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Home Alone House

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Inside the real 'Home Alone' house – and its jaw-dropping value

The 1990 hit movie saw macaulay culkin play kevin mccallister.

The hit 1990 movie  'Home Alone' has become part of many families' Christmas traditions, and not only did it make a star of Macaulay Culkin , but also the iconic red-brick Georgian-Colonial house that was home to the fictional McCallister family. 

The stunning residence is a real home located in Winnetka, Illinois, about 20 miles from Chicago, and at the time, it was owned by the Abendshien family, who relocated to a makeshift apartment on the second floor of their house during filming. 

While the exterior of the property was used in the movie, many of the interior shots were filmed on a purpose-built, two-story set inside the gym of an abandoned school, New Trier Township High School, located in the town. 

However, the famous, red-carpeted staircase that young Kevin McCallister sledded down before shooting out of the front door, and the living room, were shot inside the real home. 

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"We needed to cast a house that would work for the stunts and also a house that was visually appealing and, if this makes sense, warm and menacing at the same time," director Chris Columbus said in 2015. 

"It's the kind of house if you were a kid, it would be fun to be left home alone," he added. 

Inside the real 'Home Alone' house

Located at 671 Lincoln Avenue in Winnetka, Illinois, the 'Home Alone' house boasts 10 bedrooms and six bathrooms across 5,398 square feet of space and just over half an acre of land, according to Zillow . 

In May 2011, fans got a proper look inside when the Abendshien family put the house on the market for $2.4 million, a huge increase from the $800,000 Cynthia and John Abendshien paid for the property back in 1998. 

At the time, real-estate agent Marissa Hopkins – who worked with the Abendshiens on the sale – posted a YouTube video showing off the interiors in all their glory. Check out the video below...

"It looks different than the fans might expect (i.e. no plaid wallpaper)… but that's Hollywood! " Hopkins told Insider . "The images depicted at the time I sold the house, were how the house looked when it was filmed," she added. 

One noticeable difference between the interior of the real house and the ' Home Alone'  one is the lack of red and green painted walls and furniture, a design choice that gained popularity following the film's release. 

"There were no saturated green or red upholstered furniture sold in stores. Not one piece," ' Home Alone ' set decorator, Eve Cauley told AD . 

"A red dining room became the in-style trend of the 1990s. My decor and wall-covering choices for Home Alone changed the color palette of the nation for the upcoming decade," she added. 

How much is the house worth? 

The $2.4 million asking price proved to be too hefty a price tag for the famous home as four months after it went on the market, the Abendshiens lowered the asking price to $1.995 million. 

Again, there were no takers, but the house eventually sold in 2012 for $1.585 million although the current owners are not known. According to Zillow , the luxury mansion is today worth over a whopping $2.3 million! 

Visiting the 'Home Alone' house 

For decades fans of the movie have traveled to Winnetka to see the 'Home Alone' house in person and snap pictures of the exterior, and it is a particularly popular destination around Christmas. 

"We would have not believed back then that there would be sightseers coming to look at that house for years afterward,"  John Abendshien previously told Vanity Fair.  

As the home is currently occupied and not available for sale or rent, the only way to get inside is if you know the owners. However, back in 2021, Airbnb  offered fans a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to stay at the real-life McCallister home. 

The lucky guests were treated to Chicago's finest pizza, a candlelit dinner of microwavable Kraft Mac & Cheese, and set up booby traps for potential intruders.

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Everything You’ve Ever Wondered About the Home Alone House

By Claudia Williams

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There are two different reasons one watches Home Alone. The first, to get into the Christmas spirit. The second, to ogle over the beauty that is the Home Alone house. The iconic film first hit the big screen in 1990, when navy blues and dusty rose pinks were the popular colors amongst family homes. According to Eve Cauley, the set decorator responsible for the iconic look of the McCallister family home, “There were no saturated green or red upholstered furniture sold in stores. Not one piece.”

That was, until the movie came out. “A red dining room became the in-style trend of the 1990s. My decor and wall-covering choices for Home Alone changed the color palette of the nation for the upcoming decade,” Cauley tells AD. According to an article by House Beautiful , the most popular paint colors ahead of the film were subtle mauve, denim blue, light turquoise, and barely-there pink. And after the film’s release, in 1991, Benjamin Moore’s most popular color was Arroyo Red, a deep reddish-brown color. In 1992, it was Forest Green. It seems as though it wasn’t only the holiday spirit that rubbed off on fans.

And with the revival of ’90s nostalgia and the trends that come with it, there’s no better time to do a deep dive into the Chicago-area home where it all began. Whether you’re looking to plan your visit to the real-life dwelling (the Home Alone house address is 671 Lincoln Ave, Winnetka, IL) or find inspiration for your decor this holiday season, read on.

How the Film Came to Be

This moment from the film became a meme before most people even had access to the internet.

Home Alone was produced and written by the venerable film legend, John Hughes. The movie was inspired by a real trip the director went on with his family.

In an article for Chicago magazine, James Hughes—son of the director—recalls: “On August 8, 1989, my father [John Hughes] jotted down in a notebook a movie idea born of traveler’s anxiety that occurred to him during the bustle of departing for our first family trip to Europe, and set it aside. Two weeks later, after returning home, he revisited the premise: What if one of the kids had been accidentally left behind?”

Hughes continues, “Over the next nine days, he completed the first draft of Home Alone. ” According to that same article, Home Alone went on to defy everyone’s prerelease expectations, and quickly became the highest-grossing live-action comedy ever made. It earned $476.7 million worldwide.

A Bit About the Plot

Daniel Stern as Marv and Joe Pesci as Harry in Home Alone

The original Home Alone follows the McCallisters as they prepare for an extended-family Christmas trip to France. The morning of their connecting flight to New York, their youngest son, Kevin McCallister (played by Macaulay Culkin), oversleeps, misses the family headcount, and gets left behind—just like John Hughes dreamt of. (Kevin’s parents were played by Catherine O’Hara and John Heard.)

The first few days feel like sweet freedom, as Kevin basks in his first real dose of independence by tobogganing down the stairs, indulging in massive ice cream sundaes, and watching R-rated movies that uncle Frank (Gerry Bamman) would never allow.

But the fun and games soon come to an end when Kevin is faced by the wet bandits—two bumbling burglars who have their sights set on robbing the McCallister home. Villains Harry (Joe Pesci) and Marv (Daniel Stern) soon realize the house isn’t vacant like they first thought, and an endless game of cat and mouse ensues, with Kevin setting intricate booby traps to protect himself and his family home. All with a little help from old man Marley and his wicked brother Buzz’s pet tarantula, of course.

Where Was Home Alone Filmed?

The street signs near the Home Alone house

By Charlotte Collins

By Michelle Duncan

By Joyce Chen

While all indoor scenes were filmed on set in a high school gymnasium (more on that later), a handful of memorable moments took place outside 671 Lincoln Ave, the address of a red-brick home in the affluent, cookie-cutter town of Winnetka, Illinois. Situated on the North Shore of Chicago, the neighborhood boasts suburban charm that practically begs to be made into a Christmas movie. The home itself was built in 1920 in the Georgian colonial style—perfectly symmetrical. According to Zillow , the home now boasts 5,398 square feet, 10 bedrooms, and 5 baths.

