stranger things tourist attractions

All of the Stranger Things locations you can visit

By courtney mroch | mar 30, 2021.

Netflix’s hit original series, Stranger Things , is set in the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana. However, the show isn’t filmed in the Hoosier state. (That’s just one of the  fun facts connecting the show to the state . Another is why they chose Indiana for the setting, which may have been inspired by the movie Close Encounters of the Third Kind .)

So where is Stranger Things filmed then? That’s such a popular question it’s sparked  Stranger Things tourism!

It’s filmed in the Hollywood of the South: Georgia. It’s primarily filmed in and around the Atlanta area.

You can book a “Private Stranger Things ‘The Upside Down’ Film Locations Tour in Atlanta” on Viator . During the three-hour tour, you’ll see places like the homes of the Wheelers, Sinclairs and Hendersons, Hawkins Middle and High schools, the pool and “a glimpse of the studios” where filming takes place, mostly for interior scenes.

Where is Stranger Things filmed?

Tours are great if you have limited time during your visit to Atlanta. After all, tour operators have already mapped out the best routes and know where all the locations are. They also likely know the secrets for avoiding Atlanta’s notoriously bad traffic congestion.

However, there are some drawbacks to tours. For one, if you’re taking a Stranger Things sojourn to find all of the places that scenes were shot in Georgia, you won’t get that on the tour that sticks closest to Atlanta. For another, you’re on their time schedule and can’t linger or explore the areas more if they interest you.

You can always craft your own DIY Stranger Things filming locations tour. There are sites that tell you where to find all of the locations, like the Stranger Things Wiki and Stranger Things Filming Locations . Both of which are super useful and detail dozens of the locations you’ll recognize from the series.

Can you visit the Stranger Things filming locations?

However, they don’t necessarily list them in an order that makes planning a trip to see all of the Stranger Things locations easy.

Let’s see if we can remedy that with this list.

It’s broken down into five regions, starting with Atlanta and then north, south, east and west of the city. Hopefully, this makes planning a Stranger Things location sightseeing trip easier for you!

Atlanta Stranger Things locations

Hawkins National Laboratory

Emory University, Briarcliff Campus 1256 Briarcliff Rd NE

Hawkins Community Pool

2171 Lakewood Avenue

Lonnie Byers’ House

930 Garibaldi Street SW

Pittsburgh Apartment Building 

81 Peachtree Place NE

Sattler Quarry

Bellwood Quarry

Note: As of this post, the city of Atlanta is developing this location as part of the Westside Park, but it is not currently open to the public. Also, for The Walking Dead fans, yep. Same quarry.

The Police Chase 

Cone Street & Marietta

Chicago Bus Stop 

Marietta Street NW & Broad

Downtown Chicago

Broad Street NW & Marietta

Windy City Pawn 

Whatley Street SE & Jonesboro Rd SE

Kali’s Hideout

315-319 McDonough Boulevard SE

Stranger Things Locations: West of Atlanta

Hawkins Police Department – Douglasville  (about 25 minutes west of Atlanta)

48 Pray Street

The Arcade – Douglasville 

6501 Church Street

Family Video Store –  Douglasville 

Tiffany’s Kitchen – Lithia Springs (about 20 minutes west of Atlanta)

7413 Lee Road

The Rotten Pumpkin Patch – Powder Springs (about 30-45 minutes northwest of Atlanta)

628 Sleepy Hollow Road

Stranger Things locations: North of Atlanta

The Starcourt Mall – Duluth (about 40 minutes northeast of Atlanta)

2100 Pleasant Hill Road

Hopper & Joyce’s Restaurant – Norcross (about 30 minutes northeast of Atlanta)

95 S Peachtree Street

Hawkins Memorial Hospital – Smyrna (about 20-30 minutes northwest of Atlanta depending on route and traffic)

3949 S Cobb Drive SE

Nancy & Jonathan’s Motel – Stone Mountain (about 30 minutes northeast of Atlanta)

6255 Memorial Drive

The Mayfield/Hargrove House – Stone Mountain

5280 Moore Street

Barb’s Funeral – Stone Mountain

1033 Cemetery Circle

The Van Chase and Flip – Tucker (about 30 minute northeast of Atlanta)

1871 Joppa Lane

Stranger Things locations: South of Atlanta

The Wheeler House – East Point (about 15 minutes south of Atlanta)

2530 Piney Wood Lane

The Sinclair House – East Point

2550 Piney Wood Lane

The Henderson House – East Point

2886 Piney Wood Drive

Barb’s House – East Point

2980 Piney Wood Drive

The Trick or Treat House – East Point

2545 Piney Wood Lane

Hawkins General Hospital – East Point

2813 E Point Street

Hawkins Town Hall – East Point

2757 East Point Street

Brimborn Steel Works – East Point

2903 RN Martin Street

The Byers House – Fayetteville (about 35 minutes southwest of Atlanta)

149 Coastline Rd

Hawkins Cemetery – Fayetteville

607 Rivers Road

Hawkins Public Library – Jackson (about an hour south of Atlanta)

22 2nd Street

Melvald’s General Store – Jackson

4 2nd Street

Downtown Hawkins – Jackson

N Oak Street

Hawk Cinema – Jackson

12 Oak Street

Bradley’s Big Buy – Palmetto (about 30 min southwest of Atlanta)

504 Center Street

Steve’s House – Riverdale (about 20 minutes south of Atlanta)

8253 Carlton Road

Hawkins Middle and High Schools – Stockbridge (about 30 minutes southeast of Atlanta)

109 S Lee Street

The Hideaway – Stockbridge 

112 N Berry Street

Stranger Things locations: East of Atlanta

7-Eleven with The Toddfather – Conyers (about 30 minutes east of Atlanta)

1427 Loganville Hwy

Oscar’s Gas n Go – Lithonia (about 20-25 min east of Atlanta)

7705 Covington Highway

The Hawkins Post – Lithonia 

6981 Main Street

Next. Best Netflix shows coming in 2021. dark

11 Best Stranger Things Filming Locations You Can Visit Now

• Atlanta / Georgia / In the City / North America / USA

Want to visit Stranger Things filming locations? Here’s your guide on where to find them!

Stranger Things Season 4 is here!! It’s ultimately one of my favorite shows. The costumes, storylines, and characters are all so entertaining. The coolest part is that they shot the entire show in Atlanta and the surrounding towns. I always felt like a smarty pants every time I recognized a building in various scenes from our hometown.

Today, we took a little road trip to check out some of the show’s favorite ATLwood filming locations. If you love Stranger Things as much as we do, keep reading for our guide to the 11 best Stranger Things filming locations. We’re also including a sneak peek of a location from the new upcoming season.

Spoiler Alert: If you’re not completely caught up, you’ve been warned!

This post may contain affiliate links, where we receive a small commission on sales of the products that are linked at no additional cost to you. All opinions are always our own. Read our full disclosure  for more info. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Local Adventurer possible.

Last Updated: August 28, 2023

− − Content Menu

11 best stranger things filming locations.

• More Filming Locations

Stranger Things Map

• Best Places to Stay

Frequently Asked Questions

Planning checklist, stranger things season 4 film locations.

We haven’t had the chance to visit the Season 4 locations, but we’ve included a list of them here for you to check out. Otherwise, check out all the other spots we’ve been to below.

• Creel House  ( 906 E 2nd Ave, Rome, GA 30161,  map )
• Forest Hills Trailer Park  ( A & B Trailer Park, 1478 Kilgore Rd, Griffin, GA 30223,  map )
• War Zone  ( 507 Cobb Pkwy SE, Marietta, GA,  map )
• Skull Rock  ( Boat Rock Bouldering Area, Atlanta,  map )
• Hawkins Cemetery  ( Stone Mountain Cemetery,  map )

1. Hawkins Middle School

109 S Lee St, Stockbridge, GA 30281,  map

There are several shots of Hawkins Middle School in both Season 1 and 2, where the boys attend school. In Season 2, Episode 2, Dustin, Lucas, Will, and Mike dressed up as Ghostbusters as they enter the school. The actual schools used are Stockbridge Elementary and High School.

Local Tip: Have fun!

See More: 11 Best Walking Dead Filming Locations

2. The Wheeler’s House

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

Mike and Nancy Wheeler’s house is located right outside of Atlanta in East Point, Georgia. You might remember their house from Season 1 with a Reagan/Bush ‘84 campaign sign staked in their front yard.

Note: If you visit, make sure you’re not trespassing. The homeowners only allow fans to take photos from the street. After all, it is private property.

3. Bradley’s Big Guy

506 Center St, Palmetto, GA 30268,  map

I love this scene in Season 1, Episode 6 where Eleven steals a bunch of frozen Eggos from Bradley’s Big Guy grocery store. Eleven’s personality and powers begins to show as she tears through Bradley’s nicely organized shop. You can find the real-life Piggly Wiggly store in Palmetto, Georgia.

The employees and manager there are so kind! They love hosting fans, as long as you’re not with a large tour group. Be sure to pick up some Eggos while you’re there.

4. Hawkins National Laboratory

1256 Briarcliff Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30306,  map

This iconic building is located on the same street where I grew up. The exterior is an old, deserted psychiatric hospital on Emory University’s campus. How fitting, right? This is where the main action took place in both Season 1 and 2.

Hopper goes into the Upside Down from the lab to save Will, and it’s also where Bob meets his demise. The building is closed off to the public, but you can see parts of it from the street.

5. Hawkins Police Department

Douglasville, GA 30134,  map

Hopper is frequently coming in and out of the Hawkins Police Department. The shoot location is a small building in Douglasville, which isn’t too far from Esther’s parents’ house.

6. Palace Arcade

8415 Campbellton St, Douglasville, GA 30134,  map

Season 2 opens up with the boys meeting at Palace Arcade. The bright neon lights and colorful games make the arcade one of my favorite Stranger Things film locations.

You can still see the paint job on the facade of the empty building, which used to be a laundromat. If you peek through the windows, you’ll notice that the checkered floors and blue ceiling tiles are still intact.

7. Downtown Hawkins

Jackson, GA, 30233,  map

Several scenes of downtown Hawkins are actually shot in downtown Jackson, Georgia. Joyce works at Melvald’s General Store in Season 1. The Hawk Theatre is also located further down at the end of the block.

8. Benny’s Burgers

7413 Lee Rd, Lithia Springs, GA 30122,  map

Benny’s Burgers is the little diner where Eleven first appeared in the show. Benny, the restaurant owner rescues and feeds her and tries to figure out who or what she’s running away from.

The original restaurant, Tiffany’s Kitchen is located in Lithia Springs, Georgia. If you have time, we recommend grabbing a bite to eat here for the full effect and experience. It seems to be a popular spot.

9. Hawkins Library

25 3rd St #7, Jackson, GA 30233,  map

This building is certainly one of the spookier ones from the show. You might recognize it and the upside down version from Season 1, as seen below. At the present time, the building is the Butts County Probate Court in Jackson, Georgia. It’s definitely a farther location from Atlanta, but worth the drive.

10. Melvald’s General Store

4 2nd St, Jackson, GA 30233,  map

This is where Joyce Byers worked. In the show, it’s located in downtown Hawkins, next to the RadioShack where her boyfriend, Bob works. You can find the original Jackson Drug store in downtown Jackson, across from the public library. During our visit, the signs for Melvald’s and RadioShack were still up since they are currently shooting Season 3.

11. Hawk Theater

2 Oak St, Jackson, GA 30233,  map

You might remember Nancy running toward Hawk Theatre to see the slander written about her on the theatre’s marquee in Season 1, Episode 6. It’s also the area where Joyce and Jonathan argues about Will’s funeral earlier in Episode 4. You’ll notice that Hawk Theatre in fact, is not a theatre at all, but Bradley’s Olde Tavern.

More Stranger Things Film Locations

• Starcourt Mall   (2100 Pleasant Hill Rd, Duluth, GA 30096,  map ) –  If you’ve already seen some previews of Season 3, you’ll recall the Starcourt Mall. It looks like there will be a few storylines created around this shopping center, which in real life is Gwinnett Place Mall. It’s pretty deserted now, but it was once a popular mall where Josh and I hung out (actually, mostly loitering) in middle school. Fun fact: Esther also worked at the Gap here back in the day.

• 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 )
• Hawkins Community Pool  ( South Bend Pool 2000 Lakewood Avenue Southeast, Atlanta, 30315,  map )
• Brimborn Steel Works  ( 2903 RN Martin Street East Point, GA,  map )
• Hopper’s Trailer  ( 2300 Daniel Rd SW, Atlanta, 30331,  map )
• Downtown Chicago  ( Fairlie-Poplar, Atlanta, 30303,  map )
• Public Library  ( Old East Point Library, 2777 McGee Way, East Point,  map )
• Chicago Hideout  ( 315 McDonough Boulevard Southeast, Atlanta, 30315,  map )
• Enzo’s  ( Dominick’s Italian 95 S Peachtree Street, Norcross, 30071,  map )
• Railroad Tracks  ( Stone Mountain Park Cherokee Trail, Stone Mountain,  map )
• Hawkins Town Hall  ( 2777 East Point Street, East Point, 30344,  map )
• Trick-or-Treating House  ( 2545 Piney Wood Lane, East Point, 30344,  map )
• Abandoned Mill  ( 2903 RN Martin Street, East Point, 30344,  map )
• Van Flip  ( 3782 Sarahs Lane, Tucker, 30084,  map )
• Family Video  ( 6503 Church Street, Douglasville, 30134,  map )
• 7-Eleven  ( 1355 Milstead Avenue, Conyers, 30012,  map )
• The Hawkins Post  ( 6980 Main Street, Lithonia, 30058,  map )
• Oscar’s Gas N’ Go  ( 7705 Covington Highway, Lithonia, 30058,  map )
• Hawkins Memorial Hospital  ( 3949 S Cobb Drive, Smyrna, 30080,  map )
• The Fair  ( 6905 Virlyn B Smith Road, Fairburn, 30213,  map )
• The Byers Family Home  – The owners prefer not to have their address publicly posted.
• Pumpkin Farm  ( 628 Sleepy Hollow Road, Powder Springs, 30127,  map )
• Pennhurst Mental Hospital  ( Mary Hall, Viking Way, Mt Berry, GA,  map )

Stranger Things Film Locations Outside of Georgia

• Kamchatka Prison  ( Lukiškės Prison, Lukiškių skg. 6, Vilnius, Lithuania,  map )
• Lenora Hills High School  ( 11300 Montgomery Blvd NE, Albuquerque, NM,  map )
• The Skate Park  ( 9501 Indian School Rd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87112,  map )
• Rink O Mania  ( 400 Paisano St NE, Albuquerque, NM,  map )
• Surfer Boys Pizza  ( 3476 NM-47, Los Lunas, NM,  map )
• Junkyard in Lenora Hills  ( Memorial speedway Go kart Track, Los Picaros Rd SE, Albuquerque, NM,  map )
• Yuri’s Fish Nfly  ( Kyviškės Airport, Kyviškės, Lithuania )
• Yuri’s Warehouse  ( St. Nicholas Church, Trakų g. 75, Semeliškės, Lithuania,  map )

Stranger Thing Outfits + Halloween Costumes

Best places to stay in atlanta, was season 4 stranger things filmed.

