5 Places Where You Can Feel Like You’re In A Galaxy Far, Far Away
Many things in the Star Wars Universe can transport you. Sometimes swirling, shimmering, or dark and brooding scores occupy their own unique mantle in the Star Wars fandom. Some actors’ performances have cemented a niche in generations of imaginations. The glowing, gorgeous light of a lightsaber and even the curiosity sparked by seeing intergalactic food. So many pieces of this universe have settled into our minds and hearts.
One of the more obvious things is the locations! We have been taken to an incredible myriad of familiar and alien places across the films and television shows. Some are like forests, easily enough to picture hiking trails and nights watching shooting stars arc across the night sky. Some are deep in the water, beautiful and hard to imagine with sea monsters and underwater cities. Others are wonderous in different ways, buildings floating in clouds, salt fields transforming to a brash red when disturbed, swamp-like bayous, and old West-like settlements that connect to our human story.
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Today, we will take a trip, starting in the far west of the United States heading outward. We will seek the majesty of the Star Wars universe right here on Earth. Sometimes the location in the film will align with its shooting location, but other times we will travel to a place that just channels the awe-inspiring nature of Star Wars worlds. So, hop in as we go on a trip to a galaxy far, far away (as much as we can)!
First, we are heading way up to the northwest corner of California in the United States on our itinerary. Here we will find incredibly gorgeous redwood trees. People familiar with the films may recognize the area almost instantly as the forest moon of Endor. California Department of Parks and Recreation denotes the park as having multiple hiking trails. However, the trees themselves stand giant and still. They are like sentinels, their gaze looming high overhead. It is easy to imagine the speeders of Luke and Leia zooming past as the sounds, sights, and smells of this incredible forest inundate our senses.
For our next stop, we are heading southeast. We travel passed the glowing lights of Las Vegas, Nevada - a location that can conjure images of any number of Star Wars locations to mind. For example, the shimmering extravagance of Canto Bight or Lando Calrissian’s hideaway-style gambler’s den on Felucia. We move on outside the city and take in the gorgeous night sky independent of the glow cast upon it by city lights. Our minds drift to spaceships, planets made of water, lava, sprawling jungle planets, and worlds of snow.
We continue on more southeast, making our way into mythically beautiful Arizona. The sunset colors blend together, painting the land in unforgettable crimsons, tangerines, and violets. This might bring to mind Luke’s famous twin sun gaze (shot in Tunisia, but Arizona was on the way). Finally, we cross the southern border of the United States into the country of Mexico! We are nearly there now. Soon, we arrive at Chihuahua, Mexico!
That’s right! The next stop on our itinerary is Chihuahua, Mexico. To be more specific, the incredible Cave of Crystals! In the Naica Mine, there is a cave full of massive, towering formations of gypsum. It is something almost unearthly, like something from Superman. However, this incredible place brings to my mind a Star Wars location: Ilum.
In the Star Wars: The Clone Wars episode, The Gathering, we get the opportunity to witness a ritual done by the Jedi, during which they acquire the kyber crystal, which will become the heart of their lightsaber. This ritual takes place on Ilum, a snowy planet in an icy cave. Learners participating in the ritual must learn the lesson the Force has laid out before them. Oftentimes this leads to them learning quite a bit about themselves.
Our cave, the Cave of Crystals, is challenging to navigate. It is as wonderous as it can be occasionally perilous. It requires a special permit to even enter. Yet, it teaches those who venture through its incredible structures to go with respect. As we leave the incredible cave, we will head east towards the eastern coast of Mexico. We will then head south, following its curving arc to the Yucatan Peninsula. We will pass through jungles and see ziggurats that may bring to mind Yavin 4 on the way to our destination: Tulum!
Yes, next on our itinerary is the beautiful Tulum! Open for visitation, Tulum combines organic and inorganic beauty. Ancient structures juxtapose the magnificent cerulean sea. In Star Wars, we see a few instances of islands and beaches. Some of the most famous are Scarif and Ahch-To (our Laamu Atoll and Skellig Michael, respectively). However, Tulum provides a unique opportunity for reflection. So much of the Star Wars we see deals with how people interact with the past. Whether it is religion, politics, or how their actions are dictated by it. At Tulum, we can think about the human story and how concepts like that of the Prime Jedi, The Jedi Order, and the Galactic Republic connect to our story. For the first time on our trip, we will hop on a plane to our next destination: Italy!
Looking at what we see of Theed in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, it is easy to see Italy’s influence on its beautiful aesthetic. The Villa de Balbianello was even the site of Padme and Anakin’s wedding ceremony at the end of Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones. There are many places we can go in this incredible country and find meaningful connections to the Star Wars universe. We can eat in beautiful places on the sea, as Anakin and Padme did.
We can see and experience the joy of an important cultural festival like Rey and company did in Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker. For our purposes, my mind takes me to Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. During the famous telling of “The Tragedy of Darth Plagueis,” Anakin and Chancellor Palpatine passively take in a water ballet. For this leg of our trip, we will take in a ballet performance, an art form born in Italy! Unfortunately, our journey is quickly coming to an end. This last stop, however, is extraordinary. We are going to where the very heavens above seem to touch the Earth. Come with me to our final destination: Alaska!
In Fairbanks, Alaska, it becomes evident that the Northern Lights are a remarkable thing. They can inspire science and Faith. There is something extraordinary about them that just influences wonder in us all. This place, to me, is the Force. It is something obviously magical. It is like the sky is expressing itself in front of you. It says, “this is my dance, this is who I am.” Some people find comfort in the scientific explanation for the phenomenon (not unlike midi-chlorians and the Force). Others see spirits, energy, and a myriad of other things in the colors in the sky. However, we all look to the sky in wonder no matter what. Thank you for coming on this journey with me! I hope you have had fun, and may the Force be with you!
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