Hit the Road and Tour Actual Stranger Things Filming Spots Around Atlanta!

Stranger Things Season 3 is still nearly a year away from premiering, and I cannot contain my excitement about it. It easily ranks among my most beloved series of all time. Every costume choice, narrative thread, and character keeps me thoroughly engaged. What makes it even better is that the entire production was filmed across Atlanta and the nearby communities. I constantly felt like a genius whenever I spotted a familiar structure during different scenes from my own city.

We decided to take a small road trip today to explore some of our beloved ATLwood shooting spots from the series. Fellow Stranger Things enthusiasts should definitely continue scrolling for our comprehensive rundown of 11 must-visit Stranger Things filming locations. We've even snuck in a preview of a spot featured in the forthcoming season.

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Spoiler Alert: If you're not fully caught up, consider this your warning!

1. Hawkins Middle School

109 S Lee St, Stockbridge, GA 30281, map

Hawkins Middle School makes multiple appearances throughout Season 1 and 2, serving as the educational backdrop for the boys. In Season 2, Episode 2, Dustin, Lucas, Will, and Mike don Ghostbusters costumes as they make their entrance into the building. The real-life stand-ins turned out to be Stockbridge Elementary and High School.

1. Hawkins Middle School
2. The Wheeler's House
3. Bradley's Big Buy
4. Hawkins National Laboratory
5. Hawkins Police Department
6. Palace Arcade
7. Downtown Hawkins
8. Benny's Burgers
9. Hawkins Library
10. Melvald's General Store
11. Hawk Theater

• Stranger Things Map
• More Filming Locations
• How to Dress like the Characters
• Best Places to Stay

2. The Wheeler's House

2530 Piney Wood Ln, East Point, GA 30344, map

Mike and Nancy Wheeler's residence sits just beyond Atlanta's border in East Point, Georgia. Fans may recall spotting this home in Season 1, complete with a Reagan/Bush '84 campaign sign planted in the front yard.

Note: Visitors should be careful not to trespass on the property. The current owners only permit fans to capture photos from the street. After all, this is someone's private residence.

3. Bradley's Big Buy

506 Center St, Palmetto, GA 30268, map

Season 1, Episode 6 delivers one of my favorite moments when Eleven swipes a pile of frozen Eggos from Bradley's Big Buy grocery outlet. Eleven's character arc and abilities really come alive as she wreaks havoc on Bradley's neatly arranged store. The genuine Piggly Wiggly in Palmetto, Georgia served as the shooting location. The staff and manager there are absolutely wonderful! They warmly welcome fans, provided you aren't rolling in with a massive tour group. Don't forget to grab some Eggos while visiting.

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4. Hawkins National Laboratory

1256 Briarcliff Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30306, map

This recognizable structure sits on the very same street where I spent my childhood. The outside features a vacant, aging psychiatric facility on Emory University's grounds. Talk about perfect casting, wouldn't you agree? Major plot points unfolded here in both Season 1 and 2. Hopper enters the Upside Down from this facility to rescue Will, and it serves as the location where Bob meets his tragic end. The facility remains off-limits to visitors, though certain sections are visible from the roadside.

5. Hawkins Police Department

Douglasville, GA 30134, map

Hopper makes frequent trips to and from the Hawkins Police Department. The actual shooting location is a modest building in Douglasville, situated not too far from Esther's parents' home.

6. Palace Arcade

8415 Campbellton St, Douglasville, GA 30134, map

Season 2 kicks off with the boys gathering at Palace Arcade. The vivid neon lighting and playful game machines rank this arcade among my preferred Stranger Things shooting spots. The colorful paint scheme on the vacant building's exterior remains visible, though the structure previously operated as a laundromat. Looking through the windows reveals that the checkered flooring and blue ceiling panels have been preserved.

