This past year, more than several filmmakers packed it all up and shipped their cast and crew to Westchester County to get the best shots they needed. Famous blockbusters, Indie films, and TV series have shot some of their most memorable scenes in our backyards. In 2016, we maintained a solid track record for being first choice in many location scouts’ minds. According to Westchester County Tourism & Film, our beautiful parks, shorelines, suburban neighborhoods, urban centers and historic streets provide the perfect setting for many movies. Westchester County Tourism & Film recently released a list of some of the most famous productions to come here this year, and it was definitely an A-list crop.

“The Girl On A Train” is a film about a distressed, post-divorce woman who becomes entangled in a missing person investigation after seeing shocking things unfold during her daily commute. Emily Blunt’s character becomes infatuated with the lives of people she doesn’t even know because any life seems better than her own. I personally enjoyed this film, and found its twists and turns to be exciting and thrilling. But a captivating plot wasn’t the only good part of this film, its Westchester location perfectly completed the storyline. The movie was filmed at locations in Tarrytown, Irvington, Dobbs Ferry, Hastings-on-Hudson, Ardsley, and White Plains. One of the creepiest and scariest parts of the movie was filmed at the Station Road Tunnel in Irvington. Now whenever I find myself in Irvington, I bet I will think of Rachel Watson and the rain that fell down on her as terrible things unfolded.

“The Blacklist” featured the landscape of Glen Island Beach in New Rochelle for filming this year. In the past, this crime drama has visited Westchester to film episodes, and this year was no exception. This hit TV show starring James Spader and Megan Boone follows the two as they take down criminals and dangerous terrorists. The show is on its fourth season, so we can definitely look forward to seeing more of Westchester in episodes to come.

“The Affair” set many of its scenes in Yonkers and prison scenes at the Westchester County Correctional Facility. “Homeland” also filmed at the Westchester County Correctional Facility and often visits Westchester for filming. From “Elementary” to “The Americans,” the landscape of Westchester County continues to provide the perfect movie/ TV show backdrop. The next time you watch your favorite film or put on Netflix, look out for all the different places you call home. Westchester seems to pop up in more films than you would ever think.