Did you know that Ralphie’s house from the movie “A Christmas Story” is located in Cleveland, OH? Did you know that you can tour the house and even sit in the Old Man’s chair? Better yet…did you know that you can stay the night in Ralphie’s house and even sleep in Ralphie’s bed?!?! I didn’t until our recent trip to Cleveland (a really neat American city). If you’re a fan of the movie and/or interested in finding out more about this iconic location, read on to learn all you need to know to plan you’re own trip to visit this classic slice of Americana.
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Cleveland…Really?
Yep, Cleveland!
Wait a minute… all true fans of “A Christmas Story” know that the movie is set in the midwestern town of Hammond, Indiana. But very few people realize (even many diehard fans) that the filming for the movie was actually split between Cleveland and Toronto, Canada. But why Cleveland? Well, when scouting for a filming location Cleveland was chosen because Higbee’s (an actual Cleveland department store) was one of the few stores open to the idea of filming a movie inside.
OK, but why split the filming between Cleveland and Canada? Well, there were two main reasons… For starters Ralphie’s teacher at Warren G Harding’s Elementary School (Tedde Moore) was pregnant during filming and couldn’t travel to America.
But the biggest reason…snow. Actually a lack of snow. Interestingly enough, during filming of the movie from December 1982 – March of 1983, no snow fell in the city of Cleveland! So what about all the snow seen in the movie? Well, the scenes shot in Canada feature actual snow, while those shot in Cleveland feature “manufactured” snow consisting of firefighters foam, shaved vinyl and mashed potato flakes!
“A Christmas Story” House Location
So where is the house? The “A Christmas Story” house is located at 3159 W 11th Street, Cleveland, OH 44109. It’s actually just a short drive off of Interstate 71 and is pretty easy to find.
There is a parking lot located at the house and additional parking on the street. But be aware… the lot is fine for cars/trucks but would not be appropriate for RV’s. Also, the street is a bit tight (after all the houses were built in the 1890’s) so RV parking along the street will be challenging also.
So How Do You Go About Touring The House?
Tours are offered daily (except for major holidays) starting at 10:15 AM and are offered every 30 minutes with the last tour starting at 4:15 PM. All tours require a ticket and can be purchased on site at the gift shop or online in advance. Please be aware…tickets purchased online are shipped to you in the mail, so allow extra time for them to arrive.
All tours are priced the same ($15 as of 2021) with discounts being offered for seniors and military personnel. Children under 3 years of age are free.
Touring The House
Tours begin in the living room of the “A Christmas Story” house, where your tour guide will give a brief rundown and then open up the lower floor for you to explore. Thats right, you get to explore! The lower level includes the entryway with a large wooden box marked Fra-gil-e (must be Italian), the kitchen complete with Christmas turkey, and the living room with the Christmas Tree, dual sofas and the infamous leg lamp!
We were surprised to learn that the tour allowed for that level of interaction. Basically everything in the actual “A Christmas Story” house is a replica of what was featured in the movie, so you are encouraged to pick up the Red Rider BB gun, sit in the Old Man’s chair, play with the presents and even touch the sacred leg lamp (after all, it’s a major award!). After several minutes of self-guided exploration, your tour guide will gather the group together and offer a history of the house and answer questions.
Once you’re done downstairs, it’s time to move upstairs and continue to explore. You’ll find the bathroom where Ralphie decoded Little Orphan Annie’s secret message and the boys bedroom. You’re encouraged to sit at the desk, pick up the books and even sit on Ralpie’s bed (or Randy’s if you prefer).
The house is truly full of wonderful surprises. Go ahead and pick up the handle of the black phone on the wall at the top of the stairs…you’ll be able to listen in on the conversation between Ralphie’s mom and Mrs Schwartz after the famous “Oh Fudge” incident!
After you’re done upstairs, meet your tour guide back on the lower level where your group will venture out into the backyard. This is the actual backyard from the movie where Ralphie fought against Black Bart and his gang, and where Ralphie almost shot his eye out!
Touring The Museum
After exploring the “A Christmas Story” house and backyard, the tour continues across the street at the museum. This portion of the tour is far less interactive but contains many actual items used during production of the movie.
Understandably, many of these items are behind glass and offer an interesting glimpse into the movie production.
Spending The Night Inside The “A Christmas Story” House
Here’s the really interesting part…you can actually sleep inside the “A Christmas Story” house! That’s right, it’s available to rent nightly! The owners of the house realized the appeal of the location and the special place it holds in the memories of many people, so they’ve opened the house up for over-night rentals.
In fact, the rear portion of the upper floors of the house has been remodeled into a modern townhome complete with a modern full kitchen, central heat and air, and flat screen TV. Several movies are supplied for your viewing pleasure, and of course we HAD to watch “A Christmas Story” while we were there.
The townhome features a queen bedroom and full-sized pull out sofa, so we consider that sleeping arrangements for 4.
Wait a minute…so sleeping inside the house is just in a modernized portion of the upper floors? Oh No…..after the last tour is complete (around 5:00 PM) the housekeeping staff cleans the “original” portion of the house, puts sheets on the beds in the boys room, and opens it up for your PRIVATE use all night long! That’s right…you have private access to the entire house all night (until 9:00 AM the following morning).
This means you can take as many pictures with the leg lamp as you want. You can eat supper at the table in the original dining room. You can sit in the Old Man’s chair (and admire the lamp of course). You can even sleep in Ralphie’s bed overnight!
There are 2 twin beds located in Ralphie’s room (for Ralphie and Randy of course) so technically speaking the house will sleep a total of 6 people.
How Much Does It Cost?
The rental rates for “A Christmas Story” House vary depending on the time of year. Our trip was during the 2nd week of October 2021, and we paid $595 for a Sunday night rental (it’s $100 cheaper to stay Monday – Wednesday).
However, be aware…the rates increase dramatically the closer you get to Christmas and max out at $3,995 per night for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day of 2121!
For 2022, the published rates are increasing during peak season. The price increases by approximately $100 per night between November 1 – Novemmer 7, $200 per night between November 8 – December 23, and maxes out at a whopping $5,000 per night for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day!
Click here for a full listing of rental rates for the A Christmas Story House.
The Bumpus House
If the “A Christmas Story” house is unavailable (or too pricey) the Bumpus house next door is also available to rent for overnight guests. Yes, this is the original Bumpus house from the movie…the 2 houses have been side-by-side for over 100 years! The Bumpus house features 2 suites… the Hound Dog Haven is on the first floor, while the Stolen Turkey suite utilizes the second and third floors of the home.
Rates for the Bumpus house are considerably lower than the A Christmas Story House (naturally) and vary depending on which suite you book. Of course, these rates also increase the closer you get to Christmas.
Click here for a full listing of rental rates for the Bumpus House.
Booking Your Stay
If you are considering staying at the “A Christmas Story” house you will want to make your reservation well in advance. As you can imagine, the house is highly desirable, and books up quickly. In fact…it is already rented (and paid in full) for the next 7 Christmases!
We booked in February for our October stay and had no problems with availability.
To check availability or make a reservation click here.
Insider Tips For A Christmas Story House
- Book Early – Even though many people don’t realize that the house is available to rent, it still books up well in advance
- Not Handicap Accessible – There are several steep stairs leading to the back townhome portion of the A Christmas Story house, as well as the staircase inside the original portion of the home. The lower level of the Bumpus house (Hound Dog Haven) however, is located on the ground floor and is handicap accessible.