SAN DIEGO — The decades-long wait for a sequel to Tom Cruise’s iconic 1986 film “Top Gun” has finally ended, with early screenings already in the books and a world premiere set for Friday.
Super-fans getting geared up for “Top Gun: Maverick” might take a trip down memory lane this week and re-watch the original, getting a burst of 80s Americana, tense aviation sequences and scenes showcasing beautiful San Diego.
Where exactly was the original filmed in America’s Finest City, and which sites can you visit today? Here are a few of the top spots.
Liberty Station
Liberty Station is a hot spot for dining, shops and studios in the Point Loma neighborhood, but it wasn’t always home to Stone Brewing and a public market. The site, which used to be known as Naval Training Center San Diego, appears in several shots.
Liberty Station’s social media team shared a side-by-side photo of the modern-day exterior and Cruise standing in the same place, approaching his motorcycle as Kelly McGillis lingers in the background.
Yes, you can visit this one. More info here.
Kansas City Barbeque
“Sleazy bar scene filmed here July 1985,” a sign proudly declares at Kansas City Barbeque near the Embarcadero in downtown San Diego. The eatery is simply known to some as the “Top Gun Bar.”
This was home to the famous scene where Goose plays “Great Balls of Fire” on the piano. The BBQ joint has a sunny outdoor patio, classic red-checkered table cloths, a juke box and memorabilia covering the walls.
Yes, you can visit this one. More info here.
The Top Gun House
The High Pie dessert bar is the latest chapter in a long and winding history for this Victorian cottage in Oceanside. It’s known to many as the “Top Gun House” for its appearance as Charlotte “Charlie” Blackwood’s home in the flick.
That’s made it a popular stop for locals and tourists over the years, even as its undergone several transformations.
In 2019, crews moved the cottage a short distance north from its original spot on Pacific Street to make way for hotel construction. Now the house is nestled on the grounds of the new Mission Pacific Hotel, located at 250 N. Pacific Street.
Yes, you can visit this one. More info here.
Plunge San Diego
Some tense, toweled scenes were filmed in the locker room at Plunge San Diego in Belmont Park, according to IMDB.
The historic pool was built back in 1925, and was the largest salt water pool in the world at the time. The owners converted it to fresh water in 1940, when it became the largest heated pool in Southern California.
Further renovations have the pool and its facilities looking significantly different from its appearance in the film.
Yes, you can visit this one. More info here.
Marine Corps Air Station Miramar
Before it was the San Diego Marine Corps base commonly abbreviated to MCAS Miramar, this center for military aviation was Naval Air Station Miramar, the original home to the Top Gun program on which the film is based. Much of the 1986 movie’s airfield scenes were filmed on base.
You’re going to need a military ID to visit this one. The Miramar Air Show approaches, though!
And what about the sequel?
The new movie has a fresh cast of characters and the benefit of 30-plus years in special effect advances — but San Diego and Mr. Cruise will once again take center-stage.
“San Diego played a significant role bringing ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ to the big screen (just as it did for the original ‘Top Gun’ back in 1986),” California Film Commission spokesperson Erik Deutsch told FOX 5 by email.
According to the commission’s magazine, the cast and crew shot some scenes at Naval Air Station North Island, including docked aircraft carriers, various hangars, office buildings and streets around the base.
Designers also built interior sets inside hangars and on the beach at NAS North Island, including a bar where the Navy base staff hangs out.
Keen-eyed residents in Coronado even caught a glimpse of Cruise on a motorcycle during filming.
The movie star also made a surprise appearance at San Diego Comic-Con to unveil the film’s original trailer, before the coronavirus pandemic repeatedly delayed its release.
The production of “Top Gun: Maverick” at sites throughout California — including military bases in Fresno County and Ridgecrest — added over $150 million to the economy, according to the film commission. The film also created 2,820 jobs for Californians.
“Millions of dollars were spent by the production in and around San Diego on wages, lodging, transportation, catering, rentals, office space, location fees and supplies,” Deutsch told FOX 5.