It’s Chris Columbus, the director of the film, whom we can hold responsible for finding the iconic Chicago suburb house. “We basically drove around for several weeks until we found the right house,” Columbus said in a 2015 interview . “We needed to cast a house that would work for the stunts and also a house that was visually appealing, and—if this makes sense—warm and menacing at the same time,” Columbus explained.

“It’s the kind of house, if you were a kid, it would be fun to be left home alone.” Columbus then took photos of home’s exterior, sent them to Hughes for approval, and the rest is history.

The House Then and Now

A fan doing Kevin McCallister’s signature facial expression in front of the home in 2021

671 Lincoln Avenue instantly became a destination for fans of the movie, with hoards of tourists flocking to the home hoping for a little taste of movie magic. But it wasn’t the McCallisters that had to put up with the newfound attention—it was the Abendshien family, who owned the home. “We would have not believed back then that there would be sightseers coming to look at that house for years afterward,” John Abendshien said in an interview with Vanity Fair .

According to an article written in 2015 for the Chicago Sun-Times , writer Richard Roeper stopped by the house in the winter of 1991 and reported that 400 vehicles had lined up outside 671 Lincoln Ave on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Some curious tourists went as far as knocking on the front door, or even venturing into the backyard in hopes of catching a glimpse of the tree house. The Abendshiens stayed in the home until 2011. It then sold in 2012 for a reported $1.585 million , closing the chapter on the Abendshiens’ 25-year residency.

Following the release of Home Sweet Home Alone in 2021 (the sixth sequel to the original), Airbnb reopened the doors to the home. This Airbnb stay offered a highly coveted trip down memory lane, and came complete with a candlelit dinner of Kraft macaroni and cheese and Chicago-style pizza, plus a viewing of the film franchise’s newest holiday adventure, Home Sweet Home Alone. While the Airbnb experience is no longer on the table, you can stream the original Home Alone , Home Alone 2, and the rest of the sequels on Disney+.

Can You Visit the House From Home Alone Today?

Fans visiting the Home Alone house in 2021

These days, a quick search in Google Maps will lead you straight to the house, making a trip to 671 Lincoln Ave accessible and easy. Dawn Silvers, an Illinois resident and lover of the movie, visited the Home Alone house this Thanksgiving. Silvers and her youngest child originally made the drive to Chicago for a concert, and then decided to tack on a visit to Winnetka. “ Home Alone is one of our family favorites. We watch it multiple times throughout the holiday season,” Silvers tells AD.

“When we pulled into the neighborhood, we were giddy as schoolgirls. We pulled onto the street and I think I may have squealed with joy,” Silvers explains. “We knew immediately which house it was by the looks and the amount of people standing on both sides of the street and in front of the house.”

Silvers wasn’t the only one who had the smart idea to visit the house ahead of the holiday season. “There were quite a few cars parked on the opposite side of the street so as not to interfere with picture taking. Everyone was smiling ear to ear, taking pictures, pointing to the different windows.” She eavesdropped on fellow fans asking, “Was this the window Marv went through and stepped on the broken ornaments?” and, “That’s the doorknob that burned the M into Harry’s hand, and the front door that Kevin McCallister slid through on his sled.” The movie magic is (and will always be) in the air on Lincoln Avenue.

The home looks a little different than it did in 1990. There is now a wrought iron gated fence enclosing the property, with a sign that states: “Please do not touch the gate. Thank you!” as well as a new driveway and garage. But the holiday spirit remains. “The Home Alone house had wreaths on five of the windows upstairs, as well as the front door. There was also green garland wrapped around the white columns, the edge of the porch roof, and on the handrails of the front steps,” explains Silvers. The McCallisters would approve.

Building the Set From Scratch

Macaulay Culkin as Kevin McCallister and Joe Pesci as Harry, one of the burglars, in Home Alone

The Winnetka house that Chris Columbus hand-selected as the McCallister house was perfect in every sense of the word, except for one small hiccup—the interior wasn’t big enough. “Film sets must be large enough to have room for the camera, as well as the actors, in addition to the furniture,” explains Cauley, the movie’s set decorator.

The set team ultimately decided to build the entire interior of the home in the gymnasium of New Trier High School, also in Winnetka. At that time, there were few film studios in Chicago, and John Hughes lived north of the city. “Filming in an empty high school meant we were in close proximity to his family,” explains Cauley. “He could visit the sets easily or stop in and see filming, and then go home and write.” Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and Uncle Buck were also filmed in Chicago.

Curating the Rich, Lived-In Interiors

In the film, Kevin sets elaborate traps in order to catch the burglars attempting to break into his home.

The only way to describe the interior of the Home Alone house is to compare it to a Norman Rockwell painting, which is precisely the aesthetic Cauley was going for. “I thought about what look would best represent Americana, and of course, Norman Rockwell came to mind,” Cauley says.

Like Rockwell, Cauley used saturated greens, reds, and golds to stand out against the white fluffy snow. “I thought of it like a flip-book, where use of color orchestrated throughout would give the film a warm feeling,” says Cauley. She also found inspiration from historic Christmas cards.

Cauley had about six weeks to bring the McCallister family home to life. “I love selecting and finding decor that builds a character, or when collaged together, supports a story visually,” she says.

When asked how she sourced such rich fabrics, wallpapers, and carpets, Cauley shared her best-kept secret. “I also do some residential interior design, so I have trade accounts at some stores,” she says. “John Hughes wanted a timeless traditional look, so I went to brands with that look, within my color palette.”

The Finishing Touches

Catherine O’Hara as Kate McCallister in Home Alone

With every rewatch of Home Alone, you may start to pick up on little details you never noticed before, and that was Cauley’s intention. “I put personal character details about the house as clutter that might not ever be noticed but felt right to me,” she says. “I had a little book about the care and feeding of spiders on the kitchen counter, as if perhaps Buzz was reading it, put it down when he went to the kitchen to get a snack, got distracted and ran off, leaving the book there.”

She also laid out holiday wrapping paper in the primary bedroom, as if Kevin’s parents, Kate and Peter McCallister, were wrapping Christmas gifts but didn’t have time to clean it up. It’s these little details that all come together to create the thoughtful, curated set fit for this celebrated holiday movie.

The admiration for Home Alone is still going strong decades later, and it was on full display recently when Macaulay Culkin received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame . Catherine O’Hara, who played the role of Kevin’s mom, gave an emotional speech at the celebration and concluded with an iconic line from the film: “I just wanna say, merry Christmas, ya filthy animals.”

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This Is What the Real Home Alone House Interiors Looks Like

Step inside the iconic residence at 671 Lincoln Ave.

Three decades after it premiered, Home Alone remains a beloved classic Christmas movie . Since the film used exterior shots of an actual colonial redbrick Georgian in Illinois, fans can actually visit the of the home that Kevin McCallister protected from burglars after his family accidentally left him behind. But if you've ever wondered what the interior of the real residence at 671 Lincoln Ave. looks like, the video below takes you inside the iconic home.

