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Raindrops twinkling on fir trees beneath an overcast sky. Ah yes– Forks, Washington. This logging town near the coast was plucked from relative obscurity– it’s close to Kurt Cobain’s hometown of Aberdeen – and placed at the center of Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight series. Yep, this is where the books and subsequent movies are set.
As part of a weekend getaway, we ventured to the Olympic National Park to explore the rainforests and beaches, and felt it only apt to twin this jaunt with an overnight stay in the infamous Twilight town itself. If you’ve ever wondered whether to visit Forks as a Twilight fan, here’s our take on what’s worth seeing (the museum’s frankly terrifying doll? Absolutely) and which nearby beaches are worth the detour.
The Horror Connection
Whether Twilight qualifies as horror is debatable—but it definitely borrows from the genre. It’s got vampires, moody forests, and a brooding antihero with an age gap that should probably raise more eyebrows. Also: sparkles. Who knew? Maybe that’s why Fright Night’s Jerry Dandridge wears so many sweaters.
Stephenie Meyer was inspired by Forks when writing her 2005 novel, and while the movies are set here, they were mostly filmed in Oregon, other parts of Washington, and British Columbia. That’s right—none of Twilight was actually shot in Forks.
Still, if you’re a fan of the books or the films, the town feels exactly like you’d hope: misty, pine-drenched, and proudly frozen in the early 2000s. Forks has fully leaned into the fandom with an annual Twilight festival, themed shops, menu tie-ins at local cafés, and a surprisingly detailed (and free!) museum.
🎬 Wondering if that spooky house from your favourite movie is safe to visit?
Our Final Girl Field Guide breaks down how to do it without drama.
What We Did While We Were There
Here’s some of the best places to visit in Forks for Twilight fans:
Forks High School
261 Spartan Ave, Forks, WA 98331
What I really dug about this town is that everything is walkable. Our first morning we got up and headed over to the high school, which was situated directly behind our motel. This excursion was brief because the actual school bears little resemblance to the one depicted on screen.
That school – where we see Bella pull up in her giant truck and Edward rescues her from harm – was filmed in Kalama, Washington, whose high school was constructed in 1938. Its brick aesthetic matches the vibe of the movie.
Still, as it was convenient, it’s worth a stop to check it out, especially as the front sign appears the same as it does in the movie.
The Twilight Museum– Forever Twilight in Forks Collection
Rainforest Arts Center, 11 N Forks Ave, Forks, WA 98331
Let me just get this out of the way upfront: the Forever Twilight in Forks Collection sits within a single room of the Forks Chamber of Commerce building and is an unpolished gem. And that emanates from the kindest of places.
We learned online that you do need to sign up for a slot ahead of time; they typically begin 30 minutes before opening and restrict each timeslot to only 10 people. I was convinced that a rainy weekend at the end of March would be a crowd-free zone and we probably would not need to queue. Readers, I was 100% wrong and 100% pleasantly surprised by how many Twilight fans trudged out in the gloom to visit this little haven of cinema memorabilia.
We got in line around 11:15am, waited for about 30 minutes and secured our later slot for 12:15p. We sauntered off for a coffee, a peruse around some shops, then returned to the Chamber. Our names were checked off and we were escorted to a cordoned-off area in front. All the while, hordes of people signed up for later slots.
I’m not kidding– get to the museum early, get your name on the list.
When 12:15p rolled around, a staff member ran through an introduction to the museum to our captive group. It’s wild that most of this information is withheld from their website. We were then taken through a side door into a room that can only be described as an old backroom with fitted display units, and given another talk by a staffer about which way around the room we were allowed to go. That part felt unnecessary, considering the size of the place.
What struck us both was the volume of items in the museum.
Most of the collection was donated by Jack Morrissey, a friend of Breaking Dawn Part 1 and 2 director Bill Condon. He purchased most of the items from an auction in LA and offered them to the Forks Chamber for display.
