The sunny seaside town of Santa Carla has become famous thanks to Joel Schumacher’s The Lost Boys, but the famous film location was actually brought to life by another California spot. The coming-of-age horror classic follows a single mom and her two sons relocating to a new place and trying to adjust to life with the locals, unaware that the town hides a sinister secret connected to children and teens who have recently gone missing. Michael (Jason Patric) soon falls in with David (Kiefer Sutherland) and his gang, while his younger brother Sam (Corey Haim) meets Edgar (Corey Feldman), a peer obsessed with the town’s spooky lore.
The sleepy beach town plays a pivotal role for The Lost Boys characters, with several iconic areas that have become highly recognizable thanks to the success of the film. A sun-soaked summer retreat juxtaposed with all of its vampire inhabitants is part of what makes the film so distinct from others in the genre that include more monochromatic, urbane environments. Best of all, fans can go and visit most of The Lost Boys filming locations without paying or bothering anyone, and recreate the thrills of the ’80s classic at each of its signature spots.
West Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz
Nothing gets fans in The Lost Boys mood like cruising leisurely down West Cliff Drive on the way to Santa Cruz, California. This scenic drive introduces fans to the bucolic Santa Carla and lulls them into a false state of security about the evil that lurks among its citizens. A vampire nest in such a beautiful California town seems highly unlikely!
The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
The Lost Boys was almost entirely filmed in Santa Cruz, California, where the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is one of the town’s most recognizable features. This world-famous attraction is where Michael first sees David and his gang, taking particular interest in the beautiful and mysterious Star (Jami Gertz) near Louff’s Carousel. Tim Cappello, the chain-wearing, muscled saxophonist during the beach concert, is known to still play gigs in Santa Cruz for die-hard fans.
Santa Cruz Wharf, California
The beautiful Santa Cruz Wharf has a few well-known locations in The Lost Boys, including Max’s Video Store at 17 Municipal Wharf Suite D, and the restaurant where Max and Lucy have dinner, at 49 Municipal Wharf Suite B. The wharf is a lovely collection of shops, restaurants, and vistas for viewing wildlife. After fans pay homage to The Lost Boys, they can spend time with the very vocal group of sea lions that are as plentiful as vampires.
Atlantis Fantasy World, Santa Cruz, California
Fans of The Lost Boys can visit the real comic bookshop owned by the Frog Brothers’ parents, which is actually known as Atlantis Fantasy World. The original location of the store used in 1987 for the film was destroyed in the Loma Prieta earthquake of 1989, and after that, the store changed locations twice until finally opening on 1020 Cedar St in downtown Santa Cruz. Fans can not only find their next comic book, but also some distinct Lost Boys merchandise.
333 Gold Club Drive, Santa Cruz, California
For those curious to see Grandpa’s house, where the final stand against the vampire gang takes place in The Lost Boys ending, fans can find it at 333 Gold Club Drive in Santa Cruz, California. The interiors unfortunately can’t be toured, as they were shot at Stage 15 at Warner Brothers Studios in Burbank, California. Grandpa’s house is the Historic Pogonip Clubhouse where the Santa Cruz Gold and Country Club currently is today.
Hudson’s Bluff Sea Cave, Rancho Palos Verdes, California
For those adventurous enough to seek out the entrance to the vampire’s cavernous lair, the vampire caves can be seen at the mouth of Hudson’s Bluff Sea Cave, found along the cliffs at the Marineland of the Pacific, located in Rancho Palos Verdes, California. Sadly, the cave interiors were filmed on Stage 12 at Warner Brothers Burbank Studios in Burbank, California. Still, the view of the cliffs makes a perfect shot to capture the beauty and mystery of The Lost Boys’ Santa Carla.
Iron Horse Trailhead, Valencia California
The Railroad Trestle that David and the rest of the vampires hang and eventually drop from to fly over Santa Carla to one of the soundtrack’s best songs “Cry Little Sister” is one of The Lost Boys’ most iconic filming locations. Fans can find it at the Iron Horse Trailhead off the I-5 Exit to Magic Mountain Parkway in Valencia, California, several hours south of Santa Cruz. Even though the railroad trestle used in the movie is in Southern California, fans can still visit the Trestle Bridge in Santa Cruz, California, which was built in the 1800s and has a pedestrian walkway to make fans The Lost Boys tour complete.
