21 Walking Dead Filming Locations: Self-Guided Tour

It's a pretty big thrill to stand, look down at your feet, and know your favorite film or tv star has stood in that spot. Or died on that spot...or killed a walker from that spot...or bled on that spot...Obviously we're specifically talking about AMC's The Walking Dead here. And if you want to stand in their grimy, bloody, sweaty footsteps...you can!

What I'm giving you are the ropes for your own, self-guided tour. If you want to pay to take a tour, you can. The tour guides are usually people who worked on the show and can provide fun inside information, and I'm sure the tours are a lot of fun. But, if the funds for a tour escape you, scouting locations on your own is also pretty thrilling.

Before I start giving specific locations and addresses and tips, I have to put out there that some of these locations are on private property. If there are signs, please obey them. You can see perfectly from the road, or your car. Some of these locations are houses where people live; don't go on their lawn, knock on their door, or sit on their stoops. Be respectful and polite.

Also, I've tried to put these in a logical driving order. But Senoia, Grantville, Newnan, and Haralson are all within 20 minutes or so of each other. So if you end up going in circles, it's a beautiful area and not the worst thing you could do.

Spoilers ahead...

Atlanta:

CDC Building -
2800 Cobb Galleria Parkway
The building portrayed as the Walking Dead's CDC is actually Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center. Clean up the dead bodies and add some flowers and it's a pretty beautiful building.

Terminus - 
793 Windsor St
This is all private property, but if you drive to the very end of the street, before it takes a hard left, you have a perfect view of where the group first enters Terminus and sees the large letters spelling out the compound's name.

Rick's House - 
817 Cherokee Ave SE
Episode 1.1 "Days Gone By"
Someone lives here, and it's not Rick...stay off their lawn!

Morgan's House - 
386 Ormond St
Episode 1.1 "Days Gone By"
This house is just a couple of blocks from Rick's. Someone also lives here, be respectful.













Newnan:

Woodbury Fighting Arena - 
57 E Broad St
Use the above address to get to Caldwell Tanks, but then find the corner of Perry St. and Salbide Ave. There's a small parking lot there and you can look over the fence and see the exact area where the fighting arena was staged.

Shane and Otis Look for Medical Supplies - 
190 Lagrange St.
Episode 2.3 "Save the Last One"
This is actually Newnan High School, so be careful where you go. You really only need to go down Waterworks Rd beside the school, and you can look up the hill where Otis and Shane made their initial run.

Merle and Michonne (Oaks Inn) - 
1057 Highway 29
Episode 3.15 "The Sorrowful Life"
Merle captures Michonne and on their very long walk he stops and ties her up at a motel, almost getting her killed by walkers. People live at the old Oaks Inn, so be nice.










Senoia:

Woodbury -
Main St

Main Street Senoia is The Walking Dead Headquarters. First make a stop at Senoia Coffee and Cafe for a delicious meal or some Zombie Dark Roast coffee. In the show, this shop sat just outside the walls of Woodbury and was called the Woodbury Coffee House. The business sign that adorned the building during filming is now inside the cafe, along with some other cool memorabilia.

As you head up Main Street don't look for the Governor's House, he burned it down. It is currently an empty construction lot a couple doors up from Senoia Coffee. Cross the street and pop into The Queen's Jewels for a fun zombie bracelet or necklace charm.

Continue another block or so and you'll come upon The Walking Dead Store. Either leave your wallet in the car, or be prepared to spend. They have everything! Even if you aren't in the mood to shop, head downstairs toward the back of the store to see some genuine props from the show, as well as the messages cast and crew have left all over the walls. Fun reading! If you're lucky, you might run into a walker inside the store. Michael Jaegers, who has played several zombies throughout the seasons, and Kathryn Telford, another of the undead, were there signing autographs and taking pictures. Both incredibly nice! Then for a quick pick me up, head next door to The Waking Dead Cafe (I didn't forget an L...it's waking...like with caffeine...coffee...okay...).


Alexandria -

If you go back to the bottom of Main Street (the bottom of the hill) and turn around, you should see the walls of Alexandria. You can cross the railroad tracks and look from there, but don't bother crossing the street. There's a guard and they don't like that. So all you'll see is the wall, and some of the burnt out buildings that sit outside the wall. Be respectful; breaking the rules means you're disrespecting the show itself.




