5 Classic Movies You Didn't Know Were Filmed In San Diego

Hollywood may be the capital of the commercial movie industry, but many filmmakers have come to San Diego to shoot their motion pictures.

In fact, several movies that are considered classics were filmed right here in San Diego; even a film that is largely considered to be the greatest film ever made.

According to Secret San Diego, the following classic movies were filmed in and around the city:

Citizen Kane (1941)

That's right. Orson Wells's iconic film, which is largely considered the greatest movie ever made, features a San Diego landmark. At the start of the film, a newsreel shows footage of Xanadu, Kane's estate. The newsreel was made up of shots of Balboa Park's "El Cid" equestrian statue, the San Diego Museum of Art, and The Museum of Us.

Some Like It Hot (1959)

This iconic Marilyn Monroe film is set in Florida but it was actually shot in San Diego. The majority of the movie's scenes were filmed at the Hotel del Coronado.

[My Blue Heaven (1990) starring Steve Martin and Rick Moranis was also filmed in the Hotel del Coronado.]

Top Gun (1986)

You probably already know this movie was filmed in San Diego, but it's always worth a mention. The movie that made Tom Cruise a bonafide star was filmed in several locations throughout the city. The motorcycle scene was filmed at the intersection of Union Street and W Laurel Street. Other locations used for filming included Lafayette Hotel's Red Fox Room, South Pacific, and Seagaze Drive.

Almost Famous (2000)

Any music lover has a special place in their heart for this Cameron Crowe classic. The film, starring Kate Hudson and Billy Crudup, was set in the 1970s. It needed a laid-back hippie atmosphere which made Ocean Beach the perfect place to film. The former San Diego Sports Arena and Newport Avenue were both used for the movie.

Bruce Almighty (2003)

So this film may not have the critical success that the previous movies do, but you can't discuss Hollywood movies without mentioning Jim Carrey's reign in the late '90s to early 2000s. According to Secret San Diego, when the filmmakers discovered they needed an additional night scene, they went straight to Harbor Island.