• by Tanya Gazdik , December 21, 2015

Visit California is hoping to lure “Star Wars” fans to the state to check out tourist attractions with an intergalactic theme.

Tourists can see where the films were shot as well as various attractions where they are still celebrated in vivid detail.

The tourism promoter has created two dedicated Web sites to lure movie fans including DIY Star Wars Experiences in CaliforniaandCalifornia Vacations for the Star Wars Icons.

Kids of all ages can train as a Jedi Pilot in either Sacramento or Anaheim using one of the F-16 simulators at the Aerospace Museum of California, outside Sacramento. Or in Anaheim, FlightDeck Flight Simulation Center lets you choose between a fighter jet and a Boeing 737 experience. Meanwhile, you can watch your escapades from the LCD-screen-equipped "Officers Club." 

In Carlsbad, Calif., the LEGOLAND California theme park has a special Star Wars area. Miniland keeps expanding and diversifying its mini-Empire — like the scale model of the Death Star, a 1,900-pound masterpiece made with half a million plastic bricks. New additions to the seven LEGO-constructed landscapes include a Jawa sandcrawler on Tatooine and an underwater Opee sea killer on Naboo.

When NoCal visitors are bored of wineries, they can visit a museum near Petaluma, Rancho Obi-Wan, which is home to the world's largest private collection of Star Wars memorabilia and props.

As for scenes from the actual movies, many of the desert planet scenes in Episode IV were filmed in Tunisia, but a few choice locales were shot in California. To see the rough-and-tumble spaceport Mos Eisley (minus the alien bar), go to Dante's View in Death Valley National Park; located about 16 miles from Furnace Creek, this Black Mountain spot was where they filmed the view as seen by Luke and Obi-Wan.

Visit California is a non-profit organization with a mission to develop and maintain marketing programs -- in partnership with the state's travel industry -- that keep California top-of-mind as a premiere travel destination.