Yes! The first seven episodes were released on May 27, 2022. The last two episodes were released on July 1, 2022.

IS SEASON 4 THE FINAL SEASON OF STRANGER THINGS? IS THERE A SEASON 5 OF STRANGER THINGS?

Season 4 is not the final season. Season 5 will start filming in 2023 and will be the final season of the series.

WHERE WAS STRANGER THINGS FILMED SEASON 1?

Most of the series is filmed in Georgia.

WHERE DOES STRANGER THINGS 2 TAKE PLACE?

Season two is also set in Hawkins, Indiana but filmed in Georgia.

WHERE IS THE STRANGER THINGS HOUSE LOCATED?

The Byers’ home is located in Fayetteville, Georgia.

IS HAWKINS LAB A REAL PLACE?

The Hawkins National Laboratory is shot at a closed Georgia Mental Health Institute which is part of Emory University in Atlanta.

WHERE IS THE REAL HAWKINS INDIANA?

Hawkins Indiana is based on Durham, NC where the Duffer brothers grew up but is filmed in Georgia.

WHERE WAS STRANGER THINGS 3 FILMED?

Various locations in Georgia.

WAS STRANGER THINGS FILMED IN CANADA?

No, most of the filming happened in Atlanta, Georgia.

• Get comprehensive insurance for your trip.
• Download these helpful language apps .
• Find a great deal on Atlanta hotels .
• Arrange a rental car for your trip.
• Book a tour for your visit.
• Get airport lounge access .
• Buy a travel charger to keep your devices charged.
• Get a new backpack for your trip.
• Buy a Georgia travel guide .
• Pack the appropriate shoes for your trip.
• Don’t forget your in-flight essentials .
• Save money on attractions with CityPass .

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

Did you enjoy this post? Pin it for later

SEE More CITY Bucket Lists

ATLANTA BUCKET LIST

PDX BUCKET LIST  

CHARLESTON SC BUCKET LIST

LAS VEGAS BUCKET LIST

LA BUCKET LIST

NYC BUCKET LIST

SAN DIEGO BUCKET LIST

ASHEVILLE NC BUCKET LIST

AUSTIN BUCKET LIST

NEW ORLEANS BUCKET LIST

ORLANDO BUCKET LIST

SAN FRANCISCO BUCKET LIST

SEATTLE BUCKET LIST

WASHINGTON DC BUCKET LIST

“Discovery consists not of seeking new lands but in seeing with new eyes ” – M. Proust

Josh + Macy

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

Follow along on Instagram (J + M) , YouTube , and Pinterest.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

• Arts & Events
• Great Reads
• Atlanta 500
• Block by Block: Stories from the streets that connect us
• Women Making a Mark
• Pride Guide 2022
• Restaurant Reviews
• 75 Best Restaurants in Atlanta
• Best Barbecue
• 50 Best Tacos
• 123 Things to Eat on Buford Highway
• 50 Best Bars
• Best Breakfast
• The TOUR Championship Cocktail Contest
• Atlanta Magazine’s HOME Digital Editions
• Artists & Galleries
• Design Advice
• Design News
• Real Estate
• Neighborhoods
• Real Estate All-Stars
• Sponsored: Preferred HOME Partner
• Kitchens for a Cause
• Georgia Design Awards 2024
• School Guide
• Health & Wellness
• Top Doctors
• Top Dentists
• Sponsored: Physician & Dentist Profiles
• Buckhead Guidebook
• Southbound Magazine
• Southbound Digital Editions
• Southbound Newsletter
• 50 Best Things to Do in Georgia
• Hidden Georgia
• North Georgia Mountains
• Great Georgia Hikes
• Jekyll Island
• Georgia Travel Guide
• Gilmer: Ellijay Visitors Guide 2022
• Alabama Vacation Guide 2023
• Readers’ Choice
• Subscription Center
• Purchase Single Issues
• Newsletters
• Digital Editions
• Custom Media
• Give Atlanta
• Internships
• Where to Find
• GrillFest 2024
• Whiskey Festival 2023
• Upcoming Events
• Atlanta Magazine Whiskey Festival 2022
• 2020 Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Designer Showhouse
• Atlanta Baby and Beyond
• Atlanta Magazine Whiskey Festival 2019
• DINES: A Taste of the City’s Best Restaurants
• 2019 Modern Style Showhome
• Best Burger Battle
• Pinewood Forest Idea Home
• 2018 Modern Style Showhouses
• Event Photos
• About GaBiz
• GaBiz Magazine Digital Editions
• Issue Archive
• Submit Your Entry for Georgia Design Awards 2024

A map of all the places Stranger Things has filmed near metro Atlanta

Visit iconic locales from the Netflix series without having to drive to Indiana

Photograph courtesy of Netflix

Over the past few years, Stranger Things , the Kids-On-Bikes, 1980’s sci-fi series has quickly become one of the most-hyped productions to be filmed in and around the Atlanta area. Heck, there’s even an official Lego set you can buy now . While we’re sure many are binging the new third season—which dropped on Netflix July 4—with Eggo Waffles, Christmas lights, and darting your eyes around more erratically than Winona Ryder, we thought the best way to celebrate was to round up and map the most notable locations from the show. What better way to spend a weekend than to go sightseeing in Hawkins, Indiana? Just don’t get stuck in the Upside Down. (Spoilers ahead for seasons one through three!)

Around Hawkins

Hawkins National Laboratory 1256 Briarcliff Road Northeast, Atlanta, 30306 The shuttered Georgia Mental Health Institute at Emory’s campus stands as the external location for the secretive lab.

Hawkins Police Station 8485 Courthouse Square West, Douglasville, 30134 This small building in Douglasville was used for external shots of the Hawkins Police Station.

Downtown Hawkins 2nd Street, Jackson (at the square) You can see several buildings (including Melvald’s General Store where Joyce works and the Radio Shack where Bob worked) on 2nd Street in Jackson.

Melvald’s General Store 4 2nd Street, Jackson, 30233 Where Joyce works in downtown Hawkins

Hawkins Library Butts County Probate Court 25 3rd Street, Jackson, 30233 Exterior shots for the library

Hawk Theater Bradley’s Olde Tavern 2 Oak Street, Jackson, 30233 The movie theater that was defaced to insult Nancy in season one

Palace Arcade 6501 Church Street, Douglasville, 30134 The video arcade from season two where the boys first learn of “Mad Max”

Hawkins Middle School and Hawkins High School Patrick Henry Adult Education 109 South Lee Street, Stockbridge, 30281 The middle school the boys (and eventually Max) attend for the first two seasons and where the climax of season one occurs. Hawkins High is where Nancy, Jonathan, Steve, and Billy go to school.

Benny’s Burgers Tiffany’s Kitchen 7413 Lee Road, Lithia Springs, 30122 The diner Eleven runs to after initially escaping Hawkins National Laboratory, kicking off the entire series

Starcourt Mall Gwinnett Place Mall 2100 Pleasant Hill Road, Duluth, 30096 A good portion of season three will revolve around this mall

Bradley’s Big Buy Piggly Wiggly 506 Center Street, Palmetto, 30268 In season one, Eleven steals Eggos from this store. The kids return in season three to break into it and prepare to fight the Mind Flayer.

Hawkins Community Pool South Bend Pool 2000 Lakewood Avenue Southeast, Atlanta, 30315 The season three pool where Billy works as a lifeguard

Hawkins General Hospital First Baptist Church of East Point 2813 East Point Street, East Point, 30344 This church is used for the hospital’s exteriors at the end of season one, when Hopper reluctantly enters the Hawkins National Laboratory car. To see the view from the show, go down Thompson Avenue until the split in the building.

Hideaway Smokin’ Cues 112 North Berry Street, Stockbridge, 30281 The bar Hopper visits to speak with Indiana State Police trooper David O’Bannon about finding Will’s “body” in the quarry

Cemetery Bethany Cemetery, Fayetteville, 30214 This cemetery was used for Will’s funeral in season one

Cemetery Stone Mountain Cemetery 1025 Silver Hill Road, Stone Mountain, 30087 This cemetery was featured briefly during Barb’s funeral in season two

Family Video 6503 Church Street, Douglasville, 30134 Conveniently located next to the Palace Arcade, this is where Steve and Robin find new jobs toward the end of season three.

The Hawkins Post Lithonia Farmers Market 6980 Main Street, Lithonia, 30058 The newspaper where Jonathan and Nancy work in season three

Hawkins Town Hall The former East Point City Hall building 2777 East Point Street, East Point, 30344 The seat of government in Hawkins, where Hopper and Mayor Kline have been known to butt heads.

Hawkins Memorial Hospital Emory Adventist Hospital 3949 S Cobb Drive, Smyrna, 30080 The hospital from season three where the Mind Flayer is encountered

Enzo’s Dominick’s Italian of Historic Norcross 95 S Peachtree Street, Norcross, 30071 The Italian restaurant where Hopper is stood up by Joyce

Local residences

The Wheeler Family Home 2530 Piney Wood Lane, East Point, 30344 The home of Mike and Nancy Wheeler

The Byers Family Home Stockbridge, 30214 ( The Stranger Things Wiki notes that the owners prefer not have their address posted publicly .) The home of Joyce, Jonathan, and Will Byers (and Bob!)

The Harrington Family Home 8253 Carlton Road, Riverdale, 30296 Home of Steve Harrington and the location where Barb entered the Upside Down

The Sinclair Family Home 2550 Piney Wood Lane, East Point, 30344 The home of Lucas and Erica Sinclair

The Henderson Family Home 2886 Piney Wood Drive, East Point, 30344 Dustin Henderson’s home and ground zero for demodogs

The Holland Family Home 2980 Piney Wood Drive, East Point, 30344 Barb Holland’s family home

The Hargrove/Mayfield Family Home 5280 Moore Street, Stone Mountain, 30083 The home of “Mad” Max Mayfield and her actually mad brother Billy Hargrove.

Hopper’s Trailer 2300 Daniel Rd SW, Atlanta, 30331 Seen only in season one, this is the home of Chief Jim Hopper. This location is nestled deep within private property, however.

Outside town

Lonnie Byer’s House 930 Garibaldi Street Southwest, Atlanta, 30310 In season one, Jonathan goes looking for Will at their father’s house.

Sattler Quarry Bellwood Quarry, Atlanta, 30318 The quarry where the fake body of Will was recovered

Ives Family Home 422 Lees Lake Road, Fayetteville, 30214 Home of Terry and Becky Ives, Eleven’s aunt and mother, respectively

Pumpkin Farm Sleepy Hollow Farm 628 Sleepy Hollow Road, Powder Springs, 30127 In season two, Hopper investigates the rotting pumpkins here before entering the Upside Down

Oscar’s Gas N’ Go Ravi’s Food Mart 7705 Covington Highway, Lithonia, 30058 The gas station Eleven, Eight, and the others rob in season two

Hawkins Woods Stone Mountain Park and Georgia International Horse Park Various locations in these areas were used to film wooded scenes throughout seasons one and two

Downtown Chicago Fairlie-Poplar, Atlanta, 30303 Several streets in the area were used to create downtown Chicago for both the cold open of season two and when Eleven first gets to the city.

Alley near Chicago Hideout Old Norfolk Southern Building 125 Ted Turner Drive Southwest, Atlanta, 30303 Just before Eleven arrives at the hideout of the other gifted individuals, she passes through this alley.

Chicago Hideout 315 McDonough Boulevard Southeast, Atlanta, 30315 Where Eleven hones her powers with Eight

Abandoned Mill 2903 RN Martin Street, East Point, 30344 The abandoned mill used as the Mind Flayer’s lair

7-Eleven V Go 1355 Milstead Avenue, Conyers, 30012 Home to cherry Slurpees, convertible carjackings, and the Alexi’s first taste of the American dream.

Other locations/events

Van Flip 3782 Sarahs Lane, Tucker, 30084 The iconic scene from late season one where Eleven flips a Hawkins Power and Light van with her powers

Railroad Tracks Stone Mountain Park Cherokee Trail, Stone Mountain (33.808399, -84.139244) In early season one, the boys are seen walking along these tracks with Eleven. Dustin and Steve also walk along these tracks in season two.

Phone Booth 33°27’17.2″N 84°33’29.0″W Hopper uses a phone booth seemingly in the middle of nowhere to call the police office on his way to the Ives’ home. Sadly, the booth was built for the scene and does not exist at the location.

Trick-or-Treating House 2545 Piney Wood Lane, East Point, 30344 While Trick-or-Treating, Max jumps out and scares the boys near this house.

The Fair Georgia Renaissance Festival Grounds 6905 Virlyn B Smith Road, Fairburn, 30213 Home to season three’s saddest moment: the death of our new best friend Alexi.

Update 8/26/19: This story was updated to add several locations featured in the show’s third season.

RELATED ARTICLES MORE FROM AUTHOR

The Breakfast Boys co-founder launches High Noon Brunchery in Douglasville

Genius: MLK/X showrunners on behind-the-scenes motivations and how filming in Atlanta helped the show

Najee Dorsey creates a home for Black artists

Newsletters.

