Where was The Parent Trap filmed?
1998
City Locations
Napa, California & London, UK
Location Types
American, NatureScapes, House
Location Styles
Cabin/Luxury/Retreat
About The Parent Trap
An international summer camp, long-lost twins, a plan to get their parents back together? It’s the perfect recipe for a fun and nostalgic ’90s film. When Annie from London and Hallie from Napa, California, both played by a young Lindsay Lohan, rock up at the same summer camp, let’s just say they don’t quite hit it off.
After a few too many pranks gone wrong, the two girls are sent into isolation together to sort out their differences. Once there, they discover that they’re actually long lost twins thanks to a torn photo of their parents. Soon, they hatch a plan to swap places so that they can spend some time with their other parent. A few home DIY hair cuts and ear piercings, and a cram session on the other twin’s life later, the two girls are swapped and ready to be picked up.
When they arrive at their new home everything seems great until Annie (as Hallie) meets Meredith Blake (Elaine Hendrix), a gorgeous twenty-something who is hanging around her father, Nick (Dennis Quaid). After Nick tells Annie (as Hallie) that he’s marrying Meredith, she immediately calls Hallie in London. The game plan needs to change. They need to stop Nick from getting married and get him back together with their mother, Elizabeth (Natasha Richardson).
They hatch a plan to get them in the same room at the Stafford Hotel, where Nick is touring wedding venues and Elizabeth is going to swap the girls back, having found out that who she thought was Annie is in fact Hallie. Shocked by seeing them together, everyone is unsure of what to do next. One thing is for sure, the girls are not being split up again.
They go back to Nick’s vineyard where they pack up for the annual camping trip. Up until they’re set to leave, they think Elizabeth is coming with them, but no she suggests Meredith comes instead. She is definitely not the hiking or camping type. As the girls play increasingly hilarious pranks on her, she breaks and gives Nick an ultimatum – it’s me or them. Obviously, he chooses his kids.
With his ex sitting at home, the obstacle removed and the girls back together, will this dysfunctional family get their happy ending? Watch this iconic film and find out!
The Parent Trap Locations
Director Nancy Meyers and the rest of The Parent Trap production team were pretty faithful to the locations named in the film. After the summer camp scenes, the houses are indeed in Napa Valley in California and in London, England.
Fitting with Elizabeth James’ upper-class status as a world-renowned wedding dress designer, her house is in the upmarket borough of Kensington. Nick’s sprawling vineyard estate can be found, of course, in the jewel of California winemaking, Napa Valley.
By mixing together these two very different worlds, it helps to bring to life how different the two girls would have grown up and the distance that they’re going to have to get over if they’re going to reunite their parents and live as a happy family.
There are definitely spoilers ahead. It’s a great movie and we’ll cover terrific film shoot locations and scenes!
The fencing scene in The Parent Trap
Camp Seeley
During their time at Camp Walden, the twins take part in a series of activities that inevitably get super competitive and end in chaos. Fencing was no different. After an impressive fight sequence, both girls end up in trouble.
When Hallie asks Annie if she wants to know the difference between them, she gives this iconic retort:
“Let me see... I know how to fence and you don't? Or, I have class and you don't? Take your pick.”
The filming location for Camp Walden is a real life summer camp location just north of San Bernardino, called Camp Seeley. You can find it at 250 N. Hwy 138, Crestline, California. The cabins and facilities are all still there and it’s from here that you can hike the neighboring Heart Rock trail – a favorite among locals.
It’s pretty remote so you’re going to have to drive to get here, but there is plenty of parking available.
Uncover Riverside Filming Locations
Elizabeth meets both the twins scene in The Parent Trap
The Langham Huntington Hotel
Even though Elizabeth already knows that she has the wrong twin before flying out to California, it’s still a stretch to see both the girls together in person. Especially considering she’s drunk half the booze on the flight in order to get herself here.
“Oh, don't do this to me. I'm already seeing double.” We’ve all been there, girl.
For the interior shots of the Stafford Hotel, The Parent Trap production team opted for a separate filming location from the exterior shots. The inside is actually The Langham Huntington Hotel in Pasadena, California.
This upmarket resort has been renovated and is available to stay in for a pretty high price. With pilates studios, bars and a very fancy steak restaurant, Meredith Blake would love it here! You should drive to this location as it’s quite a long walk from the closest light rail station.
Nick tells Annie he’s marrying Meredith scene in The Parent Trap
Staglin Family Vineyard
Ah, the bombshell that starts off this whole insane plan. Nick decides to take Annie (as Hallie) out on a horseback ride around the vineyard when he tells her the news that he’s marrying Meredith. To start with, Annie thinks he’s planning on adopting Meredith, but she’s not that lucky.
Her reaction isn’t exactly positive and she ends up going bilingual – something that Hallie definitely isn’t. It even gets commented on later in the film that Nick didn’t even know that Hallie spoke French. Newsflash, she still doesn’t!