Rick and Carl's Safe House - 
291 Plyant St.
Episode 4.9 "After"
With Rick barely able to walk, he and Carl hole up in this house. Rick collapses on the couch, Carl has a screaming fit...then leaves to find pudding.









Pudding House - 
239 Plyant St.
Episode 4.9 "After
Carl finds pudding and loses his shoe to a walker. Not a bad day, overall.












Church with No Steeple - 
Luther Bailey Rd.
Episode 2.1 "What Lies Ahead"
I don't have an exact address, but the church is on Luther Bailey Rd, not far after turning off Old Hwy 85. It's closed now, but still be very respectful. The gang runs through the cemetery out back (which you should not do), and enters through the front doors. Shane then proceeds to argue it's not the right church because it has no steeple...






Haralson:
At 10 Line Creek Road you'll find Cherokee Rose Retail, which runs the Walkin Dead Tours - and this one looks fun! Before they take you out to the Esco Feed Mill filming location, they'll equip you with a replica weapon of your favorite character (Merle, Daryl, the Governor, and even Neegan) and take you out for some really fun photo ops.You'll also get to go into the Mill to the Governor and Rick's negotiation table. You'll see a lot more filming locations with this tour, and I'm sure have a blast!

If you can't tour with them, check out the shop. It's packed full of fun merch and even some genuine props, such as the chairs the Governor and Rick sit in during their negotiations. It's a must stop before heading down the road to the Mill.

Esco Feed Mill - 
23 Line Creek Rd.
Episode 3.13 "Arrow on the Doorpost" & 3.15 "The Sorrowful Life"
After turning onto Line Creek Rd, turn onto the second little street on the left. In front of the second building on your left is where Daryl kills Merle, right there in the grass between the building and the road you're on. This is all private property; you can drive all around it, but don't go on it.




Sportman's Deer Cooler - 
44 Addy St
Episode 3.1 "Seed"
This building is only seen briefly as Michonne enters the front door. She and Andrea are resting here while Andrea is sick. I didn't go inside...because there are deer antlers nailed all over the front wall and I was scared.









Grantville:

This town was used to film three episodes, "Alone", "Clear", and "Prey". As soon as you get to Main Street you'll easily recognize it as the town-size-booby-trap Morgan creates in "Clear." While you can see locations on your own, I recommend that you do take a tour here with Z is for Zombie. Find the building on Main Street with the Zombie sign outside - that's the place to go.

30 minute tours are offered daily for just $10, and on this tour you'll learn lots of behind-the-scenes information on what filming was like for the small town and you'll get to tour inside Morgan's apartment. The apartment has been recreated to mimic how it looked in "Clear" - animal cages, weapons, crazed chalk ramblings all over the walls. In short, it's awesome. The tour guide, Rebecca, is lots of fun and very knowledgeable. If you have some extra time, on Saturdays at 4:00 join Rebecca for a viewing of "Clear" before taking an hour long walking tour. Rebecca also has some one-of-a-kind, original merch for sale that is awesome; I recommend her "Watch out for Lizzie" products!

Morgan's Apartment
Episode 3.12 "Clear"
I'm not sure of the exact address, but it's on Main Street and you can't miss it. The blue front door is where Rick and Michonne enter and of course the roof is where Morgan perches to shoot.

The other picture is from inside Morgan's apartment, which you can only visit by taking a tour.

King County Cafe
Grant St.
Episode 3.12 "Clear"
If you're facing Morgan's apartment and turn around, then slightly to the right, you'll see the Grantville Freight Depot, a long white building. If you stroll down Grant Street you'll see a Cafe sign; this was made into the entrance of King County Cafe, where Carl retrieved a family photo for Judith and Michonne found a paper miche cat that was just "too damn gorgeous" to leave behind.

McKee Building
Griffin Street
Episode 3.12 "Clear"
On the next street over from the Freight Depot (you can see it from the Depot) is McKee Air. When first entering town, Rick peers around this building to see if the coast is clear. Coast is...clear...get it? Ok, I'm done.







