Harry Potter Experiences in the United States

For many families, the world of Harry Potter isn’t just a series of books or films. It’s a portkey into imagination, storytelling, and adventure that can be enjoyed for a lifetime. Over the years, we’ve discovered that the magic doesn’t have to stay on the page or on the screen. There are immersive experiences across the United States where fans can step into the wizarding world for themselves. From theme parks to unexpected surprises, there’s magic experiences to be found.

As a homeschooling family who loves adventure-based learning, we’re always looking for experiences that bring stories to life. That search has taken us to places all over. We discoverd things like the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, the nighttime trails of Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience, and the traveling exhibit Harry Potter: The Exhibition. They each brought a unique experience where. we felt like we were part of the story.

What you’ll find here.

In this guide, I’m sharing some of the best Harry Potter experiences in the United States. From official attractions, theme parks, and touring exhibits to wizard-inspired cafés and magical places to stay. Whether you’re planning a full Harry Potter themed trip or hoping to add a little magic to your next adventure, this guide will help you discover places where the wizarding world feels just a little bit real.

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Quick Guide: Best Harry Potter Experiences in the United States.

Some of the most popular Harry Potter experiences in the United States include:

• The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – at Universal Orlando Resort and Universal Studios Hollywood
• Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience* – an immersive nighttime trail inspired by the Forbidden Forest
• Harry Potter: The Exhibition – traveling interactive exhibit featuring props and sets from the films
• Harry Potter and the Cursed Child – the award-winning Broadway stage production
• Harry Potter New York – the official Wizarding World flagship store in Manhattan

*Not currently touring in the United States.

Below you’ll find a full guide to these experiences and more places where fans can step into the wizarding world.

Official Harry Potter Traveling Exhibits.

For those Harry Potter fans who aren’t able to travel to Florida or California, you’re in luck. There are a few traveling Harry Potter exhibits that have been making their way across North America, and the globe, over the last few years. Immersive and incredibly fun, these exhibits offer a new experience that lets Harry Potter enthusiasts feel like they are in the story. These exhibits travel, and sometimes they don’t have a location in North America. However, there seems to be something new popping up every few years, so it’s worth keeping tabs on them.

Harry Potter and the Forbidden Forest.

We had the opportunity to work with Fever events and see this Harry Potter exhibit when it was in Little Elm, Texas. It’s a very cool and unique Harry Potter experience in the United States. The Harry Potter Forbidden Forest Experience has one to two locations worldwide. Currently, there is not one in North America, but it may make a return!

The nighttime experience takes you on a walk through an outdoor exhibit. It features creatures from the wizard world, both the pleasant and the scary! For our experience it was close to Halloween and the walk ended with a fun food court. Decorated for Christmas, it felt like a miniature Hogsmeade, We loved all of the interactive parts of the walk, some of the spooky scenes, and all of the photo ops! Follow the Facebook page for this Harry Potter exhibit for updates and the schedule.

Our favorite things:

• Butterbeer (obviously) and the golden snitch cake pop at the concessions
• The wizard’s duel station and photo op
• Casting a patronus spell to see what we got
• Hagrid photo op and bowing to Buckbeak
• Aragog and his “nest”
• Here’s a video of our experience (filmed when it was in Little Elm, Texas).

While this Harry Potter experience is family friendly for all ages, there are two things to keep in mind. It does require some walking, though there is a paved path. The experience takes place at night and there are some darkened areas that are quite spooky (Aragog’s lair, dementors in the forest, etc). I would not recommend this for children under age 8.

Buy tickets ahead of time, online. You can also join the mailing list to get email updates about the next location.

Here’s a blog post of things to do in Little Elm and our Forbidden Forest experience (it is no longer in Little Elm).

Harry Potter Exhibition.

Currently located in Dallas (and extended additional months, into mid April 2026), the Harry Potter The Exhibition is a must see! This is another really cool Harry Potter experience in the United States. Actually, there are three locations (2 international), but only one in the United States.

What sets this apart is how it blends immersive and interactive experiences with exhibits that display props and costumes. We loved seeing the costumes and reading some of the behind the scenes details. It was fascinating to read about the thought that went into every detail of the costumes and props. There are also photo ops and several unique, interactive elements.

