10 Famous TV Show Filming Locations in the USA
Have you ever wanted to visit the real life set of Friends, Gossip Girl, One Tree Hill or other iconic TV Shows?! There’s so many famous scenes that take place on TV that are filmed in “real world” places you can visit while exploring the city.
Check out my favorite TV Show Filming Locations around the USA:
FRIENDS
TV Show: Friends
City: New York City, NY
Submitted by Francesca at Travel Heal Love
New York City has been the set of many famous TV shows and films. An all-time favorite TV show is Friends, which was filmed in LA but based in NYC. Any and all exterior shots in the TV series were filmed here in New York, while all interior shots were on the Warner Bros studio in LA.
Friends has recently celebrated its 20th anniversary since the hiring of the first episode, but it still remains one of the most-watched series. Not only it is super funny, but it also talks about very important topics like homosexuality, surrogacy, adoption, and many others making it actual to this day without being controversial or stereotypical.
Furthermore, the plot evolves through the streets of New York City which becomes the place where all the dreams come true and where you can create friendships for a lifetime – this means you can find many Friends filming locations in NYC. Also, do not forget that NYC is a wonderful city, full of colors, tastes, and smells and it is worth visiting at least once in your life! Even if you are not a Friends fan. But, I mean, how could you not be?!
Top 5 Friends Filming Locations
1 – Central Perk Café
features a coffee shop and a museum with all the props and souvenirs used in the TV show.
199 Lafayette St at the corner of Broome Street.
2 – The Apartments Building
the exteriors of their iconic apartment building (interior was filmed in an LA Studio)
90 Bedford Street, New York City, NY (southeast corner of Grove St & Bedford St)
3 – Ross’ Paleontologist Classes
the University where Ross teaches future paleontologists everything about dinosaurs
New York University: A square area bounded by Houston Street to the south, Broadway to the east, 14th Street to the north, and Sixth Avenue (Avenue of the Americas) to the west.
4 – Chandler’s workplace
Despite no one knows what Chandler’s job really is, this building is where he does whatever he does for a living!
Located: Solow Building – west of Fifth Avenue between 57th and 58th Street, near the Plaza Hotel.
5 – Chandler & Monica’s Engagement Party
The Plaza Hotel was used as the location for Chandler & Monica’s engagement party
Located: 5th Avenue at, Central Park S.
GOSSIP GIRL
TV Show: Gossip Girl
City: New York City, NY
Submitted by Bernadette of Live a Relaxed Life
Another NYC classic is Gossip Girl. This TV show is based on the award winning book series by Cecily von Ziegesar. Majority of the interior and exterior Gossip Girl filming locations were based here in New York City.
Gossip Girl begins with the return of Serena Van der Woodson’s to New York City and being spotted at Grand Central Terminal. From there, head over to the Upper East Side and Fifth Avenue to hit a bunch of spots.
The courtyard of the Museum of the City of New York is used as the entrance to the Constance Billard School for girls and you can easily go there to snap a pic. Down Fifth Avenue is the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the steps where Blair and her minions would hang out for lunch.
In Central Park is the Bethesda Fountain where Serena and Blair made up after a fight and where Chuck and Blair hold their wedding. And just outside the park is the Pulitzer Fountain in front of the Plaza Hotel where the Serena and Blair had an impromptu fashion shoot.
Gossip Girl Filming Locations:
1 – Iconic Lunch Spot on the Met Steps | Metropolitan Museum
1000 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York
2 – Opening Scene with Serena | Grand Central Station
89 East 42nd Street, New York, New York
3 – Entrance to Constance Billard School | Museum of the City of NY
1220 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York
4 – Impromptu Photoshoot with Serena & Blair | Plaza Hotel
East side at 59th Street corner Fifth Avenue, New York, New York
YELLOWSTONE
TV Show: Yellowstone
City: Darby, Montana
Submitted By: Tawnya Redding (Money Saved is Money Earned)
Yellowstone is a western drama show that follows the Dutton family, who own the largest ranch in Montana. The plot involves the dramas of the family and ranch hands of the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch, as well as the conflicts between the ranch, a nearby Indian reservation, and land developers. Yellowstone stars Kevin Costner as the patriarch John Dutton, along with Wes Bentley, Kelly Reilly, Luke Grimes, Cole Hauser, and Gil Birmingham. It is currently one of the most popular shows on television and has spawned two related series.
Filming locations have included Montana, Utah, and Texas, but the setting for the fictional Yellowstone Dutton Ranch is the Chief Joseph Ranch in Darby, Montana. What is now the Chief Joseph Ranch was originally the Ford-Hollister Ranch, and the Ford-Hollister Lodge featured as the Dutton home was built between 1914 and 1917.
Today, the Chief Joseph Ranch is a working ranch as well as a guest ranch. Cabins featured in the show are currently available for rent, and the ranch’s website promises updates about the filming schedule as soon as they are available.
During Season 4, filming was moved exclusively to Montana.
Top 5 Filming Locations for Yellowstone TV Show:
1 – Yellowstone Dutton Ranch
The main ranch in the show is mostly filmed on Chief Joseph Ranch in Montana
125 Appaloosa Trail, Darby, Montana 59829
2 – Governor’s office and court scenes
The iconic court scenes in Yellowstone are filmed at the Montana State Capitol
1301 E 6th Ave, Helena, Montana 59601
3 – Reservation Scenes
Crow Indian Reservation (Montana)
4 – Bar Scenes
Majority of the nightclub scenes are filmed at the Outlaw Saloon in Utah
1254 W 2100 South, Ogden, Utah 84401
5 – Four Sixes Ranch (6666 Ranch) – King County, Texas
1102 Dash For Cash Rd, Guthrie, Texas 79236
ONE TREE HILL
TV Show: One Tree Hill
City: Wilmington, North Carolina
One Tree Hill is set in a fictional town, “Tree Hill”. However almost every scene is filmed here in Wilmington, North Carolina! You can take yourself on a Self Guided One Tree Hill tour to see your favorite characters houses, iconic landmarks, and famous scenes from the CW Network TV series.
