Perhaps it’s that I share a birthday with the boy wizard. Or perhaps it’s that the books made young, awkward kids like myself feel like there was a place where awkward weirdos are accepted. Whatever it is, I can’t help hoping that maybe -just maybe- my Hogwarts acceptance letter got lost in the mail and will still arrive one day. If you feel the same way, until the Wizarding World reveals itself to us, here’s your ultimate guide to Muggle Wizarding World locations:
Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Universal, Orlando, USA
Obviously we have to start with the Universal Orlando Wizarding World. Now with the three parks, Hogsmeade, Diagon Alley, and the newest Ministry of Magic, there is no better place to feel like you’ve actually stepped into the world of Harry Potter. I love how immersive the park experience is. The rides, using the latest tech, feel as close to magic as we can get. The shops sell every sort of wizarding world kitch a witch or wizard of any age could possibly need, and then you can dine on British fare complete with gallons of Butter Beer to wash it all down.
Travel Tip: Stay in a Universal Hotel that gives you early access to the park. That way you can get in line for the most desired ride before the rest of the general public so you won’t have to wait for hours for that ride later in the day.
Warner Bros. Studio Tour, London – The Making of Harry Potter
Are you the kind that likes to ruin the magic? Even if you’re not, the Warner Bros. Studio Tour is definitely worth a visit. The Tour includes the props, costumes, sets, animatronics, and models used in the filming of all eight Harry Potter films. You’ll be able to board the Hogwarts Express train, take your photo on a broom and platform 9 3/4, and purchase Hogwarts house sweaters made at the same factory where all the sweaters for the films were made.
Travel Tip: Although there are bus tours that will take you to and from the Studio from London, I highly recommend reserving a morning ticket and taking the train from London instead so you have as much time as you want to move through the studio experience. I was there until closing and I visited before the Forbidden Forest exhibit was added and there have been several more additions since then!
Read more in this post: The Ultimate Harry Potter Fan Destination: Warner Bros. Studio Tour London
The Harry Potter Shop at Platform 9 3/4, Kings Cross Station, London
Without that acceptance letter, unfortunately no matter how many times you run into brick walls at London’s Kings Cross Station, I’m afraid you’ll still have to take one of the trains at whole numbered platforms. BUT you can visit the Harry Potter Shop at Platform 9 3/4 in the station and get your photo with the iconic trolly sticking out of a wall.
Travel Tip: Sometimes it’s hard to tell that there are actually two lines, one for the trolly photo and one for the shop. And the shop is usually a shorter wait.
Harry Potter Filming Locations Oxford, England
Cloisters of New College, Oxford – Filming Location of Harry Potter #4
Stepping into this college cloister may make you immediately spin around looking for Mad-Eye-Moody. I did. This is the courtyard where the scene in Harry Potter #4 in which Moody turns Malfoy into a ferret was filmed. If you’ve seen the films a number of times, you’ll recognize this place the moment you enter.
Travel Tip: Take a Harry Potter Oxford Walking Tour
Read more about this experience in this post: Spend a Literary Day in Oxford
Duke Humphry’s, Bodleian Library
Duke Humphry’s is the oldest part of the Bodleian Library at Oxford. Some of the library scenes for Harry potter were filmed here, including the scene in the first film where Harry walked through the library with his invisibility cloak.
This wasn’t the only part of the Bodleian used in filming. The Divinity School was used as the hospital wing in the films.
Travel Tip: You’ll want to reserve a guided tour ticket for the Bodleian early, because they do sell out. Ask me how I know…
Oxford Dining Halls
The college dining halls at Oxford look suspiciously like Hogwarts Great Hall. It’s said that Rowling based her image of the Great Hall on these dining halls.
Travel Tip: If you stay overnight in an Oxford college dorm, you can eat breakfast in a dining hall!
The Shop that Must Not Be Named, York, England
While Edinburgh likes to claim that it’s streets were the inspiration for Diagon Alley, York likes to claim that it’s historic street called The Shambles was the inspiration for Diagon Alley. Either way, York also claims that the Shambles shop, The Shop That Must Not Be Named, is the largest Harry Potter themed shop in England outside of London. The shop is actually too big to fit inside one shop space, so there are two shops, right across from each other.
This whole street actually does have shops that could definitely be found in Diagon Alley. One shop sells resin ghosts and the line to get in is hours long. There’s a cologne shop that contains a huge luck dragon. And another shop calls itself The Potions Cauldron and posts its address as 9 3/4 Shambles, York.
York also claims to be the most haunted city in England, so watch out for ghosts while you’re there.
Travel Tip: This popular street gets packed shoulder to shoulder the later in the day it gets, so go early if you want to try for less crowds.
Read More about visiting Haunted York
The Harry Potter Shop, New York City
New York City’s Harry Potter Shop is not just a three-story shop packed full to the brim of Harry Potter products. It contains the largest butter beer bar. And let me tell you, the butter beer ice cream is delicious! AND, it also has virtual reality experiences! This is the closest thing you’ll get to a ride without visiting Universal. One experience takes you on an thrilling adventure through Hogwarts and another takes you on a broom ride over Hogwarts. These experiences are definitely worth visiting the shop for even if you don’t think you need any more Harry potter products.
Travel Tip: In the past, having timed tickets for the experiences let you skip the line to get in the shop. I don’t know if the line to get in is so long anymore that you you’ll want to skip it.
Read about this experience: Harry Potter VR, NYC
The Magic & The Magic II Restaurants, Budapest, Hungary
The Magic is not technically not affiliated with Harry Potter, but it’s definitely inspired by it. These restaurants have drinks that smoke with dry ice, burgers with black buns, and the decor of the room puts you right inside Hogwarts.
My cousin took me to The Magic II and we were sat at a table next to a wooden door that periodically shook, smoked, and red light shone through from behind. The waiter told us to watch out for the dragon and hope it stayed put behind the door!
Edinburgh, Scotland
The Elephant House is the most well known location in Edinburgh associated with Harry Potter. This is where the author drafted many of her novels. Unfortunately due to a fire, this cafe has been closed for several years. As of August, 2025 the cafe is close to reopening and currently has a smaller location at 30 Victoria St.
Victoria Street is a colorful street that claims to be the original inspiration for Diagon Alley. It has a few shops containing Harry potter products.
You’ll also want to take a walk through Greyfriar’s Kirkyard because you’ll stumble upon grave stones with names you’ll recognize, like Thomas Riddle.
Travel Tip: There are several Harry Potter Walking Tour options in Edinburgh that will take you through Greyfriars and other locations that inspired the books.
Locations on My Bucket List
- Alnwick Castle, England, one of the filming locations for the Harry Potter films.
- The Jacobite Steam Train, Scotland, the real Hogwarts Express
- Wizard Experience, Georgian House, London
And a moment for the places that have come and gone…
The Gryffindor themed room at the former Sylvia Beach Hotel…
The Caludron pub experience in NYC (and London)…
Harry Potter Magic At Play, Seattle, Washington…
This post was edited September 1st, 2025. Since this post was originally written, places have come and gone and many new places have opened. Universal now has Harry Potter parks in several countries and the Harry Potter shop has expanded to other cities as well. While I categorically reject the bigoted statements Rowling has made that have tainted Harry Potter’s fans enjoyment of the series and franchise, I do love that the books have a global fan base and they give us something to connect over with strangers all over the world. So where will you be seeking Hogwarts next?
Like this post? Save it for later!
Leave a Reply