Our favorite things at the Harry Potter – The Exhibition:

• The interactive elements and how you choose your house and wand at the beginning
• Immersive storytelling to begin the experience, making you feel like you’re in Hogwarts
• Highly detailed displays with signage explaining the items in the displays
• It’s family friendly for all ages
• The fun photo ops (Hagrid’s chair, Mandrake’s in the greenhouse, and Professor Umbridge’s office)
• Here is a video of our experience while it was in Dallas.

Harry Potter – The Exhibition is family friendly and I would recommend it for all ages.

COSM Shared Reality: Harry Potter & the Sorcerer’s Stone

There is a brand new Harry Potter experience coming from COSM in May 2026. They’ve taken their groundbreaking and innovated “shared reality” movie showings to the next level and they’re bringing Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone to their screens! Previously, they’ve shown The Matrix and Willy Wonka in the Chocolate Factory. COSM is a massive, bigger than IMAX type screen that’s similar to the Sphere in Las Vegas. There is a special menu of drinks and treats, curated specifically to align with the movie experience.

Tickets are on sale now and it will be showing at all locations, including COSM Dallas, starting at the beginning of May 2026.

Wizarding World of Harry Potter Theme Parks.

Perhaps the most iconic Harry Potter experience in the United States, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal should be on every fans list. I took my daughter to Universal Orlando for her 10th birthday (and it was just as magical as we always hoped it would be. There are two locations for the wizarding world, one on the east coast and one on the west coast.

Universal Orlando.

We took a trip to Universal Orlando Studios, in Florida, for my daughter’s 10th birthday. Though, truthfully it was almost her 11th by the time we made it happen. It worked out to feel more authentic that way. Our trip was in January, just before Epic Universe opened. January was the perfect time to go! There were fewer crowds and it wasn’t hot. In fact, it was so cold that some rollercoasters got shut down due to ice!

Our Harry Potter experience at Universal Orlando was better than I could have ever imagined it would be. As someone with many food allergies, I was a little nervous. However, I worked with Defying Limits Travel to plan our trip and she was spectacular! She made sure that I had gluten free options, arranged our flights, hotel, and some special birthday surprises for my daughter.

Wizarding World Orlando highlights.

To make the most out of our time and see everything in Wizarding World, we chose to stay at an onsite resort. This gave us access to the water taxis and one hour early admission to the theme parks. My daughter and I decided we wanted to visit the parks in order of the story, so we started our first early morning (we rope dropped every day) at Universal Studios and Diagon Alley. For as long as I live, I will never forget watching my daugther’s face as we entered “London,” then followed the bricks to be dumped out into Diagon Alley.

Our highlights:

• Frozen Butterbeer, ridiculous amounts of it
• Choosing robes at Madam Malkins (the robes are very high quality!)
• When my daughter was selected for the wand ceremony at Olivander’s
• Riding Escape from Gringott’s at least 8 times thanks to the single rider line (more on that in another post)
• More frozen Butterbeer
• The incredible and immersive line queue’s for each ride
• Wanting to just live in Knockturn Alley and falling in love with Borgin and Burke’s (I’m a Ravenclaw with Slytherin tastes)
• Riding the train between Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure and vice versa
• This video and this video

Epic Universe and more.

This experience is probably the most iconic in the United States when it comes to Harry Potter fan experiences. We haven’t been to Epic Universe yet to see the new lands, but hopefully soon!

Wizarding World Universal Studios is family friendly for all ages. But, I felt that it was best suited for ages 8 or 9 and up. In all honesty, going with my daughter for her 10th birthday was perfect. She was tall enough for all of the rides, mature enough to do the single rider line, and had the endurance to go go go all day long. I didn’t need a stroller or a diaper bag and we could just focus on the fun. I highly recommend going with kids when they are upper elementary or middle school aged.

Full breakdown of our mother and daughter trip to Universal Orlando coming soon!

Universal Hollywood Studios.

