I focus a lot on this site, trying to bring the magical world into the Muggle one. But there's nothing that quite compares to the magic of re-reading the Harry Potter series or re-watching the Harry Potter movies. From the first notes of the score to the final credits roll, there's something truly special about the Harry Potter films and the magical feeling they make us all feel inside. That's why it's a special occasion to plan a Harry Potter movie night!

If you’re reading this post, you probably have a big thing on your mind: the 11th birthday of a special child in your life. Whether they’re a Harry Potter fan already or have never heard of Harry and the gang’s magical adventures, a Harry Potter 11th birthday party is a great way to celebrate. Below you’ll learn everything you need to create a magical space for the party, plus what to serve for food and drink. I’ve also included fun activities to keep a bunch of sugar-fueled witches and wizards active, and a few gift ideas that every 11-year old will love on their birthday. Read on to get ready…

Whether you’re the maid of honor, a bridesmaid, or the bride herself, you don’t need Veritaserum to know one truth about the bachelorette party you’re planning: it has to be Harry Potter themed! Everything about weddings can be magical, and that includes the bachelorette party where the bride shares a fun night or weekend away with her closest friends for a final night of freedom before she makes her Unbreakable Vow. I’m personally planning my own wedding right now, and have officially decided I need to have a Harry Potter bachelorette party – time to send this post to my Maid of Honor so she has everything she needs to…

In some ways, London is the epicenter for magical experiences in the Muggle world. In London, you can visit the Harry Potter studio tour from London, plus see other sights and sites from the books (like Platform 9¾) and films on Harry Potter walking tours. There are even a number of places in London that inspired J.K. Rowling as she created the magical world – though they never appeared on the page or silver screen. That’s why I have an entire Harry Potter Bucket List for London! There’s so much to do that you can spend a lifetime doing them all. You might remember that list includes “Go on a…

Stay home. Shelter in place. Lockdown. These are words we might think describe a situation when Death Eaters are on the march – not our normal muggle lives! Yet as we face a massive public health crisis around the world, everyone has to do their part to help stop the dark forces of Coronavirus. To that end, we can’t hop on a plane or grab a Portkey to explore the magical world – we need to keep ourselves home and try virtual Harry Potter experiences instead. While we can’t all do social distancing like in the picture above – that’s a ‘forced perspective’ photo from several feet apart at the…

Stuck at home and dreaming of the magical world? Me too – it would be a welcome break from the real world right now! But wait… we have muggle technology that helps us travel around the world: virtual reality! What if we took a virtual 360-degree tour of the Wizarding World? Before the Wizarding World of Hollywood opened to the public in early 2016, NBC Los Angeles chief photographer Sean Browning took his Ricoh Theta 360-camera into the park to give us a sneak peek. These 360-photos originally appeared on the NBCLA website; I’ve organized them here into a ‘walking’ VR 360° tour of the Wizarding World in Hollywood that…

All Aboard! If you want to ride the Hogwarts Express – even if it’s just in your imagination – you’re going to have to pass through the magical gateway at Platform 9¾! But how and where can you visit Platform 9¾? Turns out you’ve got choices! I’ve been lucky to visit all three of the “Platform 9¾” locations around the world where muggles can take non-moving photos. I have visited the one in London many times; I’ve snapped pics at the Harry Potter studio tour as recently as 2019; and I’ve last tried the different but equally magical Platform 9¾ in Orlando in 2019. If you want to get the…