Most recent

Remembering Rico Wade: How the legendary producer influenced Atlanta, Southern hip-hop, and pop music

5 Atlanta events you won’t want to miss: April 26-May 1

Homebuilder John Wieland created a contemporary art museum as a gift to Atlanta—and it’s free

Great reads.

Ronald Acuña Jr. takes flight

The Dining Diva: Christiane Lauterbach dishes on her 40 years as Atlanta magazine’s dining critic

The ancestors of Nettie Washington Douglass still have stories to teach us. She just hopes we are ready to listen.

• Business Forum
• Privacy and Cookies Policy
• Terms of Use
• General Contest Rules

12 Stranger Things Filming Locations You Can Visit

Here’s where you can see the places and local businesses that have appeared in “stranger things.” no trip to the upside down needed..

• Copy Link copied

Creators Matt and Ross Duffer set “Stranger Things” in the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana, but much of the Netflix show was actually filmed in Georgia.

Courtesy of Netflix

Since 2016, Netflix’s Stranger Things has captivated audiences with its ’80s nostalgia, supernaturally laden plotlines, and an all-star cast. The show follows a group of young boys and a telekinetic girl who battle Cold War–era Russians and interdimensional evil beings that threaten the existence of their hometown—and the world.

Though Stranger Things is set in the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana, most of the series is actually filmed in Georgia , a longtime favorite of Hollywood thanks to its generous filming tax breaks and other financial incentives that have lured shows like The Walking Dead and Cobra Kai to the state’s piney woods. The fourth and latest season of Stranger Things sees the gang split in three main in-universe locations: Southern California (which is Albuquerque, New Mexico, in real life), Hawkins (Altlanta, Georgia), and a remote Russian prison (Vilnius, Lithuania).

From malls to laboratories, here are some Stranger Things filming locations you can visit yourself. (Just be careful not to get stuck in the Upside Down while touring these locations—you’ve been warned. Also, spoilers ahead.)

1. Bradley’s Big Buy Grocery Store

Palmetto, Georgia With a population of a little more than 5,000 people, Palmetto is located about 25 miles southwest of Atlanta. In the past few years, it’s attracted thousands of Stranger Things fans.

When the show premiered in 2016, it became routine for cashiers at Bradley’s Big Buy grocery store to welcome dozens of fans from around the globe, who were in search of the exact place where Millie Bobby Brown (who plays Eleven) stole some Eggos in the first season. This filming location reappeared in the show’s second season after Eleven was bitten by the Mind Flayer’s proxy and the gang broke into Bradley’s Big Buy to find supplies to dress her wound. After they left, Billy Hargrove (who was under the spell of the Mind Flayer) finds Eleven’s blood in the store and is set off on a hunt to destroy her.

Fans are still coming, even after the store changed its name and joined the Piggly Wiggly grocery store franchise in 2019. The store’s manager, David Johnston, said in a 2019 Detroit News article that he’s happy to give quick tours of the Piggly Wiggly and will even point out the path Eleven took through the store when she shoplifted the waffles.

2. Hawkins Police Department

8485 Courthouse Square W., Douglasville, Georgia

In Stranger Things , the town of Hawkins is actually Jackson, Georgia, in real life. But not everything was filmed in Jackson: The building used to represent the Hawkins Police Department, where Sheriff Jim Hopper (David Harbour) works, is located in nearby Douglasville, about 75 minutes away by car from Jackson. Today, the building is the former town hall of the municipality.

3. Hawkins Laboratory

Atlanta, Georgia A drab, brutalist building on Emory University’s Briarcliff Campus in Atlanta serves as Hawkins Laboratory, where all sorts of tragic and unusual events occurred including *spoiler alert* a massacre of telekinetic children. This building was only used to depict the exterior of the Hawkins Lab—interior shots were filmed on a soundstage at a studio.

However, the property’s buildings house a strange, real-life history as well: It was once the mansion and estate of Asa Griggs “Buddie” Candler Jr ., the son of Coca-Cola’s cofounder, and another building served as the Georgia Mental Health Institute from 1965 to 1997. On the site of a former laundry, a massive mental health hospital was erected, along with several small satellite homes for long-term hospital residents. Outbuildings were razed, the public pool was filled in, and eventually the property was purchased by Emory University, becoming what is now known as the Briarcliff Campus. The former hospital building still stands and appears in Stranger Things . Actual psychiatric research projects were conducted there, but today it’s a popular shooting location for film and television—the 2017 horror flick Rings was also shot there. While lookie-loos aren’t allowed inside the building, take as many pictures and selfies as your heart desires of the exterior.

4. Starcourt Mall

Duluth, Georgia

In Stranger Things ’ third season, the gang discovers that the new, popular Starcourt Mall is actually a secret Russian base. In real life, Starcourt Mall is Gwinnett Place Mall in Duluth, Georgia, which shuttered a few months before filming began, after years of struggling to attract new tenants. A gruesome fact: Five months before third season filming began, a brutal murder took place in a vacant Subway within the abandoned mall’s food court.

In preparation for shooting, part of the building was remodeled to resemble a stereotypical ’80s mall, which included recreating the interiors and facades of 40 stores (keep an eye out for the Orange Julius). Today, the interior of Gwinnett Place Mall is closed to visitors, but there are plans to revive the structure. Gwinnett County recently acquired the mall and the 93 acres it sits on and plans to convert the land into a mixed-use space with retail, housing, and offices.

A sign in front of Gwinnett Place Mall in Duluth, Georgia, prohibits anyone who attempts to enter or take a photo.

Courtesy of AP Photo/Andrea Smith

5. Hawkins Community Pool

Atlanta, Georgia

In the the third season of Stranger Things , Billy works as a lifeguard and flirts with older women at the fictional Hawkins Community Pool. It turns out that the filming location is a community pool in real life too, known as South Bend Pool . It’s sited only a half mile from Screen Gems Studios, where many of the interior scenes of Stranger Things were filmed on soundstages. The pool is open from Tuesday through Saturday and is $5 for everyone ages six and up.

6. Stone Mountain Park

DeKalb County, Georgia

Spanning more than 3,200 acres, Stone Mountain Park is Georgia’s most-visited and -popular attraction. Located 15 miles east of Atlanta, it’s open year-round and offers activities like ropes courses, cable car rides to the top of the mountain, and even theme park–like thrills, including a nightly laser and fireworks show.

Many of the outdoor wooded scenes featured in Stranger Things were shot at Stone Mountain Park. The railroad tracks that run through the park are shown in the first season, as the gang walks with Eleven in the woods. And, in the second season, Dustin and Steve bond over girl advice in the forest as they hunt for demodogs.

7. Downtown Hawkins

Jackson, Georgia

Throughout the series, downtown Jackson (about 50 miles south of Atlanta) serves as the town of Hawkins, where key characters like Joyce Byers (Winona Ryder) and Bob Newby (Sean Astin) worked at Melvald’s General Store. Businesses in Jackson are certainly happy about the new customers in town.

Lucy Lu’s Coffee Cafe opened downtown in 2017, about a year after the first season’s release. Within months, the café created a Stranger Drinks menu. Popular beverages include the Sheriff Hopper, a hazelnut and vanilla coffee drink, and the Demogorgon, a frappé with blood-red food coloring named after the monster that rampages through Hawkins.

If you want to visit locations featured in the show, Melvald’s General Store is at 4 Second Street; down the street, the Butts County Courthouse and Probate Court Building was used for Hawkins Library.

8. Rink-O-Mania

Albuquerque, New Mexico

One of the most shocking events of the latest season of Stranger Things takes place at the in-universe Rink-O-Mania, which is actually the Roller King in Albuquerque, New Mexico . Many of the set decorations used during filming are still there, thanks to a special agreement the roller rink had with Netflix. Roller King agreed to let the film giant use its property for shooting at a discount and in exchange, the rink was allowed to keep the set decor. The location was chosen because of its proximity to Will and Eleven’s new high school as well as the Byers’ new home. It took about four months to renovate Roller King to whip it into shipshape for filming, and kids in ’80s wear and Hellfire T-shirts are already flocking to the establishment.

“Stranger Things” is the second most popular Netflix show to date.

Photo by Rafal Werczynski/Unsplash

9. Lenora Hills High School

After Will, Jonathan, and Eleven move to Lenora Hills, California ( Albuquerque, New Mexico , in real life), they all start attending a new school; pothead pizza delivery boy Argyle, a new fan favorite this season, also goes to school here. A few key scenes that demonstrate Eleven’s inability to fit in with her (utterly horrible) classmates and her path back to regaining her telekinetic powers happen in Lenora Hills High School. In real life, Lenora Hills High School is actually the prestigious Eldorado High School in Albuquerque. However, this isn’t the school’s first brush with Hollywood—it was also featured in the first episode of Breaking Bad .

10. Hawkins Cemetery

Stone Mountain, Georgia

Hawkins Cemetery is the setting for one of the most pivotal scenes of the series—it’s the place where Max has a touching monologue about her relationship with her abusive brother Billy and has a reckoning with Vecna, the villain of the fourth season, to the tune of Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill.” Max’s air-defying episode was filmed at Stone Mountain Cemetery in Stone Mountain, Georgia. Founded in the 1850s, the cemetery contains graves that date back to the Civil War. However, that iconic fourth season scene wasn’t filmed in the same cemetery used as the backdrop of Will Byers’s funeral in Stranger Things ’ first season—that took place at Bethany Cemetery in Fayetteville.

11. Surfer Boy Pizza

3476 NM-47, Los Lunas, New Mexico

Season four fan favorite character Argyle (Eduardo Franco) works at Surfer Boy Pizza where he slings dough and delivers ’za. Travelers to New Mexico can actually visit Surfer Boy Pizza—sort of Aliberto’s Mexican Food in Los Lunas (a small village located half an hour south of Albuquerque) serves as the filming location of Surfer Boy Pizza and has iconic New Mexican dishes like green chile plates and chile rellenos on offer. Though you won’t be able to order a slice here, Surfer Boy Pizzas (which come in classic flavors like pepperoni as well as more creative ones like pineapple jalapeño) are available at Walmarts around the country.

12. Kamchatka Prison

Vilnius, Lithuania

One of the biggest reveals of Stranger Things’ latest season is that Hopper is actually still alive—and imprisoned in a high-security penitentiary in Kamchatka, Russia. The Kamchatka peninsula is located in the Russian Far East and borders the Bering Strait and northern Pacific Ocean. However, the prison that stood in for the show’s Russian jail scenes is in Vilnius, Lithuania. (You may recognize Vilnius from the popular HBO series Chernobyl .)

Built in 1904 during the height of the Russian Empire, Lukiškės Prison was constructed during a time when incarceration as a form of punishment was not yet widely practiced—people were either released, sent to the gallows, or whisked away to a labor camp. The structure held prisoners for more than a century until 2019, when it was transformed into Lukiškės Prison 2.0 , which now houses a music venue, residency space with enough room for 250 artists, and, ironically, a dance club.

AP contributed to the reporting of this article. It was originally published in May 2020 and updated on July 11, 2022, and on April 10, 2023 by Mae Hamilton.

Stranger Things: The Experience - Nyc

Top ways to experience nearby attractions

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Also popular with travelers

Stranger Things: The Experience - Nyc - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

• (0.38 mi) Hampton Inn Brooklyn/Downtown
• (0.79 mi) Ace Hotel Brooklyn
• (0.29 mi) Park Guesthouse
• (0.83 mi) Hilton Brooklyn New York
• (1.20 mi) Moxy Brooklyn Williamsburg
• (0.04 mi) Wegmans
• (0.34 mi) Vinegar Hill House
• (0.68 mi) Front Street Pizza
• (0.90 mi) Sottocasa Pizzeria
• (0.66 mi) Westville
• (0.00 mi) Rooftop Reds Winery
• (0.08 mi) Kings County Distillery
• (0.14 mi) Brooklyn Navy Yard BLDG 92
• (0.45 mi) Beat The Bomb
• (0.47 mi) Brooklyn Bike Tours

• Skip to primary navigation
• Skip to main content
• Skip to primary sidebar

Traveling Season

Every season is traveling season

Visit the Stranger Things Sets – Filming Locations Guide

August 12, 2022 by Edson Amorina Jr Leave a Comment

The horror was unleashed in Hawkins, Indiana, a small (and fictional) town in the American Midwest. Stranger Things was primarily filmed in Atlanta in the state of Georgia in the United States. The new fourth season, with a much wider scope, also takes the action to Lenora Hills in California, New Mexico and Lithuania, which served as the former Soviet Union.

The series “Stranger Things” is arguably the most talked about show on Netflix. And of course every hardcore fan might be interested in discovering and visiting the filming locations.

Below we list some of the main locations used in all seasons starring the most beloved children in fiction: Eleven (Eleven), Mike, Will, Lucas, Dustin and Max.

If you’re in Atlanta, there’s a must-see guided tour for fans of the series:

• Atlanta: “Stranger Things” movie locations tour

You can find other offers for touristic attractions and guided tours in Atlanta, United States:

Table of Contents

Main locations used in the Netflix series Stranger Things

We’ve listed some of the key locations from every episode of Stranger Things, including season four. We also share the map on Google Maps the way to check the location.

Atlanta, Indiana

The story of “Stranger Things” takes place in the fictional cursed town of Hawkins, Indiana. And most of the scenes were also filmed in Indiana, but the city of Atlanta.

Hawkins National Laboratory

The exterior of the Hawkins National Laboratory from which Eleven escaped was filmed at Emory University’s Briarcliff campus in Atlanta. Also a former Georgia Mental Health Institute at Emory University served as the site of Hawkins National Laboratory.

It was in this lab that the main portal was opened to a dimension called the Upside Down and where the Demogorgon monster came from.

Mike and Nancy Wheeler’s house

The exterior of Mike and Nancy Wheeler’s home is located at 2530 Piney Wood Lane in East Point. The interior of the Wheelers and Byers family homes, as well as the interior of the laboratory, were created on a set at Screen Gem Studios in Atlanta.

