have been impossible to accomplish on the real Brooklyn Bridge.
