11 Real-Life Harry Potter Destinations You Can Visit

This Medieval castle was used as a set for the fictional Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry in the first two Harry Potter films. You'll see Alnwick in familiar scenes like Harry's first broomstick flying lesson in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone or Ron's flying car crash in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. alnwickcastle.com

When it comes to Harry Potter, few sights are as iconic as Hogwarts's Great Hall. In the film, young witches and wizards from each house gather around long tables for meals and ceremonial events – much like the students at Christ Church, a college at Oxford University. Visitors can get a peek at the real thing during a visit to the college – if there isn't an educational event going on, of course. chch.ox.ac.uk

Looking for an attraction that will scratch your Harry Potter sight-seeing itch and satisfy your travel companions? Try the Jacobite, a steam train that runs along the western coast of Scotland, giving travelers a gorgeous view of the Scottish countryside – and make you feel like you're riding the Hogwarts Express in real life. Potter fans should keep their eyes peeled for the Glenfinnan viaduct, the 21-arched overpass that is seen in the film. westcoastrailways.co.uk

Thrill seekers can find Harry Potter's Forbidden Forest come to life at the Black Park in Iver, England. The spiders, however, won't come in larger-than-life form – we hope. buckscc.gov.uk

Perhaps one of the best known Harry Potter attractions, this iconic train station has a Platform 9 3/4 sign, complete with a cart appearing to be halfway through the wall. The "platform" may be a fake, but Potter still travels through the real King's Cross in the film, so it's doubly worth a trip. However, don't make like a wizard and actually run your cart into the wall, however: You'll just end up with flying luggage and a headache. networkrail.co.uk

It may have originated as a magical sport, but Quidditch has made its way to the muggle world. And thanks to a number of seriously devoted Potter fans, you can attend the Quidditch World Cup, just like Ron, Harry, and Hermione did in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. The good news is that unlike in the book, the real-life Quidditch World Cup is held annually, in April – this year in South Carolina. usquidditch.org

If you're traveling to London, a stop by the Millennium Bridge is necessary for all visitors – but especially Potter fans. In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, readers learn that the bridge was destroyed by Death Eaters sent by Voldemort. In reality, the bridge still stands today, and is the perfect path from St. Paul's Cathedral to the Tate Modern. londonmillenniumbridge.com