Jurassic World & Fallen Kingdom Filming Sites & Tours (Hawaii Guide)

If you’re headed to the island of Oahu and you’re a fan of Jurassic World and Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom you have a special opportunity to bring Isla Nublar to life and immerse yourself in many of the filming locations.

In this article, I’ll break down all of the filming locations for Jurassic World and Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom.

I’ll not only show you where these locations are and what exact scenes from the movie were filmed there but I’ll also give you tips and advice on how to best visit these locations.

Overview of Jurassic Park filming sites

I did a complete breakdown of the Hawaii filming sites for Jurassic Park and this article is pretty similar to that except it focuses on Jurassic World and Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom.

One of the big differences between these two movies and the original Jurassic Park is the heavy use of CGI.

That makes lining up shots with movie stills a little bit more difficult and honestly just impossible in some cases.

But there are still quite a few places that you can check out that are unmistakably the filming locations.

Choosing your island(s)

The vast majority of Hawaii filming sites for Jurassic World took place on the island of Oahu.

There are a couple of scenes taken from Kauai but for the most part Kauai is where shots for the original Jurassic Park took place.

So if you are only visiting Oahu you should be able to see the vast majority of these scenes.

Choosing your sites

The good news about Jurassic World filming sites in Hawaii is that they are generally easier to visit than the sites for Jurassic Park.

You could possibly visit all of these sites in one day but that would be too much of a rushed experience for most to enjoy.

So it would be much better to give yourself two to three days to visit all of the spots in Oahu, especially because Pearl Harbor deserves one full day in my opinion.

Below is a list of all of the Jurassic World sites in this article.

I’ve organized them by location, access, price, and estimated time needed to visit and get your shots.

For access, “Public” just means that you can drive up/Uber to the spot.

Also, “free” means that you can visit/get your photos without having to pay but you may have the option to pay for additional things like food or tours.

Name	Island	Access	Price	Time
Makai Research Pier	Oahu	Public	Free	10 min
Hawaiʻi Convention Center	Oahu	Public (may be limited)	Free	10 min
Honolulu Zoo	Oahu	Public	$	1 hr
Paradise Park	Oahu	Public (may be limited)	Free	10 min
Kualoa Ranch	Oahu	Tour Needed	$$	3 hrs
Fish Pond	Oahu	Tour Needed	$	2 hrs
Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum	Oahu	Public	$	1 hr
Valley House Estate	Kauai	No Entry	N/A	N/A
Na Pali Coast	Kauai	Tour Needed	$$	2 hrs+

Jurassic World film sites in Hawaii

Makai Research Pier (Oahu)

When the kids first arrive at Isla Nublar from the ferry, they first step off the boat at the crowded Makai Research Pier.

You can easily visit this pier as it is located on the side of Kalanianaʻole Hwy in Waimanalo.

The Makai Research Pier is only open during certain hours so you can’t venture onto it unless you visit during open hours. But even if it’s closed you can easily get a view of the portion of the pier used for the movie.

It seems to be a pretty popular fishing spot and I think some people also snorkel in the area (but it’s not a place for beginner snorkelers).

Hawaii Convention Center (Oahu)

The lobby of the Hilton Isla Nublar, where the kids ride up the escalator, is actually filmed in the Hawaii Convention Center’s main lobby.

There is some CGI going on in the background when they show the entrance doors but otherwise this lobby looks just like it does in real life.

You can easily pay a visit to the Hawaii Convention Center but because of coronavirus they are now very strict about who can enter and so you may not be able to get through security unless you have some type of credentials.

Still, you can see the escalator from the glass walls outside if you’re not able to get in.

Honolulu Zoo (Oahu)

Towards the beginning of the movie when they show kids riding cuddly dinos this all takes place at the Honolulu Zoo in Waikiki.

Specifically, they filmed this scene in the pen used for the elephants.

If you walk all the way to the end of the elephant pen that’s close to where the camera was for one of the shots and you can line it up pretty nicely.

I think they filmed from inside the pen but you’re dealing with electrical fences so you probably don’t want to test it. Plus, probably not a good idea to sneak into an elephant pen.

A few other shots were taken elsewhere including when they show the pen later on in the movie as one poor baby triceratops is getting attacked.

The Honolulu Zoo itself is a decent tourist attraction and you’ll probably want to check out some of the other sites while you’re there so give yourself a little bit of time.

Paradise Park (Oahu)

When Jurassic World has one of the key call back scenes to Jurassic Park and the kids discover the ruins of the original park all of that is filmed at Paradise Park.

It’s a very fitting setting considering that this former exotic bird zoo was also abandoned decades ago.

