UPDATE: Check out our new 2023 Best Cities to Live in the U.S. list.
#7. Sandusky, OH
The Movie: “Tommy Boy”
The Setting: Sandusky, Ohio
Where It Was Actually Filmed: Ontario, Canada
Why you should visit: While the “Tommy Boy” version of Sandusky looks suspiciously like Ontario, the real Sandusky is a diamond in the Rust Belt. The lakeside city is chock full of seasonal fun, like Lake Erie island hopping on the Jet Express, and the new Marketplace at the Cooke, an indoor museum/shopping destination with everything from bakeries to boutiques (and even axe throwing)! Just don’t go looking for Callahan Auto Parts — the company was made up for the movie.
Don’t miss this iconic spot: Cedar Point amusement park, featuring some of the world’s tallest, fastest roller coasters, like the Top Thrill Dragster, which launches riders 420 feet in the air at a breathless 120 miles per hour, on what amounts to a 17-second adrenaline shot.
Instagram moment: Grab a friend and a dinghy (or maybe just rent a kayak from Paddle and Climb) and hit the Sandusky Lake Erie to recreate the moment when Tommy and Michelle pause their romantic float to scream at some bratty children!