Travel Plans for the Post-Harry Potter Blues

Make your post-Potter plans now because after "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2" debuts, fans everywhere will be suffering from withdrawals. What can a sad muggle do to celebrate the end of the longest film series ever created? How about turning the fantasy into reality by making some travel plans? From a deluxe trip to England to a Los Angeles banquet hall to an elaborate theme park experience, here are three travel destinations that can help you relive the magic.

Film Locations. If you've ever wanted to visit Diagon Alley, try London's Leadenhall Market instead. If you wish you could dine in the Great Hall, why not pop in to Christ College, the architectural inspiration for Hogwarts most famous room. Several scenes in all of the movies were filmed in the hallowed halls of Oxford University.

Much in the same way that an entire tourism industry sprang up in New Zealand after "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy, so to have fans come flocking to England for a chance to walk in Harry Potter's footsteps. Many tour services exist, but the most notable one comes by way of British Tours which will drive you to your choice of sites in a car or minibus. (We would call that a van on this side of the pond, but the word "minibus" sounds so much more charming, doesn't it?)

Whimsic Alley. If you're going to be in Los Angeles, there's a store that's themed to make any Harry Potter fan feel right at home. At Whimsic Alley you can have tea in a replica of The Great Hall. You can buy plenty of ties, cardigans and wands. You can even attend special events like the one thrown every year on July 31^st in honor of Harry's birthday. Whimsic Alley is also a party and banquet hall. While it's not officially licensed by J.K. Rowling and company, it's a fan's haven and a fun place to visit.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. If a trip to England is too pricey, but a visit to Whimsic Alley just doesn't feel like enough, then this is the destination for you. Visiting The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida is like stepping into the movies themselves. And unlike real-life filming locations, this theme park (which is actually a section of a larger park called Islands of Adventure) comes complete with all the illusion of the films intact.

You can visit stores that appear in the books and films and stroll the streets of the charming village of Hogsmeade. My favorite is the colorful candy store Honeydukes that really sells Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans. From the glossy aqua paint on the walls being the precise right shade to the occasional fowl tasting jelly bean, everything feels pitch perfect. That's not to mention the fish and chips they serve, the permanently snow-covered rooftops, the strolling frog choir, or John Williams' beautiful score that plays all day, every day.

This is the best place to be after the films are finished. It's hard to be sad when you can actually walk through the door to Hogwarts Castle. The queue for the one-of-a-kind "Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey" ride is a surprisingly intricate walk-through of the famous fictional castle. Combine all the stunning special effects of the ride with the butterbeer and the gift shops that offer you a chance to literally bring home a piece of the films, and this is the ultimate defense against post-Potter blues.

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