Have you ever watched Top Gun: Maverick and wondered where those breathtaking flight scenes and coastal views were filmed? If you're searching for where was Top Gun: Maverick filmed, you're in the right place.
In this guide, we'll show you every major filming location, explain which scenes were shot there, and point out places you can still visit today. You'll also learn how the filmmakers mixed real locations with military bases and movie sets.
I've researched the filming locations carefully to make this guide clear, accurate, and easy to follow.
Whether you're planning a trip, love movie locations, or simply want to know where your favorite scenes came to life, this guide will help you find the answers without the guesswork.
Overview of Maverick
Top Gun: Maverick was filmed across multiple real locations, giving the movie an authenticity that set it apart from most Hollywood productions.
Director Joseph Kosinski used active U.S. Navy bases including Naval Air Station Fallon in Nevada, Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, Naval Air Station Lemoore, and Naval Air Station North Island in Coronado as primary filming sites.
The USS Abraham Lincoln and USS Theodore Roosevelt served as working aircraft carriers for flight deck sequences. Coastal scenes were captured along Highway 1 and at Point Loma, while Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery appeared in the film's funeral scene.
A winter ejection sequence was filmed at Washoe Meadows State Park in South Lake Tahoe. Sony VENICE cameras mounted inside real F/A-18 Super Hornets captured every cockpit moment live.
Where Was Top Gun: Maverick Filmed?
The movie was filmed across several real locations in California and Nevada, with a few scenes shot aboard active U.S. Navy aircraft carriers and one winter scene captured in South Lake Tahoe.
Naval Air Station North Island, Coronado
NAS North Island in Coronado, on the San Diego Bay, was one of the production's primary bases. The crew filmed on the base's beach, inside hangars, in office buildings, and along base streets.
This is also where the fictional Hard Deck bar was built for the film, inspired by the real-life World Famous I-Bar frequented by officers on North Island.
The beach bar serves as one of the film's most memorable social settings and recreates the spirit of the bar scenes from the original 1986 movie. Fans of the film will recognize the sweeping beach views behind the Hard Deck as belonging to this base.
Naval Air Station Fallon, Nevada
Naval Air Station Fallon in Nevada served as one of the film's most important locations. Known as the U.S. Navy's premier fighter pilot training center, it became the home base for many of Maverick's training scenes.
The desert landscape and realistic military setting gave the movie an authentic feel that would have been difficult to recreate on a soundstage.
Many scenes showing pilots preparing for missions, attending training sessions, and practicing advanced maneuvers were filmed here. The production worked closely with the U.S. Navy, allowing access to real aircraft, hangars, and training facilities.
This cooperation helped make the aerial sequences feel believable while highlighting the daily environment of Navy aviators.
Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, California
Several desert flight scenes were filmed around Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake in California. The area is surrounded by rugged mountains, dry lake beds, and wide-open desert, making it an ideal backdrop for high-speed jet flights and low-level flying sequences.
China Lake is one of the Navy's largest research and weapons testing facilities. Its remote location allowed filmmakers to capture dramatic aerial footage without visual distractions.
The natural landscape added tension and scale to the film's action scenes, especially during training exercises.
Naval Air Station Lemoore, California
The production also filmed aerial sequences at Naval Air Station Lemoore in the Central Valley, in Kings and Fresno counties. Like China Lake, Lemoore gave the crew access to desert airspace and hangar facilities away from the congestion of the San Diego area.
The base provided additional locations for aerials and ground-level shooting that helped fill out the film's mission sequences.
San Diego, California
San Diego appears throughout the movie and provides many of its coastal settings. The city's deep connection to the U.S. Navy made it a natural choice for filming, and the production brought significant economic activity to the region.
Several waterfront views, military areas, and city landmarks can be spotted during different parts of the film. Fans visiting San Diego can recognize several familiar views that appear on screen, especially along the waterfront and nearby beaches.
USS Abraham Lincoln
The USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) was one of the active aircraft carriers used during the production. Filming aboard a real carrier added a level of realism that computer-generated sets could not match.
Both carriers used in the film are home-ported in San Diego, and some filming took place while the ships were docked for maintenance along the San Diego coast.
Many scenes showing pilots preparing for missions, walking across the flight deck, and taking off in F/A-18 Super Hornets were filmed here. The result is a film that gives viewers an authentic look at life aboard a modern aircraft carrier.
USS Theodore Roosevelt
The USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) was the second aircraft carrier used during filming. Several flight deck scenes and cockpit sequences were captured while the carrier was in operation.
Using two different carriers gave the filmmakers more flexibility while maintaining realistic military settings.
The production team mounted six Sony VENICE 6K cameras inside real F/A-18 jets, allowing actors to experience actual high-speed flights while every moment was captured on film. All gear had to be secured to withstand forces of up to 7G's.
This combination of practical flying and carefully engineered equipment is one of the reasons Top Gun: Maverick feels so realistic.
Point Loma, San Diego
Point Loma provided several scenic coastal views that appear throughout the movie. Located at the entrance to San Diego Bay, the area is known for its ocean cliffs, harbor views, and nearby naval facilities.
The hilltop Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, also in Point Loma, served as the filming location for the funeral of Admiral Tom "Iceman" Kazansky.
The cemetery is open to the public daily from sunrise to sunset, making it one of the most accessible filming locations in the movie.
Highway 1, California Coastline
Some of the film's most thrilling sequences show jets flying at wave-top level just above the ocean, taking the crew directly over Highway 1, the iconic Pacific Coast Highway.
