The Florida Project (2017)

Sean Baker’s excellent 2017 film “The Florida Project” was shot almost entirely on location in Kissimmee, Florida, along the outskirts of Disney World in Orlando.  The vast majority of the film takes place at the Magic Castle Inn & Suites, where a slice of life story unfolds about a mother, Halley, and her daughter, Moonee, played by Bria Vinaite and Brooklynn Prince.

The Magic Castle Inn is a real, operational hotel in Kissimmee and still appears exactly as it did in the film.

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LOCATION: 5055 W Irlo Bronson Memorial Hwy, Kissimmee, FL 34746

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Halley and Moonee stay in room 323 for most of the film.

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The kids often sit underneath these stairs near the front entrance of the hotel, including the film’s opening scene.

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The hotel manager, Bobby, played by Willem Dafoe, comes over to the pool to tell an elder guest, who is sunbathing topless, to cover herself up.

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The kids are playing around these picnic tables when a child predator approaches them and strikes up a conversation.  Bobby, seeing what’s happening from afar, quickly intervenes.

In the open field behind the picnic tables, helicopters regularly take flight.  Lacking the funds to control this, the filmmakers instead incorporated the helicopters into the film.

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Another view of the hotel, which was filmed from nearly every angle imaginable over the course of the film.  We won’t attempt to document them all.

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Jancey stays at the former Futureland Inn.  The hotel has since changed ownership and is currently known as the Paradise Inn.  Gone are the distinctive rockets from the front sign.  What does appear the same, other than a paint job, is the room where Jancey and her mom stay, which the kids visit early in the film, spitting on the car from the second level.

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LOCATION: 4501 W Irlo Bronson Memorial Hwy, Kissimmee, FL 34746

Related articles: Starlet (2012), Tangerine (2015)

Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)

Spider-Man finally took center stage as part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe in 2017’s “Spider-Man: Homecoming.”  While set in Queens, New York, most of the film was shot around Atlanta, Georgia.

Spider-Man, played by Tom Holland, returns a stolen bike in front of the Rainbow store in downtown Atlanta.

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LOCATION: 62 Peachtree St SW, Atlanta, GA 30303

Peter discovers Adrian Toomes, played by Michael Keaton, is selling weapons to Aaron Davis, played by Donald Glover, underneath the Park Drive Bridge in Piedmont Park.

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LOCATION: Underneath Park Drive Bridge, Park Dr NE, Atlanta, GA 30309

Liz lives with her family at this unique glass house in the Ansley Park Sherwood Forest neighborhood of Atlanta.  The same home appeared in the 2016 film “Mother’s Day.” Alex’s house from “Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle” can also be found in the same neighborhood.

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LOCATION: 229 Little John Trail NE, Atlanta, GA 30309

American History X (1998)

In the 1998 Tony Kaye film “American History X,” Derek, played by Edward Norton, lives at this house in Venice, California.  After a racially motivated assault in front of the house, Derek is sent to prison.

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LOCATION: 2206 Meade Pl, Venice, CA 90291

Derek and his friends play a basketball game at the Venice Beach Recreation Center in order to determine which race wins rights to play on the court.

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LOCATION: 1800 Ocean Front Walk, Venice, CA 90291

Derek and his skinhead crew vandalize the former Archie’s Ranch Market in North Hollywood, which has since closed and is now a gym.  This angle seen in the film is from the rear parking lot. The same market appeared in the film “10 Items Or Less.”

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LOCATION: 7500 Lankershim Blvd, North Hollywood, CA 91605

Danny, played by Edward Furlong, attends school at the famous Venice High School, most well know for its use in the film “Grease.” It also appears in such films as “Matchstick Men” and “Heathers.”

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LOCATION: 13000 Venice Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90066

Derek escapes a confrontation with his former supremacist friends and disposes of a gun in a dumpster at this intersection.  This is located just one block up from the basketball court seen earlier in the film.

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LOCATION: 18th Ave & Speedway, Los Angeles, CA 90291

Derek’s family moves into this apartment later in the film.