“Marry her? That's insane! How can you marry a woman young enough to be my big sister? Mais tu plaisantes, j'espère. Meredith, ce n'est pas une fille pour toi. Mais c'est pas possible, je rêve. Qu'est-ce qui…”
Nick’s vineyard estate is one of the most iconic Parent Trap filming locations and it is in fact a working vineyard in real life. The Staglin Family Vineyard is located just off the main Oakville drag in Rutherford – the heart of Napa Valley.
Obviously, if you’re heading there for a tasting, you’ll need either a designated driver, a taxi, or a plan to join a wine tour with your friends. Public transport is not great out here. Alternatively, why not stay local in Oakville and take a stroll to the cellar door?
Hallie asks Elizabeth about her father scene in The Parent Trap
Albemarle Street
After a great day helping her mom out on a wedding dress shoot for a magazine, Hallie (as Annie) and Elizabeth take a walk back through the streets of London to their home. Along the way, Hallie sees the opportunity to ask her mom about her father.
Hallie as Annie: “Doesn't designing all these wedding dresses ever make you think about getting married again; or at least make you think about the "f" word?” Elizabeth James: “The "f" word?” Hallie as Annie: “My father!”
This series of shots were filmed around Albemarle Street in London. This is located in the southern part of Mayfair, a very upmarket neighborhood that’s surrounded on three sides by the Royal Parks.
The nearest tube stop is Green Park which is just around the corner and you can get there on the Jubilee, Victoria and Piccadilly lines. There are also buses around, but when you’re in London, the fastest way to get anywhere is via the
Check London Filming Locations
The camping trip scene in The Parent Trap
Lake Gregory in Crestline
If there’s one Parent Trap scene that is completely iconic, it’s the camping trip scene. Hiking up a mountain to their regular camping spot lakeside, it’s no issue for Nick and the girls, but it’s clear that it’s not Meredith’s scene.
It might not help that the girls have put rocks in her bag, told her mountain lions are near, put a lizard on her water bottle, and ultimately shipped her out onto the lake on her inflatable mattress in the middle of the night. Before any of that happens, Meredith knows she’s in for some trouble.
Nick Parker: “I'm going to take the lead. You two help Meredith.” Meredith Blake: “Sure you'll help me. Right over a cliff you'll help me.” Hallie: [whispering to Annie] “Not a bad idea.” Annie: “Yeah, see any cliffs?”
The camping spot can be found at the beautiful Lake Gregory in Crestline, California. It’s actually not too far from the Staglin Family Vineyard that doubles as Nick’s estate, so you can hit up two Parent Trap filming locations in one, or stay a couple of days and explore the area.
There are buses around the local area if you’re staying in or around Crestline itself, but if you’re coming in for a day trip or from further afield, there are a few parking lots around the lake itself.
The pool scene in The Parent Trap
Ritz-Carlton Hotel at Marina-Del-Rey
Whereas Elizabeth already knew that the girls had switched places before arriving at the Stafford Hotel, Nick still had no idea. So, when he sees both the girls together and Elizabeth wandering around the pool area of his potential wedding venue, he understandably gets a bit shocked.
Unfortunately for him, he was very close to the edge of the pool and got knocked by a boy with a water jug while he was in his dazed and confused state. After he gets out of the pool he’s soaked through and has cut his eyebrow slightly. He turns to Elizabeth and says:
“I don't believe this. Seeing them together? Seeing you? Ow!”
Similarly to the interior and exterior being filmed in different locations, the pool scene is in a different location yet again, the Ritz-Carlton Hotel at Marina-Del-Rey. It’s a super swanky hotel that’s right on the water. This hotel is not cheap, but if you’re treating yourself, you can hang out by the pool where this iconic scene was shot.
Being at the edge of LA, you can of course drive here, however, the 108 bus does stop outside, and, being on the edge of the marina, if you’re coming in via boat, this is also an option.
Conclusion
All in all, The Parent Trap is a heartwarming and hilarious film that is nostalgic for many of us. Launching Lindsay Lohan to fame and giving us an iconically fabulous villain in Meredith Blake, there are endless things to love about this Nancy Meyers masterpiece.
Instantly quotable and definitely a film you can watch over and over again, it’s no wonder that it was such a hit. Don’t tell us that you didn’t try and learn Annie and Martin’s (Simon Kunz) elaborate handshake when you were younger. It set a new standard for handshakes and greetings and we won’t be told otherwise.
The Parent Trap is one of those films that just feel like a warm hug. No matter what kind of day you’ve had, watching this and getting lost in the absurdity of it will instantly make you feel a little bit better. Also, double points now for the amazing late ’90s fashion that is back in style. You can watch this film and find new style icons in Elizabeth, Meredith, and even Chessy (Lisa Ann Walter).
So, is anyone else moving to a vineyard in Napa to try and live out their hiking, camping, wine-drinking fantasy life? No, just me?