Away With You Wall
Main Street
Episode 3.12 "Clear"
At one end of Main Street you'll find the wall where Morgan painted his cheery message 'Away With You.' While the message is no longer there, the wall is awesome. Honestly, it's an awesome wall without The Walking Dead associations. If you walk inside the wall though, the nice townspeople have re-painted Away With You for some fun photo ops. Disrespectful people (not like any of you reading this) have torn away at the wall to have keepsakes. Bad. If you want a keepsake, you can buy a brick at Z is for Zombie. This will also help preserve the wall, which, thanks to naughty tourists, has already cost the town $1,000.

The Baby Store
Corner of Colley and Legrange
Episode 3.12 "Clear" 
The building with the copper-colored awning served as the Baby Store where Carl and Michonne fetch a crib for Judith.











Funeral Home
26 Magnolia Ln
Episode 4.13 "Alone"
Although not really a funeral home, this huge house served as one when Daryl and Beth needed a place to stay. Daryl eat pig's feet, Beth eats peanut butter, and they find a one-eyed dog.

Cemetery
Griffin St.
Episode 4.13 "Alone"
In the episode it looks like the Funeral Home sits on a hill behind the cemetery that Daryl and Beth walk through. They're actually a couple miles apart. The gravestone they stop and put flowers on does not exist, it was added for filming. Turn into the cemetery at the first entrance (if you're coming down Griffin from Main) and drive to the end, then turn right. At the end of that section of road is where Daryl and Beth come out of the woods.






Well, that's it...almost. Just two more things.

1. If you find on other sites the locations for the Elder's Mill Campsite (where the group camps after fleeing the farm) or for the Bellwood Quary (from season one), you cannot actually get to either.

2. If you want to find the pharmacy where Glenn and Maggie...look for "stuff", or the bar where Hershel drowns his sorrows, here are the addresses. I just ran out of time.
Bar - 132 Terrentine Rd, Sharpsburg
Pharmacy - 105 Main St, Sharpsburg

London - Top Sights

Filling up an itinerary for London is not a difficult thing. It's a city rich with history, entertainment, and nature. Following are some of the most popular sights you may wish to visit...of course I encourage you to find some of the unexpected in London as well!

Hours and Admission Costs are always subject to change. Costs are listed in British Pounds because the conversion rates change so often. To convert prices to USD, click here.

Also, introducing my very own rating system - for this blog, Crowns.
♚ - Don't Bother
♚♚ - Ok, but not my cup of tea
♚♚♚ - You should go if you have the time
♚♚♚♚ - Do your best to try this out
♚♚♚♚♚ - If you have to stay an extra day for this, do it

Tower Bridge:
Crowns: ♚♚♚ I mostly recommend for the amazing views of London from the walkways
Hours: Apr-Sep 10 am - 5:30 pm; Oct-Mar 9:30 am - 5:00 pm
Cost: Adult - £9; Child - £3.50 

This bridge, commonly mistaken for the London Bridge, spans the Thames just beside the Tower of London. It's also home of the Tower Bridge Exhibition. The Exhibition brings you through historic Victorian engine rooms used to raise and lower the bridge, exhibits explaining why the bridge was needed and how it came to be built, and finally brings you to the high-level walkways. The newest addition to the walkways are glass floor panels. See the Thames flowing 137 feet below and maybe even witness the bridge being raised from this unique perspective.

 Tower of London:
Crowns: ♚♚♚♚ Family fun with some of England's bloodier history, beautiful architecture, and the Crown Jewels
Hours: Mar-Oct Tues-Sat 9 am - 5:30 pm, Sun-Mon 10 am - 5:30 pm; Nov-Feb Tues-Sat 9 am - 4:30 pm, Sun-Mon 10 am- 4:30 pm
Cost: Adult - £24.50; Child - £11

A visit to the Tower of London could easily take most of the day. With a history dating back to 1066, the castle has served as a royal residence, a prison, an armory, and even a zoo. In a state of expansion for over 200 years the castle saw a succession of rulers including Henry III who kept lions, an elephant, and a polar bear in residence and Henry VIII, who had his own wife, Anne Boleyn beheaded on Tower grounds.

A good way to see the castle and not miss anything is to start with the Wall Walk. Starting at the South Wall as soon as you enter you'll walk along the outer wall and through several of the outer wall towers including Medieval Tower, Wakefield Tower, and the Salt Tower, each one containing original artifacts and beautiful recreations. Learn more about the prisoners kept at the Tower and the mysterious circumstances behind the disappearance of the Little Princes from the Bloody Tower. Continue along the East Wall and onto the North Wall, which includes an exhibit on the royal animals kept by Henry III.