State authorities cooperated with the production to allow intermittent traffic closures on the highway during filming.
These shots are among the most visually striking in the movie and highlight California's coastline in a way that few films have done before.
Lake Tahoe and Washoe Meadows State Park
The film's quieter, snow-covered scenes were filmed in and around South Lake Tahoe. The specific location was Washoe Meadows State Park, a small state park in South Lake Tahoe, where a pivotal winter action sequence was filmed in December 2018.
In the scene, Maverick ejects from his aircraft and runs through the snow. A second Tahoe filming location was the South Lake Tahoe airport, which was used for additional scenes during the same production period.
Fans can visit Washoe Meadows State Park to see the actual location where this scene was captured.
Was Top Gun: Maverick Filmed at the Original Top Gun School?
No. While the movie honors the original TOPGUN program, it was not filmed at the original school featured in the 1986 film.
The original Top Gun (1986) was closely associated with Naval Air Station Miramar in San Diego, where the Navy Fighter Weapons School was based at the time. However, the school relocated to Naval Air Station Fallon, Nevada, in 1996 after military base restructuring.
For Top Gun: Maverick, the filmmakers used Naval Air Station Fallon because it is the current home of the real TOPGUN program.
Although Miramar is no longer home to TOPGUN, the film still pays tribute to the original through familiar themes, aircraft, and locations around Southern California.
Were the Flight Scenes Real or CGI?
Most of the flying scenes were filmed using real aircraft, with only limited CGI added during post-production.
Tom Cruise wanted audiences to feel what it is actually like to fly in a fighter jet. Instead of relying mainly on computer effects, the production placed actors inside real F/A-18 Super Hornets while Navy pilots flew the aircraft.
Six Sony VENICE 6K cameras were mounted inside each cockpit to capture genuine reactions during takeoffs, sharp turns, and high-speed maneuvers, and all sound was recorded live in-flight using equipment secured to withstand up to 7G's.
Before filming, the cast completed months of aviation and survival training designed by Tom Cruise, including techniques to handle high G-forces.
Computer-generated imagery was still used for safety, editing, and a few action sequences that could not be filmed practically. This combination of practical flying and visual effects is one of the reasons Top Gun: Maverick feels so realistic.
According to the film's production sound mixer, every line of in-flight dialogue in the movie comes from the live production recordings made inside the jets.
Can You Visit the Top Gun: Maverick Filming Locations?
Many filming locations are open to visitors, while active military bases remain closed to the public.
Locations Open to Visitors:Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in Point Loma is open daily and free to visit. Lake Tahoe offers access to Washoe Meadows State Park, where Maverick's snow ejection scene was filmed.
Point Loma provides panoramic views of San Diego Bay and the Pacific Ocean. Coronado is home to wide sandy beaches and the famous Hotel del Coronado. Visitors can also visit San Diego's waterfront, museums, and harbor areas that appear throughout the movie.
Highway 1 runs the length of the California coast and can be driven for views similar to the film's wave-top flying sequences.
Restricted Military Locations:Naval Air Station North Island, Naval Air Station Fallon, Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, Naval Air Station Lemoore, and the two aircraft carriers are not open to the public during regular operations.
Fans can still view many naval landmarks from public areas around San Diego and Coronado, even though the bases themselves are off-limits.
Fun Facts About Top Gun: Maverick Filming
Tom Cruise insisted on real flying:The actors filmed many cockpit scenes while flying in real F/A-18 Super Hornets instead of using green screens.
- The cast completed months of training: Actors learned to handle high G-forces, emergency procedures, and military flight conditions before filming.
- Custom cockpit cameras were developed: Six Sony VENICE 6K cameras with fiber-optic lens connections were installed in each F/A-18 jet to capture close-up footage.
- The U.S. Navy supported the production:The filmmakers received access to active military bases, aircraft carriers, fighter jets, and Navy personnel.
- Filming began in May 2018:Under director Joseph Kosinski, principal photography lasted more than a year before the film was finished.
- The movie was delayed for a theatrical release: Although filming wrapped earlier, the release was postponed until 2022 so audiences could experience it on the big screen.
Conclusion
If you've been wondering where was Top Gun: Maverick filmed, the answer goes far beyond movie sets.
Real Navy bases, active aircraft carriers, California's coastline, and a snowy meadow in South Lake Tahoe all helped create the film's unforgettable look.
I think visiting these places gives you a new appreciation for the effort behind every scene, even if you only recognize a few landmarks.
If you're planning a movie-inspired trip or have a favorite filming location, leave a comment below, share this guide with another fan, or try our other filming location articles.
Frequently Asked Questions
Was Top Gun: Maverick filmed on a real aircraft carrier?
Yes. The production filmed aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln and USS Theodore Roosevelt, both home-ported in San Diego. Some filming took place while the carriers were docked for maintenance along the coast.
Where is the Lake Tahoe scene in Top Gun: Maverick filmed?
The winter ejection scene was filmed at Washoe Meadows State Park in South Lake Tahoe, with additional scenes shot at the South Lake Tahoe airport, both in December 2018.
Were the flying scenes real in Top Gun: Maverick?
Yes. Most cockpit scenes were filmed inside real F/A-18 Super Hornets with Navy pilots flying the aircraft. All in-flight dialogue was recorded live. CGI was used only to enhance certain scenes and improve safety.
Can you visit the Top Gun: Maverick filming locations?
Yes. Public places like Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, Washoe Meadows State Park, San Diego, Coronado, Point Loma, and Highway 1 are open to visitors. Active military bases and aircraft carriers are generally restricted.
