Did you know that "A Christmas Story" (1983) was filmed in Cleveland? Did you also know that you can take a tour of the house where the movie was filmed? My mom and I took the tour in early November on a Saturday morning, and it was a lot of fun. The house is in a residential neighborhood along a very narrow street. There are pay-to-park areas, but it is easier to park on the street a few blocks away.
When I saw the house, I was surprised to see that it looks exactly the same as the movie. To get tickets for the house tour, head across the street to the museum and gift shop. The museum has clothing worn by the actors in the movie, photos from the movie, and is worth checking out. The gift shop has a lot of fun souvenirs, and I found a cute mug to buy.
Next, we got in line for the tour. They run every half hour, so we stood in the cold for a few minutes until it was our turn. We are led into the small house by the tour guide and into the living room, complete with Red Ryder BB Gun, leg lamp, and huge tree. He told us about filming and let us explore on our own. The living room and kitchen are popular places to take photos. The room is filled with props inspired by the movie. I took pictures holding the Red Ryder box, touching the leg lamp, and under the kitchen sink where Randy hid from his family. Upstairs is a bathroom with LifeBoy soap and the boys' room, along with the phone where the mother called Mrs. Schwartz. After exploring the house, we went in to the back yard, where Ralphie had his dream about the BB gun and the burglers.
So, if you enjoyed the movie, you will probably enjoy the tour. The house gets very busy around Christmas, so if you can go on an off-time, you will have less of a wait. Weekdays would also be less busy.
For directions and ticket info - here is official website:
http://www.achristmasstoryhouse.com/
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