After taking in the Walls check out the White Tower in the center of the grounds to learn about torture at the Tower and the royal armories. Take a peek around the grounds for one of the seven ravens who call the Tower home whose residence, according to legend, keep the Kingdom from falling. And of course, you can't miss the Crown Jewels, long kept at the Tower for safe keeping.

Also, if you'd prefer to take a tour of the Tower instead of wandering around yourself, check out the Yeoman Warder tours, they start every 30 minutes near the main entrance and are included in admission price.

Buckingham Palace/Changing of the Guard:
Crowns: ♚♚♚ This rating is purely based on the Changing of the Guard as I didn't tour any part of Buckingham Palace
Hours: Changing of the Guard is around 11:15 am every day, weather permitting; The Palace Tours are Aug-Sep 11 am or 3 pm
Cost: Adult - £21.5; Child £12.30

So going to see Buckingham Palace is a no brainer. Although I found the gates around the Palace to be more impressive than the Palace, it's still a beautiful place and the heart of England. Tours of the State Rooms, 19 rooms used for business and affairs of the state, only occur during the two months that the Queen is away in Scotland.

Changing of the Guard is a big production, and around 45 minutes long. It starts with a marching band and eventually ends with the switching of the two Queen's Guards posted outside the Palace. Get there early, at least 30 minutes, if you want a good place to stand. Earlier if you want to stand against the fence for the best view. Another good view is from the fountain in the middle of the roundabout. The Changing is fun to watch, but little kids will probably get bored before the entire thing is finished.


Westminster Abbey:
Crowns: ♚♚ Although I enjoyed the Abbey, the low rating is because it's lower on my list of favorites, and carries a bit of a high admission price
Hours: Check the website here, as times seem to vary
Cost: Adult - £20; Child - £9

Home to Royal coronations and the highly watched, televised wedding of Prince William and Kate, Westminster is certainly rich in history...and monuments to the deceased. There are many tombs inside the Abbey, beautiful architecture, amazing bronze and marble work...my only problem was how very long it takes to go through, especially if you listen to the audio guide; it's worth mentioning that without the audio guide you'll have no idea what you're looking at. The Abbey can also get very crowded and with the need for quiet it might not be a great place for the children.

If you want to attend a service at the Abbey you do not have to pay, I believe there is a separate entrance. But if you're going to forgo paying admission, you should honestly be there to enjoy the service and worship. And you won't be able to just wander around anyway. So don't use the service to skip the admission cost, use it for what it's meant to be.

While you're at the Abbey, turn around and take a gander at Elizabeth Tower, home of Big Ben. That's right, the tower is not Big Ben, the bell is Big Ben. All housed next to the beautiful architecture of the Houses of Parliament.

Kensington Palace:
Crowns: ♚♚♚♚  Great exhibits about the history of the Royal family, and beautiful gardens.
Hours: 10:00 am - 6:00 pm (Closes an hour earlier Nov-Feb)
Cost: Adult - £16.50 Child - Under 16 Free

Kensington is home to Prince Harry and William and Kate. At least sometimes. They're busy, you know? The other part of the beautiful palace is home to exhibits of the monarch's history. Current exhibits include the fashion of Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Margaret, and Princess Diana, showcasing several outfits from each. Also visit the Queen and King's State Apartments, used when William III and Mary II were crowned, as well as the King's painting gallery. Learn more about Queen Victoria with her personal items and passages from her own journals, giving great insight into the ruler's interesting life.

Once through the exhibits make sure to save time to visit the beautiful Palace Gardens and stroll through nearby Hyde Park.

Camden Town

Crowns: ♚♚♚This isn't technically what I'd call a "top sight." I'm throwing in an extra for y'all!

Hours: Hours will vary, but most of the market will be closed by six or seven

An eclectic, and funky shopping town where you can find anything you can think of...plus food! In the Camden Market you'll find fashion for everyone at the most ridiculously good price. Tons of stalls! The Stables Market is housed in large, old horse stables is full of small, unique shops that have something for everyone. You're not going to find much in the way of chain shops in Camden, and once you can stop gawking at the crazy store fronts, you'll have a blast eating and shopping.

