Jurassic Park Filming Locations And Tours

The Short Answer

Jurassic Park was filmed mainly on the Hawaiian islands of Kauai and Oahu, with desert scenes shot in California and studio work in Los Angeles. Kualoa Ranch on Oahu is the most visitable site, offering a dedicated Jurassic tour. Manawaiopuna Falls on Kauai, famous as Jurassic Falls, can only be reached by helicopter.

The 1993 film turned Hawaiian valleys, waterfalls and ranchland into the fictional Isla Nublar, a story set off the coast of Costa Rica but realized almost entirely on Pacific islands. Kauai carried the bulk of the location work, while Oahu's Kualoa Ranch supplied the sweeping grasslands where dinosaurs herded and stampeded across the screen.

Later entries in the franchise, released through 2022, returned to many of the same spots. For travelers, that means one trip to Hawaii can cover a surprising number of recognizable sites, from botanical gardens to helicopter-only waterfalls, plus a few unexpected California desert stops.

Every Location At A Glance

Location	Where	What was filmed	Access
Kualoa Ranch	Kaneohe	Gallimimus stampede and log hiding scene; dinosaur herd sequences	Ticketed
Manawaiopuna Falls (Jurassic Falls)	Hanapepe Valley	Helicopter approach and landing scene	Ticketed
Limahuli Garden	Hanalei	Opening scene with raptor pen and worker attack	Ticketed
Allerton Garden	Koloa	Dilophosaurus paddock and raptor eggs discovery	Ticketed
Red Rock Canyon State Park	Cantil	Archaeological dig site in Montana	Free to see
Na Pali Coast	Kauai	Helicopter approach to island; Isla Sorna visuals	Ticketed
Jurassic Kahili Ranch	Kilauea	Brachiosaurus sighting and opening scenes	Private property
Hoopii Falls	Kapaa	Amber mine (Mano de Dios)	Free to see
Olokele Valley	Hanapepe	Electric fence scene	Ticketed
Blue Hole	Kalaheo	T-Rex enclosure and front gate area	Outside only

Filming Locations Map

10 locations. The map loads when it scrolls into view.

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors

Location By Location

This working ranch on Oahu's windward coast hosted the Gallimimus stampede and the scene where characters hide behind a fallen log. A replica of that log remains on the property for photos. The ranch has hosted over 200 films and TV shows, including Lost and Jumanji. Visits are ticketed, and the 2.5-hour Jurassic Adventure Tour is the most direct way to see the filming areas.

The waterfall behind the film's helicopter arrival and landing scene sits deep in Hanapepe Valley on Kauai. There is no road or trail access, so the falls can only be visited by helicopter tour. Many Kauai helicopter operators fly over or land near the falls, which sit on private land. It remains one of the most dramatic and recognizable Jurassic Park sites.

Located in Hanalei on Kauai's north shore, this garden is part of the National Tropical Botanical Garden. The opening scene with the raptor pen and the worker attack was filmed here. The garden offers public tours, making it one of the easier franchise sites to visit independently. The lush valley setting reads on screen exactly as it does in person.

Found in Koloa on Kauai's south side, Allerton Garden served as the Dilophosaurus paddock and the spot where raptor eggs are discovered. The fig trees seen in the film still stand and remain recognizable to fans. Access is ticketed, typically via a bus tour from the adjacent McBryde Garden. It is a strong pick for visitors combining several south-shore sites.

This California state park near Cantil stood in for the Montana archaeological dig site in the film's opening act. The park is publicly accessible, with a short hike from the parking area. There are no fossils here, but the dramatic cliffs and desert washes match what appears on screen. It is the main franchise site on the US mainland outside studio lots.

Kauai's Na Pali Coast provided the helicopter approach to the island in the first film and stood in for Isla Sorna visuals in The Lost World. There is no road access, so the coast is best viewed by helicopter or boat tour. The emerald cliffs rising from the ocean are among the most filmed landscapes in Hawaii and instantly familiar from the franchise.

This private ranch near Kilauea on Kauai's north shore hosted the Brachiosaurus sighting and opening scenes, and it returned for The Lost World and Jurassic Park III. There is no public access to the land itself. Helicopter tours fly over the property, which is currently the only practical way for travelers to see where those scenes were shot.

Near Kapaa on Kauai, Hoopii Falls appeared as the Mano de Dios amber mine where the story's dinosaur DNA was originally extracted. The site is publicly accessible via a moderate hike on a 1.8-mile round trip trail. It is one of the few Jurassic Park locations that costs nothing to visit, though the trail requires reasonable footwear and some effort.

