Visit Dozens of MCU Movie Destinations on This Epic 14-Day Marvel Fan Road Trip

brianonthescreen
Movies Marvel
Movies Marvel MCU
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Are you a massive Marvel movie fan? Do you dream of traveling through the Marvel Cinematic Universe with your favorite heroes? Well, you may not be able to visit Avengers Tower IRL — because, you know, it’s not an actual place — but you can see the incredible locations where the MCU movies were made.

So, buckle up and get ready to hit the road. Here’s our super-powered itinerary for the Epic Marvel Fan Road Trip.

DAY 1: SAN FRANCISCO

Kick things off in beautiful San Francisco, as you take in everything the City by the Bay has to offer, including various locations featured in Ant-Man and the upcoming sequel, Ant-Man and the Wasp.

Well-known landmarks like the iconic Golden Gate Bridge, Lombard Street, and Coit Tower all get some screen time, but if you’re seeking off-the-beaten-path MCU destinations you can find Hank Pym’s house at 601 Buena Vista Ave W, right next to Buena Vista Park. Just don’t go knocking on the door, as this beautiful Victorian home is a private residence.

Don’t leave before checking out the former in-universe site of Pym Technologies on Treasure Island. The views of the city make it a perfect spot to snap some amazing photos. Now, put away your phone because it’s time to drive to…

DAY 2: L.A.

Take I-5 S toward Los Angeles — this can be a pretty boring drive, so stay alert — and you’ll soon find yourself in the stomping grounds of Tony Stark and the center of the nation’s film and television industry.

Be sure to visit Randy’s Donuts (805 West Manchester Blvd. in Inglewood). This historic mid-century gem, known for the giant donut signage which sits on top, is the location where Nick Fury and Natasha meet Tony in Iron Man 2.

If you’ve worked up an appetite from all that driving, then we’ve got a mighty good recommendation for you. You know the hilarious shawarma scene from the end of 2012’s Avengers? Well, it’s actually Shalom Grill, found at 9340 W Pico Blvd. Stop in for some of the best burgers, kabobs, and shawarma around.

Other key locations: The Masimo Building at 52 Discovery in Irvine stood in for Stark Industries in Iron Man, and the SpaceX facility on Rocket Rd. in Hawthorne was the fictional home to the nefarious Hammer Industries in Iron Man 2.

DAY 3: MALIBU TO LA JOLLA

Enjoy a couple of outbound excursions along the California coast before leaving the Golden State. Visit the two locations that served as Tony Stark’s massive mansion home in the Iron Man movies.

While the mansion’s on-screen exterior is a CG creation, it’s situated on a very real location: the picturesque Point Dume Bluff. It’s a publicly accessible location at Cliffside Dr. & Birdview Ave., in Malibu. The nearby Point Dume Beach is a great spot to relax and recharge before getting behind the wheel again.

From Malibu, take the 405 and the 5 south to La Jolla. That’s where you’ll find the breathtaking Razor House at 9826 La Jolla Farms Rd. It’s the one-of-a-kind architectural masterpiece where interior scenes for Stark’s Malibu mansion were filmed.

DAY 4: FABULOUS LAS VEGAS!

While you’re living it up like Tony Stark, try your luck in fabulous Las Vegas. Visit the legendary Caesars Palace Casino where Tony can be seen gambling and accepting his Apogee Award in the original Iron Man.

Don’t leave town before experiencing the Marvel Avengers S.T.A.T.I.O.N., a can’t-miss destination for any Marvel fan. It’s a completely immersive and educational attraction that brings visitors into the world of the Avengers. You’ll definitely want to text your friends about all the awesome costumes and props on display — do this before you start the next leg of the drive.

DAY 5-6: ALBUQUERQUE AND SANTA FE

Travel east, to New Mexico, where you can find more MCU locations from Thor and Avengers, while taking in the scenic beauty of the desert southwest.

First, make a stop in Albuquerque at Atrisco Heritage Academy High School (10800 Dennis Chavez Blvd.) — in the movies, it’s home to Project P.E.G.A.S.U.S., the Joint Dark Energy Mission Facility where Dr. Erik Selvig studied the Tesseract.

Next make your way to 5700 University Blvd SE, where you’ll find UNM’s Interdisciplinary Film & Digital Media campus. It’s a long way from Stuttgart, but this is the same facility that Hawkeye retrieved a stockpile of Iridium from in The Avengers.

Now if you need a reason to visit Santa Fe — other than the numerous upscale spas and beautiful Spanish colonial architecture — you can find the location where Thor and Selvig have a few beers after they’re released from S.H.I.E.L.D. custody at 2841 Cerrillos Rd. Just remember this is a road trip, so don’t get behind the wheel if you stop in for a drink.

DAY 7-9: HEAD EAST THROUGH BROXTON, OK

Buckle in for a long ride. You’ll find a dearth of Marvel Cinematic Universe locations as you make your way across the Lower Midwest and into the South, but there’s one noteworthy Marvel location that will be familiar to fans of the comics.

Broxton, Oklahoma is a rural, sparsely populated community in the southwestern part of the state. There’s nothing noteworthy about it except that it became a very important location in Marvel Comics when Thor moved in. After his rebirth, the God of Thunder recreated the City of Asgard close to the town, making it the new home to the Asgardians for some time.

