In the early 2000s, The Lord of the Rings trilogy was filmed in New Zealand. Once filming had wrapped, the crew left behind the hobbit holes they had dug to film scenes of the Shire. Afterwards, fans flocked to explore these hobbit burrows, although little more than holes in the ground remained to be seen.
However, after shooting the newest Hobbit trilogy, the film crew decided to leave the Shire untouched. Thus, a new amazing tourist attraction, the Hobbiton Film Set, was created. Delighted fans worldwide have celebrated the news.
Visitors now can drop into the Shire, explore Bilbo's home, Bag End, and drink a mug of cider at the Green Dragon Inn. Tourists are encouraged to stroll along the Shire's paths, explore hobbit burrows, and walk through the hobbit gardens. Fans can tour the set and pretend that they are truly walking in Middle Earth. For many, this is a dream come true. Although New Zealand offers many beautiful sites, none have become as instantly popular as Hobbiton.
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