Be sure to check out my other blogs about my time in England!  

England, Home of Holmes - Sherlock, That Is

Clever title, yes?

So aside from tea and biscuits, when you think England you might think Sherlock Holmes. After all, that's where the famed detective is from and where his stories were first published in The Strand magazine. If you're a lover of Sherlock Holmes in any of his forms - short stories, movies, theater, television - there is lots for you to discover in England.

First of all, is there a 221B Baker Street? Yes, and no. On Baker Street you will find a Sherlock Holmes Museum with a plaque displaying that they are 221B Baker Street, but technically they are located between 237 and 241 Baker Street. But if you don't tell anyone, no one will know the difference.

So the Sherlock Holmes Museum at 221B/237-241 Baker Street has been converted into Sherlock Holmes' imagined residence. (Just a reminder to all that Sherlock Holmes was not a real person - it seems to be an issue that people get confused) On a self guided tour you'll walk through three floors encompassing the sitting room, laboratory, bathroom, study, and bedrooms of the beloved characters of Holmes and Dr. Watson. The rooms are beautifully decorated to reflect a Georgian townhouse between the years of 1881 and 1904 (the years Holmes and Watson would have lived there) and follow descriptions of the home from Doyle's stories.

The Study in the Museum

Throughout the house are nods to many of the stories of Sherlock Holmes (hand written notes on cases such as the Hounds of Baskerville) as well as personal belongings of the two residents. In the sitting room you can have a seat by the fireplace or at the dining table for some photo ops.

The gift shop next door is the world's largest and you'll find gifts related to the original Holmes' stories all the way up to books and posters plastered with Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman (NOT a bad thing!).

Tickets are 15 pounds (about 22.50 USD) and yes I agree that is expensive. You'll probably only be in the museum for around 30 minutes. The house is quite small so small groups of people are let in at a time, which can result in a fairly long wait. Our wait was around 30 or 40 minutes. Most importantly...You must get your ticket from the gift shop BEFORE you get in line to enter the house.

Sherlock Holmes Pub

Once you've visited Sherlock's house at 221B, you'll probably be getting a bit hungry. So head over to 10 Northumberland Street to the Sherlock Holmes Pub. The bottom floor is a typical pub, but a sit down restaurant upstairs makes you feel like you're dining in Sherlock's house (or at least in a room decorated by the same decorator...Mrs. Hudson?). The walls are covered with Sherlock photos and a small room off to the side is set up as Sherlock's laboratory.

The food was good, prices were average...and I refuse to believe that the Sherlock drawing on their menus hasn't been updated in the wake of the BBC's Sherlock to look like Benedict Cumberbatch.

Speedy's Cafe and 221B

Lastly, for you lovers of BBC's Sherlock, you can't miss out on some filming locations. If you head over to 187 N Gower Street you'll find the film location for 221B and Speedy's Cafe. When filming isn't occurring the door, unfortunately, doesn't say 221B. And someone does live there, so be nice. But you can still grab a pastry or breakfast from Speedy's and sit right outside Benedict's...Sherlock's...door. There are some cool pictures of the actors inside the Cafe as well.

St. Bart's - Sherlock's Fall

You've seen where he lives, you can see where he "dies." If you take the 56 bus it'll drop you off nearly at the point where Benedict Cumberbatch hits the pavement after jumping off the roof of St. Bart's in the Series 2 finale. I mean, get off the bus, walk left for about twenty feet and heads up.

You'll see the Ambulance Bay that blocked John's view to your left and you can imagine the whole scene playing out. There's also a phone booth there covered in funny comments and drawings related to Sherlock Holmes and his supposed demise. Funny reading.

So have fun walking in Sherlock's footsteps...

The game is on.

Harry Potter - Magic in England

Although Hogwarts is technically located somewhere in the hills of Scotland, London holds plenty of its own magical secrets - The Ministry of Magic, The Three Broomsticks, Diagon Alley. There are lots of ways to experience Harry Potter fun during a trip to London and the surrounding areas.

The biggest and best way is to visit Leavesden Studios, now home of The Warner Brothers Studio Tour - The Making of Harry Potter.