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7. Downtown Hawkins

Jackson, GA, 30233, map

Many downtown Hawkins sequences were actually filmed in downtown Jackson, Georgia. Joyce clocks in at Melvald's General Store during Season 1. The Hawk Theatre sits further along the same street at the block's end.

8. Benny's Burgers

7413 Lee Rd, Lithia Springs, GA 30122, map

Benny's Burgers serves as the modest eatery where Eleven made her debut in the series. Benny, the diner's proprietor, takes her in, gives her a meal, and attempts to understand what or whom she's fleeing. The real establishment, Tiffany's Kitchen, can be found in Lithia Springs, Georgia. If your schedule allows, we'd suggest sitting down for a meal here to fully soak in the atmosphere. It appears to draw quite a crowd.

9. Hawkins Library

25 3rd St #7, Jackson, GA 30233, map

This structure ranks as one of the eerier spots featured in the series. You may recognize it, along with its Upside Down counterpart, from Season 1, pictured below. Currently, the building houses the Butts County Probate Court in Jackson, Georgia. It requires a longer trek from Atlanta, yet the journey pays off.

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10. Melvald's General Store

4 2nd St, Jackson, GA 30233, map

Joyce Byers clocked in for shifts at this location. Within the series, it occupies a spot in downtown Hawkins, adjacent to the RadioShack where her partner Bob is employed. The genuine Jackson Drug store can be located in downtown Jackson, opposite the public library. When we stopped by, the Melvald's and RadioShack signage remained because Season 3 was actively being filmed at the time.

11. Hawk Theater

2 Oak St, Jackson, GA 30233, map

Fans may recall Nancy sprinting toward Hawk Theatre after spotting the offensive message about her displayed on its marquee in Season 1, Episode 6. This location also features the scene where Joyce and Jonathan clash over Will's funeral earlier in Episode 4. Interestingly, Hawk Theatre isn't actually a theater at all—it's Bradley's Olde Tavern.

Stranger Things Map

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More Stranger Things Film Locations

• Starcourt Mall (2100 Pleasant Hill Rd, Duluth, GA 30096, map) – Anyone who's glimpsed Season 3 previews will remember the Starcourt Mall. Several plot threads appear to orbit this retail complex, which corresponds to Gwinnett Place Mall in real life. The space sits largely abandoned today, though it once thrived as a hangout where Josh and I spent time (okay, mostly just wandering around) during middle school.

• Hawkins General Hospital (2813 E Point St East Point, GA 30344, map)
• Sinclair House (2550 Piney Wood Ln East Point, GA 30344, map)
• Henderson House (2886 Piney Wood Dr East Point, GA 30344, map)
• Holland House (2980 Piney Wood Dr East Point, GA 30344, map)
• Harrington House (8253 Carlton Rd Riverdale, GA 30296, map)
• Hargrove/Mayfield House (5280 Moore St Stone Mountain, GA 30083, map)
• Lonnie Byers' House (930 Garibaldi St SW Atlanta, GA 30310, map)
• Ives House (424 Lees Lake Rd Fayetteville, GA 30214, map)
• Hideaway (112 N Berry St Stockbridge, GA 30281, map) – Smokin' Cues
• Fair Mart (7703 US-78, Winston, GA 30187, map)
• The Quarry (Chappell Road Northwest, Atlanta, GA 30318, map)
• The Railroad Tracks (1000 Robert E Lee Blvd, Stone Mountain, GA 30083, map)
• Cemetery (Bethany Cemetery Fayetteville, GA 30214, map)

Best Places to Stay

• Four Seasons Hotel in Midtown
• Artmore Hotel in Midtown
• W Atlanta in Midtown
• See all the Best Hotels and Reviews in Atlanta, GA
• See all the Best Hotels and Reviews in Jackson, GA

Are you all caught up? What are your favorite Strange Things episodes?

Josh + Macy

Josh and Macy are southern creative kids who love exploring local and international cultures. They've long believed that traveling is all about getting out of your comfort zone and trying new things. They are currently based out of Atlanta.

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