New Jersey Launches Statewide Film Trails: Touring Iconic Movie Locations from Friday the 13th to Annie and Sopranos Country

While film buffs routinely associate cinematic history with Hollywood soundstages, New Jersey generated over $152.5 million in qualified local spending from a single 64-day feature shoot for Happy Gilmore 2 alone. Capitalizing on this momentum, the Garden State has officially launched the New Jersey Film Trails through the New Jersey Division of Travel and Tourism and the New Jersey Motion Picture and Television Commission. The interactive platform connects world-famous filming spots with local diners, seaside boardwalks, university estates, and fifty-eight certified "Film Ready Communities."

The initiative marks a collaborative wave across US destination marketing, where states including Oklahoma, Georgia, Utah, and California convert silver-screen and streaming fandom into localized travel itineraries that guide visitors beyond typical tourist corridors.

The Three Inaugural New Jersey Film Trails

The state's dedicated film tourism platform debuts with three distinct thematic routes designed for weekend road trips, coastal getaways, and autumn excursions:

Curated Film Trail	Featured Productions & Filming Years	Signature Filming Locations in New Jersey	Recommended Local Stops & Culinary Icons
Spooky Season Trail	Friday the 13th (1980), The Amityville Horror (1979), I Saw the TV Glow (2024)	Blairstown, Hardwick (Camp No-Be-Bo-Sco), Toms River, Point Pleasant	Blairstown Diner, Rutt’s Hut (deep-fried rippers in Clifton), Sunken Garden at Georgian Court University
Holiday & Family Feel-Good Trail	Annie (1982), BIG (1988), The Preacher’s Wife (1996), The Perfect Holiday (2007)	West Long Branch (Monmouth University), Historic Downtown Newark	Wilson Hall / Shadow Lawn Estate, Newark Symphony Hall, boutique shopping quarters
Fall in Love Trail	Chasing Amy (1997), Atlantic City (1980), Big Night (1996), Garden State (2004)	Asbury Park Boardwalk, Red Bank, Atlantic City, Cranford, South Orange	Asbury Park antique arcades, Red Bank comic book shops, historic Atlantic City boardwalk piers

Production Footprint: Major Motion Pictures Across New Jersey

New Jersey’s architectural range—from 19th-century Gilded Age estates to rugged Appalachian forests and Atlantic seaside resorts—continues to serve major Hollywood studios and independent filmmakers:

Film / Series Title	Production Year	Filming Counties & Municipalities	Regional Narrative & Tourism Significance
Friday the 13th	1980	Blairstown, Hardwick, Warren County	Camp No-Be-Bo-Sco hosts ticketed fan tours as the original Camp Crystal Lake
Annie	1982	West Long Branch, Monmouth County	Monmouth University’s Wilson Hall served as the grand estate of Daddy Warbucks
Garden State	2004	Cranford, Livingston, Mahwah, South Orange, Tenafly, Wallington	Showcases suburban North Jersey neighborhoods and historic town greens
The Preacher’s Wife	1996	Newark, Essex County	Historic churches and brick streetscapes across central Newark
Chasing Amy	1997	Red Bank, Asbury Park, Monmouth County	Celebrates Jersey Shore indie retail, music venues, and comic book culture
Oppenheimer	2023	Princeton, Mercer County	Historic Institute for Advanced Study and Princeton University campus grounds
The Irishman	2018	Paterson, Jersey City, Hudson & Passaic Counties	Classic mid-century brick storefronts and industrial architecture
Happy Gilmore 2	2025	Multiple statewide municipal golf clubs & parks	Generated $152.5 million in qualified state production spending over 64 days
Disclosure Day	2025/2026	Jersey City, Newark, Woodbine, Upper Township, Hanover	Cross-county production using 9 Atlantic, Morris, Hudson, and Cape May locations
American Classic	2026	Cranford, Kearny, Newark, North Plainfield, Rahway, Summit	MGM+ episodic production utilizing heritage train stations and downtown corridors

The 58 Film Ready Communities: Expanding Local Travel Beyond Studios

To ensure seamless coordination between production crews, municipal services, and local tourism boards, the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) expanded its Film Ready Communities program. The latest cohort added fifteen municipalities: Edison, Fanwood, Garwood, Hamilton, Hanover, Highland Park, Hightstown, Lambertville, New Brunswick, Newton, Oceanport, Phillipsburg, Randolph, Robbinsville, and Shrewsbury.