When the home hit the market in 2011, realtor Marissa Hopkins uploaded a video tour of it, showing the inside of the home and short interviews with John and Cynthia Abendshien, the owners at the time. After hesitating to touch the door knob a the start of the video in a cheeky nod to one of Kevin McCallister's traps, Hopkins smiles and says, "It's okay; they're expecting us." She then shows a montage of images of the inside of the home.

While most of the movie's interior shots were filmed in a set built inside of a high school gym , shots of the living room and the grand staircase of the actual home were featured in the film, Vanity Fair reports . Outside, the team built an outdoor stairway to the basement—the one that Marv, played by Daniel Stern, slips down in the film. They also erected the treehouse and installed a zip line.

The team also tweaked the home's interior, hanging up new wallpaper, according to Vanity Fai r. Unfortunately, the staircase in the foyer wasn't suitable for sledding—"so they built a ramp over our staircase," Cynthia says in the video. Kevin used that ramp to sled down the stairs and right out the front door.

If you've watched the movie for the millionth time and want a more immersive experience of the McCallister home, there's a Home Alone-themed Airbnb in Dallas, complete with the traps that Kevin used to protect his home.

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Decades later, ‘Home Alone’ fans are still casing the iconic house

The home where Kevin McCallister made his family disappear remains a tourist attraction in the Chicago suburbs

On a chilly Saturday afternoon in the affluent, tree-lined Chicago suburb of Winnetka, two men stand and stare at the red-brick Georgian at 671 Lincoln Avenue. The house appears welcoming to families — and maybe fictional burglars. However, the men aren’t casing the joint to rob, and they aren’t alone. They will be joined by dozens of visitors throughout the day to gaze at the house that hosted a holiday classic: “Home Alone.”

“It’s part of iconic Chicago, it’s part of the history,” said one of the men, Louis Prettitore, who was visiting from New York City with his husband, Connor Heaney.

“We’re hiding from family for the holidays,” Heaney said. “We ran away for Thanksgiving.”

In the 1990 film, Macaulay Culkin’s Kevin McCallister defended his house from two robbers (the Wet Bandits) with elaborate traps, dancing mannequins and a clever use of the VCR, yet the setting for his Christmas high jinks continues to draw fans from around the world. 2021 also marked a reboot for the film, though the new version, “Home Sweet Home Alone,” was filmed in Montreal.

The Chicago-area home located about 30 minutes north of the city has become a staple for tourists, especially around the holidays.

“It’s very great, it was like a child[hood] dream,” said Yurii Tkachuk, who grew up watching the movie in Ukraine and now lives in New York. Tkachuk obsessed over the sequel’s locations, too, and visited the Plaza Hotel and Central Park upon his first visit to New York. “Every year before Christmas we see this film, and it was like a dream to see this house.”

The stately, symmetrical house is one of the most iconic movie residences in American pop culture. Despite its fictional provenance, many of the tourists who peer over the short, wrought-iron gate earnestly gush about the house’s historical significance.

“It’s like Wrigley Field, because it’s so historic,” said Reyes Santos, who was visiting his son in Chicago from Cidra, Puerto Rico.

A real family lives there today, and there’s a small fence that keeps out brazen fans. The circular driveway is gone now — a landscaping detail nearly every visitor is quick to point out — depriving fans a look at the place where Kevin was left out of a family head count before the airport. The treehouse, a prop , was taken down after the movie. While the home was used for outside shots, the interior scenes were filmed on a set in a gym at an abandoned high school.

A couple named John and Cynthia Abendshien owned the home when filming began in 1990, but they sold in 2011 for a reported $1.585 million.

Late filmmaker John Hughes wrote “Home Alone.” Like much of his work, the movie explores the chaos and dysfunction of an American family that hides under a Rockwellian veil, in this case a suburban estate. The McCallister home, like the bubble gum pink dresses of “Sixteen Candles” and the Griswold family station wagon that drives the “Vacation” series, echoed the tidy ideals of the 1950s while its inhabitants were bursting with late-20th-century anxiety.

“When we were little we all dreamed of these really pretty suburban American houses, and I think a lot of that came from films like this one,” said visitor Marie Schulte-Bockum, who grew up in Europe.

As a regional attraction, the McCallister house is a unique treasure that stirs regional pride for Chicagoans. Like “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” which spotlighted Chicago’s Wrigley Field, Lake Shore Drive and the Mercantile Exchange trading pits, “Home Alone” is deeply rooted in its sense of place. The film’s cops, cashiers and Santas deliver their dialogue with Midwestern accents. The McCallisters race through O’Hare’s vaulted terminals. A cardboard cutout of Michael Jordan totters on a train set through the living room.

That’s why for visitors like Palos Heights, Ill., resident Jackie Andersen, seeing the famous house feels like reliving the movie.

“It just became alive and it brings people into the movie,” she said. “It just makes you feel part of it even though it’s a private residence.”

Andersen has relived the movie in more ways than one. She bought Kevin’s hat for her son and had him push a grocery cart at the Grand Food Center in Winnetka where Kevin buys the milk, eggs and fabric softener (a list she rattles off by heart). She has watched the film more times than she can count.

“It’s my lifelong dream if I ever win the lottery,” she said, trailing off while admiring the building. “The house became a character in the movie.”

Andersen could realize her dream for one night; in one of its regular stunts, Airbnb has listed the “Home Alone” house for a brief rental. Living next door may also be a fan’s dream. But for 11-year-old Noah Irizarry, who lives in Old Man Marley’s house , it’s more than that.

“It’s good business,” he said while perched behind the hot cocoa stand he and his friend, 11-year-old Emmett Hourihane, manned on his front lawn. Irizarry has seen the movie at least three times. Like many children who visit the house, his favorite scenes involve Kevin torturing hapless criminals Harry and Marv.

“I like the part where … this might not be appropriate,” Noah said, pausing before glancing at his mother. “But when Kevin gets his BB gun and shoots one of the robbers in the [groin].”

Noah’s father built the white lemonade stand with a small metal awning. His mother, Cassandra Bayna, said Noah thought of the business himself, including the idea to perch signs for “Kevin’s Hot Cocoa” on the sidewalk. Around 40 to 50 customers will come by on a typical Saturday or Sunday. Bayna said last year 1,000 to 1,500 people came to see the house on the weekends.

“It can be frustrating sometimes because of the parking,” she said. “People live here. I think that’s something people forget.” Last year was “the worst,” Bayna said. “Because of the pandemic, people couldn’t go anywhere, so they said, ‘Let’s drive up to the Home Alone house!‘ The police had to come and make this a one-way, and they barricaded part of the entrance, which I’m willing to bet they’re going to do again.”

Her neighbors inside the famous house didn’t like people peering into their windows, she said, which is why they built a fence.

According to Bayna, most visitors start streaming in by late morning or early afternoon, though several will come late at night and yell “Kevin!” She has watched hundreds of people slap their cheeks in a mock scream to mimic Culkin’s famous pose in the movie poster. Others do dance routines, and there’s been at least one saxophone player.

“Nothing is a shocker so we’d be hard-pressed to find original ideas because we’ve seen everything,” she said. “It’s a charming aspect of the neighborhood.”