Universal Studios in California has another location for the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, located at Hollywood Studios. It is not as expansive as Universal Orlando, but does share some of the same features. You’ll get to see Hogwarts Castle and the Forbidden Journey ride. Additionally, there is an Olivander’s experience and a Three Broomsticks cafe. Hollywood Studios does not have Diagon Alley or the Hagrid’s motorbike ride. It’s best for a shorter, one day experience.

Wizarding World Hollywood Studios is family friendly for all ages.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.

Originally written as a two party play, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is a continuation of the story. It features Harry and Ginny Potter’s son, Albus, and Draco Malfoy’s son, Scorpius. Without giving too much away, it’s an incredibly play and I highly recommend seeing it! While we did not read the play beforehand, we did research the story and thoroughly enjoyed the play. The special effects are incredible!

Touring.

The Cursed Child play is a must see Harry Potter experience in the United States. The traveling version of the show is on tour now and you can find it visiting major cities across the United States. We had the pleasure of seeing it in Chicago at the James Nederlander Theatre. The special effects were absolutely mind blowing and it’s a spectacular show. If you’re a Harry Potter fan, you’ll enjoy this continuation of the story. It will pull on your heart strings as the relationships develop and you’ll also see familiar and beloved characters.

The show could be considered family friendly for all ages, however, I would not recommend for children under age 8 or 9. There are some very intense scenes with dementors and special effects.

On Broadway.

You may have seen the touring show (which is fantastic) but I promise it is worth every penny to see it in New York City, on Broadway, at the Lyric Theatre. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child in New York City has even more special effects. Did you know that the entire theatre was renovated, just for this show? The entire experience is immersive. It’s worth getting in line (very) early to see everything and soak it all in.

A tip: I splurged and added on the lounge package. It’s in the basement, entirely themed to the show, and includes 2 drinks (with an option for frozen Butterbeer!). It also has a designated coatcheck and bathroom. One more tip: if you’re doing the lounge and also want to do the stage door, don’t forget to take your coat with you after intermission. Also, be sure to check out the lobby at intermission. Trust me.

We were lucky to score (pricey but worth it) tickets to see Tom Felton reprise his role as Draco Malfoy and it was everything we thought it would be. Especially hearing the absolutely perfect “Scared, Potter?”

A tip for the stage door – be sure to exit the theatre through the front, where you came in at. There are two exits but the exit to the front will take you back to where the actors will exit the stage door.

For our full New York experience ( including more Harry Potter) check out my guide to Christmas in New York City with teens.

From Dallas to NYC, here is a video of our Harry Potter adventures, and another video of our Harry Potter inspired day in NYC.

Harry Potter Shops.

One of my favorite things about Harry Potter is how it keeps evolving and new things are coming up all the time. We’ve always wanted to visit the shops. The Harry Potter shops provide fans with yet another immersive shopping experience that’s unmatched.

New York City.

Harry Potter Shop in New York City was at the top of our list for our New York vacation. I added it to our plan for our Harry Potter day (the day we saw Cursed Child) and the day started at the shop. It opens at 10 AM and we arrived just after 10 on a weekday. The shop wasn’t too crowded and it was a wonderful experience!

Since it was around the Christmas holiday season, there was an additional activity to find the hidden word, by finding the letters on each Christmas tree. We did and received some fun commemorative pins with the date, that I know we’ll treasure for years to come. The shop has some unique wands that we didn’t see at Universal or any of the other experiences we had done.

Some of our favorite things at the Harry Potter Shop in New York City:

• The staircase resembling the entrance to Dumbledore’s office
• Photo ops with Hagrid’s shoes and a red phone booth
• Nagini in the basement
• The floating books
• All of the fun merch
• The cafe with frozen Butterbeer and lots of other themed treats

The Harry Potter shop is a family friendly space, suitable for all ages. I would recommend visiting on a weekday because I imagine it gets quite busy on weekends and in the evening. Be sure to look at all of the windows too!

Chicago.

Located on Michigan Avenue in Chicago, this newest Harry Potter shop location is on our list to see! It features some unique details like the Goblet of Fire, which you can put your name in! Stay tuned for more about this shop after we visit it.

Beyond the United States.

The United States doesn’t have all of the Harry Potter immersive fun. You can also find Harry Potter experiences worldwide; like seeing filming locations in the UK, or visiting international theme parks.

