🎄🏠 Exploring the A Christmas Story House - Cleveland, Ohio (Without Simba!) 🚐

Hey friends! Ash here — and while Simba had to sit this one out (sorry, buddy!), I took a fun detour to one of the most iconic movie homes in holiday history: the A Christmas Story House in Cleveland, Ohio! 🎁🐾

If you’ve ever dreamed of seeing the leg lamp, climbing under Ralphie’s Christmas tree, or standing on the same porch where he got that BB gun, this stop is a must-see for movie buffs, holiday lovers, and curious road trippers alike.

📍 Location Highlights

Where: A Christmas Story House – Cleveland, OH
What: Guided tour, behind-the-scenes film trivia, photo ops
Dog-Friendly?: Unfortunately, no pups inside — Simba waited outside and posed with the iconic house for a quick photo 🐶📸
RV Tip: Street parking is available nearby — best suited for vans or smaller rigs

🎬 Did You Know? Fun Facts from the House Tour

During the tour, I picked up some awesome movie trivia (and a few laughs) that made this quick stop totally worth it. Here are some favorites:

🎥 Cleveland was picked for filming because Higbee’s Department Store let them film there — for free.

❄️ There was no real snow during filming, so they used fake snow and potato flakes.

🍽️ That iconic moment of the parents watching snow fall outside? 100% mashed potato magic.

🏚️ The house used in the movie hadn’t been updated since the 1940s — perfect for Ralphie’s world.

💰 The owners were paid $20,000 to rent it out for filming in 1983.

🕯️ They made three leg lamps for the movie. Guess what? They all broke. (Fragile, indeed.)

🎯 Six Red Ryder BB Guns were made for the movie:

1 is at the house museum
1 is owned by Peter Billingsley (Ralphie)
3 are in private collections
1 is… missing 👀

🐇 Peter Billingsley also kept his pink bunny suit and rhinestone cowboy outfit. Icon.

🎬 All interior scenes were filmed in a studio — not inside the actual house.

🎒 The school scenes were filmed in Canada, where real snow finally cooperated.

👩 Miss Shields (the teacher) was actually pregnant and wore padding to hide it during filming.

📍 And Flick’s tongue? Not actually frozen. A vacuum tube in the pole created the suction!

🖼️ What You’ll See on the Tour

• The fully restored Christmas Story House, inside and out
• Original-style decor and props to match scenes from the movie
• The famous leg lamp in the front window
• Ralphie’s Red Ryder BB gun
• Museum across the street with costumes, props & memorabilia
• Gift shop with themed goodies and, yes, leg lamp night lights

🎥 In This Week’s Video


Catch:

• A walk through the house (yes, I touched the bar of soap)
• Leg lamp sightings galore
• Tour guide insights and funny facts

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🎅 Final Thoughts

Whether you watch A Christmas Story every year or you’re just curious about movie magic, the house is a charming and quirky stop full of nostalgia and fun. While Simba didn’t get to tour the inside, we both enjoyed the detour and the photo ops outside.

Pro tip: Go in December for full Christmas vibes — or July if you like wearing shorts under your winter coat for fun. 😄

Until next time — happy trails, major awards, and BB-gun dreams,
– Ash (& Simba, who now wants a bunny suit) 🐾🎄🎬

Location: Cleveland, OH, USA

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