For the tourists who come from all over the world to see the house, the visit is a chance to reenact the movie and make memories of their own. Aline Tomaz, 10, came with her family from Minneapolis after her father, Alexandre Tomaz, showed them the movie. Her mother, Andressa Tomaz, herded them in front of the fence for a family Christmas card photo as if the house was Macy’s Santaland.

“My favorite part is when he said ‘I made my family disappear,’ ” Aline said. When asked whether that was something she thought about sometimes, she gave her parents a mischievous smile.

“Please don’t say that!” her father said with a laugh. “Home Alone 3!”

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Visit the Home Alone House in Winnetka

It’s hard to believe that the Home Alone movie opened in theaters over 30 years ago. The 1990s hit is still a beloved movie that plays in homes every year during Christmas. With so much success, the Home Alone house in Winnetka still gets sightseers today. While you can’t tour the home, as it’s a personal residence, the home conjures up warm memories for everyone that sees it. Many who visit recreate the Kevin McAllister scream (the 8-year-old’s famous scene when he puts aftershave on his face).

The film was written and produced by John Hughes (who grew up in Chicago’s North Shore), and directed by Chris Columbus who later said that finding a house to fit his vision was not an easy task:

“We needed to cast a house that would work for the stunts and also a house that was visually appealing and, if this makes sense, warm and menacing at the same time. It’s the kind of house if you were a kid it would be fun to be left home alone… I wanted it to feel timeless.”

View this post on Instagram Home Alone 🏠 📍Winnetka, Illinois A post shared by Travel Insider Magazine (@travelinsider) on Apr 17, 2020 at 1:56pm PDT

The sprawling Georgian 1920s home features beautiful red brick and is mostly unchanged from the movie on the exterior, except for an iron fence that surrounds the property. However, the interior has made several upgrades since the movie.

Here’s a look at then and now.

The 4,242 square-foot home features 5 bedrooms and 3.5 bathrooms and sold in 2012 for $1.585 million, a drop from the original asking price of $2.4 million. Old man Marley’s house from across the street also fared well after the success of the movie. It sold for $3 million in 2003.

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Can You Visit the Home Alone House This Winter?

By: Author The Drivin' & Vibin' Team

Posted on November 12, 2021

What do you know about the Home Alone house? Have you ever thought about visiting it? 

Maybe this winter is the perfect time for a road trip to explore Home Alone filming locations. 

Read on to find out more about the Home Alone franchise and where the house is located.

Let’s go!

About the Home Alone Movies

Home Alone is a 1990 Christmas movie about an eight-year-old boy accidentally left at home as his family travels for the Holidays. While he’s home alone, he ends up protecting his home from burglars. 

The comedy was a hit. Due to this, a sequel was filmed in 1992, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York. The sequel starred the original cast and received mixed reviews. 

Over time, three more sequels have been released: Home Alone 3 in 1997, Home Alone 4: Taking Back the House in 2002, and Home Alone: The Holiday Heist in 2012. Subsequently, Home Alone four and five were made-for-television. 

And, in fact, there’s a sixth one, Home Sweet Home Alone, coming out today! 

Where Is the Home Alone House?

In the first Home Alone movie, the house is the main set. It’s the place where Kevin uses aftershave for the first time, sleds down the stairs, and fights off burglars. Therefore, it is a central figure of the film.

The Home Alone house is an actual three-story single-family home built in the 1920s. It’s about 20 minutes outside of Chicago, Illinois, in a lovely residential neighborhood called the North Shore Village.

Location: 672 Lincoln Ave, Winnetka, Illinois 

Pro Tip: After exploring the Home Alone House in Chicago, cruise down Route 66! Make sure to stop and do these 9 Best Things To Do on Route 66 in Illinois.

Can You Visit the Home Alone House?

Although you can drive to the house, it’s privately owned and closed to the public. However, you can take a selfie right outside. It looks the same as it did in the movie, except for an iron fence. 

In the movie, you get to go inside nearly all the rooms in the house, but in reality, only a few things were filmed on location. Scenes such as the exterior, central staircase, basement, attic, and 1st-floor landing are all from the house.

Everything else was filmed on a soundstage on the west campus of New Trier High School in Northfield. 

So how do you get to experience the Home Alone House? Keep reading to find out. 

Can You Stay the Night at the Home Alone House?

Although you can’t stay in the actual Home Alone House, you can stay in a Home Alone-themed Airbnb ! Yep! It’s a private duplex for Home Alone fans in Dallas, Texas.

First, you can watch classic VHS movies on an old-school TV and play ping pong. Likewise, if you’re feeling hungry have a cheese pizza delivered to your door (courtesy of the hosts.)

And that’s not all! Finally, the rental is set up just like Kevin had it with hanging paint cans, toy cars on the floor, and the Michael Jordan cardboard cutout. In fact, the toiletries are vintage packaging from the 90s.

How fun is that?

Best Hikes Near the Home Alone House

Once you’ve experienced all things related to the Home Alone house, it might be time to hit the trails! There are two fantastic hiking opportunities located 15 minutes away: Skokie Lagoons Inner Trail and Chicago Botanical Gardens Trail.

Let’s check them out. 

Skokie Lagoons Inner Trail

Skokie Lagoons is a nature preserve with seven interconnected lagoons and plenty of trails. The area is referred to as Nike Island and Skokie Lagoon Islands. 

You’ll want to take the Inner Trail for an authentic hiking experience. It’s a 4.1-mile loop of unpaved walking trails meandering through shady woods. here’s no actual signage, so stay vigilant and use a hiking app, so you don’t get lost.

The trailhead is located on Forestway Drive near the Forest Grove Picnic Grove #1. There’s roadside parking right there and the N Branch Trail. The Inner Trail is a 450-foot walk north from the picnic grove. There’s no mistaking the N Branch Trail and the Inner Trail.

The N Branch Trail is a paved biking trail, and the Inner Trail is a narrow path that veers west and follows the lagoon.

Chicago Botanical Gardens Trail

If you’re looking for an easy, manicured hike, you’ll certainly want to walk the Chicago Botanical Gardens Trail . This is a 2.2-mile loop on paved cement, brick, or packed gravel paths. The walking paths wind through various gardens, the bonsai courtyard, and a waterfall, to name a few. 

Entering the Chicago Botanical Gardens via the N Branch Trail is free. If you drive to the gardens and park in their parking lot, you must pay to park. 

Please note that dogs are not allowed on the Chicago Botanical Gardens Trail. Also, visit the botanical garden website for specific hours and trail access.

Pro Tip: If you don’t want to be home alone over the holidays, stay at one of these 10 Best RV Parks for Christmas .

Best Camping Near the Home Alone House

The Home Alone house is located near Chicago, and finding camping in urban areas is always a challenge. However, we found two good campgrounds that are 60 minutes or less away. Let’s talk about them. 

Blackwell Family Campground

Located 60 minutes from the Home Alone House, Blackwell Family Campground is inside the 366-acre Blackwell Forest Preserve. The campground is on Silver Lake and has 60 gravel campsites for tents and RVs. All sites have electricity, fire rings, and picnic tables. There are no sewer or water hookups at any of the sites.