One Tree Hill is my personal favorite TV Show, so it was very surreal seeing the character’s houses and iconic landmarks in real life in Wilmington.
Top 5 One Tree Hill Filming Locations
1 – The Bridge in the Opening Credits
6th Street Bridge, near Hanover Street
2 – Lucas & Karen’s House
1829 Wrightsville Avenue
3 – Brooke’s House
2314 Tattersalls Dr., Wilmington, NC 28403
4 – The Riverwalk (where Nathan gave Haley a bracelet)
Wilmington Downtown Riverwalk
5 – Tree Hill High
610 North Front Street
Read More: Self Guided One Tree Hill tour
Big Little Lies Filming Locations
TV Show: Big Little Lies
City: Monterey, CA
Submitted by: Dhara from Roadtripping California
Big Little Lies is a hugely popular, Emmy-winning drama on HBO. Monterey and Big Sur served as filming locations for many of the scenes in Season 2. Based on Liane Moriarty’s book of the same name, the show features stars such as Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon, and Meryl Streep. The setting for the book and the show is the beautiful Monterey peninsula.
Many of the locations from the show are set within a few miles of each other in and around the city of Monterey. Bixby Creek Bridge, along CA Highway 1, is the furthest out, at about 30 minutes from Monterey, but the drive is stunning!
Big Little Lies Filming Locations
- Bixby Creek Bridge, Big Sur Title Sequence + Driving Route for Celeste
- Monterey Bay Aquarium, Jane works here
- Del Monte Beach, Monterey
- Lovers Point Park Blissful Drip Café (Café is fictional and was built for the show)
Stranger Things
TV Show: Stranger Things
City: Atlanta, Georgia
Submitted by: Elizabeth from The Fearless Foreigner
Atlanta, Georgia is one of the biggest cities in the south. The city is home to the busiest airport in the world and Delta’s hub. Thanks to all the flights, it is easy to reach Atlanta from anywhere in the US and even many cities abroad.
If you are a fan of the Netflix series, Stranger Things, you are in luck when visiting Atlanta. Filming of the popular sci-fi show took place in and around the Atlanta metro area. While it is easy to fly into Atlanta, you’ll need to have a car or take a Stranger Things Tour to reach many of the filming locations. Make sure to add the following filming sites to your next Atlanta itinerary!
Top 5 Filming Locations for Stranger Things:
- Hawkins National Library: 1256 Briarcliff Road Northeast, Atlanta, 30306
- Lonnie Byer’s House: 930 Garibaldi Street Southwest, Atlanta, 30310
- Downtown Hawkins: 2nd Street, Jackson (at the square)
- Hawkins Middle & High School: 109 South Lee Street, Stockbridge, 30281
- Pumpkin Farm & Hopper’s Cabin: 628 Sleepy Hollow Road, Powder Springs, 30127
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
TV Show: The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
City: New York City, NY
Submitted by Bernadette of Book Retreats
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel centers around Midge and her picture-perfect life as a mother and housewife in the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Her life revolves around her family and running around her neighborhood then all of a sudden, she discovers she is good at stand-up comedy which upends her world. Then, she can be seen at Comedy Clubs in lower Manhattan and having all sorts of adventures that would never have occurred in her sheltered life.
The shooting locations that are easy to visit are Central Park, Washington Square Park, and Columbia University. Many of the restaurants and bars that she frequents once were open in the 1950s, but of course are closed now. Though you can still visit La Bonbonniere and Old Town Bar. For a look at vintage subway cars, some are on display at the New York Transit Museum in Brooklyn.
Top 3 Filming Locations for The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
1. Central Park | Central Park, New York, New York
2. Washington Square Park | Fifth Avenue between MacDougal Street and University Place
3. Columbia University | 116 St and Broadway, New York, New York
Seinfeld Filming LOcations
TV Show: Seinfeld
City: New York City, NY
Submitted by Kelly of Travel New York Now
Seinfeld is one of the famous TV shows set in New York. Jerry and his friends live in the Upper West Side neighborhood and frequent Monk’s Restaurant. The exterior of the restaurant was the only part used in the show. The real Tom’s has wooden interiors unlike the diner in the sitcom. The restaurant is still open and serves solid diner fare that will fill you up.
For a taste of the “Soup Nazi’s” tasty soups head over the Midtown to get a hot bowl and a side of bread (if you’re lucky!). And for some time, George worked for the Yankees and the baseball stadium is all the way in the Bronx. If there isn’t a game going on, there are stadium tours to get to see the field and Yankees memorabilia.
Filming Locations for Seinfeld
1 – Monk’s Restaurant | Exterior of Tom’s Restaurant
2880 Broadway, New York, New York
2 – The Original Soupman
37 West 48th Street, New York, New York
3 – George’s Workplace | Yankee Stadium
72 East 161st St, New York, New York
There you have it – some of the most iconic TV show filming locations here in the United States! It’s so fun to step inside the screen and see where your favorite shows are filmed, so I truly hope this guide helps.
What other TV Show filming locations have you been to? Leave a note in the comments!
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