Now, that might conjure up the idea of nondescript items you would not be able to recognise. “Oh yes, there’s that chair from Charlie’s desk at the precinct.”
And it definitely does have stuff… like that.
But this Museum is stacked with phenomenal costumes from throughout the entire franchise. What’s most frustrating is how tightly they’re all packed in. One of Bella’s classic looks from the first film, her cute bowling outfit, is shoved behind one of Jasper’s blandy mcblandy getups. Why? Luckily, the outfits worn the moment Bella learns Edward gets all twinkly have their own cabinet:
The horrific red wedding blood-drenched garb from Breaking Dawn is also included, but popped behind a series of lesser-known costumes from the franchise.
We were both tickled to visit but agreed afterward that if Forks were able to invest in a curator, or perhaps hire a coordinator to oversee crafting a bigger space to display this frankly stunning collection, they could create a lasting experience for fans to visit for years. The size warrants a whole exhibit that could easily be part of MoPop’s rotating schedule of special exhibitions.
My favourite piece is this cast made of Kristen Stewart’s face during the sequences she’s emaciated and desperate for blood. Relatable content, as they say.
Arguably, the big draw is the hideous Renesmee doll that never made it to screen:
While admission is free (!) they encourage donations and we of course donated. This is truly a hidden gem and a strong recommend, despite its less-than-ideal environ.
🎬 Love seeing movie props up close? Check out our visit to Seattle’s MoPOP Horror Exhibit—no Twilight, but tons of iconic horror memorabilia just a few hours from Forks.
Forks Outfitters
950 S Forks Ave, Forks, WA 98331
From one must-see spot to one that’s completely fine to skip. We stopped here to grab sandwich supplies and a mosey around. It doesn’t feature in the films but Bella works here in the novels.
Forks Chamber of Commerce
1411 S Forks Ave, Forks, WA 98331
This spot is at the south point of the town and we headed here before driving home for two reasons– trucks and that sign.
Out front of the Chamber sit two red trucks. One is a replica of Bella’s ride from the books and the other is a replica of her truck from the movies. Again – and I don’t know why I was surprised – we encountered a group of Twilight fans taking photos here as well.
This is a good spot to get snaps taken in front of the Welcome to Forks sign. I grabbed a quick snap of the one driving into the north end but in this area there’s plenty of space to take photos safely.
Little Nods & Unexpected Details
My favourite part of the Twilight stores we patronised, Native to Twilight,10 N Forks Ave, and Sasquatch The Legend, 80 N Forks Ave were the frankly hideous and therefore utterly charming Chuckesmee dolls. This doll now lives in the Twilight Museum as a rejected prop that was designed for use in Breaking Dawn. Rumour has it the cast and crew called it Chuckesmee on account of its affinity to Chucky. I can’t lie, I like the damn thing. I wish they’d kept it in the movie.
Elsewhere, you can visit the original house that inspired Stephanie Meyer when creating Charlie and Bella’s home. It sits at 775 K Street, Forks. It is a private residence so be mindful if you’re doing a drive-by for photos. If you’re looking to stay in Forks, you can book it for an overnight visit.
Another option is to stay in the house that closely resembles the Cullen Family homestead. I initially thought Meyer based the Cullen’s home on this specific property, but according to their website, they decided to work in concert with Forks Chamber of Commerce to officially dub it the ‘Cullen House’ as it closely resembles the description in the book. This is the Miller Tree Inn Bed & Breakfast, Miller Tree Inn, 654 E Division St, Forks.
Elsewhere around town, there’s lots of little spots that nod to the franchise. On the drive to La Push you can see the treaty line sign that reads “welcome Twilight fans” on one side and “No Vampires Beyond This Point” on the other.
We ate one night at Sully’s Burgers, 220 N. Forks Ave, which carries a Bella burger on the menu… that inexplicably has pineapple on it. Apparently this burger was so popular back in 2008 the restaurant got through “one economy-sized can” of pineapple a day.
