Meet the "TV Tourist" who vacations where her favorite shows are set

Slate

Catherine Baab-Muguira is such a big fan of The Office she traveled to Scranton, Pennsylvania for a vacation even though the NBC comedy was filmed in Los Angeles. "Some people play golf or rock-climb," she says. "I get a little obsessed with my favorite shows, sometimes so obsessed I even commit some light trespassing. I’d say this is one of the pleasures of our era: The golden age of TV has given us a golden age of TV tourism. You can visit sets and settings that take you closer to this bit of popular art you love, so that later you can re-watch it in a fresh way, newly immersed. In the last few years, I’ve gone to Utah Mormon country because of Big Love, the Florida Keys because of Bloodline; Monterey, California, because of Big Little Lies; and Breckenridge, Colorado because of CNN’s High Profits." She adds: "Visiting a filming location gives me an added layer of appreciation for the show itself—its mood, its characters’ motivations, its carefully cultivated atmosphere. When I return to these series, it feels like my viewing experience is suddenly in 360 degrees."