Deep in Hanapepe on Kauai, Olokele Valley served as the setting for the electric fence scene. The valley cannot be reached on foot, and access is limited to helicopter landings on certain tours. Travelers hoping to see it should book a helicopter tour that specifically includes valley landings, since flyovers of this area are not guaranteed on every route.

Near Kalaheo on Kauai, Blue Hole was the site of the T-Rex enclosure and the famous front gate area. Access is exterior only, and hikers can follow a trail from the gate poles, with remnants of the poles still visible along the route. The original visitor center facade was built on a private Kauai estate and later demolished, so these traces are what remain.

Where It Is Set Versus Where It Was Filmed

The story is set on Isla Nublar, a fictional island off Costa Rica, with later films set on the neighboring Isla Sorna. In reality, the franchise was filmed primarily in Hawaii on Kauai and Oahu, with additional shooting in California deserts and Los Angeles studios, plus some sites in other US states and later films in Europe.

The Studio Side

Studio work took place at Universal Studios in Universal City and Warner Bros. Burbank Studios in Burbank, both of which are visitable today through their respective studio tours. Fans can pair Hawaii location visits with a studio tour in Los Angeles to see where interior sets and effects work happened.

Tours That Visit These Locations

Most bookable Jurassic experiences center on Oahu's Kualoa Ranch, where several tour formats cover the filming areas in different ways, from open-air vehicles to multi-tour packages.

Movie Sites Bus Tour

Oahu Kualoa Ranch Movie Sites and Ranch Tour

A bus-based ranch tour oriented toward general movie sites across the property, good for fans of many films shot here, not only dinosaurs.

4.6 out of 5 · 1,846 reviewsOahu

PriceLive on listingCheck availability

2.5-Hour Jurassic Adventure

Kualoa Ranch Jurassic Adventure Tour

The dedicated 2.5-hour Jurassic Adventure Tour built around the franchise sites, with the famous log replica stop for photos.

4.6 out of 5 · 626 reviewsOahu

PriceLive on listingCheck availability

Jungle Expedition Vehicle Tour

Kualoa Ranch: Jungle Expedition Tour

A jungle expedition vehicle tour rated 4.6 from 561 reviews, the most reviewed option and a favorite for reaching the ranch's rougher terrain.

4.6 out of 5 · 561 reviewsOahu

PriceLive on listingCheck availability

Best Of Package

Kualoa Ranch - Best of Kualoa Experience Package

A package combining multiple ranch tours, rated 4.6 from 240 reviews, suited to travelers who want the fullest coverage in one booking.

4.6 out of 5 · 240 reviewsOahu

PriceLive on listingCheck availability

Guided UTV Tour

Kaneohe: Kualoa Ranch Guided UTV Tour

A guided UTV tour at $162.25 per person that gets visitors closer to the filming valleys than standard bus routes, with 54 reviews so far.

4.7 out of 5 · 54 reviewsOahu

From$162Check availability

Frequently Asked Questions

Where was Jurassic Park filmed?

Primarily on the Hawaiian islands of Kauai and Oahu, with additional filming at Red Rock Canyon State Park in California and studio work at Universal Studios and Warner Bros. Burbank Studios in the Los Angeles area.

Can you visit Jurassic Falls?

Manawaiopuna Falls, known as Jurassic Falls, sits on private land in Hanapepe Valley on Kauai and is only accessible by helicopter. Many Kauai helicopter tours fly over or land near the falls.

Which Jurassic Park location is easiest to visit?

Kualoa Ranch on Oahu, which offers a 2.5-hour Jurassic Adventure Tour. Hoopii Falls on Kauai is also free to visit via a moderate 1.8-mile round trip hike.

Was Isla Nublar a real island?

No. Isla Nublar is fictional and described in the story as lying off Costa Rica. The island scenery was created using Hawaiian locations, principally on Kauai and Oahu.

Did a hurricane affect filming?

Yes. Hurricane Iniki struck Kauai during 1992 filming, damaging sets, though authentic storm footage captured during the hurricane was used in the finished movie.

Can you still see the visitor center from the film?

No. The original visitor center facade was built on a private Kauai estate and later demolished. At Blue Hole near Kalaheo, remnants of the gate poles can still be seen along the trail.

Hawaii carries nearly all the essential Jurassic Park scenery, and Kualoa Ranch alone can anchor a full day of franchise sightseeing on Oahu. Add a helicopter flight on Kauai for the waterfall and Na Pali Coast views, and the islands deliver the closest thing possible to a real visit to Isla Nublar.