San Diego Convention Center – On-Screen Spots

Many movies have been filmed under the sunny skies of San Diego; its proximity to Hollywood and beautiful weather makes it a perfect backdrop. Because of this, visitors to the San Diego Convention Center can easily visit movie shoot locations throughout the city.

Whether you’re a fan of classic cinema, teen movies, or action films, there’s sure to be a spot in San Diego you’ll recognize from the silver screen. Take a trip throughout the San Diego area to see filming locations included in Top Gun, Citizen Kane, Some Like It Hot, Bring It On, and Almost Famous.

Top Gun

One of the most famous movies to take place in San Diego is the 1986 blockbuster Top Gun. Top Gun follows the lives of three fighter pilots training at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, which is less than 30 minutes from the San Diego Convention Center. This award-winning film prioritized authenticity by filming in the city of San Diego instead of Hollywood sets. Much of the cast and crew even stayed in San Diego for the duration of filming.

Filmmakers shot many scenes at the actual naval training center, providing Top Gun with the ideal backdrop. The Marine Corps Air Station Miramar is 26 minutes from the San Diego Convention Center. The Top Gun crew shot the locker room scenes throughout the movie in Wave House Athletic Club, only 18 minutes from the San Diego Convention Center.

Top Gun also features the intersection of West Laurel and Union Streets. This is where Tom Cruise’s character and his love interest, Charlie, share an important conversation under a shady palm tree. This spot is only 10 minutes from San Diego Convention Center, and still features the same palm tree.

The New Point Loma Lighthouse, a gorgeous waterfront location, serves as the character Viper’s house. This picturesque locale now serves as housing for Coast Guard officers and their families. While you can’t walk onto the property, you can still see the beautiful lighthouse and ocean from the street. The New Point Loma Lighthouse is a 30-minute drive from San Diego Convention Center.

One of the most famous scenes in Top Gun takes place at a local dive bar. The main characters gather to enjoy some drinks, play piano, and belt out a few songs. The Top Gun crew filmed this boisterous scene at Kansas City Barbecue, a local San Diego restaurant.

Ever since they hosted the cast and crew of Top Gun, Kansas City Barbecue has been a thriving tourist stop. Locals and tourists alike know the business as “the Top Gun bar,” a badge of honor they proudly embrace. Kansas City Barbecue proudly displays photos, memorabilia, and posters from the movie. Visitors can visit the Top Gun bar, which is conveniently only an 11-minute walk from the San Diego Convention Center.

Some Like It Hot

Some Like It Hot is a classic comedy starring Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis, and Jack Lemmon. This famous film takes place in a hotel, the exterior of which is Hotel Del Coronado.

Viewers will see the breathtaking hotel towards the beginning of the film when the main characters first arrive. During the shoot, which took two weeks, all of the cast and crew stayed at Hotel Del Coronado.

Contrary to popular belief, Some Like It Hot never featured any scenes inside of Hotel Del Coronado. Back in the studio, filmmakers created a set that looked just like the hotel, which allowed them more time and flexibility. When Some Like It Hot hit theaters, some movie critics couldn’t believe that Hotel Del Coronado was a real hotel, as it was so beautiful it seemed fake.

Some Like It Hot took the luxury hotel and turned it into a nationally recognized San Diego icon. Since the filming of the movie, Hotel Del Coronado has hosted events such as Some Like It Hot’s 25th anniversary celebration in 1984. Visitors to the San Diego Convention Center can easily visit Hotel Del Coronado, which is only 14 minutes away.

Citizen Kane

Orson Welles’s celebrated film Citizen Kane is considered to be one of the best ever made. The plot kicks off after the death of Charles Foster Kane, a publishing magnate, whose last words spark an ongoing search for their meaning.

Citizen Kane featured one small San Diego detail. At the start of this iconic film, a fictitious newsreel plays about the death of Kane. In this clip, the incredibly ornate Casa del Prado in Balboa Park serves as the tycoon’s mansion. Citizen Kane fans can find this building just 13 minutes away from San Diego Convention Center.

Almost Famous

Another beloved film, Almost Famous, has multiple scenes that take place in San Diego. The protagonist of the film, 15-year-old William, lives in San Diego before embarking on a whirlwind trip following the fictitious band Stillwater. Since William was a high school student, filmmakers used University of San Diego High School as a shooting location.

The opening scene of Almost Famous features Newport Avenue, a popular street filled with restaurants, shops, and tall palm trees. This street extends all the way to the ocean, making it a beautiful filming location. Newport Avenue is always filled with people, so the director decided to keep them in the scenes as extras.

Another San Diego spot in Almost Famous is the San Diego Sports Arena. The arena is where William meets the band Stillwater and their groupies for the first time. San Diego Sports Arena, now called Pechanga Arena San Diego, is less than 20 minutes from the San Diego Convention Center.

Bring It On

The quintessential high school cheerleading movie, Bring It On, takes place in San Diego. The film follows a cheerleading squad that discovers their award-winning routines were stolen from a rival school. Kirsten Dunst plays the main cheerleader, and this cult classic has spawned multiple sequels.

Since Bring It On centers around a high school cheerleading team, filmmakers were on a mission to bring the fictional Rancho Carne High School to life. In order to do this, the director shot at five different schools. Parts of Mount Carmel High School, Eastlake High School, Kearny Senior High School, Torrey Pines High School, and San Diego State University were all used in Bring It On.

At one point in the movie, the cheerleading squad hosts a massive car wash. This scene takes place at the Marlin Club, which is less than 20 minutes from the San Diego Convention Center.