When we visited Paradise Park we were not able to actually access the park’s overgrown ruins and explore it without trespassing so we were just limited to catching a glimpse of it from the outside.

Paradise Park is located right next to the trailhead for Manoa Falls which is a pretty easy hike to do when in Oahu. It will probably only take you about an hour to an hour and a half but the scenery is simply stunning.

Kualoa Ranch (Oahu)

A lot of Jurassic World scenes were filmed at Kualoa Ranch.

Here’s a breakdown of the scenes I’m aware of that were filmed at the ranch:

• Jurassic World tour vehicle from Gallimimus stampede
• Jurassic World Gyrosphere
• Helipad scenes (multiple)
• Indominus Rex camouflage scene
• Indominus Rex Paddock
• Attack on gyrosphere
• Kids returning to park in Jeep

I go into much greater detail about all of the different Jurassic World sites found in this article here so be sure to check that out. But below, I’ll give you an overview of some of the Kualoa Ranch sites featured in Jurassic World.

Jurassic World tour vehicle from Gallimimus stampede

This was the vehicle that was heading through the field when the herd of Gallimimus was running through – an homage to the original Jurassic Park.

You’ll also be able to see the spot where the two kids and Dr. Grant hid behind a log during the Gallimimus stampede in the original film.

Jurassic World Gyrosphere

This is where the kids boarded one of those gnarly looking clear spheres that took them all around the park to admire dinosaurs from close up.

They still have the platform set up which I believe is still used for events these days such as small weddings, parties, etc.

You’ll notice in the still from the movie below that you can’t see the ocean and that’s because they extended the length of the mountains for dramatic effect.

If you want to get a shot that lines up with the movie just head up the hill and you’ll be able to get roughly where the camera was.

Jurassic World Helipad

The helipad, which was tucked away on the iconic hillside, pops up several times throughout the Jurassic World movie.

Unfortunately, they have dismantled the helipad structure so there’s nothing really there except for a cleared dirt area.

The view from the helipad in the movie looks much different from what it actually looks like due to all of the CGI.

Although you don’t get an exact look based on what was in the movie, it’s a really nice view of the Fish Pond from up in this area. They used the Fish Pond as the setting for the mosasaurs attraction and it’s also where Owen’s bungalow was located.

Camouflaging I-Rex

If you do the Jurassic Adventure Tour, you’ll pass over a creek which is where one of the most interesting scenes from Jurassic World was filmed.

After the I-Rex got on the loose and crew from the park was after it, they located its tracking device in a wooded creek area.

Then, to their surprise the perfectly camouflaged I-Rex appears and ends up feasting on people. It’s easily one of the coolest scenes in the movie in my opinion.

When you’re going to the I-Rex Paddock, it’s going to be on the right.

Indominus Rex paddock

Probably the coolest thing to see at Kualoa Ranch for Jurassic World fans is the Indominus Rex paddock. This of course is the paddock that attempted to contain the Indominus Rex until it escaped and then wreaked havoc.

They show several different shots of this paddock in the movie and when you visit you can re-enact a lot of them which is pretty cool.

You’ll first get to go upstairs in the control room which is honestly one of the coolest things I think I’ve ever done related to movie sets.

You’ll have the chance to grab several shots from the movie at this site.

The claw marks on the walls are deeper than in the movie but it’s still pretty cool to stand in the same spot.

It’s interesting to see some of the deterioration of the styrofoam. I’m wondering how long they plan on keeping that and what the expected lifespan of this set is. If you’ve been putting off seeing this you may not wanna put it off that long….

Fish Pond (Oahu)

Owens’ rustic bungalow by the water is actually located right by Kualoa Ranch at the Fish Pond. You can get a nice view of the spot if you take the ocean voyage offered by Kualoa Ranch.

This is also technically where the mesosaurus attraction was located but they went to town with CGI making the Fish Pond unrecognizable.

The Fish Pond is a filming hotspot in Hawaii having been featured in other films like 50 First Dates (where the café is located).

Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum (Oahu)

Pearl Harbor is an absolute must when visiting Oahu and interestingly one of the final scenes from Jurassic World was filmed at Pearl Harbor.

It’s the scene where everyone is getting treated and re-united in a large airplane hanger.

This is actually Hangar 79 which is part of the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum.

It’s an extremely historic building and you can still see bullet holes from the Pearl Harbor attack when you visit. I’d highly recommend that you dedicate an entire day to visiting Pearl Harbor. Read up on our experience at the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum.

Valley House Estate (Kauai)

After the kids are attacked in the gyrosphere they are chased by the Indominus Rex and forced to take a leap of faith over the side of a big waterfall.

