Summary
- Vampire Diaries was primarily filmed in Covington, Georgia as the fictional Mystic Falls, but also had some filming locations outside of Georgia.
- Fans can visit The Mystic Grill, Scoops, Lockwood Mansion, Twelve Oaks Bed & Breakfast, and other iconic places featured on the show.
- Some filming locations, like the Salvatore Boarding House, were filmed in multiple locations, including ones that are no longer accessible to the public.
Even the biggest fans of the series have wondered where was Vampire Diaries filmed. The series follows a group of teens who become embroiled in the supernatural in a small Virginia town, but it didn’t actually film in Virginia. After filming the pilot episode in Vancouver, British Columbia, The Vampire Diaries moved the entire production to Covington, Georgia, where most of the series was filmed as the fictional Mystic Falls. Some Vampire Diaries filming locations can also be found outside of Georgia, though the show was rarely shot outside the state.
Whether for casual fans or die-hard long-time viewers who followed the Vampire Diaries Delena episodes, these places are perfect for any Vampire Diaries fan tour. Throughout The Vampire Diaries’ 8 seasons and 170 episodes, Elena (Nina Dobrev), Damon (Ian Somerhalder), and the rest of the ghoulish immortals spent a lot of time hanging out in real locations that fans can physically visit. Among the various establishments are cafés, ice cream shops, boarding houses, public squares, and historical mansions. So, where was Vampire Diaries filmed, and how can viewers find and actually visit these places?
10 The Mystic Grill
The Mystic Grill can be found at 116 Clark Street, Covington, Georgia
Probably the most famous of all The Vampire Diaries filming locations, The Mystic Grill is a real eatery that fans can visit in Covington. The restaurant was opened in 2014 by fans of the show. Viewers may only recognize the outside, as the exteriors of the restaurant were filmed for the iconic Vampire Diaries Mystic Falls haunt, while the interiors were filmed on a sound stage.
Nonetheless, it’s a cool, worthwhile place to visit for viewers who remember Alaric recognizing Damon at The Mystic Grill, or that awkward double date at the Grill with Matt, Caroline, Stefan, and Elena. They probably won’t be able to just take over a live-music stage and sing to their crush like Caroline did to Matt though. The restaurant is open until at least 9:00PM on a regular basis.
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9 Scoops
Scoops can be found at 1131 Church St., Covington, Georgia
Any Vampire Diaries fan tour around Covington wouldn’t be complete without a visit to Scoops, the colorful confectionary ice cream shop that Elena and the gang visit more than once on the show. This location isn’t known for epic scenes in the show, but for a behind-the-scenes reason: the cast loved it.
Though the location didn’t feature as much as The Mystic Grill, Scoops was frequented by The Vampire Diaries cast repeatedly during filming. For instance, Damon Salvatore’s (Ian Somerhalder) favorite treat at Scoops is the banana pudding milkshake (via Go Covington). The shop is known for having unique flavors and offering up sugar-free options. The ice cream shop is located in the heart of Covington Square and is open Monday-Saturday from 11 AM-10 PM and Sunday from 12 PM – 9 PM.
8 Lockwood Mansion
Lockwood Mansion is created from two Covington locations
One of the most iconic building locations on the show includes Lockwood Mansion, the place where fans can pay respects to the fallen werewolf Tyler Lockwood (Michael Trevino) and his family. The mansion is present in every season of The Vampire Diaries and plays host to some epic events, like the Masquerade Ball. By the time of Legacies taking place, it’s mentioned that Sheriff Donovan would allow the students to use it, so Matt Donovan is the owner after the events of The Vampire Diaries.
Fans can visit the Lockwood Mansion in Covington, although fans might have to travel to two different locations. The first location includes Worthington Manor, a lavish abode situated in Covington. The place is a private residence but can be toured for a modest price by an outfit called Vampire Stalkers. The current owners also rent it out through AirBnB. For those who simply want to snap a picture outside where Klaus killed Mikael, it’s located at 2129 East Street, SE Covington, Georgia.
Movies that filmed scenes in Covington include
Sweet Home Alabama
(2002),
Remember the Titans
(2000), and
Jungle Cruise
(2020).
7 Twelve Oaks Bed & Breakfast
Twelve Oaks is located at 2176 Monticello St, SW Covington, Georgia
Lockwood Mansion of the present day and Lockwood Mansion of the past are actually two different locations. That’s not uncommon for The Vampire Diaries, to use parts of two different locations to get a specific look or architectural design. In a lot of cases, the show would even film outside the building, but then film anything that took place inside on a soundstage, much like the crew did for Mystic Grille scenes.
Where was Vampire Diaries filmed for the Lockwood Mansion flashback scenes? The second Lockwood Mansion is actually the Twelve Oaks Bed & Breakfast, a fully operational tourist spot where visitors can stay overnight. In fact, The Vampire Diaries cast members often stayed there during production themselves. The location plays a prominent role in “Memory Lane,” the fourth episode of season 2. The elegant, upscale Twelve Oaks Bed & Breakfast was built in 1836. For those who don’t want to stay overnight, daytime tours of the location can be arranged too.
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6 The Gilbert House
The Gilbert house is a private residence
Elena and Jeremy Gilbert’s (Steven R. McQueen) house, which burned down in The Vampire Diaries season 4, actually still exists. Long-time viewers who vividly remember how Elena burned down the house to cover for Jeremy’s death may find it surreal to see this particular Vampire Diaries filming location still standing. The exterior was used to film shots for the show while the inside of the Gilbert house was created on soundstage sets.