All campers have access to running water and a shower house with flush toilets. You can dump your tanks at the onsite dump station. 

The campground is seasonal from May 7th to September 25th and only open on weekends. You’ll also need a permit to camp. 

GPS Coordinates: 41.83805966, -88.17475155 

Illinois Beach State Park

If you need more flexible camping, Illinois Beach State Park might be a better option for you. It has a seasonal campground that’s open between April 1st and December 30th. You need a permit to camp there as well.

Illinois Beach campground has 241 grassy and gravel campsites with electricity. There are no water or sewer connections, but all campers have access to showers and sanitary facilities. 

The campground is 45 minutes from the Home Alone house. Additionally, it is on the shores of Lake Michigan. You can spend your days swimming, biking, walking, or hiking the trails. 

Location: 39150 Illinois Beach State Park Rd, Zion, IL 60099

Is a Road Trip to the Home Alone House Worth It? 

If you’re a fan of Home Alone, a road trip to the Home Alone house is totally worth it. It’ll be fun to get a selfie in front of the home, and there’s still plenty to explore in the area.

Hiking around the Skokie Lagoons and the botanical gardens is an added bonus.

Discover the Best Free Camping Across the USA

To be honest with you,  we hate paying for camping . There are so many free campsites in America (with complete privacy).

You should give it a try!

As a matter of fact, these free campsites are yours.  Every time you pay federal taxes, you’re contributing to these lands.

Become a FREE CAMPING INSIDER and join the 100,000 campers who love to score the best site! 

We’ll send you the 50 Best Free Campsites in the USA (one per state).  Access the list by submitting your email below:

I live near the home alone house. There’s no neighborhood called the North Shore village. It’s in Winnetka. Also, there are a lot of better places to camp much closer than 60 minutes to here 🙂 check ioverlander or similar ❤️

Entertainment

Take A Tour Of The Iconic Home Alone House This Christmas

You know you want to, ya filthy animal.

We all remember it well, I'm sure. The pizza delivery guy stood in a grand foyer waiting to be paid for a stack of pizzas. The McCallisters are running around the house getting ready to leave for France. A "police officer" stands, watching, taking in his beautiful surroundings and, spoiler alert, casing the joint for later. The place is a jewel. And now you can take a video tour of the Home Alone house that was used in the movie yourself. The tour has everything you could want; a bit of nostalgia, a bit of real estate voyeurism, and even a touch of Christmas spirit. I advise watching the tour and then watching the movie immediately after to get the full effect.

The house that was used in the 1990 movie Home Alone (yes, you read that right it's been 30 years) is located in Winnetka, Illinois, around 20 miles outside of Chicago. Back in 2011, it went on the market for sale, and Marissa Hopkins was the broker who eventually helped to sell it for a whopping $1.5 million , according to The Chicago Tribune . Not that the house isn't worth it, of course. As you can see in the video, the house has more than just nostalgic value. It's actually a gorgeous, sturdy home whose exterior, foyer, and living room were all used in Home Alone , according to Vanity Fair . The movie, of course, remains one of the most iconic Christmas films from the last 50 years. Plus that kitchen, give me a break.

A video tour of the 'Home Alone' house is 90's kid heaven.

The video tour was originally shot in 2011 and features Hopkins speaking to the owners at the time, John and Cynthia Abendshien. Well, first Hopkins pretends to be nervous to open the door, a nod to Kevin McCallister's famed antics trying to foil the Wet Bandits who hoped to steal from his home while he was, you guessed it, staying there alone. The Abendshiens owned the house when the movie was being filmed and told Hopkins they decamped to an apartment that had been put together on the second floor of the home to allow cast and crew full access. As the couple explained in the video, "The house is famous, but we're just a family living here."

Home Alone director Chris Columbus put a lot of thought into the kind of house he would use for filming, telling Insider in November for the 30th anniversary of the film , "We needed to cast a house that would work for the stunts and also a house that was visually appealing and, if this makes sense, warm and menacing at the same time. It’s the kind of house if you were a kid it would be fun to be left home alone… I wanted it to feel timeless.”

I would say he pulled that off in spades. The house in Winnetka remains one of the most recognizable in holiday movie history. No wonder Kevin McCallister went to such great lengths to protect it.

Movies | Want to drive past the ‘Home Alone’ house? Or…

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Movies | want to drive past the ‘home alone’ house or the church a tour of 12 filming locations around chicago..

And maybe it was before Nov. 16, 1990 — the day “Home Alone” premiered. The Tribune gave the modern Christmas classic, which was shot in just 62 days in the city and suburbs, three stars .

If you’re not familiar with the plot, here’s a quick summary: Kevin McCallister (played by Macaulay Culkin), 8, is left behind by his parents Kate (Catherine O’Hara) and Peter (John Heard) as their extended family (including Kevin’s siblings Buzz, Megan, Linnie and Jeff) fly to Paris.

When Kate realizes Kevin didn’t make the flight, there’s no way to contact him. Phone lines are down due to a snowstorm and cellphones weren’t a common thing in the early ’90s, remember? What could go wrong?

“We live on the most boring street in the United States of America where nothing even remotely dangerous will ever happen, period,” Buzz (played by Devin Ratray) tells a sister.

Left to his own devices, Kevin must conquer his fear of being home alone — even though he wished for his parents and four siblings to disappear in the first place — and protect his house from two bungling burglars, “Wet Bandits” Marv (Daniel Stern) and Harry (Joe Pesci).

The film was written and produced by John Hughes (“Sixteen Candles,” “Planes, Trains and Automobiles,” “The Breakfast Club” and more), who was by then deep into his oeuvre of using Chicago-area sites to illuminate his scripts. This one arrived after “Uncle Buck” (which was also shot here) and “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” (which wasn’t) but before “Dutch” and “Curly Sue.”

“Home Alone” came smack dab in the middle of a sweet spot for show business in Chicago during the 1980s-90s, and the Illinois Film Office was riding the wave. Big-budget pictures like “The Fugitive” and “The Babe,” plus two television series, “The Untouchables” and “Missing Persons” followed, bringing in record sums of production dollars from 1991 to 1993.

Director Chris Columbus, who previously wrote screenplays for Steven Spielberg (“Gremlins,” “Goonies” and “Young Sherlock Holmes”), completed the mostly Toronto-filmed “Adventures in Babysitting” at age 31 before “Home Alone.” He told the Tribune, “One of the few rules I have is to avoid sequels.” He returned, however, to direct “Home Alone 2: Christmas in New York.” (In case you’re wondering, there have been five sequels .)

After its release, “Home Alone” stayed atop the box office for 12 weeks between late 1990 and early 1991. Its budget was just $18 million, but the holiday classic has grossed almost a half-billion dollars to date.

The movie isn’t perfect. Locals can quibble with the script. Why do all the police officers wear uniforms with the Chicago flag on the sleeve though the commotion clearly takes place in the ‘burbs? Why is Buzz wearing a Maine South letterman’s jacket when his family clearly lives in New Trier Township? And why does Buzz own both a cutout of Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan and a poster of Detroit Pistons point guard (and Chicago native) Isiah Thomas — weren’t they rivals ?

