Before planning your next trip, check out these famous song destinations to add to your bucket list!
If you’re a big music fan, there are plenty of places name-dropped in your favorite melodies that actually exist, and you can check them out in person.
Some tunes take listeners to famous song destinations, delivering a sense of nostalgia and longing even to those who’ve never been to said places. That’s the power of songs: evoking emotions not even thought were there.
And while it may be true that the areas were already popular even before the song was launched, it can never be denied how some songs add to the luring power of a place. Who would’ve thought that musical numbers could be travel agents, right?
The only problem is that figuring out where they are sometimes requires some investigating. Don’t worry, though! As always, Must See Places has done the legwork for you. So on that note, keep reading to discover 10 famous song destinations you can check out today!
“Graceland” by Paul Simon
Location: Graceland, Memphis, Tennessee
You don’t have to be a big Elvis fan to appreciate Graceland’s memorable presence in American music history. Still, its most notable appearance in the song isn’t on an Elvis record.
Paul Simon’s 1980s hit “Graceland” is about a father-son road trip to the famous Memphis estate, though its lyrics also mourn the downfall of the singer’s marriage to Carrie Fisher.
And of course, you can “be received in Graceland” and see where “The King” inspired Paul Simon. Nowadays, this famous song destination is open daily and has grown far beyond the mansion, with restaurants, museums, and even a hotel.
“Take It Easy” by The Eagles
Location: Standin’ on the Corner Park, Winslow, Arizona
Here’s your chance to stand on that famous corner in Winslow, Arizona… Although, we can’t guarantee an attractive girl will slow down to make eyes at you.
Back in 1999, Winslow built “Standin’ on the Corner” Park alongside a spread of Route 66, another iconic bucket list destination route, to cater to Eagles fans who can come take a photo with a statue of a guy in a cowboy hat with a guitar at his side.
There’s also a whopping two-story mural and, obviously, a shiny, red flatbed Ford. In September 2016, a statue of Glenn Frey, Eagles co-founder, who passed away earlier that year, was included to this famous song destination.
“Ohio” by Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young
Location: Kent State University, Kent, Ohio
Even though it was never named explicitly in Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young’s protesting anthem “Ohio,” this famous song destination was the spot where National Guardsmen opened fire on students who were protesting the bombing of Cambodia by our nation.
Quite a few people were hurt in the May 1970 shooting, some even died, spurring CSNY to record the song mere weeks later. A few radio stations refused to play it, saying it was “too politically charged.”
Nowadays, visitors to Kent State can learn about that horrible day at the May 4 Visitors Center or by going on a walking tour of important memorials and sites on campus
“Folsom Prison Blues” by Johnny Cash
Location: Folsom State Prison Museum, Folsom, California
Johnny Cash wished to stay “far from Folsom Prison.” However, his most devoted fans may want to see where he performed at the concert, which changed the entire course of his career.
Contrary to what some fans may believe, Cash never actually spent more than a night in jail. And it wasn’t at California’s Folsom, either. But he significantly identified with the inmates, and “Folsom Prison Blues” cemented him as a sort of bad-boy icon.
The prison itself is off-limits to anyone who isn’t visiting an inmate. Still, the nearby Folsom Prison Museum tells the famous song destination’s gruesome history and includes a ton of Johnny Cash memorabilia.
“Chelsea Hotel #2” by Leonard Cohen
Location: Chelsea Hotel, New York City, New York
Leonard Cohen’s “Chelsea Hotel #2” tells the singer’s short affair in 1968 with another idol: Janis Joplin!
The scene, New York City’s Chelsea Hotel, had become a bohemian breeding ground with a long history of welcoming way too many world-class creatives to count, including Arthur Miller, Jackson Pollock, Jimi Hendrix, Jack Kerouac, and Bob Dylan.
This famous song destination has been undergoing a lengthy renovation but aims to reopen to guests as soon as possible.
“Tom’s Diner” by Suzanne Vega
Location: Tom’s Restaurant, New York City, New York
But wait! Since you’re already visiting the Big Apple, stop by another famous song destination before leaving.
The song goes… “I am sitting in the morning at the diner on the corner …” and it’s Suzanne Vega’s “Tom’s Diner,” a song that famously narrates her experience watching life unfold around her as she sips her coffee in the morning.
The diner Tom’s Restaurant is an NYC landmark, not just because of Vega’s song, though.
It was also used for outside shots of the restaurant, which was most frequented by the cast of “Seinfeld” and has been a favorite among students from Columbia University nearby for a long time.
“Gimme Three Steps” by Lynyrd Skynyrd
Location: The Jug Saloon, Jacksonville, Florida
Now, let’s take it down south to cut a rug at The Jug! Well, unfortunately, Linda Lou and her boyfriend probably won’t be there.
Still, an argument between Ronnie Van Zant and another client at The Jug Saloon in Jacksonville inspired one of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s most unforgettable songs.
You can still grab a beer at this famous song destination, though it’s worth noting that it was named the West Tavern when Van Zant had his run-in.
The band changed the bar’s name to make it sound more easygoing, and the bar returned the favor a few years ago with a nod to the hit song.
“Free Fallin” by Tom Petty
Location: Ventura Boulevard, Sherman Oaks, California
If you’re visiting LA, hanging out on Sunset Boulevard, it’s just a quick drive to the Valley to check out another famous song destination: Ventura Boulevard. It’s probably one of the most famous of the locations name-dropped in Tom Petty’s 1989 hit, “Free Fallin.'”
Fans have even gone as far as staging a vampire walk down the renowned thoroughfare as a tribute to the lyrics. Hardcore Tom Petty fans can also check out the Westside Pavilion Mall, where Petty rode the escalators in the song’s video… but be quick about it.
Rumor has it that it’s slated to transform into office space within the next couple of years.
“Sunset Grill,” by Don Henley
Location: Sunset Grill, Los Angeles, California
Speaking of Tinsel Town, Hollywood isn’t all glitz and glamour, and Don Henley’s 1985 smash hit “Sunset Grill” lets you know as much.
Even though this famous song destination was reconstructed after its original owner sold it back in 1997, you can still grab a burger and beer at this authentic Sunset Boulevard dive, memorialized for the sometimes gritty scenes that would take place outside its window.
And yes, of course, you’ll find Henley’s hit record hanging on the wall there.
“Chattanooga Choo Choo,” by Glenn Miller
Location: Chattanooga Choo Choo, Chattanooga, Tennessee
Here’s another fantastic stop to make in Tennessee! The Chattanooga Choo Choo by Glenn Miller is one of the most recognized tunes of the 1940s, and it helped cement this famous song destination’s spot in the hearts of train lovers.
Chattanooga’s train station is still standing today, though it’s been revamped into an entertainment complex and hotel.
While here, you can walk around the Glenn Miller Gardens, recycled from old railroad tracks, and stay a night in Pullman Train Cars with queen-size beds, desks, Wi-Fi, and mini-fridges.
Have you ever been to any of these famous song destinations? Be sure to let us know all about it in the comments section below. And if you haven’t, don’t forget to pack your camera when visiting to capture some memorable pics!
But don’t leve yet! If you liked reading this article, we highly recommend you also check out: 11 Fun 1960s Travel Destinations That’ll Take You Back in Time