The coffee stand Mocha Motion, 260 S Forks Ave, also offer a ‘Lotus Energy’ drink called Vampire Bite but sadly it did not include inexplicable pineapple. It does include raspberry glitter dust, however, offering you the chance to squeak out a sparkly loaf!
Practical Tips
When to Visit
- If you’re looking to truly capture the Twilight vibe, the relentless grey and pouring rain, try visiting anytime from October-May. May-September you’re more likely to see the sun. We visited at the end of March 2025. If you’ve ever spent time in the Pacific Northwest, you know it’s impossible to predict what the weather in springtime brings.
- As mentioned, we rocked up on a dreary March weekend and still had to line up for the museum.
- If you’re planning to go in 2025, I’d consider going to the Forever Twilight in Forks Festival. This year it takes place September 11-14 and includes cast members Kellan Lutz (Emmett) and Jackson Rathbone (Jasper).
Planning a Twilight-Themed Road Trip to Forks, WA? Make It a Day Trip
- Leaving from Seattle? Catch the boat to Bainbridge Island. Grab snacks at Town and Country or Safeway and a coffee from Blackbird Bakery.
- Drive onward to Forks and head straight to the Forever Twilight in Forks Museum. Make sure you check their website for winter or summer hours.
- Visit the Forks High School, then drive to the Forks Chamber of Commerce for photos with the trucks and city limit signs.
- Hit up La Push or Ruby Beach to soak up the ocean before you’re about to be in the car for several hours. We also took a trip to the Bogachiel Rainforest, which I highly recommend if you stay overnight.
- Once you’ve had your fill– head back. We stopped at Marymere Falls, which was really fun and an easy hike, then drove on to Port Angeles for food. We stopped at a place that served me the worst salad I’ve ever eaten so I can’t recommend that place. However, our friend Erik did recommend a burger joint called Frugals, so we’ll be heading there next time.
- Check out the Forks official Twilight map for more information.
🚗 Forks is remote—having a car made all the difference. We hit multiple beaches, rainforest trails, and the museum in a day.
➤ Compare rental car prices here
Skip, but hit up if you extend your trip: visit the Forks Community Hospital to scope out Dr. Cullen’s parking spot, the Cullen house, the Swan house, and the treaty line.
What to Pack
- Pack rain gear. Forks is dubbed the rainiest city in the United States. Don’t be caught out. Especially as there’s no big stores nearby to grab any last minute essentials. We yomped around the rainforest and local beaches and both got thoroughly soaked.
- Stock up on favourite foods ahead of time, and don’t expect a slew of eating options in town. If you have food intolerances and allergies, pack in your own food stuffs.
Did Forks live up to the hype?
It was way more fun that expected. What started as a loosely planned birthday road trip turned into a weirdly perfect weekend of hiking, coffee, museums, and an accidental obsession with Chuckesmee. We didn’t set out to check off every Twilight stop, but somehow we hit enough of them to make me feel like I got the full experience.
Would we recommend it? Absolutely—for both casual and diehard fans, or even just genre nerds looking for a Pacific Northwest detour with some pop culture flavour. And if you’re dragging along someone who doesn’t care about sparkly vampires, Forks and the surrounding beaches, rainforests, and quirky roadside shops offer more than enough distractions to make it a worthwhile side trip.
More Filming Locations to Explore
If you liked this peek into Forks, you’ll love our other deep dives:
🏔️ The Shining Filming Locations at Timberline Lodge
Want More Like This?
To read more posts like this one, check out our Experiences section—our firsthand visits to creepy hotels, and strange little corners of horror movie history.
Got a Horror Travel Tip?
Been to Forks? Planning a spooky road trip? We’d love to hear from you—drop us a comment, send a message, or get in touch here and let us know what haunted highways (or vampire towns) we should visit next.