Still, watching “Home Alone” has become a must-see each December. With so many of the locations nearby, it’s a quick trip to see them all — which is a great way to pass time with out-of-town visitors. Below are the sites in order of when they appear in the flick.

Want to experience “Home Alone” in a different way this season?

The Chicago Symphony Orchestra is scheduled to perform John Williams’ score live to accompany screenings of the motion picture next month. The Winnetka Historical Society is also hosting a “Home Alone” talk and trivia night at 5 p.m., Dec. 7.

The McCallister house

671 Lincoln Ave., Winnetka

Whether you call it “Silver Tuna,” as the Wet Bandits did, or the house that “Mac” (that would be 9-year-old Culkin) built, this home from the 1920s is the real star.

The production relied on sets built in the old New Trier West High School in Northfield to create most of the interior scenes, but the popular film made the Georgian-style house one of the most famous on the North Shore.

The “Home Alone” team spent weeks searching for the house that would eventually be used as the main backdrop, Columbus told Entertainment Weekly in 2015.

“We knew we were going to shoot in the North Shore, so we were in the Wilmette, Winnetka, Glencoe, Lake Forest area, so we basically drove around for several weeks until we found the right house,” he said . “And then when we found the house, I took some pictures and sent them over to (producer) John (Hughes), and I remember John saying, ‘This is perfect. This is exactly how I imagined the house.'”

The Abendshien family was approached about using their home in “Home Alone” in 1989, shortly after they purchased it.

“Sometimes I think they just want us to open the door so they can see inside,” Cynthia Abendshien told the Tribune about gawkers in 1992.

Lauren Abendshien, who was 6 during the filming experience, spoke to British TV show “This Morning” in 2020.

“At the time, my parents lived in a different house, actually, that John Hughes was interested in using for a previous film, ‘Uncle Buck,'” she said. “But my parents sold that house and just bought the house that appears in ‘Home Alone.'”

She said her family lived inside the house, which became a place for the actors to unwind, throughout production.

“In order to avoid appearing on screen, we would have to crawl around under the window line from room to room — especially in the evening when it would have been much easier for that to show up on camera,” she said. “So you had to do sort of an army crawl from spot to spot.”

Since the home’s rise to stardom, people haven’t been able to leave the house alone. Selfie-seekers and curious onlookers are common. The Abendshiens sold it in 2012. It was offered as an Airbnb for one night in 2021 as a benefit for Chicago’s La Rabida Children’s Hospital and decorated in the same bold red, green and white ambience as it appeared on the big screen.

A locked gate and security cameras prevent drivers for Airport Express and Little Nero’s Pizza from recklessly entering the property today.

O’Hare International Airport

1000 W. O’Hare Ave., Chicago

After an overnight power outage causes the extended McCallister family to oversleep, Uncle Frank (played by Gerry Bamman) makes a wise and brutally honest observation.

“There’s no way on Earth we’re gonna make this plane. It leaves in 45 minutes,” he said.

He was right. It’s at least a 45-minute drive to make the 18-mile trip from Winnetka to O’Hare — not counting additional time needed to check bags, pass through security and then find the gate.

But, suspending disbelief, the 14-odd family members make a memorable scene racing through Terminal 3 before miraculously hopping aboard their American Airlines flight at Gate K-12. (Though the Tribune incorrectly reported at the time that a flight bound for Honolulu would figure into the plot.)

It must have been a short flight, though. The family touches down at another part of O’Hare, which had signage made to appear like a gate at a Paris airport.

Kate sticks around at the guidance of the American Airlines gate agent with a French accent (played by New Jersey native Hope Davis), hoping for another flight out.

O’Hare has appeared in several other memorable on-screen moments because, hey, even stars need to pick someone up or drop them off at the airport. It’s where Joel Goodsen (Tom Cruise) takes his parents in “Risky Business.” It’s where Julianne Potter (Julia Roberts) picks up best friend Michael O’Neal (Dermot Mulroney) in 1997’s “My Best Friend’s Wedding.” And it’s the place where Sam Baldwin (Tom Hanks) and his son depart in “Sleepless in Seattle.”

The Murphy house

656 Lincoln Ave., Winnetka

Kevin sets out to buy a new toothbrush and notices a van parked in front of the home of his neighbors, the Murphys. It’s Mitch Murphy (the kid who asks a word vomit of questions to two Airport Express drivers about 15 minutes into the plot) who gets mistaken for Kevin and sets the whole crazy journey on its way.

“I thought the Murphys went to Florida,” he says.

Inside, the Wet Bandits are ransacking the house. It’s actually the only property the two successfully navigate — and finally catch up with Kevin toward the end of the one hour, 43-minute comedy.

The house belonged to the Samuel O. Rice family in 1929, who hosted a discussion about Ellis Island for the Glencoe chapter of Daughters of the American Revolution. In September 1938, the lovely four-bedroom, two-bath colonial on a 100-foot lot was listed for sale in the Tribune for $12,000 (or about $261,000 in today’s dollars).

Hubbard Woods Pharmacy

940 Green Bay Road, Winnetka

Kevin accidentally bolts from Hubbard Woods Pharmacy without paying for a toothbrush after he’s overcome with fear coming face-to-face with “Old Man” Marley.

The site no longer carries toothbrushes, but could give you a cavity. It’s been home to a Graeter’s Ice Cream shop since 2019. Before that, it was a Panera Bread bakery-cafe. Getting weary from driving around? This is a great pit stop during this tour.

Hubbard Woods Park

939 Old Green Bay Road, Winnetka

No artistic license was taken for this chase scene. The 1.38-acre park is located across Green Bay Road from Graeter’s and across Tower Court from the train station.

The ice-skating rink was real and included up to 25 extras.

“We built a portable rink just for the scene and also rented a Zamboni to keep the ice in shape,” Hughes told the Tribune in March 1990.

The gazebo was demolished in 2015, but a seasonal splash pad, picnic tables and a shelter stand in its place.

For fun off set, Culkin and his three stand-ins departed Winnetka for Six Flags Great America in Gurnee.

“We rode everything. There was the Eagle and the Whizzer and the Demon,” he told the Tribune in May 1990 . “The Demon has four loops, and under the second one in this big rock. The first thing I thought of was: ‘I can’t scream. I’ll lose my voice.’ Then I thought, ‘Oh, no, I’m gonna get sunburned and it’ll be hell for the makeup lady.'”

Ironically, there was a police car parked in almost the same area as it appeared in this scene — next to the park — on the day we visited.

Hubbard Woods Metra station

1065 Gage St., Winnetka

To escape a police officer who’s chasing him, Kevin darts across the walkway that runs above the Union Pacific-North line tracks. If he were really running back home, the trek would cover almost a mile and take about 20 minutes — plenty of time to reflect on his shoplifting crime.

The station’s name is carved in stone at its entrance along with the initials, “C & NWRY.” That stands for Chicago and North Western Railway . Winnetka is the only North Shore town where the Chicago and North Western railroad tracks are far below ground level and crossed by seven bridges.

Trains are hardly visible from the street; a nice aesthetic touch, though it was done for public safety. It’s the result of public indignation in 1937 over railroad crossing deaths in Winnetka, especially those of two women who were trapped in their vehicle between lowered gates at Pine Street and were struck on their way home from a Halloween party.