Starcourt Mall in Hawkins

Starcourt Mall is Hawkins’ premium shopping mall and the culmination of Stranger Things season 3. The localization team found a half-abandoned complex with many empty storefronts called Gwinnett Place Mall in Duluth, north of Atlanta.

One wing of the mall has been completely transformed to recreate the colorful retro 1980s venue where Scoops Ahoy and the movie theater are located.

Rink-o-Mania in Albuquerque, New Mexico

In season four, we were introduced to the Byers and Eleven’s new home, located in sunny Southern California.

According to an interview with the show’s production designer Chris Trujillo, the actual setting for this season is based on the scorching semi-deserts of Albuquerque, New Mexico.

In the season four episode titled “The Curse of Vecna”, several of our favorite characters were shown on a colorful skating rink. This scene was filmed at Skate-O-Mania, a skating rink located at Rua Paisano 400 NE, also in Albuquerque.

Victor Creel’s Haunted Mansion

Victor Creel’s haunted mansion, one of the main highlights of the fourth season of Stranger Things, is the Claremont House at 906 E 2nd Avenue.

Compare the house on Google Maps with the image that illustrates the cover of this post.

Built in 1882, this magnificent six-bedroom neo-Gothic mansion is one of Rome’s most prominent historic homes. Film crews transformed the exterior of the private property to make it look abandoned for filming.

War Zone Store in Hawkins

The War Zone store in Hawkins, which appeared and had its funny and tense moments in season four chapter eight, was filmed at the former location of the Hodge Army Navy’s military surplus store. The store is located in Marietta, at 507 Cobb Parkway.

Vilnius, Lithuania

In season four, one of the show’s favorite characters ends up in a snow-covered prison camp located somewhere deep in the Soviet Union. This was filmed at Lukiškės prison in Vilnius, Lithuania.

You can visit the prison and tour its corridors online at this official link of the city.

Below a tweet from the official Vilnius account.

#Vilnius considers converting #LukiškėsPrison , a former prison and one of the shooting locations for Netflix’s #StrangerThings , into a multifunctional center to suit various purposes. Find out more 👉 https://t.co/4xQLMFi3kP pic.twitter.com/zwuMWa7TnF — Go Vilnius (@GoVilnius) April 30, 2021

Was there a place you were curious to know where it is and we didn’t list it? Let us know what we’re looking for and we’ll update the post.

Watch a video with the locations of Netflix’s Stranger Things

A tour of the Stranger Things filming locations.

Where to travel next?

Other posts beautiful destination:

• Complete travel guide to visit the Romantic Road in Germany 
• Berlin, Germany – Top 20 sights and things to do and visit
• Paris, France – Top 10 must-see sights and tourist attractions
• What to do in New York, USA – Trave Guide and tips
• Best travel tips for Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany

General international travel tips

For general travel tips, be sure to check out:

• The best Travel Quotes to motivate your trip on an adventure!
• Tips for using Google Flights and buying the best airfare

Related posts

• Natural History Museum in London, England – Complete Visit Guide
• Natural History Museum in Karlsruhe, Germany – Complete Visit Guide
• Louvre Museum, Paris – How to visit, tips and travel guide 2023

Reader Interactions

Leave a reply cancel reply.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Coney Island

Brooklyn's beachside attraction holds the Cyclone roller coaster, the Wonder Wheel, the New York Aquarium, the original Nathan’s Famous and a boardwalk.

Queens Night Market

This expansive open-air night market celebrates the rich cultural diversity of NYC.

Historic Richmond Town

Watch history come alive at this living history village.

Yankee Stadium

Home to baseball's 27-time champs, the new Yankee Stadium was built in 2009 across the street from its former location.

American Museum of Natural History

This Upper West Side museum explores human cultures, the natural world and the universe beyond.

National Geographic content straight to your inbox—sign up for our popular newsletters here

Guestbooks detail paranormal activity in every single room of the historic Story Inn.

5 Mysterious Places to Experience Stranger Things

Visit these real-life spooky spots in Indiana—the setting of Netflix hit, Stranger Things—to build your own supernatural itinerary.

Fans of Stranger Things have been waiting on edge for season two to appear on Netflix, so they can start their binge-watching.

After seeing how Will copes with his reentry to the real world and finding out what actually happened to Eleven, you might be inspired to venture out on your own supernatural expedition. While you can't book a ticket to Hawkins, Indiana—and we still don't know how to get to the Upside Down—you can visit these real-life Indiana destinations to get a taste of the strange phenomena in America's Midwest.

Cross a Gateway to the Afterlife in Avon

What’s in the Upside Down? How do you get to that alternative dimension? We think we know, but many secrets are yet to be revealed. In Avon , there’s a bridge that might hold some answers. Locals claim that a mother and child fell from the bridge to their death, and those who drive across can still hear their cries. Maybe that’s why many people continuously honk while driving through, attempting to down out the spooky sounds of another world.

Since 1986, UFO chasers reported one hundred strange sightings in the Indiana skies from the same spot, Lucky Point.

Step Back in Time at the Story Inn

Stranger Things doesn’t focus on ghost stories per se, but the show certainly features a healthy fear of what goes bump in the night. A stay at the Story Inn in Nashville , Indiana, does just the same. When the current owner bought the bed and breakfast, he discovered something incredible. Guestbooks detail accounts of paranormal activities in every single room. Now, you can book a night at this well-preserved, 19th-century historic building to check for yourself if any creature from beyond pays a visit.

Look to the Skies at Lucky Point in Vincennes

People have been consistently reporting UFO and other unexplained sightings over the past 120 years in Vincennes . One of the most popular spots for extraterrestrial-flight seekers is Lucky Point along White River, which flows through central and southern Indiana. Since 1986, UFO chasers have reported almost 100 sightings from the same spot. In 2006, 10 people reported sightings on just one night here. Some see balls of light, others notice a giant black triangle. If you’re lucky on a visit, you might see one of these strange shapes in the sky, too.

Listen Closely in Kokomo

In Stranger Things , Joyce Burns is the first to tune into unusual signs from the Upside Down. Apparently some residents of Kokomo , Indiana, are equally attuned to unusual phenomena. Some residents—though not all—of Kokomo, report a mysterious, low hum that causes headaches and discomfort. The hum isn’t the only strange thing happening in Kokomo: In 2008, residents reported several loud booms that rattled their homes while streaks of light appeared in the sky. Nearby Grissom Air Reserve Base denied there were any test flights on that particular April night, leaving the experience unexplained.

• Nat Geo Expeditions

Watch Gravity Reverse in Mooresville

Eleven may possess supernatural powers that allow her to manipulate gravity with her mind, but the rest of us must rely on optical illusions if we want to see objects defy gravity. Gravity Hill in Mooresville is Indiana’s most famous place to do so. Visitors to Mooresville are known to park their cars in neutral or place basketballs on the road to watch them roll “uphill.” It’s really a trick of the eye; scientists have demonstrated that Gravity Hill is completely an optical illusion … but locals still tell stories of phenomena that explains it all.

Writer Valerie Stimac lived in the strange state of Indiana and shares her travel stories on Twitter.

FREE BONUS ISSUE

Related topics.

• MYSTERIOUS PLACES

You May Also Like

Will we ever solve the mystery of the Mima mounds?

These historic Greek sites shed fresh light on Alexander the Great’s lost kingdom

What we know from decades of UFO government investigations

The legend of Area 51—and why it still fascinates us

Seven of the world’s most eerie destinations

• Environment
• Perpetual Planet

History & Culture

• History & Culture
• Mind, Body, Wonder
• Paid Content
• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• Your US State Privacy Rights
• Children's Online Privacy Policy
• Interest-Based Ads
• About Nielsen Measurement
• Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information
• Nat Geo Home
• Attend a Live Event
• Book a Trip
• Inspire Your Kids
• Shop Nat Geo
• Visit the D.C. Museum
• Learn About Our Impact
• Support Our Mission
• Advertise With Us
• Customer Service
• Renew Subscription
• Manage Your Subscription
• Work at Nat Geo
• Sign Up for Our Newsletters
• Contribute to Protect the Planet

Copyright © 1996-2015 National Geographic Society Copyright © 2015-2024 National Geographic Partners, LLC. All rights reserved

Create an account

• Gain access to free articles
• Daily free newsletter(s)
• Ability to comment on most articles
• Build your 3D avatar and gain points

• Everything in the Free plan
• Ad-free reading and browsing
• Unlimited access to all content including AI summaries
• Directly support our local and national reporting and become a Patron
• Cancel anytime.

Forgot password

Please enter your email and we'll send you a new password request code.

Please complete your profile to unlock commenting and other important features.

, time to level up your local game.

We have a favour to ask.

Narcity is looking to transition to a more sustainable future where we are no longer as reliant on advertising revenue. Upgrade now and browse Narcity ad-free and directly support our journalism.

This is a Pro feature.

Time to level up your local game with narcity pro..

12 'Stranger Things' Filming Locations You Can Visit In Georgia To Get Hyped For Season 5

A cabin at Sleepy Hollow Christmas Tree Farm. Right: Women posing in front of Hawkins Middle School.

The hit Netflix original series, Stranger Things, has captured the attention of millions of viewers for the past three seasons, and now season five is on its way.

What some might not know is that it's filmed in Atlanta, Georgia, as well as a few other surrounding cities, and you can actually visit quite a few of the locations featured in the series.

Some of these spots you can't physically enter, but admiring from the outside before snapping a pic for the 'Gram can certainly do the trick.

It'll be easy to imagine the stars of the show standing right where you are, and no one will judge you if you have a little starstruck moment!

Other spots on this list, you can actually explore. The mall and community pool are open for visitors, where you can pretend you work at Scoops Ahoy or see Billy the lifeguard's real-world equivalent.

Let these 12 Stranger Things filming locations get you hyped for season five and transport you to Hawkins.

"Downtown Hawkins" — Jackson, GA

See on Instagram

Price: Free

Address: 2nd St., Jackson, GA

Why You Need To Go: This downtown area Mulberry and 2nd Street in Jackson is fun to walk around and get some fresh air. Besides that, you can see the store Joyce works at, Melvald’s General Store, and the Radio Shack as well. Much of the series was centered around this block of downtown Jackson.

"Hawk Theater" — Bradley's Olde Tavern

Address: 2 Oak St., Jackson, GA

Why You Need To Go: This is actually a restaurant tavern turned movie theater for the set of this scene. It's where Nancy and Jonathan see fake things written about her on the front of the building where the movie list is supposed to appear.

"Hawkins Library" — Butts County Courthouse

Address: 98 3rd St., Jackson, GA

Why You Need To Go: This is the Butts County Courthouse, and the exterior was used for the shots of the famous library you can see the gang at.

"Palace Arcade" — Douglassville, GA

Address: 6500 Church St., Douglasville, GA

Why You Need To Go: The boys first learn about "Mad Max" at this very arcade, and many scenes are shot inside and outside of this spot. It's a vacant commercial lot now, but you can still see the exterior.

"Hawkins Middle School and Hawkins High School" — Patrick Henry Adult Education Ce

Address: 109 South Lee St., Stockbridge, GA

Why You Need To Go: These schools are highlights in the first few seasons with many scenes taking place there. You can get out and explore the exterior parking lot and snap a pic in front of the painted brick wall.

"Benny’s Burgers" — Tiffany's Kitchen

Address: 7413 Lee Rd., Lithia Springs, GA

Why You Need To Go: This is one of the spots that started it all. Eleven runs here after she escapes the lab and is found here by a worker. Tiffany's Kitchen is the real name of it and you can actually dine here.

"Hopper's Cabin" — Sleepy Hollow Farm

Address: 628 Sleepy Hollow Rd., Powder Springs, GA

Why You Need To Go: Sleepy Hollow Farm is the location Hopper lives with Eleven to try to keep her safe. It's also been turned into a terrifying escape room that you can test your problem-solving skills at.

"Hawkins Community Pool" — South Bend Pool

Address: 2000 Lakewood Ave. S.E., Atlanta, GA

Why You Need To Go: You can swim and spend the day at the South Bend Park and Pool where Max's bad-boy heartthrob brother Billy works during the summer on the show.

"Starcourt Mall" — Gwinnett Place Mall

Address: 2100 Pleasant Hill Rd., Duluth, GA

Why You Need To Go: The Gwinnett Place Mall is where Scoops Ahoy was in the series and where many of the scenes from season 3 were shot.

"Creel House" — The Claremont House

Address: 906 E. 2nd Ave., Rome, GA

Why You Need To Go: While this Bed & Breakfast is now closed, fans can still pay a visit to The Claremont House's familiar exterior and pose for a photo. This Victorian mansion served as the filming location for the infamous Creel House.

"Hawkins Cemetery" — Stone Mountain Cemetery

Address: 1025 Silver Hill Rd., Stone Mountain, GA

Why You Need To Go: You may recognize this historic cemetery in Stone Mountain, GA as the site of Barb's funeral during Season 2. A visit to this quiet cemetery is sure to give you goosebumps.

"War Zone" — Hodge Army Navy

Address: 1477 Roswell Rd. #300, Marietta, GA

Why You Need To Go: This army surplus store has been open for more than 50 years and was totally redecorated and used as a filming location during Season 4 to represent the "War Zone" shop where characters stock up on battle supplies.

Before you get going, check out our Responsible Travel Guide so you can be informed, be safe, be smart, and most of all, be respectful on your adventure.

This article has been updated since it was originally published on August 13, 2020.