Later on, Owen and Claire make their way to this waterfall’s edge as she learns that Owen’s tracking senses are indeed human — he was in the Navy “not the Navajo.”

Some sources claim that this scene was filmed at Manoa Falls in Oahu but I can tell you that this is not accurate. I visited Manoa Falls and it has a completely different layout and geography.

I first thought the shot was done at Wailua Falls in Kauai and found other sources online reporting the same.

But then I really looked closer at the photos I got of Wailua Falls and realized that it wasn’t a good match.

The falls in the movie were a lot wider and those falls also look much shorter. Some of the vegetation surrounding the falls doesn’t line up, either.

Here is a look at Wailua Falls. It’s similar but not close enough.

It turns out that the location of this waterfall is at the the Valley House Estate in Kauai.

This is the same location used to film scenes from the original 1993 Jurassic Park including where the Jurassic Park visitor center was located and where the sick triceratops was found.

It’s all private property so access is next to impossible.

Interestingly, this waterfall runs from the Kealia Stream and is located just before it meets the Kapaa Stream. It’s actually very close to Hoopi Falls (the amber mine from Jurassic Park).

Note: You would have to cross streams and trespass to get from one falls to the other so don’t do it!

Na Pali Coast (Kauai)

At the beginning of the movie Isla Nublar is represented by the Na Pali coast found in Kauai, Hawaii.

Interestingly, this coast line was also used in The Lost World: Jurassic Park to represent the other Island, Isla Sorna.

This coastline is probably best appreciated during a late afternoon cruise but we experienced it from the sky during two separate helicopter tours.

Both of them were in the late morning so lighting was not ideal but it’s still a breathtaking experience to fly around this stunning stretch of coastline.

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom

Dillingham Air Field (Oahu)

When everyone is arriving back on the island to begin the search to track down the dinosaurs they first arrive at Dillingham Air Field. This airfield was also used in Jurassic Park 3.

I think you can get tours at this airfield as it was also used to house the aircraft from Lost during filming.

It’s also a popular place where people take off for skydiving.

You can easily view the airfield from the road but it’s not the most interesting site.

This airfield is also the farthest site away from Honolulu/Waikiki and on the North Shore so it takes a little bit of a drive to get there. But if you are already heading that way and visiting the Dole Plantation, you’ll be relatively close to it.

Halona Beach (Oahu)

After the crew gets run off a cliff by a stampede of scared dinosaurs and falls into the ocean, they are swept back onto a beach that is one of the most popular filming locations in Oahu: Halona Beach.

To get down to the beach you’ll take a steep but very short trail that requires you to hop down some sandy boulders. You need to be careful going down but it’s not anything crazy so most able-bodied people should be able to do this without any issues.

The beach is also used in Pirates of the Caribbean, Journey 2: The Mysterious Island, and it’s the infamous beach on 50 First Dates where Adam Sandler has his fantasy.

Back on top of the cliff adjacent to the parking lot is the blowhole which is also a cool site to check out.

He’eia Kea Harbor

When the volcano is having its final explosive moment and they are loading up the ship and heading out, all of that action happens on He’eia Kea Harbor.

Take a look at the image below. It’s hard to know for sure because there are minor differences in the cage shown in the bottom right versus the cage seen in the Indominus Rex Paddock at Kualoa Ranch but I think that is the same cage seen in the photo below.

One cage that is definitely the same that you can check out is the one the T-Rex is sleeping in when they decide a dinosaur needs a blood transfusion.

Kualoa Ranch (Oahu)

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom also filmed a number of scenes at Kualoa Ranch.

You can actually walk inside one of the key props used in Fallen Kingdom. It’s from the scene when Owen tries to get the blood for the transfusion from the T-Rex.

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom bunker

If you do the Jurassic Adventure Tour you get to view a bunker used in Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom.

This was the bunker at the beginning of Fallen Kingdom that they entered into to track down Blue.

Eventually, a dinosaur makes its way inside and lava starts to pour from the roof as the two have to escape via a ladder.

There are actually two separate bunker sets that were used to film these scenes (one is just the roof and the tower while the other one is the entire structure).

He’eia State Park (Oahu)

He’eia State Park is where Owen tracks down Blue before getting hit with tranquilizers and nearly finding himself incinerated by lava.

Given the nature of the scenes I found it extremely difficult to track down where exactly in the state park it was shot.

So maybe someone with some inside knowledge will come along one day and help us out but until then I just know the general location.

Final word

There’s a lot of different Jurassic World filming sites to check out in Oahu. It’s not very difficult to get to a lot of these and in many cases it’s also free to pay them a visit. I think the must see spot is Kualoa Ranch, since you can experience a lot of the original props and filming locations.