Ever wonder where the iconic 1986 action film Top Gun was filmed? Well…the sky. A lot of it was filmed in the sky, but not exclusively. Top Gun is a film that somehow manages to be wholly unrealistic yet entirely authentic at the exact same time. The combat scenarios that Top Gun and its hugely successful sequel, Top Gun: Maverick, depict not only would never happen, but if even if they did, they would likely start a third World War, making the obligatory celebrations feel a tad silly.
That said, the late great filmmaker Tony Scott clearly had authenticity in his mind when making Top Gun. Much of that is showcased in the film’s various and impressive locations that Scott and the cast and crew were able to film in.
‘Top Gun’ Conducted Most of Its Filming in Southern California
Top Gun did almost all of its filming in sunny Southern California, particularly in the San Diego area. This, of course, includes the oh-so-iconic and memed-into-oblivion beach volleyball scene where Maverick (Tom Cruise), Goose (Anthony Edwards), and the rest of their fighter pilot friends played shirtless on the shoreline. Those who have seen the film also know that Top Gun has more than a few bar scenes, and Top Gun filmed in three separate bars over the course of principal photography. This included Kansas City Barbeque for the “Great Balls of Fire” piano scene and the Windsock Bar & Grill for the ice water scene. The Windsock Bar & Grill has since closed permanently, but Kansas City Barbeque is still open to this day, and very much celebrates its legacy as the place where Goose sang his heart out.
Other San Diego locations where Top Gun filmed include The Lafayette Hotel, Swim Club, & Bungalows, which was just recently renovated. This is where Maverick and his companions sing the song “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin” in an attempt to woo the beautiful Charlie (Kelly McGillis). It’s an attempt that bears fruit later in the film, when Charlie professes that she’s fallen for Maverick when she catches up to him on 519 W. Laurel Street. Another notable location is the New Point Loma Lighthouse, which is where Maverick’s superior, Viper (Tom Skerritt), makes his home.
Charlie’s House from ‘Top Gun’ Has Become a Bustling Tourist Destination
One of the most iconic locations in the entire film is Charlie’s house. It’s the location where Maverick and Charlie have their first date and the place where the two lovebirds get “Hungry Eyes” so to speak. The house actually predates the making of Top Gun by almost a century, reportedly being built back in 1887. The house had entered various stages of disrepair over the years, even after Top Gun became an absolute behemoth at the box office. With the historic building having an uncertain future, restaurateur Tara Lazar stepped in with a unique approach to saving the location.
Today, while it’s been moved to a different location and is now surrounded by skyscrapers, Charlie’s beachfront home has been transformed into “The Top Gun House.” Decorated and renovated to look almost identical to how the house looked in the film, The Top Gun House functions as a nostalgic tourist destination. It offers a highly-rated selection of pies for sale while you explore the historic location. The house even comes complete with a replica of Maverick’s motorcycle just outside, making for even more photo opportunities for fans.
‘Top Gun’ Was Able to Film at Various Military Locales
Again, despite being a funny and silly action film, Top Gun is able to feel decently authentic due to the places where the movie was able to film. Getting permission to film on a United States military facility is no easy task, but the crew behind Top Gun were able to film at more than a few military bases. Most of the filming was done at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, which was known as Naval Air Station Miramar at the time of filming. The movie also filmed that graduation scene of Top Gun at the Naval Air Station North Island in Coronado, California. Finally, the film also conducted several scenes in San Diego’s Naval Training Center.
In addition to being able to film on various land bases, Top Gun was also able to film on not one but two massive U.S. aircraft carriers in the Pacific Ocean, one being used for interior shots and the other being used for exterior photography. The interior shots were conducted on the USS Ranger, with those shots presumably including the moment when Stinger (James Tolkan) reluctantly sends Goose and Maverick to train at Top Gun. The exterior aircraft carrier used bears the incredible name of the USS Enterprise, indicating that whoever named the aquatic mobile base must have been a Star Trek fan.
Yes, ‘Top Gun’s Flying Sequences Were All Done Practically
This is hardly a secret for fans of the film, as it’s one of the main reasons why this franchise is so adored, but 100% of the flying and dogfight sequences in Top Gun were all done practically. That means real pilots, real planes, and really dangerous maneuvers to get these battles on film. While obviously there is some movie magic and all, most of what you see on-screen is the real thing. Filming for these flying sequences took place both off the coast of Southern California and further inland in Nevada.
These impressive effects and equally impressive ability to catch them on film were more or less replicated for Top Gun: Maverick, with Tom Cruise even getting extensive pilot training for his second time in the cockpit. These effects, unfortunately, also come with heavy risk attached. While filming the original Top Gun, one of the stunt pilots involved, Art Scholl, suffered a catastrophic malfunction that resulted in his jet crashing into the ocean. The crew behind Top Gun had Scholl immortalized by dedicating the film to him.