Discover Where 'A Christmas Story' Was Filmed

When the Holiday season starts, it’s time to re-watch classic Christmas movies to get into the spirit, like A Christmas Story. This magical film was released in the United States on November 18, 1983, and featured a great cast. Actors in this 1983 film include Melinda Dillon, Darren McGavin, Ian Petrella, Scott Schwartz, Jean Shepherd, and Peter Billingsley. Set in the 1940s, this lovely film has some of the most beautiful sets in cinema, but that begs the question, where was this movie filmed? Follow along to discover where ‘A Christmas Story’ was filmed.

What is ‘A Christmas Story?’

Before we learn about the filming locations of ‘A Christmas Story’, let’s dive into the premise of this classic Holiday film. This unique film is narrated by an adult Ralphie Parker as he recalls one specific Christmas in 1940. During this Christmas, Ralphie really wanted a Red Ryder Carbine Action 200-shot Range Model air rifle. In the end, he receives it, but during the film goes through many wacky misadventures.

This sweet, warmhearted, and funny film is a classic featuring stunning sets. The house, for instance, is unforgettable, like many outfits and icons. Even if you’ve never seen this movie, you’ve likely laid your eyes on large pink rabbit Halloween costumes. You may have even seen leg lamps!

Discover Where ‘A Christmas Story’ Was Filmed

Although A Christmas Story was set in a fictional town in Indiana, it was filmed in Cleveland, Ohio, and Toronto, Ontario. Multiple of the buildings and sites used within the film are still standing. Since it’s been about forty years though, since the making of the movie, many of the sets have changed.

Not all have changed though. For example, Ralphie’s gorgeous home is at 3159 W. 11th St, and you can visit it! This stunning home now operates as an attraction and museum. The Christmas Story House was first purchased and restored to be a museum in 2004. In the museum, visitors can find props and costumes from the film, including Randy’s snowsuit. Nightly stays are also available! Guests can sleep in Ralphie and Randy’s beds.

Did you know you can also visit the Bumpus House? It’s available for overnight stays. Guests can stay in one of two accommodations including the “Hound Dog Haven” suite. The 785 smelly dogs are not included.

Wildlife in Filming Spots

Most of the filming for this movie took place in Cleveland, Ohio, and Toronto, Ontario. Now that we’ve discussed a few buildings that you can still visit, let’s dive into the wildlife that calls each location home.

Cleveland, Ohio

Cleveland is a vibrant and large city on Lake Erie in Ohio. It has a surface area of 82.48 square miles and was first founded on July 22, 1796. Although founded in 1796, it was incorporated as a city on March 5, 1836. The city sits at an elevation of 653 feet and a little under 400,000 residents call this historic city home.

As you can imagine, a lot of animals live in Cleveland. You don’t have to travel to the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo to see wildlife. Instead, you can see wildlife while walking in parks or on hiking trails. A popular short hike in Cleveland is the Cleveland Lakefront Nature Preserve. After you’re done visiting the A Christmas Story Museum, you can hike this 2.8-mile loop. This incredible hiking trail is a great bird-watching spot. While here, you can see birds like blue jays, American goldfinches, eastern bluebirds, and belted kingfishers.

So, what animals can you spot in Cleveland? Although not very common, you can sometimes see large mammals like black bears. More common mammals include common raccoons, Virginia opossums, and coyotes.

Toronto, Ontario

Toronto is a city in the Canadian province of Ontario. It’s one of the largest cities in the country with a surface area of 243.32 square miles. Around 2.8 million people live in Toronto. This city was established on August 27, 1793, but as York.

Now that we know a little more about Toronto, let’s dive into the city’s wildlife. Within Toronto are hundreds of animal species, although most people don’t visit this large international city to see wildlife. Still, while hiking any trail in the city, you can find animals like Canadian geese, red-winged blackbirds, eastern cottontails, painted turtles, and smooth green snakes.

If you want to see animals in an educational, but safe setting, you can spend a day at the Toronto Zoo. This zoo features over 450 animal species.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Leena Robinson/Shutterstock.com