• So Many Celebrities Are Filming In Vancouver Right Now & Locals Have Spotted Them - Narcity ›
• So Many Celebrities Have Been Spotted Filming In Vancouver & Locals Love It - Narcity ›
• Alec Baldwin Fired A Prop Gun That Killed Someone In A Horrible Movie Set Incident - Narcity ›
• A TikToker Just Compared Canada's Peace Tower To The Creepy Stranger Things Clock - Narcity ›
• TikToker Compared Canada's Peace Tower To Vecna's Creepy Clock In 'Stranger Things' (VIDEO) - Narcity ›
• Doja Cat Is Beefing With Noah Schnapp Of 'Stranger Things' & He Posted Her Joseph Quinn DMs - Narcity ›
• Here’s How Much Money 'Stranger Things' Spent Filming Season 4 In Georgia - Narcity ›
• Joseph Quinn Plays A High Schooler In 'Stranger Things' & His Real Age May Surprise You - Narcity ›
• 7 Airbnb Experiences Near Atlanta That Cost Less Than $28 - Narcity ›
• You Can Meet 'Stranger Things' Star Joseph Quinn & 12 Other Celebs At Toronto's Fan Expo - Narcity ›
• Ontario's Weather Made A Creepy Waterspout Yesterday & It's Giving 'Stranger Things' Vibes - Narcity ›
• This Chicago Couple Is Viral For Their Super Realistic 'Stranger Things' Halloween Decorations - Narcity ›
• Will’s House From Stranger Things Is Listed On Zillow & The Photos Are Spookier Than The Series - Narcity ›
• 'Stranger Things' Star Caleb McLaughlin Turned 21 In Miami & Here's What He Did (PHOTOS) - Narcity ›
• The 'Murder House' In American Horror Story Is Real & The California Mansion Is Actually Haunted - Narcity ›
• These Iconic 'Twilight' Filming Locations Actually Exist In Oregon & They're Free To Visit - Narcity ›
• A TikToker Found Noah Schnapp In A Yearbook & His Quote Is A Salty 'Stranger Things' Ref - Narcity ›
• Stranger Things' Grace Van Dien Would Rather Stream Than Act & Her Reason Is Heartbreaking - Narcity ›
• The Hunger Games Filming Locations In North Carolina Are Free To Visit - Narcity ›
• Netflix's 'Stranger Things' Cast On Growing Up With The Show & What's Coming In Season 4 - Narcity ›
• 7 Fun Places To Go In Atlanta You Have To Visit According To A Local - Narcity ›
• Kate Bush 'Never Imagined' Stranger Things Would Turn 'Running Up That Hill' Into A Megahit - Narcity ›
• The 'Stranger Things' Store Will Open In Dallas This Weekend & You Can Visit The Upside Down - Narcity ›
• 'Resident Alien' Season 2 Has Started Filming & It's Taking Over Vancouver (PHOTOS) - Narcity ›

Already have an account? Log in

Create an account to keep reading.

1. choose a plan.

Limited access to free articles

Unlimited access to all content, AI summaries, ad-free browsing and directly support our reporting by becoming a Patron 🙏. Cancel anytime.

2. Create your account

10 enchanting small towns in ontario that look too cute to be true, 12 of the most stunning bc locations seen in movies and shows that you can visit, fans of 'the last of us' are sharing locations where they've spotted the show filming in bc, this small town in georgia is a real-life hallmark movie with thousands of twinkling lights, 9 charming small towns in the usa worth crossing the canadian border for this winter.

• Skip to main content
• Skip to secondary menu
• Skip to primary sidebar
• Skip to footer

This Is My South

A travel guide to the Southern USA

The Ultimate Stranger Things Guide to Georgia

September 9, 2019 By Caroline Eubanks Leave a Comment

The Netflix series Stranger Things became a quick hit for its cast of young stars alongside well-known actors like David Harbor and Winona Rider as well as the 1980s references.

A mysterious young woman shows up in town and meets a group of friends who soon protect her. But the “bad men” chasing her are just the start of their troubles.

Fans of the show can visit the locations in Georgia , but there’s more than that! There are tours, events, and even accommodations geared towards fans all around the state of Georgia. This post contains locations from all seasons, including season four, so it’s not spoiler free!

This post contains affiliate links.

Stranger Things Filming Locations

The hit show has filmed throughout the state of Georgia, but the majority of the locations are found in Atlanta , Jackson , and Douglasville. We haven’t included every single one, just the most popular.

Some are open to visitors while others are closed. But the places mentioned here can be seen by the exterior.  Just remember: no trespassing.

The former Bellwood Quarry opened in 2021 as the Westside Reservoir Park , encompassing over 300 acres of trails, a playground, and an overlook. This quarry was where Eleven shows off her powers against the bullies and where Will’s fake body was found. It was also used in The Walking Dead and is free to visit.

1660 Johnson Road, Atlanta

Hawkins National Laboratory

Visit the place where “Papa” ran experiments on Eleven and other children and where Bob met his fate. Both the interior and exterior were used in the first few seasons of Stranger Things .

The modern-looking building was originally the Georgia Mental Health Institute that operated from 1965 to 1997. It’s on the grounds of the Briarcliff Estate where Asa Candler Jr. lived.

These days, it’s a part of the Emory University Briarcliff campus in Atlanta and was purchased in 2000. There are plans to renovate the buildings and some have been demolished.

There’s a gate into the parking lot where you can see the outside, but don’t try to go into the building. It has posted no trespassing signs.

1256 Briarcliff Road, Atlanta

Downtown Chicago

In season 2, Eleven and her fellow “gifted” friends go on the run stealing from stores. Instead of filming in real-life Chicago, Atlanta’s Fairlie Poplar neighborhood was used. The alley near their hideout was next to the Norfolk Southern Building.

She also walked through a homeless encampment in the Gulch. And the nearby Pittsburgh neighborhood filled in for the “real” Pittsburgh when one of the gifted kids collapses a bridge on the chasing police.

125 Ted Turner Drive Southwest, Atlanta

Hawkins Community Pool

The community pool features heavily in season 3 as it’s where Billy works as a lifeguard, where Mrs. Byers and her friends stare at him, and where we first see Heather.

The real-life location is South Bend Pool, a community pool and dog park open from the end of May to the beginning of July. They used the real lifeguard stands and chairs in the show. Admission is $5 per person but there are also free swim days.

2000 Lakewood Avenue Southeast, Atlanta

EUE/Screen Gems

This studio is where many of the interior shots are filmed, including all of the houses. It’s not open to the public, but the below video gives you an inside look into the Stranger Things sets. The studio is also where Black Panther , Divergent , and The Hunger Games were filmed.

175 Lakewood Way Southwest, Atlanta

Hawkins Hospital

The bridge between buildings stands in for the ambulance bay at the Hawkins Hospital where Will is a patient. In real life, it’s one of the buildings at East Point First Baptist Church .

The Hawkins Library interiors were filmed at the nearby Old East Point Library at 2777 McGee Way, but it’s generally reserved for filming projects. The exteriors of this building were filmed in Jackson.

2813 East Point Street, East Point

In season 3, protestors set up at Hawkins Town Hall against the mayor, famously played by Cary Elwes. Hopper later delivers a beating to get the information he needs while Joyce stands by.

Both exteriors and interiors were used at this building, which is East Point’s old town hall. A new one is now used next door.

2757 East Point Street, East Point

In season 3, Billy crashes his car and is overtaken by the Mind Flayer at a spooky-looking warehouse. Later, the town’s rats flock there and are “flayed” to fuel the creature as well as Heather’s abduction. The real building is the Old Atlanta Utility Works. It’s fenced but you can snap a photo from across the street.

2903 RN Martin Street, East Point

Editor’s Note: We’ve left out the houses used in the show because these are private residences and there have been instances of trespassing. All interiors were filmed at EUE Screen Gems so it’s just another midcentury neighborhood.

In season 4, the gang goes to War Zone, a gun and ammo store, to pick up essentials for their fight against Vecna, running into Jason and his teammates, who are still hunting Eddie. It was filmed at the former location of Hodge Army Navy , which was demolished after filming. The new location is nearby and sells the type of clothing the kids wear in the Upside Down.

1477 Roswell Road, Suite 300, Marietta

Powder Springs

Hopper’s cabin.

Hopper and Eleven live in his remote cabin after she is rescued from the Hawkins Lab team. They continue to live here until the Mind Flayer destroyed it in season three.

The exterior of the cabin was filmed at Sleepy Hollow Farm , a functional farm that has a corn maze, Christmas trees, and pumpkin patch.

It’s also where the diseased pumpkins were found in season 1 and where Hopper digs a hole into the “Upside Down.” Across from the cabin is a shed where Joyce gets the bolt cutters in season 3 and later where Nancy gets the shotgun.

628 Sleepy Hollow Road, Powder Springs

Douglas County

Benny’s burgers.

In the first scene of the show, we see Eleven on the run from the “Bad Men” at Hawkins Labs. She steals someone’s leftover burger before the owner takes pity on her and makes her a meal.

He tries to get information from her but the goons soon arrive to take her away. She barely escapes, leaving Benny behind. The location returns for season four when Lucas and his basketball team friends hang out at the since abandoned restaurant.

In real life, the restaurant is Tiffany’s Kitchen , a country cooking restaurant. Production painted and put in curtains so that they could use the interior and exterior. They serve breakfast and meat and three Southern food like fried green tomatoes.

They’ve had people come in and ask to take pictures in the kitchen, so use common sense. This is a functioning restaurant.

7413 Lee Road, Lithia Springs

Hawkins Police Station

“Mornings are for coffee and contemplation” at the Hawkins Police Station where Hopper works. The building formerly called 45 Pray Street has been used for a number of filming projects including Stan Against Evil .

It’s currently under construction so we’re not sure what’s going to happen to it so see it while you can. A week after this photo was taken, the exterior was completely stripped off.

8485 Courthouse Square West, Douglasville

Palace Arcade

In season 2, the gang plays rounds of Dragon’s Lair at the arcade but their high scores are erased by someone called “Mad Max.” They soon find out that it’s the new girl in school that they all become infatuated with. Dustin and Lucas later spy on her from across the street.

It’s also where Will has a vision of the Mind Flayer in the Upside Down. The real-life building isn’t a real arcade but features a colorful paint job. Both the Family Video and Arcade exteriors were used in season four.

6501 Church Street, Douglasville

Downtown Hawkins

In downtown Hawkins, we saw where Joyce works and gets the Christmas lights, where Nancy is called a name on the theater marquee, and an alley where Steve and Jonathan get into a fight.

Melvald’s General Store is filmed at Jackson Drug but the store closed in 2017 after 55 years in business. Across the street is the majestic Butts County Probate Court serves as the exterior for the Hawkins Library.

4 2nd Street, Jackson

Stockbridge

Hawkins middle school.

The gang spends much of the early seasons at Hawkins Middle School where they dress as the Ghostbusters and follow “Mad Max.”

The real-life Patrick Henry High School was used for both exterior and interior scenes. It was an alternative high school in the Henry County Schools system and was previously Stockbridge High School.

It closed in 2015 because of mold before being used on the show. No access is allowed inside the building, but you can see where it’s been painted with “Hawkins Middle School.” The side of the building was used as the high school.

109 South Lee Street, Stockbridge

Nearby Smokin’ Cues restaurant was used as the Hideaway Bar where Hopper plays pool.

Bradley’s Big Buy

Hawkins’ favorite grocery store is where Eleven gets her iconic Eggos fix and later where the crew comes to her aid when the Mind Flayer infects her leg. Bradley’s Big Buy is a real grocery store south of Atlanta run by Piggly Wiggly, not far from Senoia and Serenbe .

506 Center Street, Palmetto

Gwinnett County

Starcourt mall.

In the third season, the Starcourt Mall serves as an important location as it’s where Steve and Robin work at Scoops Ahoy and where the Russians develop a secret tunnel underneath.

The showdown with the Mind Flayer ruins the atrium, but in real-life Gwinnett Place Mall is still standing. The nearly abandoned mall was transformed for the show, adding in 80s shops and logos like Waldenbooks and Gadzooks.

It was originally built in 1984 but fell on hard times when many retail stores went online. This story on Curbed shows what the interior looks like now. Some stores are still open but there are large sections that aren’t.

2100 Pleasant Hill Road, Duluth

Enzo’s Restaurant

Hopper is stood up by Joyce for a night out at Enzo’s, a local Italian restaurant. As he realizes she isn’t coming, he downs his bottle of Chianti, spilling it on his new shirt. Dominick’s in Norcross was used as Enzo’s in episode two where you can actually dine out.

95 South Peachtree Street, Norcross

Berry College

The stunning campus of Berry College in Northwest Georgia was used as the Pennhurst Mental Hospital, where Robin and Nancy go to visit Victor Creel. The stone Ford buildings were where the patients gathered on the lawn. The college has also been used for movies like Remember the Titans and Sweet Home Alabama . Campus tours are available daily.

2277 Martha Berry Hwy NW, Mount Berry, GA 30149

The Claremont House

One of the most important locations in season four is the Claremont House , a circa 1882 Victorian home that previously operated as a bed and breakfast but has since closed and been listed for sale. It serves as the home of Victor Creel and where his family is killed. The house is a ten-minute drive away from Berry and while not open to the public, you can see the exterior from the street.

906 Eeast 2nd Avenue, Rome, GA 30161

For more filming locations from the show, visit the Stranger Things Fandom Wiki .

Editor’s Note: Sadly, Atlanta Movie Tours has decided to close for business. They will be missed.

Atlanta Movie Tours has the “Upside Down Tour” of Stranger Things locations over the course of three hours. It includes many of the locations highlighted in this post, complete with clips from the show and influences from pop culture. Read our review of the tour here .

Stranger Things Events and Experiences

While the real junkyard used in season one of the show isn’t open to the public, Old Car City in Northwest Georgia is a fun alternative. Want to go in a sensory deprivation tank like Eleven? Flo2S in Atlanta has multiple options.

Sleepy Hollow Farm also has its Escape Woods experience that features Hopper’s Cabin. The adventure is appropriate for those aged 10 and older. While the Palace Arcade isn’t a real thing, you can enjoy vintage arcade games at Joystick , a bar in Atlanta .

Shop for 80s attire like Max and El at The Clothing Warehouse . The fair scenes in Season 3 were filmed at the Georgia Renaissance Festival’s parking lot in Fairburn but you can experience the fair yourself at the Georgia State Fair , held every fall in Hampton.

While the real roller rink used for filming in season four is in New Mexico, Atlanta is home to Cascade Family Skating , a famous roller rink used for the filming of movies like ATL and the series Cobra Kai. Visit the skate park like Max at Historic Fourth Ward Park .

