by Donald Wood
Last updated: 3:00 PM ET, Mon December 21, 2015
PHOTO: Travelers to California can celebrate the North American premiere of Star Wars: The Force Awakens with a visit to LEGOLAND California Resort, featuring a 1,900-pound model of the Death Star. (Photo courtesy of LEGOLAND California Resort)
Visit California is looking to capitalize on the buzz around the opening of "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" last week by inviting fans of the popular film franchise to visit the Golden State's "Star Wars" attractions.
California offers some of the most unique adventures imaginable for "Star Wars" fans, with actual locations where portions of the films were shot and themed attractions celebrating the brand with the entire family.
For the travelers making their way through Sacramento or Anaheim, the Aerospace Museum of California and the FlightDeck Flight Simulation Center are offering guests the opportunity to train as a Jedi pilot in their flight simulators.
Tourists who have added LEGOLAND California to their itineraries will now have the chance to enjoy the Star Wars area of the theme park. Inside, "Star Wars" fans will find a scale model of the Death Star made up of around half a million plastic bricks.
Many "Star Wars" fans are also into collectables from the movies, and if you make an appointment, you can visit Rancho Obi-Wan in Petaluma, the world's largest private collection of memorabilia and props from the franchise. Tours last two-to-four hours and supervised children 12 and under get in free.
While much of "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" was shot in Tunisia, several key scenes were filmed in sunny California. As TravelPulse's Janeen Christoff pointed out, a trip to Death Valley National Park would allow fans to experience filming locations.
Add in "Star Wars" themed portions of other amusement parks and screenings of the new movie across the state, and California is a hotbed for travelers looking to fully immerse themselves in the culture of the film franchise.
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