Where was 'Jurassic Park' filmed? Getting to know the film's tropical locations and where you can visit

The "Jurassic Park" franchise has delighted and terrified audiences for years with the help of its prehistoric creatures come back to life.

From the first film, released in 1993, to the latest installment in 2022, "Jurassic Park" has spawned its own lore and history. One of the many aspects of the franchise which continues to fascinate viewers is its setting.

Isla Nublar and Isla Sorna serve as the films' backdrops and help set the scene for science fiction to unfold. But just because these tropical islands are fictional does not mean "Jurassic Park" was only filmed on sets and sound stages.

Where was 'Jurassic Park' filmed?

Isla Nublar is the main setting of "Jurassic Park." The fictional tropical island is located 120 miles west of Costa Rica and has an inactive volcano.

Though the Jurassic Park islands are meant to be located near Central America, several of the actual filming locations were in Hawaii.

Kualoa Ranch in Oahu has been featured in dozens of movies and television shows, including "Hawaii Five-0," "Lost," "Kong: Skull Island" and "Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle," according to Islands.

"Jurassic Park," "Jurassic World" and "Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom," all contain scenes filmed there, such as when Dr. Alan Grant and the kids take cover behind a fallen log while being chased by dinosaurs.

Another distinct filming location is Jurassic Kahili Ranch in Kauai. "Jurassic Park," "Jurassic Park: Lost World," "Jurassic Park III" and "Jurassic World" were all filmed there, according to the ranch's website.

Manawaiopuna Falls was used in the helicopter landing waterfall scene in the original film. Red Rock Canyon State Park was used in "Jurassic Park" during an archeological dig scene, according to IMDb.

The Blue Hole in Kauai was used for the large front gate to Jurassic Park, says IMDb. Olokele Valley can be seen in the electric fence scene, while Hoopii Falls is a stand-in for the Mano de Dios amber mine, according to IMDb.

Various other locations on the islands of Kauai and Oahu can be seen in the film, according to IMDb.

On what island did they film 'Jurassic World'?

The first film in the "Jurassic World" trilogy is also set on Isla Nublar. Like the original movie, "Jurassic World" was filmed on the islands of Oahu and Kauai.

Kualoa Ranch was once again used as a filming location, along with Jurassic Kahili Ranch, Manawaiopuna Falls, Olokele Valley and the Blue Hole, according to IMDb.

Other locations featured in "Jurassic World" include Na Pali Coast State Park, the Honolulu Zoo and Manoa Falls, says IMDb.

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Can you visit Jurassic Park?

Though Jurassic Park doesn't actually exist, some of its filming locations can be visited. Kualoa Ranch has a jurassic adventure tour which takes visitors around the filming locations in Kualoa, Hakipu’u and Ka’a’awa Valleys, says its website.

Manawaiopuna Falls is located on private property. If you want to see it, you will need to take a tour via helicopter, just like in the film, according to Visit the USA.

Jurassic Kahili Ranch is a location for movie and television filming and photography shoots, according to its website. No tours are available and no trespassing rules are strictly enforced, says Islands.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Where was 'Jurassic Park' filmed? A dive into its prehistoric locations