Douglas County has been featured prominently on the show so you can see locations from other television and movie projects at the Douglas County Museum of History and Art . The Douglas County Film Trail has additional locations to visit.

Stranger Things also has a fan convention called Stranger Con , which is held in Atlanta every December. It features the stars of the show for meet and greets and panels along with cosplay contests, trivia, and vendors.

The Stranger Things Experience comes to the city’s Pullman Yards, a filming location and event space, with admission to the Hawkins Lab immersive experience and the free-roam Mix-Tape medley of locations.

Where to Eat

Looking for something to eat while you’re touring the locations from the show? There’s a delicious meal not far away. If you want to dine at one of the locations from the show, enjoy Tiffany’s Kitchen in Lithia Springs and Dominick’s in Norcross.

Apart from these two, there are places close to various locations. In Atlanta, DBA Barbecue is a few blocks away from the Emory Briarcliff campus. There may be no Surfer Dude Pizza, but you can visit the original home of Mellow Mushroom Pizza in Atlanta.

In the downtown Fairlie-Poplar district, enjoy cuisines from around the world at places like Dua Vietnamese and Naan Stop . East Point has some great local restaurants like Oz Pizza , Kupcakerie , and Thumbs Up Diner .

Downtown Douglasville has great restaurants like the Cajun-inspired Gumbeaux’s and Irish Bred Pub & Restaurant . In nearby Lithia Springs, Beaver Creek Biscuit Company and Barbecue is open for breakfast and lunch.

Duluth is a part of the city’s Korean neighborhood with incredible restaurants. The Stone Grill and  Honey Pig  are two of the best for Korean barbecue.

In Rome,  Harvest Moon Cafe  and  Swift and Finch  are favorites for sandwiches and pastries. Doug’s Deli also makes Stranger Things themed cookies.

Where to Stay

Fans of the show can stay at Stone Mountain Park, which was used for its woods in the first season. Atlanta Evergreen Marriott Conference Resort is the best place to stay onsite.

In Atlanta, stay in the show’s version of Chicago. The American Hotel and The Candler Hotel ( review here ) are two historic properties in the Fairlie Poplar district.

In East Point, visitors can stay at Hotel Indigo College Park or Kimpton Overland Hotel , both of which are close to filming locations and the airport.

Sweetwater Creek State Park in Douglasville has yurts and campsites and was also used in countless films. For a traditional hotel, choose the Hampton Inn Douglasville . And in Gwinnett, we love the Sonesta Gwinnett Place Atlanta .

Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham Rome  is more than your average hotel. Located downtown, this building used to be an 1890s warehouse and still has the original floors and brick walls. 

Use our link to  get a discount  on your first Airbnb stay.

Must-Have Stranger Things Gear

Looking for some fan-inspired gear before your trip? There are some great places to pick up the essentials whether you’re in Georgia or online shopping.

Hot Topic  has plenty of t-shirts and merchandise, available online and in stores.  Box Lunch  and  Etsy  also have plenty to choose from. Passive Juice Motel is another.

About Caroline Eubanks

Caroline Eubanks is the editor of this website, a Lowell Thomas award-winning travel writer, and the author of This Is My South: The Essential Travel Guide to the Southern States. Her stories from the South have appeared in National Geographic Traveler, Afar, Thrillist, Roads and Kingdoms, and BBC Travel.

Reader Interactions

Leave a reply cancel reply.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

This Is My South is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees at no cost to the consumer by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. For further information, visit our Privacy Policy page.

This site is managed by Reggio Digital .

• Entries feed
• Comments feed
• WordPress.org

• Meetings & Groups
• Meetings & Conventions
• Group Travel
• Weddings & Special Events
• Unique Venues
• Sporting Events
• Sports Facilities
• Youth Sports
• In the News
• What's New in Bloomington
• Accolades & Rankings
• Impact of Tourism
• Media Images
• Partner Log In
• Marketing Grants
• Advertise with Us
• Visitors Center

Visit Bloomington Staff

• Mission Statement
• National Travel & Tourism Week
• Employment Opportunities
• About Monroe County
• Moving to Bloomington
• Retire in Bloomington

"The best college towns have a mix of small-city charm and a worldly, cultural vibe.

Chicago Tribune

The Backstage Blog

Head backstage to be in the know. .

We want to take you behind the scenes, to give you insider information you won't find anywhere else. This is where we pull Bloomington's hip happenings together with recommendations from our team, first-hand accounts from project producers, and guest blogs by local gurus.  The Backstage Blog helps you stay in front of it all.

Tuesday, May 10, 2022

Experience the Thrill of Stranger Things in Bloomington

Categories: Family Fun , General

Years ago, Netflix swept us away with the mysterious happenings in Hawkins, Indiana in their retro sci-fi series, Stranger Things. As they wrap the show for good this year, it only seems right to lean into the Stranger Things lore — especially since Bloomington is home to many places that have an uncanny similarity to parts of the show's fictional Hoosier town. From the Graduate Bloomington Hotel's immersive Stranger Things suite to Harzell's Ice Cream feeling eerily akin to Scoops Ahoy, Bloomington has more destinations paralleling the Stranger Things universe than you might expect.  

GRADUATE BLOOMINGTON STRANGER THINGS SUITE: The Byers Living Room & Wheeler Basement

For a Stranger Things adventure like no other in the nation, head to our Graduate Bloomington Hotel . Offering The Upside Down Experience, the hotel houses an astonishing replica of the Byers' living room, complete with the iconic alphabet and Christmas lights, as well as the Wheeler's basement, headquarters of all Dungeons & Dragons activities and Eleven's first hideout. Beyond the 1980s-inspired, carbon copy suite, the experience includes a Polaroid camera to use during your stay (to catch all the fun times with retro flair), bikes to explore the city (as the kids' method of group travel in the show), oversized walkie-talkies and a collection of vintage board games (to hangout as The Party would, of course), two tickets to the WonderLab Museum (more on that below...), and a special Eggo snack: none other than Hopper's Triple Decker Extravaganza.

WONDERLAB MUSEUM: Hawkins National Laboratory

The WonderLab Museum is one of the Top 25 science centers in the country, located right here in Bloomington. Although it isn't nearly as scary as the Hawkins National Laboratory where Eleven's journey began, WonderLab does offer an exciting variety of science-related fun through interactive exhibits and programs. Especially thrilling for kids, and interesting enough to entertain adults, a trip to the museum is a must during your Stranger Things adventure brought-to-life. Plus, if you book the Graduate's Upside Down Experience, it's already included!

THE CADE: Palace Arcade

If the retro Palace Arcade in Stranger Things caught your inner child's attention, we have great news for you — you can recreate the experience at The Cade in B-Town. Bloomington's resident arcade bar offers a wide variety of free-to-play games with 18 stand-up cabinets and six consoles. Drinks range from local brews and classic cocktails to spiked slushies — something for everyone to enjoy as they play a game of Asteroids and channel their inner '80s kid in the name of Stranger Things . 

Looking for a family-friendly arcade option? Head to LaserLite Laser Tag for all-ages gaming.

THE GAME PRESERVE: Dungeons & Dragons Headquarters

While the Wheeler's basement is technically headquarters of all DnD activity for The Party, we'd be remiss not to mention The Game Preserve . Bloomington's purveyor of a wide variety of traditional games (read: not video games), The Game Preserve offers an extensive collection of Dungeons & Dragons tabletop games, expansion packs, and accessories, as well as a community space to run your own campaign. Stop by the store to grab DnD pieces as a souvenir during your Stranger Things trip, bringing a piece of the Hawkins and Upside Down universes back home with you.

HINKLE'S HAMBUGERS: Benny's Burgers

Remember when Eleven escaped Hawkins Lab and promptly stole some French fries from Benny's Burgers? What can we say, the girl had priorities. Chow down on a handful of fries (not stolen) at Hinkle's Hamburgers , Bloomington's own 1950s-esque burger joint. Order a classic cheeseburger and handspun milkshake for the complete experience.

HARTZELL'S ICE CREAM: Scoops Ahoy

If you decide not to opt for that handspun milkshake at Hinkle's, head to Hartzell's Ice Cream before the FOMO sets in. Mirroring Stranger Things' Scoops Ahoy, Hartzell's has a vintage flair and an enormous variety of mouthwatering flavors to choose from — although we're sad to report their employees aren't required to dress head-to-toe in vintage sailor gear.

BRYAN PARK POOL: Hawkins Community Pool

Visiting on a hot summer day ? Enjoy a few hours poolside at Bloomington's Bryan Park Pool , just as the Stranger Things crew does at the Hawkins Community Pool before The Mind Flayer begins to wreak havoc on their lives — if it's not the Demogorgon, it's something else. Poor kids can't catch a break, but you sure can under the summer sun's rays.

CHERRY CANARY VINTAGE CLOTHING: Starcourt Mall

Does all that '80s hair and fashion make you want to go vintage shopping? Channel your inner El and Max by going on a shopping spree at Cherry Canary Vintage Clothing . The store offers a huge selection of incredible pieces spanning several decades, from the 1960s through the 1990s, all handpicked by the store's owner. Cherry Canary offers a small selection of home decor items as well — bring a piece of your Bloomington x  Stranger Things adventure back home with you in the form of a retro ware for your totally tubular pad.

FOWLER PUMPKIN PATCH: Merill's Pumpkin Patch

If you're visiting during fall , a trip to Fowler Pumpkin Patch is a must. You won't find fields full of rotting pumpkins here, but you will feel all the vibes of Merill's Pumpkin Patch at Bloomington's version of the Hawkins fall haunt. If The Upside Down were to start corrupting B-Town, this would be the first place we'd look.

Related Content

Find the Magic of Harry Potter

Bloomington offers more wizarding adventures than you might think.

B-Town's Most Unique Attractions

Discover Bloomington's most unique attractions during your visit.

Events Calendar

Check out our events calendar to find out what's happening now and later in B-Town.

Sign Up for Our E-Newsletter

Be the first to know about what’s happening in Bloomington.

Virtual Visitors Guide

Browse the 2024 Bloomington Visitors Guide and begin planning your trip today.

Visit Bloomington continues to update previous blog posts to help give our followers a great experience.

DON'T MISS OUT!

• Enjoy a truly immersive experience themed around the Stranger Things universe
• Explore realistic set recreations of iconic locations from the show
• Browse through a wide array of Stranger Things products integrated into each location
• Enjoy stunning photo ops, interactive activities, and many ǝƃuɐɹʇs moments!

• We are closed! Thank you for an incredible run!

EXPLORE THE OFFICIAL POP-UP

Get ready for an immersive experience, exclusive merch & memorabilia.

Get your hands on tons of exclusive and custom pieces only available at the Official Pop-up! Vintage-style 80’s tees, Stranger Things-themed trucker hats, plush dolls of your favorite characters and so much more. There’s something for everyone too, ranging from themed baby bodysuits to Palace Arcade fanny packs and Surfer Boy Pizza kitchen aprons. Get ready to level up your collection and geek out in style!

Iconic Locations

Embark on an interactive journey filled with photo moments and fun easter eggs, as you explore Hawkins and settings like Joyce’s House, Palace Arcade and Starcourt Mall. You will be able to interact with friends and foes from Hawkins.

Do you have any questions?

Maybe you can find the answer here, plan your visit, miscellaneous.

Currently, there are no vaccination or mask requirements for guests.

Please keep in mind that these requirements are subject to change as the situation continues to evolve. For this reason, we recommend you check back for any updates before arriving at our shop.

What people think about Stranger Things: The official POP-UP

Embark on a journey to the world of Stranger Things. Fans of all kinds, casual and hard-core, would have a great experience at The Official Pop-Up. When you walk in you're greeted by the neon Stranger Things logo, then pass though a dark hall with red neon lights guiding you straight into the Byers' living room. There are different sections with a different feel making you feel as if you were in the set.

We are mega fans and we LOVED this The Official Pop-Up! Super fun! Loved all of the picture taking opportunities and the exclusive merchandise.

Netflix has done it again! Another fun The Official Pop-Up! experience for fans to enjoy in between seasons! Fun photo ops with moments from each season represented. Fun 80’s music playing over sound system with occasional Stranger Things lighting and sound effects. Great 80’s home and school vignettes and displays. Palace arcade with several classic coin-op games (all free!). Fun merch to buy!

Definitely check this one out if you have the chance. You don't even have to know much about the show to appreciate the experience. They have so many photos opps and items in The Official Pop-Up.

Very cool The Official Pop-Up, especially for big fans of the show. Each room was themed with a difference set piece from the show. They had a LOT of Stranger Things merch as well as things you could buy that the characters in the show used or enjoyed.

Fun place if you are a fan of the show. Not just a Pop-Up, but a whole Stranger Things experience!!

Staff was extremely friendly, especially the ones who welcomed my family and I to The Official Pop-Up.Thank you Stranger Things Fam!! And because the tickets were zero cost, I was able to bring my 5 kids too!! We made it a family “Stranger Things” day. Thank you so much!! It was a great experience and so much fun!!

Such an amazing and fun immersive experience all for free! if you're a super fan of Stranger Things then checking out this place is a must! Will Byers' living room, snow ball '84, a free mini arcade, lots of neon lights, and a portal that leads to a Demogorgon! I personally loved it.

So fun! My kiddo and her friends had a blast! The staff were all so friendly and you could tell they were fans as well. I loved how some were dressed up. The attention to every detail was phenomenal and the merchandise to buy was great. The music and light show made it so much fun.

It was all so amazing, the music, the flickering lights, all the sets. It was an experience we’ll remember forever. I would 100% go again and would recommend to other people.

I loved it so much! I am such a fan of the show, and having the different rooms display different scenes from the show (as well as The Official Pop-Up going “upside down” every once in a while) was so much fun!

Share your #StrangerThingsPopUp moments for a chance to be featured

Want more Stranger Things?

Get your tickets now for ‘stranger things: the experience’.

