Every year, my girlfriend and I pick a long weekend getaway. Because our precious time together is more important than the destination, we usually book a hotel in the first city one of us suggests. We’ve picked Austin, Boston, New York, and Nashville, places with plenty to see, do, and great nightlife. But every trip, we draw the curtains, make the room as dark as possible, and watch reruns of “The Office.”
Set jetting is a travel trend that focuses on filming locations from movies and TV shows. For example, a “Lord of the Rings” fan might go see Hobbiton in Matamata, New Zealand. I don’t know anything about “Lord of the Rings,” so I had to Google this information, but that’s totally fine. (You’re welcome.)
If you also Google “film set destinations,” you’ll get a list of popular search locations. The top five are “Virgin River,” “Stranger Things,” “Happy Valley,” “Game of Thrones,” and “Gilmore Girls.” Number 12 on the list (but number 1 in our hearts) is “The Office.” So when our friends Rose and Jenny called to see if we’d be interested in joining them on a trip to run The Office 5K in Scranton, PA, we signed up that evening. Our team’s name was Serenity as of Jan.
I set about making costumes for the team: sweatshirts with our logo on them and hats with flames on them to look like candles. It took a lot of felt and hot glue, but mostly just enthusiasm and a strong desire to win the costume contest. For those of you who aren’t familiar with The Office, here’s a quick rundown of the costumes: The main character’s girlfriend loses her job at the New York headquarters, moves into an apartment she shares with him in Scranton, and starts a candle company called Serenity by Jan.
Though we didn’t win the costume contest, we still got to spend two days exploring Scranton. Although “The Office” is set in Pennsylvania, it was actually filmed in California. But it didn’t matter. There was still plenty to see and we got to see everything on our list, including the Pen Paper Building, the Scranton Welcomes You sign, Poor Richard’s Pub, Steamtown Mall, Cooper’s Seafood, and more.
But most importantly, the 1,500 other race registrants surrounding us that Saturday were all there for the same reason: They knew the answers to the trivia questions, they made their own costumes, they were quoting lines, and one of the series regulars was even a co-host for the event.
Afterwards, I returned to the hotel and watched all of Season 3 with a whole new perspective. A huge thank you to The Office 5K for an unforgettable weekend.
For kids growing up in the ’80s and ’90s, the Painted Lady in San Francisco isn’t just a cool house, it’s where the Tanner family lived. The West Village isn’t just one of New York’s neighborhoods, it’s where Carrie Bradshaw’s brownstone and Friends’ apartment are located.
If you were alive during the golden age of television in the ’90s and 2000s, the options for meaningful set-jet adventures are endless, from Stars Hollow to Seattle Grace Hospital. Television isn’t just entertainment. It’s a community.
Choosing a destination can be a challenge, but also very satisfying, is what she says.
I took a photo with Andy Buckley, who played Dunder Mifflin CFO David Wallace. (Photo by Lindsay Chamberlin)
Iconic.
This cute girl was on the race route.
