With the release of Stephanie Meyer's latest addition to the Twilight saga, Midnight Sun, the frenzy surrounding the book and movie series has been revived (if it ever died down, to begin with). Fans are once again seeking ways to further their connection with both the literature and movies and for many, that means exploring the state and real-life sets where the movies were filmed, and where the books gained their setting inspiration.
It's true that Forks, Washington, is a real place, but the Twilight movies have been filmed in many different places, with much of the scenery, surprisingly, having been filmed in Oregon. There were even locations in California and Vancouver, Canada, that can be seen in the film and many structures - although much older now - can still be found and are recognizable from various movie scenes.
Silver Falls State Park: The Home Of The Dramatic Opening Scene
Silver Falls State Park is a gorgeous place for nature-lovers, in general, but it's also the filming location of Twilight's opening scene, the deer chase. It's also the location of Edward and Bella's famous tree scene (where the ever-so-adorable 'spider monkey' came into play).
While the trees were posed just outside of the Cullen's home in the movie, they were actually part of the state park as both Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart maintained their balance in some of their highest branches. The cinematography shot there is just a testament to how gorgeous Oregon's landscape is.
Arizona Was Actually Close To Los Angeles
Despite how convincing the opening shots of Arizona were in the movie, these shots were actually filmed in California, not far from Los Angeles. The town where this home was filmed is near Santa Clarita in Southern California. Funny enough, this is not the first time a scene posing as 'Arizona' was shot in the same area - those who have seen Pump Up The Volume might also recognize these streets, as the school from that movie is not far from Twilight's scenes.
Forks Was Actually Not Far From Portland, Oregon
The book series does take place in Forks, Washington, but interestingly enough, the movies were not wholly filmed in the town of Forks. Rather, they were filmed in a town called Vernonia, which is actually a logging town. This town is actually closer to Portland Oregon (roughly 30 minutes) and is where most of the in-town scenes were filmed.
The town also sits along the Nehalem River, adding that typical damp, misty atmosphere that's so common in Washington - and very convincing in the movie scenes. With that being said, Bella's home - Charlie's house - wasn't actually filmed in Vernonia. The house itself is in Saint Helens, which is also the town that the popular Disney movie series Halloweentown was filmed in.
Forks High School Was Filmed In Two States
The movie does an excellent job of combining multiple locations for the Twilight saga, as even Forks High School was filmed in multiple locations. The majority of the scenes were filmed in Washington but not at a school in Forks - rather, they were filmed at Kalama High School, which had the pleasure of undergoing a temporary change for the purpose of filming Twilight.
In order to make the change convincing, a replica of the actual Forks High School sign was brought in and put on display at Kalama. Both the gym and the parking lot scenes were shot here... But the famous first-spotting of the Cullens, as well as the biology room, believe it or not, filmed at an entirely different school: Madison High School in Portland, Oregon.
Carver Cafe Is A Legitimate Place
This is also where the author of the series, Stephanie Meyer, happens. For fans who visit Carver Cafe, there's a surprise - they can purchase a shirt that says, 'I got a bite at the Carver Cafe,' as a humorous nod to the movie scenes that were filmed there.
This is one of the only permanent establishments that is true to what it actually is in real life, as the other places Bella visits outside of Forks were mocked up to fit the scenes.
La Push Is Also Real, Although It Does Go By A Different Name
'La Push' has seen tremendous popularity since the movies were filmed, with every fan seeking out the famous beach where Jacob first tells Bella about the 'Cold Ones.' La Push is actually Indian Beach, which is located in Ecola State Park. Indian Beach is only two miles from another beach famous for its landscape, Cannon Beach, which is arguably one of the best beaches in the country.