Ten Real-Life Places That Will Make You Feel Like You’re in a Wes Anderson Movie

6 min readOct 20, 2017

With Wes Anderson’s newest stop-motion film, Isle of Dogs, slated to be released next year, take a look at some of the real-life places that will steep you in that intoxicating, yellowed, uniquely Andersonian aura . . .

1. Prospect Park — Brooklyn

Stroll through this lush and — dare I say — bucolic park nestled in the Brooklyn neighborhoods of Ditmas Park, Prospect Lefferts Gardens, Windsor Terrace, and hipster-posh Park Slope. Begin at Grand Army Plaza (where you’ll find the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Arch, Brooklyn’s answer to the Arc de Triomphe) and explore the park’s wooded environs, expansive fields, and trails lined with Narnia-like lampposts. Then imagine yourself eavesdropping on Royal and Ethel Tenenbaum as they sauntered through the very same park beneath a quintessentially Andersonian gray sky.

2. Zermatt, Switzerland

The whole of Switzerland is so astonishingly beautiful that it seems all but surreal, but Zermatt in particular leaves one feeling far removed from the real world — a sensation that I for one also experience while watching Anderson’s films. Cars are banned in this tiny town, the only available modes of transportation being small elctro-buses and horse-drawn carriages (or your own two legs). If you enjoyed The Grand Budapest Hotel, you’ll swoon for Zermatt’s sundry charming lodging options. And with the famed Matterhorn looming in the near distance, you’re certain to envision Zero and Monsieur Gustave H. careening bravely down its slopes.

3. Hotel Raphael — Paris

I recently stayed at this hotel specifically because I’d learned that it was where Anderson filmed Hotel Chevalier, the brilliant short that serves as a prequel to The Darjeeling Limited. Located a stone’s throw from the Champs Élysées and featuring a rooftop bar with one hell of a view of the Eiffel Tower, Hotel Raphael is quickly approaching its 100th birthday — and it shows, in the most delightful ways. The elevator is ancient and elegant. The rooms’ furnishings have the patina that can only come with the passage of time and a constant rotation of fascinating guests (among them Steve McQueen, Audrey Hepburn, and Marlon Brando). And the dimly-lit wood-paneled bar serves as the perfect place to whisper useless words of comfort over cocktails with your spurned lover.

Fun side note: When I checked in, the lovely girl at reception informed me that Natalie Portman stayed at the hotel last year, and they gave her the same suite where they filmed Hotel Chevalier.

4. Bates Hall, Boston Public Library

Famous for its iconic green lamps, Bates Hall at the Boston Public Library looks as though it could have been born from the imagination of Wes Anderson himself. Rife with both symmetry and literature, two of his favorite tropes, the hall is an ideal place to imagine yourself as young Max Fisher. Consider lingering for a few hours with a thought-provoking tome and some Nico blasting in your earbuds.

5. Amsterdam

No, not one specific place in Amsterdam. Pretty much all of Amsterdam. The city rocks a hipster vibe and is teeming with colorful, teetering houses and tiny, cozy bars, some of which are 200 or more years old. Plus, the not-so-lost vintage art of bicycling abounds. A visit to Amsterdam is like dropping yourself right onto the set of a Wes Anderson film.

6. Portland Head Light — Portland, Maine

Not everyone felt the same way, but I adored Moonrise Kingdom. Not only did I fall for the endearing story of young love, but the New England backdrop and summer-camp vibe gave me all the feels. While it’s (sadly) impossible to visit the fictitious island of New Penzance, you can easily envision it with a trip to the Portland Head Light in Portland, Maine. Perched above rocky cliffs, the lighthouse (the construction of which was first completed in 1791) and its adjoining red-roofed buildings will leave you feeling as restless and adventurous as Sam Shakusky and Suzy Bishop.

7. Shakespeare and Company — Paris

The story behind Shakespeare and Company smacks of something Wes Anderson might have penned. Even the address sounds like his creation: 37 rue de la Bûcherie, Kilometer Zero, the point at which all French roads begin. You can read more about all that here, but the TL;DR version is that this small, English language bookshop on Paris’ Left Bank was owned for decades by a somewhat eccentric American named George Whitman. Over the years, he would allow struggling and aspiring writers to sleep in the shop, so long as they met a strict quota of reading and writing and worked in the store in various capacities. I’ve heard that the tradition lasts to this day, though I’m not certain.

At any rate, the first floor may be rife with shiny new books and overflowing with tourists. But venture upstairs and you’ll step into an Andersonian fever dream. The shelves are bursting with old books. Dingy but inviting cots are hidden in every corner. And minuscule desks with typewriters can be spotted here and there, a perfect place for Margot Tenenbaum to tap out her next masterpiece.

(Related note: If you’re as curious about the writers who’ve lived at Shakespeare and Company as I am, I highly recommend Jeremy Mercer’s Time Was Soft There, which details the months he spent there in 1999.)

8. Atwater Alley — Dallas

A hidden gem of Dallas nightlife, Atwater Alley is a “speakeasy” where bartenders thrill at concocting a potion for you based on a description of your cocktail preferences. Lighting is sparse and the soundtrack is almost as intoxicating as the libations the aforementioned barkeeps serve up. The wallpaper and quirky décor would fit perfectly chez Tenenbaum. And I’m almost positive I’ve spotted the Brothers Whitman plotting their next adventure in one of the bar’s dark corners.

9. Serendipity 3 — New York City

Yes, Serendipity 3 is an intensely touristy spot in an intensely touristy city. But its eclectic interior is a hodgepodge of pastels, stained-glass, vintage-inspired seating, and a Mad Hatter-esque smattering of clocks, mirrors, and pop art. Royal and Margot Tenenbaum chatted over a butterscotch sundae at a fictional (albeit beautiful) ice cream parlor created just for The Royal Tenenbaums (the scene was filmed at Grand Prospect Hall in Park Slope). But one could just as easily imagine them planted at a table beneath the warm glow of one of the many elegant lamps at Serendipity 3.

10. Deyrolle — Paris

I’ll admit that I first learned of Deyrolle from Midnight in Paris (I know, I’m betraying the god of my idolatry). A famous taxidermy shop in swanky Saint-Germain, Deyrolle has hundreds of exotic (though . . . dead) animals on display. It’s the sort of place that the children of any Wes Anderson movie would delight in exploring, perhaps even daring to hide beneath one of the massive glass cases and spend a few nights in this creepy-cool shop. Some of the critters have even been anthropomorphized à la Fantastic Mr. Fox. In fact, per New York Magazine and a quick Google search, it would appear that Anderson is, not surprisingly, a huge fan of the shop.