LOCATION: 1250 Gordon St, Los Angeles, CA 90038

Derek and his brother Danny visit Johnie’s Coffee Shop Restaurant in midtown Los Angeles.  The restaurant closed many years ago, but still operates as a filming location.  It has appeared in “Reservoir Dogs,” “The Big Lebowski,” “Miracle Mile,” “Gone in Sixty Seconds,” the 1983 film “Suburbia” and many more.

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LOCATION: 6099 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90048

The Gift (2000)

In the 2000 Sam Raimi film “The Gift,” Cate Blanchett plays Annie, a gifted psychic who is asked to help find a missing woman.  Annie lives at this home in in Thunderbolt, Georgia, not far from Savannah.  The front yard has since been covered with some shrubs that obscure the front view of the house a bit.

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LOCATION: 3216 Bannon Ave, Thunderbolt, GA 31404

Later in the film, after the woman’s body is found, a trial is held at the Effingham County Superior Court in Springfield, Georgia.

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LOCATION: 901 N Pine St, Springfield, GA 31329

Interview With The Vampire (1994)

In the 1994 Neil Jordan adaptation of Anne Rice’s “Interview With The Vampire,” Louis, played by Brad Pitt, recounts his story to Malloy, played by Christian Slater at a San Francisco hotel located at 1020 Market St, San Francisco, CA 94102.

Louis lives at this estate, which is the Oak Alley Plantation in Louisiana.  The plantation is open to public tours.  This house and its distinct row of trees can actually be seen from the road of LA-18.  However, you might find it difficult to stop and get a photo, as there is no parking along the street.  The same home was also seen in the 1998 film “Primary Colors.”

LOCATION: 3645 LA-18, Vacherie, LA 70090

Lestat and Claudia, played by Tom Cruise and Kirsten Dunst, wipe out an entire family after Claudia plays piano for them. The exterior scenes, where coffins are seen being carried out, were filmed at the Madame John’s Legacy historic home and museum. The interior of the same building appeared in the film “12 Years a Slave.”

LOCATION: 632 Dumaine St, New Orleans, LA 70116

In the film’s closing scenes, Malloy is unexpectedly met by Lestat as they cross the Golden Gate Bridge.

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LOCATION: Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, CA

Ant-Man (2015)

While the 2015 Marvel film “Ant-Man,” starring Paul Rudd, was set in San Francisco, filming was actually split between San Francisco and Atlanta, Georgia.

Dr. Hank Pym, played by Michael Douglas, lives at this Victorian Gingerbread house in San Francisco, not far from the famous Haight-Ashbury district.

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LOCATION: 601 Buena Vista Ave W, San Francisco, CA 94117

Maggie Lang, Scott’s ex-wife, lives at this house with their daughter, located in Atlanta.

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LOCATION: 840 Clemont Dr NE, Atlanta, GA 30306

Scott meets up with his friends in Chinatown.  This scene was actually filmed in Los Angeles.

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LOCATION: Chinatown Central Plaza, 943 N Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90012

Related articles: Ant-Man And The Wasp (2018)

The Flintstones (1994)

The 1994 live action adaptation of “The Flintstones” was filmed in California and Utah. Early in the film, Fred Flintstone and Barney Rubble, played by John Goodman and Rick Moranis, are seen driving through the Bronson Cave, which can be found in Griffith Park in Los Angeles, California.  A very popular hiking spot, to reach it, simply take the Bronson Cave Trail for about a quarter of a mile and the caves are on the left.  Although the walk is uphill, it’s so short that anyone without medical issues should be able to handle it with ease.  The cave is a bit larger than it appears here.  Those who walk through it will also be treated to a nice view of the Hollywood sign on the other side. The cave has been featured in countless productions, most famously as the “Bat Cave” in the 1966 “Batman” TV series.