Discover your power in an immersive Stranger Things experience filled with fan-favorite characters, iconic locations and tubular monsters. Beware, nerd: the gate to the Upside Down is opening! Hawkins Lab is back, and only the bravest guests are invited to discover the secrets within its walls. Write your story as you journey through a fun gathering of iconic locations and fan-favorite moments, enjoying one-of-a-kind photo ops and uncovering plenty of thrills along the way. There may also be the occasional testing, analysis, or psych evaluation. But don’t worry—it's safe… perfectly safe…

• Discount Codes

‘Stranger Things’ road trip: visit these Hawkins, Indiana-style destinations

Who said the Upside Down wasn’t real?

You there! Yes, you! Stop digging a hole in your back garden. The neighbours are getting really irritated, your back’s in agony and you’re dangerously close to a water pipe. You won’t reach the Upside Down, like in Stranger Things . It doesn’t exist. Or at least, the Upside Down hasn’t found us yet.

Hawkins, Indiana – with all its vintage arcades, spooky forests and disused train tracks – isn’t a real town, it’s a creation of the Duffer brothers. But it is based on real locations; suburban towns stuck in a time machine; nightmarish outdoor spaces; giant industrial blocks shrouded in mystery. Instead of digging that hole, you’d be better off travelling the world to these real life places, which all bear resemblance to Hawkins.

Montauk, New York

What does it have? Montauk was the original title for Stranger Things , largely because the fishing town has paranormal disturbances of its own. Hawkins National Laboratory takes a big influence from “Camp Hero,” a mysterious air force base with underground tunnels and countless acres unavailable to the public. Several rumours surround “Camp Hero”, ones of abduction, half-human, half-reptile creatures and alien life.

Strangest thing : The Air Force Station’s eerie radar tower, which overlooks Montauk.

How to get there : The nearest airport is Long Island MacArthur, 66 miles away.

Dorky’s Barcade, Tahoma, Washington

Recommended

What does it have? The most old school assemblage of vintage arcade machines this side of Hawkins. There are some signs of modern sheen and the 00’s getting its mitts on retromania, but you can spend hours plugging away at Asteroids and Ghostbusters. But don’t even think about beating Mad Max’s high score.

Strangest thing: The wooden, swinging door entrance is so Hawkins, you half imagine Billy to be waiting on the other side with a sports car after you’ve played Space Invaders for six hours.

How to get there : Fly to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

Morgan-Monroe State Forest, Indiana

What does it have? The world’s most haunted forest, according to locals. The second largest woodland in Indiana – Hawkins’ state, it should be noted – is steeped in spooky tales. Like the Black Lady, a ghost who lost her infant son in the 1930’s and stays by his grave to this day. Or the Lady’s dog, who has also been cited in paranormal reports. Oh, and apparently Bigfoot loves a stroll around these parts.

Strangest thing : The Stepp Cemetery, home of the Black Lady. The closest you can get to meeting the Shadow Monster.

How to get there : Fly to Fort Wayne International Airport.

This abandoned train wreck, Cleveland, Ohio

PHOTOS: Creepy abandoned train cars in woods of Ohio http://t.co/EmzjyJ6qqt | via @seph_lawless | pic.twitter.com/ruxow2xaL1 — News 5 Cleveland (@WEWS) July 9, 2015

What does it have? A post-apocalypse scene, set in a forest in the Ohio / Pennsylvania border. Photographer Seph Lawless, who specialises in finding scenes of spooky abandonment, stumbled upon this haunted site. It doubles up as the perfect place to hide from Demadogs.

Strangest thing : Its proximity to a forest, which makes it almost perfect for Hawkins-style adventures.

How to get there : Fly to Cleveland Hopkins International Airport.

Stonehaven Farm, Campbellville, Ontario, Canada

What does it have? A gloomy pumpkin patch worthy of paranormal activity. Whatever you do, don’t pull giant, pesticide-free squashes from their roots in an attempt to find weird, black slime. The people of Stonehaven Farm wouldn’t be best pleased.  

Strangest thing: The similarly scary crops surrounding Stonehaven’s plentiful supply of pumpkins.

How to get there : Fly to Toronto and drive for 45 minutes.

• Related Topics
• Stranger Things

You May Also Like

Lankum: “this generation of irish artists have a confidence to stand up and be themselves”, ranking the ‘fallout’ games by their radio stations, good neighbours live in london: tiktok stars spin obvious influences into heartfelt anthems, steven knight on ‘this town’ and his big-budget ‘peaky blinders’ movie, fat white family – ‘forgiveness is yours’ review: inventive, ambitious and weirdly respectable, more stories, slipknot have confirmed the identity of their new drummer, salma hayek joins madonna as guest judge for ‘vogue’ in mexico, nish kumar wants to play james bond “as a prank”, david gilmour says he found the beatles’ ‘get back’ documentary “a hard watch” and he’s “surprised paul mccartney allowed it”, future bubblers drop out of hosting stage at the great escape in solidarity with palestine, this new horror series has a 100 per cent rotten tomatoes rating.

Seattle's Top 25 Things to Do

We dare you to do them all.

In no way is this a comprehensive list of all the incredible experiences to be had in Seattle, but it’s a start. Let’s go!

SEATTLE CENTER

Space Needle

Built for the 1962 World’s Fair, the 605-foot-tall Space Needle quickly became an icon of the city that today is recognized far and wide. On the observation level, which you can reach via a 43-second elevator ride, see the doodle-on-a-napkin concept that led to the Space Needle design. Views from the top feature Elliott Bay, the Cascade Mountains, and even Mount Rainier.

Seattle Center Monorail

Another World’s Fair relic, the Seattle Center Monorail links Seattle Center—home of the Space Needle and several other notable attractions—to downtown’s Westlake Center along an approximately one-mile route. The designated historic landmark can reach a top speed of 45 miles per hour and weaves between skyscrapers above the city streets.

Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP)

Music, science fiction, and pop culture all come together at the fascinating Museum of Pop Culture . The Frank Gehry-designed building looks like a smashed guitar from above, while inside, its colorful exhibits cover everything from the history of indie video games and horror films to Nirvana, the Seahawks, and more.

Sponsored Message

Looking for the best things to do in Seattle? Save 48% or more on admission to 5 top attractions with Seattle CityPASS® tickets. Learn more .

Pacific Science Center

This family-friendly museum is where science lessons come to life. At Pacific Science Center , explore galaxies near and far in the planetarium, get up close and personal with colorful creatures in the Tropical Butterfly House, maneuver a two-ton granite ball, find out what it means if you can roll your tongue, and much more.

Chihuly Garden and Glass

The Chihuly Garden and Glass museum is dedicated to the work and career of locally born, world-renowned glassblower Dale Chihuly, who was introduced to the craft while studying at the University of Washington. It is the most comprehensive collection of his art to date, with interior galleries featuring a variety of his work in the medium. The pièce de résistance is the glasshouse, with a vibrant 100-foot-long sculpture in hues of red, orange, and yellow suspended from the ceiling.

Pacific Northwest Ballet

Among the top echelon of dance companies in the world, Pacific Northwest Ballet performs a variety of classical and modern shows in Seattle Center’s beautiful McCaw Hall. Under the creative direction of renowned dancer Peter Boal, Pacific Northwest Ballet offers transformative performances that are sure to impress. Don’t miss its recently revamped version of The Nutcracker , an annual holiday tradition.

DOWNTOWN SEATTLE

Pike Place Market

From the iconic market sign and Rachel the Piggy Bank to the gum wall, the original Starbucks cafe, well over 225 local artisans selling their wares, the famous fish-tossing tradition, and music-playing street performers, there are enough sights and sounds at Pike Place Market to pack a day (or more). The market added its historic MarketFront expansion in 2017, featuring an open-air plaza and fantastic views of Elliott Bay.

Seattle Art Museum – three ways

The Seattle Art Museum (SAM) is the city’s largest museum dating back to the 1930s and housing a varied collection of artwork that spans multiple eras and geographic regions. Take the time to visit the Olympic Sculpture Park , an outdoor extension of the museum that’s open to the public for free about a mile away at the waterfront. And don’t miss exploring SAM’s Asian art collection at the Seattle Asian Art Museum , located just east of downtown in Capitol Hill.

Central Public Library

You’ve never seen a library quite like this— Seattle Central Library ’s architecturally distinct structure boasts enough glass to cover more than five football stadiums. Head to the 10th floor for a light-filled reading room with peekaboo views of Elliott Bay, or take a self-guided cell phone tour by dialing 206-868-8564*.

Smith Tower

Visit the city’s first skyscraper, built in 1914, and ride the historic, manually operated elevators to the 35th-floor observatory, where 360-degree views await. Displays tell the tale of characters who made Smith Tower what it is today, while the tower’s Prohibition-themed Temperance bar serves themed cocktails.

Seattle Aquarium

Down at the Seattle Aquarium on the waterfront’s Pier 59, learn all about salmon, meet a few adorable sea otters, and greet the various sea creatures of the Pacific Ocean, from puffers to giant clams. Watch scuba divers feed the fish, gawk at sharks swimming overhead in the underwater dome, and even touch a sea anemone.

Washington State Ferries

A ride across Puget Sound aboard one of 22 Washington State Ferries vessels is a quintessential Pacific Northwest experience. Enjoy the breathtaking views from the bow of the boat as you cruise to the nearby communities of Bainbridge Island or Bremerton. This is one of those cases where the journey is as much fun as the destination.

Seattle Great Wheel

Although it was only built in 2012, the Seattle Great Wheel has quickly become a fixture of the city’s skyline—plus it adds an entirely new sightseeing perspective, thanks to its location perched on the end of Pier 57. Enjoy three revolutions around in one of the air-conditioned gondolas to see the city, water, and mountains on the horizon.

Museum of Flight

Aviation buffs, take note: The Museum of Flight is one of the largest air and space collections in the country, with an overwhelming number of things to see—like a Boeing lunar rover and an Air Force One from the Eisenhower era—and do, including NASA space shuttle trainer tours and flight simulators.

Woodinville Wine Country

Western Washington’s wine outpost is in Woodinville, a charming town just a 30-minute drive from downtown Seattle. There are more than 100 wineries and tasting rooms pouring there (including Chateau Ste. Michelle , the state’s first winery), ensuring something for every palate.

Boeing Future of Flight

Boeing Future of Flight is one of Washington state’s premier aerospace attraction and experiences, 25 miles north of downtown Seattle. It is located in Mukilteo at Paine Field. Guests are welcome for the Gallery, Sky Deck, and Boeing Store.

T-Mobile Park and Lumen Field

Cheer on the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park , one of baseball’s prettiest ballparks (with gourmet food, to boot!), or root for the Seattle Seahawks and Sounders FC at neighboring Lumen Field , known for its boisterous atmosphere. Both stadiums offer behind-the-scenes tours during the offseason and when the teams are away.

This picturesque Queen Anne spot looks down at the Seattle skyline from the north. It’s the ideal place to get the quintessential view of the city, featuring the Space Needle, Elliott Bay, downtown skyscrapers, and (on clear days) Mount Rainier.

Pioneer Square

Seattle’s original downtown is full of beautiful old buildings in Romanesque Revival style, underground tours that take you beneath the streets to see the remains of the city’s first buildings, and an ever-growing slate of hip shops and restaurants. Take an afternoon or more to explore Pioneer Square ‘s ivy-covered buildings and pop into bars, boutiques, and hidden gems, like Waterfall Garden Park .

Chinatown-International District

The ornate Chinatown Gate welcomes you to this diverse neighborhood, where the food scene is incredible. After eating your fill of everything from pho to sushi, visit Wing Luke Museum , dedicated to the Asian Pacific American experience; practice your pinball game at the Seattle Pinball Museum ; and shop for Japanese snacks and cute gifts at the Uwajimaya supermarket.

Ballard Locks

In Lake Washington’s Ship Canal sits the century-old Ballard Locks , where you can watch the water levels rise and lower to create a “boat elevator” for boats and even kayaks passing between freshwater lakes and the salt water of Puget Sound. The on-site botanical garden and fish ladder are also worth a visit.

South Lake Union

The always bustling Lake Union, located just northeast of downtown, hosts a variety of seaplanes and boats of all kinds, including the floating home from Sleepless in Seattle . Get out on the water at The Center for Wooden Boats , which offers rentals and tours. And explore the area’s burgeoning restaurant and bar scene.

Kenmore Air

If you want to get a better look at the city, the views from Kenmore Air ’s Seattle Scenic Seaplane Tour are unbeatable. Board the floatplane at Lake Union for an exhilarating takeoff, leisure flight, and gentle landing back on the water.

Museum of History & Industry (MOHAI)

Known as MOHAI , this museum on the shores of Lake Union encapsulates what Seattle is all about, with a dash of smart history, a dose of technology, and quirky artifacts around every corner (think a pink truck with toes). Permanent exhibits showcase everything from the city’s maritime history to modern tech innovations.

Starbucks Reserve Roastery

You won’t have trouble finding a Starbucks here in the company’s hometown, but you’ll want to seek out this special Starbucks experience on Capitol Hill. The Starbucks Reserve Roastery is a Willy Wonka–esque coffee wonderland, where you’ll find exclusive beverages, various brewing methods, a coffee library, and more.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE SEATTLE LOCALIST

Seattle’s best every month in your inbox.

• OPT-IN: By clicking the "Subscribe" button, I agree to receive emails from Visit Seattle and that I have read and agree to the Visit Seattle Privacy Policy .
• Email This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Book Your Trip

Partner Advertisements

• Sustainability
• Latest News
• News Reports
• Documentaries & Shows
• TV Schedule
• CNA938 Live
• Radio Schedule
• Singapore Parliament
• Mental Health
• Interactives
• Entertainment
• Style & Beauty
• Experiences
• Remarkable Living
• Send us a news tip
• Events & Partnerships
• Business Blueprint
• Health Matters
• The Asian Traveller

Trending Topics

Follow our news, recent searches, commentary: setting netflix's stranger things in a 1980s mental health hospital has its dark side, advertisement.

Season four of Stranger Things introduces viewers to Pennhurst Mental Hospital. When the real Pennhurst and other asylums around the world become tourist attractions, we forget these institutions held real people and their stories, says a professor.