Currently a private residence, visitors should be more careful when attempting to visit the house and not disturb the residents. Those who want to drive by and grab a quick snapshot or selfie should make their way to 2104 Floyd Street, NE Covington Georgia. The Goonies fans, however, will remember how much the lives of private residents can be disrupted by eager fans as the Astoria home in the movie was frequently sought out by fans for decades.
5 Grams’ House
Grams’ house is a private residence
Another great stop for any Vampire Diaries fan tour is the house of Sheila “Grams” Bennett (Jasmine Guy), who played Bonnie’s (Kat Graham) grandmother. Bonnie visits the house whenever she needs words of wisdom or encouragement from her beloved family member, resulting in some of the funniest Vampire Diaries quotes alongside the wise insights from Grams. The house appears often in season 1 of the series but isn’t revisited again until season 8. It’s never made clear what happens to the home after Sheila dies during the use of magic that is too strong for her to control.
Even after death, Grams’ spirit manages to protect Bonnie when she becomes The Anchor. Those who want to visit Grams’ humble abode and see how it differs from the many historic mansions among Vampire Diaries’ filming locations can head over to 2136 Conyers Street, SE Covington, Georgia.
4 The Clock Tower
The clock tower is located at 1124 Clark Street, SW Covington Georgia
Where was The Vampire Diaries filmed during scenes that feature the clock tower in the background? Those scenes occur when the show features the Town Square or the very center of Mystic Falls. Within the show, the clock tower is connected to the police station, and is usually visible during big outdoor celebrations, like that of Founders’ Day.
The clock tower that’s often seen on the show is actually part of the Historic Newton County Courthouse. Across the street from the courthouse is a shop called “On Location Gifts,” where fans can buy all sorts of The Vampire Diaries merchandise. Visitors and long-time Vampire Diaries filming location hunters can expect to be welcomed at both places.
Non-vampiric visitors will want to avoid reenacting that scene in The Vampire Diaries where Damon and Elena hang out near the top and then jump off the clock tower.
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3 Whitmore College
Whitmore College is actually part of Emory University
While most Vampire Diaries filming locations are in Covington, several other places in Georgia were used as well. That’s common for a lot of television shows that film in Georgia, like The Walking Dead or Stranger Things, as well. By scouting additional locations, the crew don’t have to completely take over one town for eight months out of the year, but can move to different locations periodically.
One place worthy of visiting is Oxford College of Emory University in Oxford, Georgia, which doubled as Whitmore College on the show. Notably, Elena, Bonnie, and Caroline (Candice King) attended Whitmore in The Vampire Diaries season 5. The college is also where Professor Shane kept most of the strange artifacts in his collection. Located at 801 Emory Street in Oxford, Georgia, the place was founded in 1836, the same year as Twelve Oaks Bed & Breakfast (Lockwood Mansion), and was likely chosen due to its similar Gothic architectural design.
2 Whitmore Frat House
The frat house is a real Oxford College frat house
Before leaving Oxford, fans shouldn’t head right back to Covington just yet. Anyone making their way to iconic locations on a Vampire Diaries fan tour ought to check out the Oxford College fraternity house called Orna Villa. This real location served as the thematic “Murder House” in The Vampire Diaries season 4, episode 4, “The Five.”
Even before being accepted to Whitmore, Elena and Damon shared a key moment in The Vampire Diaries by attending a fraternity costume party in this episode, which memorably ended in a grisly massacre and some huge revelations. Erected in the 1820s, the Orna Villa site is just down the street from the Whitmore College campus at 1008 N Emory Street, Oxford Georgia. It’s the oldest house in Oxford and was once home to Emory College President Alexander Means. The building is rumored to be haunted.
1 Salvatore Boarding House
Salvatore Boarding House has a location in Covington as well as in British Columbia, Canada
Much like the Lockwood Mansion, the Salvatore Boarding House seen on the show was filmed using two different Vampire Diaries filming locations. In the pilot, the location used was Foxglove Farm located at 6471 224 Street, Langley, British Columbia. The enchanting place has been used for several films and TV shows and can be visited by interested fans.
The second location used for the Salvatore Boarding House includes Glenridge Hall, situated at 598 Abernathy Road, NE Atlanta, Georgia. While both sprawling locales feature the same open courtyard driveway and wooded surroundings, eagle-eyed fans will notice the architectural differences. Moreover, visiting both places would require 2,500 travel miles.
Vampire Diaries fans will be disappointed to learn that damage to the older Glenridge Hall left the house beyond repair. The house itself was demolished several years ago to clear the property for a new development. Sets have been recreated as part of studio tours, however, that Vampire Diaries fans can still see in Covington, even if they can no longer visit the actual house.
The Vampire Diaries
Based on the novels by L.J. Smith, The Vampire Diaries is a story about the developing love triangle between Elena Gilbert and two vampiric brothers, Stefan and Damon Salvatore. Set in the town of Mystic Falls, Virginia, the show follows the trio from high school through college as they battle for one another’s affection.
- Cast
- Nina Dobrev , Ian Somerhalder , Steven R. McQueen , Paul Wesley , Kat Graham , Michael Trevino , Michael Malarkey , Zach Roerig , Candice King , Matthew Davis
- Seasons
- 8
- Writers
- Julie Plec , Kevin Williamson , L.J. Smith
- Showrunner
- Julie Plec