Portland, Oregon is the real star behind Wildwood — not just the backdrop, but the hometown of LAIKA Studios, the stop-motion wizards behind Coraline. For sixteen years, their team crafted this film frame by frame, entirely by hand: a dazzling feat of true artistry in an age of AI, built to be experienced on the big screen. The film is based on the best-selling novel of the same name, written by Decemberists frontman Colin Meloy and illustrated by his wife, Carson Ellis, so Portland’s creative fingerprints are all over this story, on and off the page.
In cinemas from October 22, Wildwood follows headstrong teenager Prue McKeel as she chases a murder of crows into the Impassable Wilderness, an enchanted forest hidden just beyond the city she calls home. It’s a thrilling tale of love, loss, sacrifice and secrets… and a reminder of the magic waiting on your own doorstep, if you’re willing to look for it.
Portland has plenty of that magic to go around, and to celebrate the release of Wildwood, we have a double giveaway running this week:
Together with The Today Show, Travel Portland is giving one lucky family the chance to travel to Portland and experience the magic of the destination for themselves. The travel prize includes return flights from any Australian capital city, 6 nights’ accommodation in a central 4-star hotel, a VIP Attractions Pass for 4 people to visit iconic locations in the film including the iconic Pittock Mansion, a Portland walking food tour for 4 and a bike tour for 4, a Wildwood Chronicles 3-book box set from Powell’s City of Books, 2 Portland Gear backpacks and 2 Portland Gear crossbody bags, and a USD500 Visa Gift Card to enjoy tax-free shopping during their stay in Portland.
Submit your entry here by 15 October!
In addition, Travel Portland is also giving 45 agents the chance to win 1 of 45 double passes to see the film at any participating cinema in Australia or New Zealand.
Submit your entry here by 16 October!
Read on to discover the real-life Portland locations that inspired the film and book, and watch the trailer and find a cinema near you!
Step into The Wood itself, home to the namesake Wildwood Trail — the real-life inspiration for The Long Road — a well-signed, 30-mile hiking trail, along with the Bird Alliance of Oregon (the book’s Avian Principality) and the atmospheric Stone House, better known as the Witch’s Castle.
Tour the regal, turn-of-the-century Pittock Mansion, portrayed in the novel as the seat of power in South Wood, and take in sweeping views over the city and the Impassable Wilderness beyond.
Visit the real-world muse for South Wood Prison, the Oregon Zoo, alongside Hoyt Arboretum, the World Forestry Center, the Portland Japanese Garden and the International Rose Test Garden — all linked by a free shuttle running through the park. (The Wildwood Trail also connects Forest Park to Washington Park!)
Cross the emerald-green span known in the book as the Ghost Bridge into the walkable St. Johns neighbourhood, then soak up riverside bridge views at Cathedral Park.
Follow in Prue and Mac’s footsteps past Skidmore Fountain, the Portland Saturday Market, cherry-blossomed waterfront paths and a classic Benson Bubbler pit stop.
For the full scoop on every real-life “Wildwood” location, itinerary ideas and more, explore the Official Guide to Experiencing the Real “Wildwood” in Portland.
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