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LOCATION: 3200 Canyon Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90068 (the trailhead can be found at 2950 Canyon Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90068)

Vasquez Rocks in Agua Dulce, California are featured prominently in the film as the town of Bedrock.  Fred Flintstone’s house is featured as a set directly in front of the rocks. Countless films have also shot scenes at Vasquez Rocks, including “Dante’s Peak,” “Jay And Silent Bob Strike Back,” “Jingle All The Way,” “Starship Troopers,” “Hail, Caesar!,” “Blazing Saddles,” “Paul,” “Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey,” “Hell Comes to Frogtown” and dozens more.  Television shows which featured Vasquez Rocks in episodes include “The Fugutive,” “The A-Team,” “MacGuyver” and perhaps most famous of all, the original “Star Trek” series, where the rocks were seen in numerous episodes, serving as multiple different planets.  The rocks have also been seen in music videos for Michael Jackson, 311 and many more, as well as countless commercials. The rocks are part of a Natural Area Park and open to the public from sunrise to sunset.  They receive a steady amount of visitors, many of whom attempt to climb the steep rocks, which are larger than they might appear in the photograph.

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LOCATION: 10700 Escondido Canyon Rd, Agua Dulce, CA 91350

Fred Flintstone’s car from the film could be seen on the Universal Studios Hollywood Tour.

LOCATION: 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, CA 91608

Barney Rubble’s car was also on display on the tour.

Jackie Brown (1997)

Quentin Tarantino’s 1997 Elmore Leonard adaptation was shot primarily in the South Bay region of Los Angeles County, where the director also lived for much of his youth.  In the 20 years since the film was released, many of the locations have long since been remodeled or demolished, but many still stand as well.

In the opening scenes, Jackie Brown, played by Pam Grier, is seen hurrying through LAX Airport.  The opening titles play over the wall tiles of Terminal 3.  These tiles can be found along the pedestrian tunnel in the lower level and are only accessible to airline passengers and staff, as they make their way to baggage claim or the exits.  Tarantino returned to this area for a scene in “Once Upon A Time In… Hollywood.”

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LOCATION: Terminal 3, 1 World Way, Los Angeles, CA 90045 (lower level, arrivals area)

Jackie is seen passing this area, which is at Terminal 5 in the departure level.  This area too is only accessible to airline passengers and staff.  It’s since been remodeled a bit from how it appeared in the film.

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LOCATION: Terminal 5, 1 World Way, Los Angeles, CA 90045 (departures level)

Another section of Terminal 5 Jackie is seen walking through.

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As we’re introduced to the rest of the cast, we meet a beach bunny named Melanie, played by Bridget Fonda.  Several scenes were filmed at Melanie’s apartment, which was actually a composite of two different locations.  The interior, where most of the scenes take place, can be found at this beachfront property in Hermosa Beach.

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LOCATION: 6403 Ocean Front Walk, Playa Del Rey, CA 90293

The outside of Melanie’s apartment, where Jackie and Ordell, played by Samuel L. Jackson, walk down a long corridor talking, was actually filmed at the building right across the street, which was much larger.  Together the two buildings create what you see in the film.

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LOCATION: 6309 Ocean Front Walk, Playa Del Rey, CA 90293

Ordell finds himself in need of a bail bondsman and meets Max Cherry, played by Robert Forster.  Cherry Bail Bonds was filmed at Carson Bail Bonds in Carson, California.  Unfortunately it was demolished around 2009 and replaced by some apartment buildings.

LOCATION: 724 E Carson St, Carson, CA 90745 (now demolished)

Carson City Hall, which can be seen in the background across the street, still matches up. It is seen in several shots through the front window, such as when Ordell and Louis, played by Robert De Niro, park in front of Cherry Bail Bonds.

Ordell makes his way to the apartment of Beaumont, who he has just bailed out of jail.  In the film, the apartment is said to be located in “Hollywood, two blocks up from Hollywood Blvd and Western.”  In reality, it’s nowhere near there.  The real apartment can be found in Wilmington, California.  Beaumont’s apartment was unit #16, which is the same unit number seen in the film.  Today, the building is no longer accessible to the public.

