Where Was Top Gun Filmed? Every Major Location, Explained

When moviegoers fall madly in love with a film, at a certain point it's not enough just to watch it over and over again. They need to devour every morsel of trivia and every behind-the-scenes anecdote. They dive deep into the origins of the production, and speculate as to how the film might've played if different actors had been cast or a different director had been hired. They might even take the next step and tap out fan fiction, which can be quite profitable as E.L. James proved when her "Twilight" erotica became a publishing phenomenon called "Fifty Shades of Grey."

For those who don't have an S&M-infused novel about their favorite characters in them, the next step in heightening one's personal fan experience might be to visit the actual filming locations. If your favorite movie happens to be James Cameron's "Ghosts of the Abyss," I would strongly advise against this, but in most cases, it's actually quite doable! If you visit New York City or Los Angeles, the entire metropolis is essentially one big studio backlot. In Manhattan, you can hit up locations from movies as different as "The Godfather," "Ghostbusters," and "Dressed to Kill." There are also national monuments that double as movie location visits (e.g. Devil's Tower as seen in "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," and Mount Rushmore from "North by Northwest").

One city that's a low-key treasure trove of film locations is San Diego, California. Obviously, its proximity to Los Angeles is a main driver for this, but it's actually a visually interesting area with lots of nifty seaside architecture and, of course, the U.S. Naval Base, which is home to the country's Pacific Fleet. The most iconic movie to ever shoot in San Diego is Tony Scott's "Top Gun," which shows off the city's residential, commercial, and military identity. For those itching to insert themselves into the world of hot shot pilots, here's a list of must-visit "Top Gun" filming locations (not all of which, it should be noted, are in San Diego).

Even a casual fan of "Top Gun" might be able to reel off the film's opening title card, which informs us that:

"On March 3, 1969 the United States Navy established an elite school for the top one percent of its pilots. Its purpose was to teach the lost art of aerial combat and to ensure that the handful of men who graduated were the best fighter pilots in the world. They succeeded. Today, the Navy calls it Fighter Weapons School. The flyers call it: TOP GUN."

That school was located at the Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego. Officially known as TOPGUN, the school actually relocated in 1996 (we'll get to that in a moment), but the base is still there. As for getting on the premises, unless you're going to the annual air show (which is apparently a thrilling event), you'll need to know someone with access to the base if you're looking for a tour. If you do manage to get on the grounds, you might be able to see Hangar Three at VF-124, which is where they shot some of the class scenes. The unforgettable beach volleyball scene was also shot here, but the sand courts no longer exist. So no playing with the boys for you.

Do you really, truly need to know if she's lost that lovin' feelin', oh that lovin' feelin'? If so, there are two stops you need to make. The first is the exterior of Miramar Officers' Club, which you'll find at the aforementioned Marine Corps Air Station if you can get on site. Again, good luck with that.

The second location is the Lafayette Hotel on 2223 El Cajon Boulevard, wherein you can ascertain levels of lovin' in the Mississippi Room. This is where Tom Cruise's Maverick serenaded Kelly McGillis' Charlie (before he knew she was one of his instructors) with the help of Anthony Edwards' Goose. The Mississippi Room was actually home to the nightclub Roxy West when Scott and company shot that scene, so it looks a little different nowadays. Still, as long as you can find a microphone and carry a tune, you can reenact this moment to the likely ire of the hotel's staff and clientele.

Speaking of annoying dining/drinking patrons with music, the place to plop your butt down at a piano and caterwaul "Great Balls of Fire" à la Goose (provided they won't throw you out on your ear for doing so) is the Kansas City BBQ on 600 West Harbor Drive. This is also where Maverick finally smooth talks his way into Charlie's bed, so, I guess hone your game and see if you can score with a fellow customer if reliving the "Top Gun" experience at every possible level is that important to you.

The Kansas City BBQ is proud of its connection to the film, and is decked out with all kinds of memorabilia. The establishment was damaged by a fire in 2008, which sadly wiped out some invaluable artifacts from the movie. But it's been fully restored, so you can pop in, grab a beer or two, and, according to many of the reviews on Yelp (where it carries a brutal 2 1/2-star rating), suffer through an overcooked meal.

Charlie's house, where she makes beautifully backlit whoopee with Maverick, is located at 102 Pacific St. in Oceanside (located on I-5 between L.A. and San Diego). The exterior of the house is cluttered with signage alerting passers-by that this is, indeed, the "Top Gun House," which is kinda tacky but so is the movie at times, right?

The house was built in 1887, and is now a snug little eatery known as The Famous High-Pie. They specialize in gluten-free fare, and, unlike the Kansas City BBQ, the food is actually passable. So order a slice of apple pie, a cup of coffee, and imagine you're getting it on with Tom Cruise or Kelly McGillis ... or both! "Top Gun" is a pretty horny movie!

If you want to visit the actual TOPGUN in 2025, you'll have to hike out to Fallon, Nevada, which is home to the Naval Air Station Fallon. Before you book your travel, make sure you contact the base's Public Affairs Officer to schedule a tour (or, as with Miramar, hit up someone with access to the facilities). You won't see the classrooms where Maverick and Iceman sparred/flirted with such cocksure élan, but you will get to behold the area where the aerial training footage for "Top Gun" was shot. Just remember, the hard deck is 10,000 feet.

And before you leave, make sure to get a picture (if they allow photography on the base) of the one and only tower Maverick and Goose buzzed in their F-18. And make sure you say, "Thanks, Tone" when you do, because we all miss Tony Scott something fierce.