Is a Red Ryder BB gun on your holiday list? Be careful that you don’t shoot your eye out like Ralphie in the holiday movie A Christmas Story! If you don’t want to risk any injuries or mishaps, it might be safer and more enjoyable to head to Cleveland and step back in time at the actual house where the movie was filmed.

A Christmas Story House is open year-round for visits, and now guests can also experience what it was actually like when making the movie by spending the night! Here’s everything you need to know:

Movie trivia:
Nearly half (45 percent) of the movie was filmed in Cleveland, Ohio, with parts also filmed in Toronto, Ontario, though it was set in an Indiana town in 1940. The director chose Cleveland because Higbee’s department store was open to filming inside. You can still see the Higbee’s sign in downtown Cleveland in the building that is now home to JACK Cleveland Casino. The original leg lamp for the movie was made by Confer Plastics in Buffalo, NY. A Christmas Story debuted in 1983, but didn’t gain popularity until years later.

Tours:
Guided tours are available year-round and you’ll learn interesting factoids about A Christmas Story, like how the character Flick got his tongue stuck to the pole in the movie or how the director fell in love with the house in Cleveland with its industrial setting. He claims to have found the owner across the street at a tavern, the Rowley Inn, which currently offers 10 percent discounts on meals following tours. They worked out a deal and used the house for two weeks for filming. Motor coaches with group tours often visit the site that is complete with A Christmas Story House, museum and gift shop. Yes, you can buy a leg lamp at the shop! 

Overnight Stays:
There are two options for overnight stays – spend the night at A Christmas Story House or next door at The Bumpus House (the fictional home to Ralphie’s loud neighbors, the Bumpuses, whose dogs snatched the Christmas turkey right off the table in the movie).

Whether you’re a longtime fan of the holiday classic or if you’re looking to take a road trip for some Hollywood history close to home, A Christmas Story House is worth a visit.