The Great Hall

Much of the Harry Potter film series was filmed at the studio at Leavesden. When movies wrapped an entire building was built on the site to house all the amazing sets, props, and costumes that were left over. Entire sets were taken down and re-built in their original entirety at the Studio Tour building. You can see exactly as it was in the movie The Great Hall, Gryffindor Common Room and Boy's Dorms, Dumbledore's Office, the Potions Classroom, the Weasley Kitchen, and so many more sets you'll instantly recognize. They're filled with the props used in the movies, and the costumes used by actors. All original, all authentic.

Potions Class and Snape's Costume

You'll also see Creature Effects where goblin masks, life size dummies, Dobby, and all other sorts of creatures live. See how they were made and how much work went into every detail. About midway through your tour you'll find the Hogwarts Express - the actual train used. Take a walk through and see the different cars that Harry and his friends rode in, then step across the platform to film your own Hogwarts Express journey. You'll get a chance to walk down Diagon Alley, step into the Ministry of Magic, and get a great look at the scale model of Hogwarts that was built for many of the exterior shots of the castle.

If you want to immerse yourself even more, make sure you take a digital ride in the Weasley's Ford Anglia and on a broomstick that takes you from London to Hogwarts. Although filming on a green screen, you can purchase a video of yourself or just fun photos from the experience. The line might look like it fills the whole room, but it goes quite quickly.

The tour wouldn't be complete without a walk through the backlot where No. 4 Privat Drive, the Potter's House, the purple Knight Bus, and part of the Hogwarts bridge have been transported and rebuilt. A cafe can hook you up with lunch or a snack, and of course Butterbeer. When touring the backlot you are outside, so keep weather in mind.

Hogwarts Scaled Model

The official website suggests at least 3 hours for this tour. I was there for 6 and only had to rush out because it was closing. The record is 13 hours...whoa. Keep in mind that although it closes at 10 or 8 pm depending on the year, the last bus back to the train station leaves 15 minutes prior.

Adult tickets are around $65 and must be purchased for a particular time. You can only begin the tour during your ticketed time. You are with a group for a short time, but then tour the rest at your own pace.You can rent an audio guide for the duration of the tour, and/or purchase an official guide. Throughout the tour there are video screens that run short interviews or film clips. The screens might just say what you're looking at (for example when you get to the Common Room the screen might just say Gryffindor Common Room), but wait a minute and the video will begin. If you don't want to wait, all these videos are loaded onto the digital guide and can be viewed on those.

I highly recommend this tour for any die-hard Harry Potter fan, or even just a casual fan. It's quite immersive and completely authentic. There are also a lot of special occasions throughout the year where you might get to see something extra special - check here for a list of dates. If you can't make it out to London, check out the digital tour, here!

If you find yourself at King's Cross you'll find The Harry Potter Shop at Platform 9 3/4. It's near the back of the shopping plaza. It's a small store selling a lot of Harry Potter merchandise. Just outside the store you can have your picture taken walking "through" the platform wall with a luggage cart. You do have to stand in line to take the photo, and a professional will take a photo that you can purchase, but you can also have a friend take your photo at the same time.

Filming Locations:

Now that you've seen the actual sets used in the movies, you can visit some real life filming locations. They're all over England, and Scotland so I'll just list a few here. You can find a long, and fairly complete list compiled by Rick Steves here.

Reptile House - The Sorcerer's Stone
In the first movie when Harry accompanies the Dursely's to the zoo he finds himself in the Reptile House talking to a boa constrictor. The Reptile House can be visited at the London Zoo.

The Leaky Cauldron Entrance - The Sorcerer's Stone
The entry way to the The Leaky Cauldron can be found just outside of Leadenhall Market in London. The exact address is 42 Bull's Head Passage, which is currently an eyeglass store and painted a rather bright blue.

King's Cross Station - The Chamber of Secrets

Pancras Station

When Ron and Harry miss the Hogwarts Express they steal the Ford Anglia from the parking lot. The car is actually parked in front of, and flies over, Pancras Station in London (which is right next to King's Cross).




Millennium Bridge - The Half-Blood Prince
Attacked by Death Eaters in the beginning of the 6th film, Millennium bridge stretches across the Thames from Bankside (near Shakespeare's Globe) to the City of London (near St. Paul's Cathedral).