LOCATION: 1030 Lakme Ave, Wilmington, CA 90744

After Ordell convinces Beaumont to tag along as backup while he sells some guns, the two make their way down the stairs.

Ordell explains the situation as they talk at the front entrance of the building.

After Ordell convinces Beaumont to hide in his trunk and slams it shut, he drives a very short distance into a vacant lot and kills Beaumont.  The vacant lot was located exactly across the street from Beaumont’s apartment location in Wilmington.  This scene was done as a single take with a crane shot.  This vacant area has since been filled with numerous homes.  This is what the area looks like today from the street.

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In the shot, you can see a church with a long steeple in the distance.  That church is still there, known as the Calvary Light Christian Center.  Here’s a closer view of the church, seen as Ordell turns left down Denni Street.

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LOCATION: Lakme Ave and Denni St, Wilmington, CA 90744

Right across the street from the church is this small parking lot, which is about the closest remnant to what the area looked like in the film.

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After Jackie is arrested by LAPD Detective Mark Dargus (Michael Bowen) and ATF agent Ray Nicolette (Michael Keaton), she is taken to a police station and asked to give up Ordell in exchange for her freedom. The police station scenes were filmed at what was, at the time of filming, part of the production offices. The building is only seen from interior views in the film, but here is what it looks like outside. The interior of the building was used for another scene, when Jackie is exchanging the money inside a department store dressing room. Both the police interrogation room and dressing room were sets built inside the building.

LOCATION: 6025 W Slauson Ave, Culver City, CA 90230

Max Cherry picks up Jackie from jail at the Sybil Brand Institute, which at the time of filming, was a real, operational women’s prison in Los Angeles.  It was here that Manson Family member Susan Atkins confessed to a cell mate named Virginia Graham about the Tate Murders.  Graham in turn shared what Atkins had told her, which eventually helped lead to the capture of Charles Manson.  The prison shut down in 1997, but today the grounds are still owned by the Los Angeles sherrif’s office, where it’s used by warehouse companies and for filming purposes.  Walking the grounds in person, however, it still very much feels like you’re at a prison.

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LOCATION: 4500 City Terrace Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90063

Here’s a wider view of the premises, though it’s never seen from this angle in the film.

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The courthouse scenes were filmed inside of the Torrance Courthouse.

LOCATION: 825 Maple Ave, Torrance, CA 90503

Max and Jackie grab a drink at the former Cockatoo Inn in Hawthorne, exactly as stated in the film.  It appears in another scene whenever Jackie meets Ordell, then a third time whenever Ordell and Louis have a discussion. Sadly the location closed down in 1996 shortly before filming took place. While the property was not razed altogether, it has since been so heavily remodeled, it no longer appears anything like it did in the film. The signs are long gone and the interior is completely different, but it is still the original building. You can find old images online of how it used to appear.

LOCATION: 11500 Acacia Ave, Hawthorne, CA 90250 (heavily remodeled)

Max drops Jackie off at her apartment, where Ordell soon pays her a visit.  The apartment can be found in Torrence.

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LOCATION: 17575 Yukon Ave, Torrance, CA 90504

Much of the film takes place at the Del Amo Fashion Center in Torrence, which is correctly stated as such in the film.

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LOCATION: 3525 W Carson St, Torrance, CA 90503

A couple scenes take place in the food court, including when Max runs into Jackie and when Jackie does the trial run for the money exchange.  The mall has since been heavily remodeled and the food court not only looks nothing like how it appeared in the film, it’s actually now located in a completely different section of the mall.  However, we photographed the original food court years ago, back when it still appeared similar to how it did in the film.

At the start of the “trial run” money exchange, Jackie is seen exiting an elevator after her flight and being met by Ray and Mark. The scene supposedly takes place at LAX, but it’s actually another part of Del Amo Mall. This is the East Parking Garage, but unfortunately the scene was filmed on the second level and all upper levels of this structure have since been closed off for an indeterminate amount of time.