The Village Board applied for a federal grant to excavate 31/2 miles of trackway and finished the project in 1943.

The station lost its ticket agent in 2014 due to low sales.

Trinity United Methodist Church

1024 Lake Ave., Wilmette

Kevin is chased by the Wet Bandits and somehow ends up 3 miles away. He finds refuge in a Nativity display outside this church, then walks by it again at night.

The Wilmette church was built in 1874, and acknowledges its stardom , stating: “To some, we are the ‘Home Alone’ church from the 1990 movie; to others, we are the imposing Gothic Revival on the corner of Lake and Wilmette. But we are more than movies or architecture, more than stone or mortar. We are your neighbors, even your friends.”

Each October, the church sells pumpkins grown by Native Americans in New Mexico with the proceeds distributed to charitable causes.

The Grand Food Center

606 Green Bay Road, Winnetka

It’s a little tricky to figure out which aisle Kevin grabbed a half gallon of milk, since the original A&P store has been remodeled since, but it’s easy to imagine him being given the third degree at the register.

But really, after he loaded up on laundry detergent, dryer sheets, toilet paper, a couple of microwave dinners, white bread, orange juice, plastic wrap and a package of plastic Army figurines for just $19.83, doesn’t he deserve a pat on the back?

The walk home was a short 10 minutes, but we’re unsure where the plastic bags that contained his groceries gave out.

Northerly Island Visitor Center (Meigs Field)

1521 S. Linn White Drive, Chicago

Chicago’s former third airport moonlighted as one in Scranton, Pennsylvania, during this scene, which was shot in February 1990 . It’s where Kate meets twistin’ Gus Polinski (John Candy) and hitches a ride on Christmas Eve to Chicago with his polka-playing band the “Kenosha Kickers” (who were actually The Eddie Korosa Polka Band ) in a rental box truck.

Meigs Field was shut down during an overnight raid 20 years ago at the direction of then-Mayor Richard M. Daley, who wanted to convert the area into a nature preserve. The terminal building still stands and is used as a visitor’s center .

Santa Claus’ shack

Chestnut Court Park, Winnetka

The green strip that divides Chestnut Court in front of Winnetka Town Hall is where Kevin pleads with “Santa Claus” to return his family and is rewarded with three green Tic Tacs.

Though decorated for the holidays, the shack was just a prop — a fountain now occupies the site.

Looking for a date night with dramatic flair? Have a bite at Tocco , 507 Chestnut St., which overlooks the park.

Christmas Eve family gathering

306 Laurel Ave., Highland Park

Six miles north, Kevin observes a family coming together to celebrate the holiday and trim their tree.

Highland Park Presbyterian Church is next door, but it’s not the one Kevin visits next. Instead he’s back in Wilmette outside Trinity United. The interior scene, where Kevin chats with Marley, was recorded in Oak Park at Grace Episcopal Church, 924 Lake St.

‘Old Man’ Marley’s house

681 Lincoln Ave., Winnetka

Kevin discovers the next-door neighbor he previously feared (played by Roberts Blossom), whom Buzz nicknamed the “South Bend Shovel Slayer,” hugging his granddaughter amid snowflakes on Christmas morning.

Not much of the house is revealed, but the seven-bedroom, 6.5-bath, wood-shingled behemoth has almost 7,000 square feet of living space on about three-quarters of an acre.

Tragedy struck the home in September 1963 when Josephine Vollers, 61, was found dead inside her vehicle while its engine was running inside the garage, according to Tribune archives. Her husband, Edward Vollers, a 60-year-old attorney who helped transfer the Philadelphia Athletics baseball club to Kansas City, died inside the house of a heart attack three months later.

The house hit the market in 2014 for $3.1 million.

Sources: Tribune reporting and archives; itsfilmedthere.com ; imdb.com

Join our Chicagoland history Facebook group and subscribe to the Vintage Chicago Tribune newsletter for more from Chicago’s past.

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Inside the Home Alone house - available to rent on Airbnb

Take a look inside the famous house from the Christmas classic

The Home Alone house is instantly recognizable from the classic holiday movie we all know and love. For one night only this December, Airbnb is offering guests the opportunity to stay at the iconic house featured in the film.

The Airbnb host is none other than Buzz, Kevin's tortuous older brother. However, in the listing, he promises that he's changed. 'You may not remember me as particularly accommodating,' he says. 

'But I’ve grown up, and I’d be happy to share my family home – my pizza, even – with you this holiday season. Just try not to let my tarantula, Axl, loose this time.”

However, if you're not lucky enough to be able to stay in person let's take a peek inside the McCallister residence. It might be 30 years since Kevin got left behind one Christmas, as his family left on vacation, the home is still rocking a timeless, festive look, with traditional Christmas decor ideas.

The Home Alone House

The 1920s house from the John Hughes movie is located in the Chicago suburb of Winnetka. It has a perfectly symmetrical facade typical of Georgian architecture with red brick and wooden shutters. 

It has lots of outdoor lighting ideas , that look inviting and festive from the moment you arrive.

The grand hallway still has the wow factor more than thirty years on from the movie's début. The decor has been kept super traditional with dark hardwood flooring, family photos, and a beautiful red runner leading you up the famous staircase. 

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Get the best home decor ideas, DIY advice and project inspiration straight to your inbox!

We're loving the bold, festive tones, chintzy wallpaper, and antique-style gold mirror. Luckily, there are no longer any paint cans suspended on string, or any other booby traps waiting to be unleashed as you step inside.

The living room

Just around the corner from the stairway is this Christmassy living room, which continues the festive color scheme. There's traditional wallpaper, wood paneling for a sense of heritage, and some seriously sumptuous seating for curling up by the fire.

With two Christmas trees, a large wreath, nutcrackers, and stockings hung up over the fireplace, it's bringing plenty of festive cheer with bold Christmas living room decorating ideas . Multiple light sources mean the light levels can be adjusted to set the mood in the evening.

The bedroom

Upstairs, the bedroom is festive, but in a less in-your-face way, with more subtle Christmas decorating ideas . Check out the huge four-poster bed dressed in traditional Christmas colors that match the velvet floor-length curtains.

The traditional Persian rug is soft underfoot and the fireplace and wall lights make things extra cozy.

Mischief makers can request to book the enormous Home Alone house from Tuesday, December 7 at 1pm CT on the Airbnb website . 

The famous house will be bookable for a one-night stay for up to four guests and comes complete with Kevin's smart booby traps. Here's hoping the kids don't get any ideas!

The house is available to rent on December 12 for just $25. To celebrate the first-ever stay at Home Alone house, Airbnb is making a donation to Chicago’s  La Rabida Children’s Hospital . The hospital is dedicated to maintaining and improving the quality of life of patients with complex conditions, disabilities, and chronic illnesses.

Those hoping to stay at the Home Alone house should note that this stay’s rules require strict adherence to local COVID-19 guidelines.

Merry Christmas ya' filthy animal.