This brings the statewide total to 58 designated towns equipped with streamlined film permitting, designated production zones, and merchant networks ready to support traveling film fans.

National Screen Tourism: How Other US States Connect Films with Travel

New Jersey’s trail launch coincides with expanding film tourism programs across the United States, each tailored to distinct geographic strengths:

• Utah: The Utah Office of Tourism promotes the Utah Film Trail, guiding road-trippers through red rock canyons and alpine passes featured in Thelma & Louise, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Sandlot, High School Musical, and Yellowstone.
• Georgia: Explore Georgia anchors television tourism around historic Covington (the real-world filming setting of The Vampire Diaries and The Originals), Conyers, Rome, and Senoia (The Walking Dead), connecting boutique town squares with guided location walks.
• Oklahoma: Travel Oklahoma connects cinema enthusiasts to the Twister Museum in Wakita (Twister), The Outsiders House Museum in Tulsa, and Osage County heritage sites featured in Killers of the Flower Moon.
• North Carolina: Wilmington’s coastal film hub highlights long-running series like Dawson’s Creek, One Tree Hill, and The Summer I Turned Pretty, steering fans to oceanfront piers and riverfront cafes.
• Pennsylvania: The Philadelphia Museum of Art stairs remain an enduring global landmark through Rocky, drawing millions to run the steps and explore the Parkway museum district.

Visitor Insider Tips for Touring New Jersey's Film Locations

• Book Camp No-Be-Bo-Sco Tours Months Ahead: The private scout reservation in Hardwick that portrayed Camp Crystal Lake in Friday the 13th is closed to casual drop-ins. Fan tours hosted through Crystal Lake Tours operate on select dates and require advance lottery or ticket booking.
• Order the Classic Ripper at Rutt’s Hut: When touring northern film stops in Clifton, order a "ripper"—a pork-and-beef hot dog deep-fried until the casing rips open—topped with their signature yellow mustard-cabbage relish.
• Explore Monmouth University Grounds on Weekends: Wilson Hall in West Long Branch is an active academic building. Plan your visit during weekend daylight hours to admire the 130-room Beaux-Arts mansion exterior without disrupting classes.
• Take the NJ Transit North Jersey Coast Line: Travellers heading to Chasing Amy stops in Red Bank and Asbury Park can take direct NJ Transit trains from New York Penn Station, arriving steps from downtown boutiques and the boardwalk.

Cultural and Environmental Context

Film tourism in New Jersey serves as a driver of historic preservation and small-town revitalization. Production spending directly funds the maintenance of Gilded Age estates, vintage diners, and historic municipal theatres that might otherwise face redevelopment.

Environmentally, the Film Trails encourage clustered, low-impact driving and transit-friendly itineraries. By directing travellers toward state parks, preserved pine barrens, and downtown walking districts, the program distributes economic gains into suburban and rural communities while highlighting New Jersey’s extensive public open spaces and coastal preservation reserves.

FAQ: Visiting New Jersey Film Trails 2026

What are the New Jersey Film Trails?

The New Jersey Film Trails are curated, self-guided travel itineraries linking famous movie and TV filming spots with local restaurants, historic sites, and small businesses across New Jersey.

Can I visit the actual camp from Friday the 13th?

Yes, but only during authorized, ticketed Crystal Lake Tours events at Camp No-Be-Bo-Sco in Hardwick, as the site is an active private camp closed to unscheduled public entry.

How many Film Ready Communities exist in New Jersey?

New Jersey currently features 58 state-certified Film Ready Communities equipped with standardized production standards, visitor hospitality, and filming infrastructure.

Is Monmouth University's Annie mansion open to visitors?

Visitors can walk the exterior grounds of Wilson Hall (Shadow Lawn) at Monmouth University in West Long Branch during normal public campus visiting hours.

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From the shadow of Camp Crystal Lake to the seaside boardwalks of the Jersey Shore, the New Jersey Film Trails invite travellers to step directly into cinema history.