Staircase at Christ Church, Oxford

Hogwarts Staircase - The Sorcerer's Stone
When the first years are first brought into the school by Professor McGonagall she leads them up a flight of stairs to await the sorting. Harry meets Draco and Neville finds his toad. This staircase is located in Christ Church, Oxford. You'll need a tour ticket to see it. The Church's dining hall also inspired the look of the Hogwarts' Great Hall.

Restricted Section of Hogwarts Library - The Sorcerer's Stone
When Harry looks for information on Nicholas Flamel in the Restricted Section he's inside the Duke Humfrey's Library, a part of the Bodleian Library in Oxford. Tickets are required to visit.

Hogwarts Infirmary - The Sorcerer's Stone and The Half-Blood Prince
The Divinity School of the Bodleian Library housed the Hogwarts Infirmary on two occasions. Tickets are required to visit.

Have fun entering the magical world of Harry Potter! I know I did!!

English Castles - Windsor and Leeds

Nothing quite says England like a castle. Except a cup of tea. A cup of tea in a castle? Anyway, I only had time to visit two castles - Windsor Castle and Leeds Castle - and admittedly neither one for very long.

Windsor Castle, The Queen's Home
19.20 Pounds (29.95 USD)

I only toured a little bit of the grounds of Windsor Castle and didn't go inside anything other than St. George's Chapel. But your ticket allows you to visit the State Apartments, decorated to reflect some of the older monarchs from the 17th and 19th centuries. You can also check out Queen Mary's doll house, the largest in the world built between 1921 and 1924, featuring electricity and running water. Between September and March the Semi-State Rooms are open, which are used by the Queen for official events and entertaining. Lastly you can attend service, or simply tour, at St. George's Chapel (except on Sunday).

As a residence of the Queen, Windsor does host the Queen's Guard. Changing of the guard takes place at 11:00 am every day and includes a small parade including the band. It takes about half an hour and takes place just outside St. George's Chapel. Arrive 10-15 minutes early to get a good viewing spot.

The hours of Windsor and its various rooms vary throughout the year, so it's best to check the website, here. Prices also vary slightly based on the time of year. Be prepared for a thorough, airport-style, search before entering the grounds. Allow 2-3 hours for a full tour.

The Queen's Guard at Windsor Castle

My favorite things about Windsor: You can get much closer to take a great picture of a Queen's Guard. The old moat has been filled in with a beautifully decorated and maintained garden. All of the lights on the lampposts have crowns. The town around the castle is very nice and could easily help fill whatever is left of the day after touring the castle.

Leeds Castle - The World's Loveliest Castle
24 Pounds (37.44 USD) - this ticket can be used repeatedly for an entire year

I wish I had had an entire day at Leeds. The castle and its grounds are stunningly beautiful and on a nice day you could spend an hour or so just sitting beside the lake, doing nothing.

The castle was built during the reign of William the Conqueror and after being passed down as a royal residence for 300 years it became a private residence. The castle remains in the style of the last private owner, Lady Baillie, who purchased the castle in 1925. Prior to her death she established the Leeds Castle Foundation which has owned the castle since her death in 1974.

Lady Baillie Mediterranean Garden Terrace

Aside from touring the castle there's a lot to do at Leeds. I'm deeply saddened that I didn't get to play in the maze - made of 2,400 yew trees. Finding your way out of the maze leads to the underground grotto. After the maze you can visit the Bird of Prey Center with 22 birds and free flying demonstrations. If you want some leisure time you can send the kids of to one of 2 playgrounds and take a float around in the moat, in a boat of course (called a punt and costing an extra 5 pounds). The grounds also house 3 beautiful and full gardens. If you're looking for something a little more out of the ordinary try the Dog Collar Museum (seriously) or the Go Ape! Ziplines.

Leeds also hosts a lot of special events and exhibits throughout the year - all posted on their website and changing through the seasons.

Open April - September 10:30 am - 6:00 pm. October - March 10:30 am - 5:00 pm.

My favorite things about Leeds: The gardens are amazing. Full of beautiful, and some strange, flowers it makes for great photos and offers some unique views over the lake. I'm pretty sure the maze would have been a favorite, if I had experienced it. The grounds are huge, and spread out so it never seemed crowded - in the castle or out.