A Broxton Easter egg also showed up on Agent Carter — see above.

It’s quite a stretch of highway before you reach your next stop, but keep your eyes on the road because you won’t want to miss the following MCU destination.

DAY 10: ARRIVE IN THE ATL

That cross-country drive will be totally worth once you reach the ATL and find yourself in a true Marvel movie hotbed. Nearby Fayetteville’s Pinewood Studios is home to a steady stream of Marvel Studios productions and that means the surrounding area is chock full of key locations.

Wall St. in Cartersville is the stand-in for the Missouri town that’s attacked by Ego during Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2. Nearby, you find the former Dairy Queen location, which was remodeled to look like an actual old-school Dairy Queen for GOTG2, at 5039 Memorial Dr. in Stone Mountain.

Want to visit the New Avengers? They may not be home, but you can check out their HQ, as seen in Captain America: Civil War and Spider-Man: Homecoming. You might even be able to take an impressive high-performance vehicle for a spin at the Porsche Experience Center at 1 Porsche Dr., Hapeville.

You won’t need a magnifying glass to spot this Ant-Man location. The lovely home of Scott Lang’s wife and daughter at 840 Clemont Dr. NE in Atlanta, but be respectful — it’s a private home.

The b-ball court from Black Panther — the one where young Eric shoots some hoops, and T’Challa and Shuri land their ship in the present day — isn’t in Oakland, it’s here in Atlanta. You can find it near the Ebenezer Baptist Church at Auburn Ave. NE & Jackson St. NE.

And if it’s priceless Wakanda artifacts you’re after, follow in the footsteps of Killmonger and Klaue. Except they weren’t actually held in London’s Museum of Great Britain, they’re at the High Museum of Art at 1280 Peachtree St. NW in Atlanta.

Continue down Peachtree to the “Queens Community Bank” from Spider-Man: Homecoming. The location where Peter catches a group of robbers wearing Avengers masks is a nondescript storefront at 99 Peachtree. A few blocks away, you’ll see the Rainbow store where Spidey stops a bike thief at 66 Peachtree.

Honestly, you could probably spend a month in Atlanta just hunting locations from Marvel movies, but it’s time to get behind the wheel — just stay alert in that notorious Atlanta traffic — and head north.

DAY 11-12: EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA

Coastal North Carolina is home to several key locations from Iron Man 3. You’ll find the home of the Roxxon Oil refinery — the site of the final showdown between Tony and the Mandarin — at the Port of Wilmington.

Wilmington’s Cape Fear Club is the site used for interior shots of the Vice President’s home, and Stevens Hardware at 1831 Dawson St. is the store where Tony shops to get parts for his armor.

From Wilmington, you’ll head inland to the trendy tech hub of Raleigh-Durham where three different locations were used to create Stark Industries in Iron Man 3. Interiors were shot at Epic Games in Cary and at the Archie K. Davis Conference Center in Durham. Exteriors were filmed at the SAS Executive Briefing Center (Building C) in Cary, used primarily for the scene where Pepper Potts says goodbye to Killian.

DAY 13: THE NATION’S CAPITAL

If you’ve seen Captain America: Civil War or Spider-Man: Homecoming then you’ve surely spotted numerous D.C. landmarks in the MCU.

In Winter Soldier, Steve Rogers and Sam go for a jog in and around the National Mall — you can clearly see the Jefferson and Lincoln Memorials, for example. And while the Triskelion isn’t an actual location, in the movie it’s situated on Roosevelt Island, which you really can visit.

Another historic D.C. landmark, the Washington Monument, features prominently in Spider-Man: Homecoming. When Peter Parker’s class is visiting the capital, some Chitauri tech explodes, causing panic and trapping students.

There’s so much to see in the city — just pull over to a safe location if you’re going to take any pics.

DAY 14: WELCOME TO NEW YORK

A 5-hour drive north, up I-95, is New York City. There you’ll find some of the most important locations in all of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

In Doctor Strange, scenes outside the Sanctum Sanctorum were filmed at 319 West 4th St., though the entire front of the Sanctum was digitally created. To see the in-universe spot where the Sanctum is supposed to be, you can visit 177A Bleecker St.

Spider-Man: Homecoming, as you might expect, features numerous establishing shots of the city as well as scenes with NYC locales like Coney Island and the Staten Island Ferry.

The New York State Pavilion, home of the iconic Unisphere, pops up in scenes from Iron Man 2 and Captain America: The First Avenger. It’s also briefly glimpsed in Spider-Man: Homecoming.

If you’re seeking entry to Asgard, you could try to find the spot where the Avengers bring Loki before sending him back. It’s in Central Park just in front of the Bethesda Terrace.

Revisiting the Battle of New York from The Avengers is easy — most of it takes place on the 42nd Street Ramp outside Grand Central Station.

Finally, as much as we wish Avengers Tower was a real building, it just not. The MetLife Building at 200 Park Ave. is as close to the in-universe location as you can get.

If you’re heading out on our Epic MCU Road Trip or getting behind the wheel to go anywhere else, FANDOM and N.H.T.S.A. remind you to be a real hero and #justdrive — avoid distracted driving. Never text and drive, and if you need to use your phone, pull over to a safe location, or hand your phone over to a “designated texter.” You may not have superpowers, but you can save lives by keeping your focus on the road.

brianonthescreen
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