Millie joined Real Homes in early 2021 as a homes news writer. When she isn't writing about trends, makeovers and houseplant care, she spends her free time making tweaks to her rented flat in North London. Her next project is a very basic armchair reupholstering job to help create a cosy reading nook in her living room. She loves browsing antique centres, tending to her small front garden, and is never without some fresh flowers at home.

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Here's When You Can Book the ‘Home Alone' House on Airbnb

Ever wanted to stay in the original "home alone" house your chance is nearly here., published december 2, 2021 • updated on december 2, 2021 at 9:17 am.

Have you heard? For the first time, the original "Home Alone" house will become available on Airbnb for a $25 overnight stay, if you're fast enough to book it.

On Dec. 12, up to four guests can enjoy a holiday evening inside the famous "Home Alone" movie house decorated with twinkling lights and a perfectly trimmed tree.

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The experience comes complete with booby traps and ‘90s junk food, including your very own cheese pizza and a candlelit dinner of highly nutritious microwavable macaroni and cheese.

The inside of the Winnetka home is even decked out to look like the movie .

See Inside the ‘Home Alone' House You Can Soon Book on Airbnb

What's The Most Popular Holiday Movie in Illinois?

And while you don't have to worry about sharing a bed with bed-wetter Fuller, you won't get the chance to make everyone in the family disappear, since your host for the evening will be Kevin McCallister's big brother, Buzz, and his pet tarantula, according to Airbnb.

Bookings to experience an overnight evening at the McCallister Christmas home open at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 7.

Local COVID-19 guidelines will apply ( Illinois is currently under an indoor mask mandate ), and guests are responsible for their own travel to and from Chicago.

Airbnb says its closely monitoring Chicago infection rates and government policies, and will offer booking guests a $1,000 USD Airbnb travel credit if it becomes necessary to cancel the stay.

Prices start at $25, so keep the change, ya filthy animal.

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20th Century Fox

Home Alone House: Inside The Iconic Kevin McCallister House 30 Years Later!

Updated on October 28, 2021

If you’re a Home Alone fan, you likely dreamed of spending a Christmas in the Kevin McCallister house at some point. Built in 1920, this gorgeous 4,200 square foot red brick Georgian played an important role in the Christmas classic film Home Alone. Boasting 6 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms, it made the perfect scene for the McCallister’s massive family and Kevin’s mischievous traps for Marv and Harry. With Home Alone just celebrating its 30 year anniversary as of 2020, Velvet Ropes is giving you the inside scoop on this iconic house! From the Home Alone house address to the movie magic that transformed it into the McCallister home – keep reading for all the deets!

Where Is the Home Alone House?

For those looking for the real-life Home Alone house location, look no further than Chicago, Illinois. The sprawling residence is located only 16 miles north of downtown Chicago in a north shore neighborhood called Winnetka Illinois. The Home Alone house address is below!

McCallister House Home Alone

In 2011, Coldwell Banker real estate agent Marissa Hopkins was granted access to film a video tour by owners John & Cynthia Abendshien. At the time, the house from Home Alone was just placed on the market by the couple for $2.4 million. The Abendshien family purchased the red brick Georgian in the late 80s after relocating from Evanston. Fun fact: Evanston is where the popular John Hughes film Sixteen Candles (1984) was shot!

While a large portion of the movie was filmed on a soundstage, shots of the home’s interior can still be found in the film. The scenes of the foyer’s grand staircase and the living room were the real-life Home Alone house. There were, however, some tiny changes made to facilitate some scenes in the film. For example, new wallpaper was added to make the house more festive. Oh, and the back door down the set of stairs outside – that actually wasn’t real. A backhoe was brought in to dig up that part of the property so that a fake door and steps could be added in. Kevin’s treehouse was also specifically built for the film and ended up being taken down after filming wrapped.

Home Alone House Now

Today, the McCallister house would be hard to recognize inside. Gone are the days of green and red wallpaper and red carpeting on the stairs in the foyer – now replaced with modern grey paint and blue & white carpeting. The kitchen has also undergone some extensive work, now featuring elegant white shaker cabinets, green tile backsplash, and a small breakfast bar. The tacky wallpaper in the master suite has been replaced with a chic grey & white striped print. Additionally, the once hardwood floors are now decked out in white carpeting. The dining room, which featured red walls in the film, is now adorned in a warm cream color painted with vines and pear trees. Quite the improvement overall…unless you’re a diehard lover of 90s interior design.

If you’ve ever revisited the Home Alone films for a dose of nostalgia, you probably asked yourself at some point “how much is the Home Alone house worth?” Well, after an extensive redecoration, the original owners of the property put up the Mcalister house for sale in May 2011. In March of 2012, it sold for $1.585 million.

Whatever Peter McCallister was doing to afford the Home Alone home and their extravagant family vacations, we need to know! Seriously – a vacation to Paris for 13 people?!

Home Alone House Address

Wanna see the McCallister house for yourself? It’s located at 671 Lincoln Avenue, Winnetka Illinois 60093. If you plan to visit the location, however, keep in mind it’s not an attraction open to the public. So, while you can stop by and grab some selfies with the house from Home Alone, you won’t be able to go inside.

Who’s the Home Alone Kid ?

The center of the Home Alone films, Kevin McCallister, was played by actor Macaulay Culkin. And yes, there are 2 Cs in McCallister – it’s not Kevin Mcallister. 😉 In addition to starring in Home Alone and Home Alone 2 Lost in New York , Culkin also appeared in the films My Girl (1991), The Nutcracker (1993), and Richie Rich (1994).

“How old is Kevin from Home Alone?” you may be asking yourself – prepare to feel old! Macaulay Culkin, aka little Kevin McCallister, is now 40 as of 2021!  

Home Alone Robbers

Marv and Harry, the greedy antagonists in Home Alone, were played by actors Daniel Stern and Joe Pesci. Stern, who was also the narrator for The Wonder Years (1988-1993), has spent the majority of his career in television. While Pesci is most often recognized for his roles in Lethal Weapon 4 (1989), Goodfellas (1990), and My Cousin Vinny (1992).

Where Was Home Alone Filmed?

The entire production of Home Alone was shot in the Chicago area! Even the parts that were supposed to be set in the Paris Orly Airport were actually filmed at O’Hare International Airport. The interior of the plane was a set built on a basketball court at the local high school. In fact, the scene where Kevin McCallister is trekking through the flooded basement is actually the school’s swimming pool.

https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/60262/25-things-you-might-not-know-about-home-alone

https://www.romper.com/entertainment/home-alone-house-video-tour

https://www.movie-locations.com/movies/h/Home-Alone.php

https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2020/11/home-alone-house-winnetka-illinois

.css-16urd06{margin:0;font-family:Roboto,sans-serif;font-weight:400;font-size:1rem;line-height:1.5;} .css-1eo6nkc{color:rgb(0, 0, 238);font-size:24px;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;cursor:pointer;} Sarah Paschall

Sarah has written and edited for numerous media outlets in a variety of different niches – though entertainment is her all-time favorite topic to cover. When she is not hard at work researching and writing about Hollywood’s top talents for Velvet Ropes, Sarah enjoys working on her fiction novels, developing her blog, and gaming. You can follow Sarah on Twitter at: Twitter.com/tuspock91