Warner Brothers Studio Tour – that’s in London.

The Harry Potter Tour at Warner Brothers Studios in London is absolutely on our bucket list. Did you know they even have homeschool tour days with tailored lessons? It’s on our bucket list for someday. And hopefully that’s someday sooner rather than later. Also on our list for the UK:

• Go on a tour of Oxford and other filming locations
• Or this tour of more filming locations in Oxford
• This roadtrip guide to the UK and Harry Potter from Tripping on Travel

Harry Potter worldwide.

There are lots more Harry Potter experiences worldwide for fans to enjoy. This is not an exhaustive list, but here are some of the main attractions worldwide:

• Unviersal studios – Japan
• Warner Brothers Studio Tour – Tokyo
• Coming soon – Warner Brothers Studio Tour Beijing

Upcoming Wizarding World Attractions.

Harry Potter Hogwarts Express Adventure.

The Harry Potter Hogwarts Express Adventure is a new Harry Potter experience in the United States. There has not been very much information released yet. It seems like it will be an immersive train ride similar to the Polar Express branded holiday train rides. You can sign up for updates on their website and I absolutely put my name on that list.

Legoland Germany – Harry Potter theme hotel.

Legoland Germany has announced a Harry Potter themed new hotel.

Wizard-Inspired Attractions and Experiences.

This list of wizard inspired things to do and places to stay is still being developed. Be sure to check back often as it grows! Know of a good spot I should include? Send me a DM on Instagram and I’ll get it on this post.

Harry Potter Themed Places to Stay.

• The Hut at the Farm – Benton (AR) – A charming magical creatures caretaker inspired hut in Arkansas.
• Mystic Village – Asheville (NC) – Part of the Earth and Sky Dwellings resort. Features 6 individual cottages with different themes, and a castle.
• Alchemy – Asheville (NC) – Features a rather whimsical tent with a slide, that drops you down into a charming space, reminiscent of a certain magical tent from a wizard’s sporting event.
• Wizard’s Dark Manor Escape – Adamnstown (MD) – This mansion is jaw dropping and inspired after a certain rather dark wizard family. There are three spaces for rent: the manor, the castle, and the hut.
• Mountain Shire Resort – Sevierville (TN) – This resort has multiple tiny houses with various wizard themes!
• Nightly Bus – Sevierville (TN) – A night bus themed tiny house retreat.

Wizard Inspired Cafes and More.

• Honey Locust Farms – Rockwall (TX) – they’ve done a Harry Potter inspired pop up for a few years, and it’s usually up for Halloween and remains until Christmas. Be sure to check their Facebook page for their current theme.
• The Coffee Mugg – Corpus Chrisit (TX) – a wizard themed coffee shop.

Magical and Wizard Inspired Shops.

This list is still being developed. Stay tuned as it grows!

• The Wyrd and the Wand Archive – Waxahachie (TX) – a wizard and magic inspired bookstore in Texas that has all of the best vibes.

Wizarding World Inspired Homeschool Ideas.

There will be more wizard inspired adventure schooling ideas coming soon. For now, check out these fun resources to add some magic inspired fun to your homeschool:

• The Enchanted Homeschool – a 12 week course from Wild and Free, by Leah Damon
• Harry Potter Cooking and Baking Book – take on a wizard inspired baking journey that can be used for math, art, and home economics.
• Harry Potter Herbology Magic – Experiments and terrarium building to count as science for your homeschool.
• Waldock Way Wizards and Wands Study – a one year companion homeschool study to go along with the books.
• Warner Brothers Studio Tour School Curriculum – there are some great resources here to print for free and use as a supplement to your homeschool wizardry adventures.

Harry Potter at Home.

While there are many amazing Harry Potter experiences in the United States, we are not ashamed to admit that we like to bring the wizarding vibes home with us. We tend to leave our Harry Potter inspired decor up all year round. My home office is inspired by Dumbledore’s office and I’m quite proud of the eccentric collection of decor that I have. Now if I could just find some foe glass to hang from the ceiling, it would be complete!

