In town that considers its population to contain 3,175 people and 8.5 vampires, there is one stoplight and many questions about fictional romantic monsters.
Visitors flock to Forks, Washington for its wooded green areas and local hangouts to re-live the mystical events of Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight saga.
A small town in the Olympic Peninsula of Washington, Forks receives 10-12 feet of rainfall a year, making it one of the rainiest locations in the continental US. Once a quiet logging town with one stop light, Forks has become a Mecca for intense fans (mostly female) who book flights to Washington to explore the deep forests where Bella Swan and Edward Cullen have their most intense conversations, and the chilly beaches in La Push where Bella first learns of the Cullen family’s secret.
Although the movies aren’t actually filmed here (shooting actually takes place in Oregon and British Columbia) that didn’t stop more than 70,000 fans in the last year from traveling to Forks to absorb the town’s sentimental nature.
All this information comes right in time for the third film release, Eclipse, tonight June 29 at midnight. As fans gather in droves to cinemas across the nation to catch the first glimpse of the premier, die-hards (or Twi-hards) are also heading to the small town where the four books take place.
Most head to spots like Forks High School, where Bella and Edward attend classes, or the Community Hospital, where there is actually a parking spot “reserved for Dr. Cullen.”
Travel tips for Twi-hards:
Getting there: Book a flight to Seattle Tacoma International Airport (SEA) and rent a car to drive to Forks. Along the way, you’ll drive through Port Angeles, another significant location in the books and movies.
Twilight tours: A group called Dazzled by Twilight starts in the center of Forks and costs $39 per person. The Forks Chamber of Commerce also offers a Twilight map for those who prefer to take to the grounds themselves.
Where to stay: The Miller Tree Inn, a farmhouse built in 1916 has deemed itself the official Cullen house, and staffers reportedly wear aprons that say “I work for the Cullens.”
WHAT TO TAKE AWAY FROM THIS ARTICLE:
- Once a quiet logging town with one stop light, Forks has become a Mecca for intense fans (mostly female) who book flights to Washington to explore the deep forests where Bella Swan and Edward Cullen have their most intense conversations, and the chilly beaches in La Push where Bella first learns of the Cullen family's secret.
- As fans gather in droves to cinemas across the nation to catch the first glimpse of the premier, die-hards (or Twi-hards) are also heading to the small town where the four books take place.
- A small town in the Olympic Peninsula of Washington, Forks receives 10-12 feet of rainfall a year, making it one of the rainiest locations in the continental US.