Joanne Watson

MELBOURNE: The Netflix sci-fi horror series Stranger Things is vividly soaked in 1980s nostalgia , famously catapulting Kate Bush’s 1985 song Running Up That Hill to the top of music charts in 2022.

In season four , series creators the Duffer Brothers introduce viewers to Pennhurst Mental Hospital for the criminally insane (which is also mentioned in season one). 

Viewers follow teenage sleuths Robin and Nancy into Pennhurst, where they are granted permission to speak to Victor Creel, imprisoned because he is thought to have brutally murdered his family.

Although the Pennhurst Mental Hospital portrayed in Stranger Things is fictitious, the location was inspired by the Eastern Pennsylvania State Institution for the Feeble-Minded and Epileptic.  Later named the Pennhurst State School and Hospital and located in the woods of Chester County, Pennsylvania, it was founded in 1908 and shut down in 1987.

More than 10,000 people with intellectual disabilities and mental illnesses lived at Pennhurst, many spending their entire lives within its walls.

The real Pennhurst has become a tourist attraction, like dozens of empty asylums around the world, including some in Australia. But as we seek out thrills, we shouldn’t forget these institutions held real people and their stories.

Commentary: Why does Netflix cancel so many good shows?

Commentary: Why Netflix wants to charge you for sharing your password with friends

Commercialising mental institutions into tourist attractions.

Pennhurst was a place of segregation, power, abuse, neglect and torture, fuelled by society’s perception that people with intellectual disabilities were a dangerous threat to social order.

At the dawn of the 19th century’s eugenics movement, people with intellectual disabilities existed on the lowest rung of the human hierarchy. Ultimately, they were removed from the human gene pool through institutionalisation and sterilisation.

In 1987, in response to the disability rights movement’s loud call for de-institutionalisation and after groundbreaking litigation brought by a resident and her family, the State of Pennsylvania closed Pennhurst’s doors. 

The courts agreed those in state care had a constitutional right to appropriate treatment and education. More than 1,000 Pennhurst residents began lives of worth and value in the community.

In 2010, the state of Pennsylvania sold the site. Today, Pennhurst exists as a “dark tourism” destination. Pennhurst Asylum entertains visitors with “jump scares” around a narrative of depraved criminality, that simultaneously erases and evokes the inhumane treatment of the people who called Pennhurst home.

To those who lived there and their supporters, Pennhurst is more than the horrors of its past and the commercialisation of its future.

For Dennis Downey and James Conroy, editors of Pennhurst and the Struggle for Disability Rights, Pennhurst represents “one of the great, if unrecognised, freedom struggles of the twentieth century”, fanning the flames of the global de-institutionalisation and independent living movements.

Following Pennhurst’s closure, most Western nations began closing institutions. This independent living movement was a precursor to the 2006 United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disability.

Article 19 of the convention obliges signatory nations to ensure “the equal right of all persons with disabilities to live in the community, with choices equal to others”. 

And Article 12 asks signatory nations to recognise that all citizens, regardless of disability, have “legal personhood” and therefore should enjoy autonomy and respect.

The convention charges signatory nations with an unequivocal obligation to firmly make the traumatic experiences of institutionalisation a thing of the past, while acknowledging and preserving the stories of trauma as narratives of dignity and respect.

A GLOBAL DARK TOURISM TRADE 

Pennhurst is one of many “haunted” tourist attractions worldwide inspired by traumatised lives of people with disability.

A hemisphere away, high on a hill, overlooking the rural town of Ararat in Western Victoria, Australia, stands Aradale Lunatic Asylum, the location of the notorious J-Ward.

Life on the outside, after 35 years in a mental ward

During its years of operation from 1867 to 1993, it was home to more than 10,000 people with disabilities. 

Like Pennhurst, the past two decades have seen a transformation of Aradale into a tourist attraction, exploiting the very real and horrific life experiences of the people who called it home.

Thrill-seekers can join the Aradale ghost tour and be haunted by such ghostly “tickling, strange smells, banging sounds, shadows and other spooky sensations”.

Tours and “paranormal investigations” also operate at the former Mayday Hills Lunatic Asylum, in Beechworth, Victoria. Tours of Sydney’s Gladesville Mental Hospital, formerly Tarban Creek Lunatic Asylum, are currently on hold due to COVID-19.

Shuttered institutions that were once home to people with disabilities in the United States, Norway, Austria and South Korea are regularly grouped into terrifying online itineraries.

ACKNOWLEDGE AND PRESERVE STORIES OF TRAUMA

Dark tourism operators sell thrilling customer experiences – but the stories of people with disabilities who lived behind the walls of institutions like Pennhurst and Aradale are much darker.

Forensic psychiatrist Jaydip Sarkar talks about coming face-to-face with killers, rapists and other offenders, and why he chose this high-stakes career on CNA's Heavy Duty:

By relying on offensive and misguided portrayals of people with disability as horrifying, dangerous and criminal, operators exploit the ways residents were treated for commercialised entertainment.

Ironically, London’s Bethlem Hospital (from which the word “bedlam” originated) reportedly ran tours for curious visitors to gawk at residents until 1770. But today, the Bethlem Museum of the Mind houses archives and art “to support the history of mental healthcare and treatment”. 

An upcoming exhibition explores how “experiences of trauma, mental distress, contact with mental health services and everyday life can shape and disrupt a person’s sense of home”.

Netflix and filmmakers like the Duffer Brothers have an opportunity to acknowledge and preserve the stories of institutionalised communal trauma. 

A simple dedication to Pennhurst residents could even be added to a Stranger Things episode or opening credits. It could educate a generation of world citizens about the crimes of the past and the intrinsic personhood of all of humanity.

Joanne Watson is a Senior Lecturer in Disability and Inclusion at Deakin University. This commentary first appeared in The Conversation.

Commentary: When we call people with strange behaviour mentally ill, we reinforce mental health stigma

Commentary: Teens are self-diagnosing mental health conditions with ‘predatory’ TikTok ads

Related topics, also worth reading, this browser is no longer supported.

We know it's a hassle to switch browsers but we want your experience with CNA to be fast, secure and the best it can possibly be.

To continue, upgrade to a supported browser or, for the finest experience, download the mobile app.

Upgraded but still having issues? Contact us

13 Most Tourist-Friendly Places Around The World Where You Don’t Have To Worry About Being A Stranger

• Hospitality and tourist-friendliness are key factors to consider when choosing a travel destination. South Korea, Japan, and Greece are among the most tourist-friendly countries in the world.
• South Korea is known for its charm and hospitality, with cities like Seoul and Busan worth visiting. Japan offers a blend of cultures and polite residents, while Greece's culture of hospitality to strangers dates back to ancient times.
• Thailand, Spain, the United States, Australia, Italy, Portugal, the Philippines, Canada, New Zealand, and Iceland are also known for their tourist-friendly atmospheres, welcoming people, and diverse attractions.

Hospitality and tourist-friendliness are some of the most important things to consider before visiting a place. These factors often determine whether one will have an enjoyable experience or a regrettable one. From pedestrian-friendly cities to those who open their arms to LGBTQ+ travelers , the world is much kinder than we're made to believe.

Many destinations around the world become less appealing by not having these qualities. Some, however, have them, and it helps to know that one will not have to worry about being a stranger when visiting the best tourist-friendly destinations around the world. Out of them all, these are perhaps the most tourist-friendly countries in the world to visit as a foreigner. Pack a bag and get those tickets booked ASAP!

UPDATE: 2023/11/17 18:22 EST BY NOAH STAATS

The Most Tourist-Friendly Places On Earth: More Smiles Ahead

This article has been refreshed with two new friendly countries, both in Asia, as well as expanded attractions to see in each respective place. From the East to the West, and everywhere in between, there is more happiness and kind people to meet this year!

Related: 10 Places Where You Can Go If The World Is About To End (Scientifically Speaking)

South Korea

South Korea is one of the friendlier countries/places for tourists to visit. Known for its charm and hospitality, South Korea is the birthplace of K-Pop Korean BBQ and hosts plenty of cities worth booking a hotel in. Per a Pew Research study, nearly 85% of South Koreans have a positive view of Americans and the West, making this a safe choice for travel. Although some countries may not be as welcoming to foreigners, this is not the case in South Korea. Notable cities include Seoul, Incheon, Ulsan, Busan, Gwanju, and so on.

• Top attractions in South Korea : Gyeongbokgung Palace, N Seoul Tower, National Museum of Korea, Bukchon Hanok Village, Bulguksa, Lotte World, War Memorial of Korea

Japan is yet another super-friendly Asian country for tourists, following years of smiling faces and blended cultures being allowed in its neighborhoods. With massive tourist hubs like Tokyo, Sapporo, Kyoto, Osaka, Yokohama, Nagoya, Kobe, etc. Being polite is another major part of Japanese culture, with respect between all age groups and genders, making the country even better for a wide range of visitors. Even for those who don't speak Japanese, Japan's residents are often said to be helpful to foreigners and will help them as much as possible.

• Top attractions in Japan : Fushimi Inari Taisha, Kiyomizu-dera, Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden, Imperial Palace, Kinkaku-ji, Osaka Castle

These are a few unique things you can only see and do in Japan .

The culture of hospitality to strangers is ingrained into Greek culture, which is why strangers are often treated with so much respect and care. This culture dates back to ancient times, and Greeks stay true to this as they believe the stranger could be a god in disguise looking to test them.

In addition, Greece is one of the most touristy destinations in the world, and there’s always somebody from every part of the world there, so one will never feel alone or like a total stranger.

• Top attractions in Greece: Acropolis of Athens, Delphi, Parthenon, Meteora Mountains

Related: 10 Must-Try Bucket List Experiences In Greece In 2023

Millions of people visit Thailand every year , so the country's residents have seen enough tourists that they have become used to them. At any time, tourists are scattered all over the country, so no single tourist is ever alone.

This makes it feel kind of safe here, and the locals often look for ways to please visitors however they can. Thai people are also famous for being very friendly and hospitable. After all, Thailand isn't nicknamed "The Land of Smiles" for nothing.

• Top attractions in Thailand: The Grand Palace, Railay Beach, Ayutthaya, Tonsai Beach

Spain is one of the most visited countries in the world , and that's not just because of its numerous historic and natural attractions and the many vibrant Spanish cities worth visiting . The country is also popular among travelers because of its warm and friendly atmosphere.

While English is not commonly spoken in some places, the people always do their best to make tourists feel welcome and comfortable. Also, many expatriates live and work in this country, so one can easily blend into the population.

• Top attractions in Spain: La Sagrada Família, Guggenheim Museum, Plaxa Manor

The United States

The US welcomes everybody with open arms regardless of which part of the world they come from. It is one of the most diverse countries in the world, where people from every culture on the planet can be found.

Whether from Europe, Africa, Asia, India, Polynesia, Latin America, or Australia, everybody is welcome in the US. The country is also tourist-friendly, so one does not have to worry about being a stranger here.

• Top attractions in the US: Grand Canyon, Central Park, Hollywood, Yosemite National Park

The population of Australia is diverse, and the people are welcoming, so tourists will not feel like they're on their toes while visiting. Australians are generally happy and easy-going people, and they have a good sense of humor that benefits everybody.

The only challenge visitors might have in Australia is understanding the accent, but knowledge of popular Aussie slang terms and words will help them get along well. The slang is not really such a huge problem anyway.

• Top attractions in Australia: Sydney Opera House, Great Ocean Road, Fraser Island, Kakadu National Park

People in Italy have been used to foreigners for a long time; they welcome everybody with open arms. Italians are also kind and hospitable and will usually go to extra lengths to help visitors.

Whether visiting on vacation or looking to live in Italy, one will not have to worry about being a stranger in this country.

• Top attractions in Italy: Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, Uffizi Gallery Museum

Related: Destination Italy: 10 Things To Do In Italy At Least Once In Your Life

Portugal is a very beautiful, peaceful, and welcoming country. Tourists who visit will agree to the fact that the people are super friendly and always looking to help or start up a conversation. While tourists without knowledge of Portuguese might find it difficult to navigate or get things done in some places, there's usually always an English-speaking person around who's willing to help out.

Those who are fortunate enough to learn even just a little bit of Portuguese can even be adopted into a family before their vacation is over.

• Top attractions in Portugal: Torre de Belem, Geres Mountain Range, Castle of Guimaraes

The Philippines

The Philippines is one of the friendliest countries in the world. The locals are very helpful to everybody, especially tourists, and their smile is warm and contagious. Tourists who are lucky enough can even get shelter and a bowl of rice decorated with eggs, tomatoes, and beef tapa from local people.

There's so much to say about Filipino hospitality - it could fill up a book. It doesn't matter who one is or where one is coming from; the Philippines welcomes everybody.

• Top attractions in the Philippines: Mayon Volcano, Chocolate Hills, Batad Rice Terraces

Canada is a large and culturally diverse country filled with friendly people, from the streets to the customs office. Whether purchasing something from a shop or asking for directions, visitors to Canada will feel the warmth of Canadians at every turn.

A recent study even placed Canada at the top of a list of the most accepting countries for migrants. This is a reassuring revelation and one that will surely make visitors to the country feel more comfortable.

• Top attractions in Canada: Banff National Park, Niagara Falls, CN Tower

New Zealand

New Zealand, like many other Polynesian countries in the world , is a place of warmth and hospitality. Here, it's not difficult to blend into the community, as New Zealanders are generally considered to be friendly and down to earth.

Perhaps the abundant natural wonders in New Zealand have something to do with this? It's not totally certain, but it sure is one more thing visitors will enjoy in addition to the welcoming atmosphere in this beautiful country.

• Top attractions in New Zealand: Hobbiton Movie Set, Fiordland National Park, Abel Tasman National Park

Iceland has long remained at the top of the list of the tourist-friendliest countries in the world. The people here are open-minded and kind, and there's a strong sense of community. Icelandic people are also considered some of the happiest people in the world, and Iceland is one of the safest countries in the world with low crime rates.

These positive features all combine to make visitors feel welcome and safe enough to enjoy all that Iceland has to offer .

• Top attractions in Iceland: Iceland's famous Blue Lagoon , Golden Circle, Diamond Circle, Hallgrimskirkjs Church