The Ultimate Twilight Fan Road Trip: 7 Real-Life Filming Locations You Can Still Visit In 2025

Are you ready to relive the iconic love story of Bella Swan and Edward Cullen? As of December 18, 2025, the enduring legacy of the Twilight Saga continues to draw millions of fans to the Pacific Northwest. While the fictional town of Forks, Washington, is the heart of Stephenie Meyer’s novels, the truth is that the first and most beloved film was primarily shot hundreds of miles away in Oregon and other parts of Washington. This discrepancy between the book's setting and the movie's backdrop has created a unique, two-part pilgrimage for Twi-hards, leading them from the rainy Olympic Peninsula to the modern architecture of Portland.

This comprehensive guide cuts through the confusion, revealing the actual, up-to-date locations where Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, and the rest of the cast brought the vampire epic to life. From the infamous Cullen family home to the humble Swan residence—which you can actually rent—here is your essential map to the real-life Twilight universe, complete with the latest visitor information for your 2025 road trip.

The Real Pacific Northwest: Filming Locations of the First Twilight Movie (2008)

The original 2008 film, directed by Catherine Hardwicke, captured the moody, perpetually overcast atmosphere of the Pacific Northwest by utilizing a mix of locations in Oregon and Washington. For practical reasons, the production avoided the remote town of Forks, opting instead for the more accessible cities near Portland, Oregon. These sites are the true cinematic foundation of Bella and Edward's story.

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1. Bella Swan’s House: St. Helens, Oregon (The Ultimate Fan Stay)

The quintessential, humble home where Bella Swan lived with her father, Charlie Swan, is perhaps the most accessible and exciting location for dedicated fans. While the book places the house firmly in Forks, the actual filming location is in St. Helens, Oregon, a small town just north of Portland.

• Current Status: The house is now a privately-owned property and, incredibly, operates as a popular Airbnb rental.
• Fan Experience: The owners have meticulously decorated the interior to match the film, allowing guests to sleep in Bella’s bedroom, sit at Charlie’s kitchen table, and even recreate the iconic "spider-monkey" window scene. Due to its popularity, booking a stay requires planning far in advance.
• Entity Check: Bella Swan, Charlie Swan, St. Helens, Oregon, Airbnb, Kristen Stewart.

2. The Cullen House: Portland, Oregon (A Modernist Masterpiece)

The Cullen family’s home, a stunning piece of mid-century modernist architecture, is one of the film's most memorable settings, perfectly conveying the Cullens’ sophisticated and timeless existence.

• Current Status: The house is a private residence in a hillside neighborhood of Portland, Oregon, and is not open for public visits or tours.
• Fan Experience: Fans can drive by the neighborhood to catch a glimpse of the exterior from the street, but privacy for the residents is strongly requested. It is vital to respect the property lines and the owners’ space.
• Entity Check: Edward Cullen, Cullen House, Portland, Oregon, Mid-Century Modernism, Private Residence.

3. Forks High School: Kalama, Washington & Portland, Oregon

The location of Bella and Edward’s first meeting and the famous cafeteria scene was split between two schools to achieve the look director Catherine Hardwicke desired.

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• Kalama High School (Kalama, WA): The exterior shots, including the front entrance and the parking lot where Edward dramatically saves Bella from a speeding van, were filmed here.
• Madison High School (Portland, OR): The interior scenes, including the cafeteria and classrooms, were filmed at this Portland school.
• Fan Experience: Kalama High School is still a functioning school. While fans can respectfully take photos of the exterior from public property, visiting during school hours or attempting to enter the building is strictly prohibited.
• Entity Check: Forks High School, Kalama, Washington, Madison High School, Portland, Oregon, Catherine Hardwicke, Cafeteria Scene.

4. The Beach Scene: Ecola State Park & Cannon Beach, Oregon

The iconic sequence where Jacob Black tells Bella the Quileute legend about the "cold ones" (vampires) is set at La Push beach, but the actual filming location was much further south on the Oregon Coast.

• Location: The dramatic coastline shots were filmed at Ecola State Park and Cannon Beach, Oregon, famous for its Haystack Rock landmark.
• Fan Experience: This is a public space and one of the easiest locations to visit. You can walk the beach and experience the same moody, misty atmosphere that set the stage for Bella’s realization about the Cullens.
• Entity Check: La Push, Jacob Black, Quileute, Ecola State Park, Cannon Beach, Haystack Rock, Oregon Coast.

Beyond the First Film: Locations of The Twilight Saga Sequels

As the series grew in scope, the production for the sequels—New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn Part 1, and Breaking Dawn Part 2—moved out of the original Oregon/Washington area to take advantage of the filming incentives and diverse landscapes of Canada and Louisiana.

5. The Volturi and Italy Scenes: Montepulciano, Italy & Vancouver, BC

The dramatic climax of New Moon, where Bella races to save Edward from the Volturi in Volterra, Italy, utilized a mix of authentic European architecture and North American soundstages.

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• Volterra/Montepulciano, Italy: The exterior shots of the ancient Italian city were filmed in Montepulciano, Italy, not Volterra. The clock tower and town square are instantly recognizable.
• Interiors and Sequels: The bulk of the subsequent films, including New Moon, Eclipse, and the major exterior action sequences of Breaking Dawn, were filmed around Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
• Entity Check: Volturi, Volterra, Montepulciano, Italy, New Moon, Vancouver, British Columbia, Breaking Dawn.

6. The Final Battle Scene: Squamish, British Columbia

The epic, snowy confrontation between the Cullen family and the Volturi in Breaking Dawn: Part 2, which turned out to be a vision, was filmed in the stunning wilderness north of Vancouver.

• Location: The dramatic backdrop of the final battle was filmed in Squamish, British Columbia, often near the Stawamus Chief Provincial Park.
• Entity Check: Breaking Dawn Part 2, Volturi, Squamish, British Columbia, Stawamus Chief.

The Ultimate Fan Pilgrimage: Forks, Washington Today (2025 Update)

Despite the first film not being shot in the town itself, Forks, Washington, remains the undisputed spiritual home of the Twilight Saga. The town fully embraced its fictional fame, and a visit here is essential for any dedicated Twi-hard. The town’s commitment to the saga is more vibrant than ever, especially in 2025.

7. Forks, Washington: The Book’s True Setting

The real-life Forks, a small logging town on the Olympic Peninsula known for its perpetually cloudy weather, has become a massive tourist destination, attracting fans from around the globe.

• 2025 News: The annual Twilight Festival in Forks is set to celebrate its 20th Anniversary in 2025, with author Stephenie Meyer confirmed to attend, making this year a particularly special time to visit.
• Self-Guided Tour: The local Chamber of Commerce provides a self-guided map of "Twilight Stops" throughout the town. These locations are based on the book's descriptions and include the "Forks Police Department" (a stand-in for Charlie’s workplace), the "Forks Timber Museum," and the "Swan House" (a different house than the movie location).
• Entity Check: Forks, Washington, Olympic Peninsula, Stephenie Meyer, Twilight Festival, Forks Timber Museum, Charlie Swan, Tourism.

Whether you're tracking down the elusive Cullen House in Portland, booking a stay at Bella's real-life Airbnb in St. Helens, or joining the celebration in Forks during its 20th Anniversary year, the world of Twilight is still alive and waiting to be explored across the Pacific Northwest. Plan your road trip carefully, respect the private residences, and prepare to be immersed in the misty, romantic landscape that defined a generation of supernatural romance.