Where was Stranger Things filmed?

Last Modified Apr 29, 2025 15:19 EDT
Where was Stranger Things filmed?
Stranger Things poster. Source: Netflix


The Sci-Fi horror drama Stranger Things was filmed in Atlanta, Georgia, and the surrounding areas. Several interior sets were constructed and shot on sound stages at Atlanta's EUE Screen Gems Studios.


The creators of Stranger Things, the Duffer brothers, who were raised in North Carolina, felt the location would fit nicely with the plot evolution to the fictitious town of Hawkins, Indiana because these locations brought back memories of their early years. Levy and the Duffer Brothers directed individual episodes throughout the first season's substantial filming in Atlanta, Georgia, which started in November 2015. The first season's filming wrapped up in early 2016.


Stranger Things' filming locations


The brothers had wanted to follow the original Montauk concept by filming the series in the Long Island region. The production began looking for locations in and around the Atlanta, Georgia, area because it was challenging to shoot in Long Island during the cold months of November 2015, when filming was supposed to take place. Here is a list of all the locations and their descriptions featured in Stranger Things:


Jackson, Georgia


Where was Stranger Things filmed?
Hawkins in Stranger Things. (Source: Screengrab from the show)


Jackson first made an appearance in Stranger Things in 2016, representing the early 1980s setting of the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana. The downtown area (several buildings were recently painted for the shoot), a furniture store (which served as a stand-in for a movie theater facade), and the Butts County Probate Court were among the external filming locations.


Georgia Mental Health Institute


Where was Stranger Things filmed?
Hawkins Lab. (Source: Screengrab from the show)


The "Hawkins National Laboratory" in-universe setting was filmed at the Georgia Mental Health Institute. The Georgia Mental Health Institute (GMHI) was a mental health facility located in Druid Hills, close to Atlanta, Georgia, next to Emory University. It was open from 1965 to 1997.


Bellwood Quarry


The Bellwood Quarry featured in several episodes in the first season. Before it closed in 2007, the granite quarry was a common hangout for teenagers in the area.


Patrick Henry High School


Patrick Henry High School
Patrick Henry High School. Source: Screengrab from Stranger Things.


The middle and high school scenes in the series were filmed at Patrick Henry High School, Stockbridge, Georgia. Patrick Henry High School (PHHS) was situated in Stockbridge, Georgia, in the United States, at 109 South Lee Street.


Douglasville, Georgia


Where was Stranger Things filmed?
Bob's map of Hawkins. (Source: Screengrab from the show)


Douglasville has been a popular place for backdrops in the filming industry. This is one of the locations that is featured in the show. Douglasville serves as both the county seat and the major city in Douglas County, Georgia, the United States.


Georgia International Horse Park


The Georgian International Horse Park was featured in a few episodes of the show. It is located 30 miles (50 km) east of Atlanta in Conyers, Georgia, in the United States.


Butts County, Georgia


Where was Stranger Things filmed?
Hawkins leaving sign. (Source: Screengrab from the show)


The show's fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana, was set against the backdrop of Jackson, Georgia's Butts County, transforming the downtown area into a small Indiana town from the 1980s. The exterior facade of the Butts County Courthouse, which serves as a stand-in for the Hawkins Library, is included in addition to the several downtown buildings that appear in different scenes.


Other filming locations of Stranger Things


Here is a list of all the other locations that have been featured in the series:


  • East Point, Georgia

  • Fayetteville, Georgia

  • Stone Mountain Park

  • Palmetto, Georgia

  • Winston, Georgia

  • Lukiškės Prison

  • Vilnius


Where is Stranger Things 5 being filmed?


According to Collider, the majority of Stranger Things Season 5 is filmed in and around Atlanta, Georgia, with a variety of locations used to create the realistic setting of Hawkins. The majority of the production's sequences are filmed in Atlanta-area facilities and on location.


Read more about Stranger Things:


How many seasons are there in stranger things

Where to watch stranger things

Stranger Things Cast

Stranger things season 5 release date


FAQs about Stranger Things filming locations

A. The Sci-Fi horror drama Stranger Things was filmed in Atlanta, Georgia and the areas surrounding it.

A. No, Hawkins is a fictional town and the main setting in Stranger Things.

A. The Hawkins National Laboratory scenes were filmed at the Georgia Mental Health Institute. The Georgia Mental Health Institute (GMHI) is located in Druid Hills, close to Atlanta, Georgia, next to Emory University.

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