One of my favorite resources for unique decor is Olive Street Vintiques. It’s based in Texarkana but she does live sales and will ship items if you see something you like. Olive Street is the shop where I acquired a brass unicorn that sits on my desk; it’s name is Luna. Full office tour coming soon!

Harry Potter Games and Toys.

• Harry Potter: Hogwarts Legacy – We have it for the Nintendo Switch and it’s such a fun and immersive video game.
• Harry Potter Monopoly – I bet you didn’t know, we have 27 versions of Monopoly and this is one of our favorites.
• Harry Potter Clue – We LOVE this game. It’s such a creative version of Clue and we have a great time playing it.
• Wizard’s Chess – This was a Christmas gift a few years ago to our daughter and it was a big hit.
• Harry Potter Uno – Yes, we collect Uno cards too.
• Harry Potter Lego – There are tons of them now and it’s been fun to gift them to our kids over the years.
• Harry Potter My Generation – Harry Potter theme play sets and accessories for My Generation dolls. Fun fact: my daughter doesn’t have a doll but she uses the accessories for her puppet, Bella. They have a YouTube channel.

Wizard Inspired Decor Ideas.

If you’re looking for more unique ways to bring the Hogwarts and Wizarding World vibes home, here are a few things we love:

• Floating candles – we hang these from the ceiling in our school room, in the living room, and around the television to frame it. Yes, we leave them up year round, because we love them that much. Bonus – the switch to turn them on and off is a wand. Saying lumos out loud is not required but highly recommended.
• Holiday floating bulbs – during the Christmas season I add extra hooks on the ceiling (these from 3M) to hang Christmas tree bulbs by fishing line. It adds so much holiday whimsy and charm, we love them! It’s a holiday tradition for us.
• Pottery Barn – the Pottery Barn teen and Christmas sections always have fantastic decor. A tip – watch for sales at the end of the season!

Here’s a wizard inspired adventure across Texarkana, if you’re ever in the area!

To complete your Harry Potter experience at home, don’t forget to add the books and full 8 movie collection to your home library! Shop my full list of wizard fun on my Amazon Shop.

Frequently Asked Questions About Harry Potter Experiences in the United States

Where can you visit Harry Potter attractions in the United States?
Some of the most popular Harry Potter attractions in the United States include The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando Resort and Universal Studios Hollywood, Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience, Harry Potter: The Exhibition, the Broadway show Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, and the Harry Potter New York flagship store.

Is there a Harry Potter theme park in the United States?
Yes. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter can be found at Universal Orlando Resort in Florida and Universal Studios Hollywood in California. These themed lands allow visitors to explore locations like Hogsmeade Village and Diagon Alley.

What is the Harry Potter Forbidden Forest Experience?
Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience is an immersive nighttime trail where visitors walk through a forest filled with magical creatures, lights, and scenes inspired by the Forbidden Forest from the Harry Potter stories. It is not currently on tour in the United States but will likely return in October 2026.

Is Harry Potter and the Cursed Child still on Broadway?
Yes. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child continues to run on Broadway in New York City and has also toured in other cities around the world.

Can you visit the Harry Potter store in New York City?
Yes. Harry Potter New York is an official Wizarding World store located near the Flatiron District in Manhattan. The store features themed merchandise, interactive experiences, and a Butterbeer bar.

Conclusion: Finding the Magic Beyond the Pages.

The world of Harry Potter has always been about more than spells and magical creatures. At its heart, it’s a story about friendship, courage, curiosity, and the adventure of discovering the world around us. For fans, that sense of wonder doesn’t have to stay in the pages of the books or on the movie screen.

Across the United States, there are incredible places where the wizarding world comes to life. From immersive theme parks and traveling exhibits to Broadway stages and unexpected magical moments, these experiences allow fans to step into the stories they’ve loved for years.

For our family, visiting these places has been a reminder that stories can inspire real-world adventures. Whether you’re planning a dedicated Harry Potter trip or simply adding a little magic to a larger journey, I hope this guide helps you discover new places where imagination and travel meet.

After all, the magic of Harry Potter has always been about believing that adventure is just around the corner. Wherever your adventures take you next, I hope you continue to find wonder while you wander.