LOCATION: GPS coordinates: 33°49’42.5″N, 118°20’55.2″W

Max follows Simone from this area of the Del Amo Mall parking lot. The building in the distance still matches up.

LOCATION: Near 3525 W Carson St, Torrance, CA 90503 (GPS coordinates: 33°49’54.7″N, 118°20’47.4″W)

Max is seen driving down this road in Culver City.

LOCATION: 5413 Sepulveda Blvd, Culver City, CA 90230

Just before the actual money exchange, Jackie is seen driving down Sepulveda Blvd. The vehicle she’s driving is the same car Butch drives in “Pulp Fiction,” as she listens to Randy Crawford’s “Street Life.”

LOCATION: 2407 Sepulveda Blvd, Torrance, CA 90501

Jackie continues driving past this area.

LOCATION: 19720 Hawthorne Blvd, Torrance, CA 90503

At the start of the second, “for real this time,” money exchange, Jackie is seen entering the mall in front of these distinctive blue bricks of what was formerly a Marshall’s store on Del Amo Cir Blvd. Marshall’s relocated to a new location at the mall in 2018 and these blue bricks were sadly removed in 2019, due to remodeling.

LOCATION: 365 Del Amo Cir Blvd, Torrance, CA 90503 (heavily remodeled)

Back at Del Amo Mall, Melanie and Louis meet up with Jackie for the money exchange at the fictional Billingsley Department Store in the mall, which is currently a Macy’s store.  The store has changed quite a bit over the two decades since filming, so things don’t appear as they did back then.  This is the approximate area where Jackie heads for the dressing room, which is located on the third floor of Macy’s. The actual dressing room, as mentioned earlier, was a set built at the film’s production offices.

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Here is the approximate area where Louis and Melanie observe what’s happening and argue.

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The area where Louis and Melanie park could be found here. Much of this area of the parking lot has since been fenced off and only a couple background buildings are still standing.

LOCATION: Near 3525 W Carson St, Torrance, CA 90503 (GPS coordinates: 33°50’04.4″N, 118°20’46.3″W)

The view of the mall itself has been heavily remodeled in this area since filming took place.

Max Cherry arrives outside of the store on the upper level.  A prop Billingsley sign was mounted on the wall.

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While the exchange goes down, Ordell keeps himself far away from the eyes of the A.T.F. by going to a strip club.  The same bar, Sam’s Hofbrau, a real topless bar, would appear again in Tarantino’s “Kill Bill: Vol. 2,” where Budd works as a bouncer.

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LOCATION: 1751 E Olympic Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90021

Late in the film, Max meets up with the very angry and suspicious Ordell, over at Raynelle’s house.  This is right around the corner from Beaumont’s apartment location.

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LOCATION: 348 E Opp St, Wilmington, CA 90744

To see our “Jackie Brown” location page, click here.

Related articles: Reservoir Dogs (1992), Pulp Fiction (1994), Kill Bill (2003), Death Proof (2007), Django Unchained (2012), Once Upon A Time In… Hollywood (2019)

Drag Me To Hell (2009)

In the 2009 Sam Raimi film, “Drag Me To Hell,” Christine, played by Alison Lohman, lives at this house at the top of a hill.  The house can be found in the Everett Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, near Dodger Stadium.  The same home can be seen in the 2001 film “Training Day,” where Ethan Hawke’s character gets set up inside a drug dealer’s house.

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LOCATION: 1031 Everett St, Los Angeles, CA 90026

The mansion where the medium lives is the Doheny Mansion, located on the campus of Mount Saint Mary’s University in Los Angeles.  The mansion has been seen in many films, including “The Princess Diaries,” “Catch Me If You Can,” “Flowers In The Attic,” “Spider-Man 3,” and many more.

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LOCATION: 10 Chester Pl, Los Angeles, CA 90007

Fried Green Tomatoes (1991)

While set in the state of Alabama, the 1991 film “Fried Green Tomatoes,” starring Kathy Bates and Jessica Tandy, was filmed almost entirely in Georgia.

Early in the film, the Threadgoode house, where a young Idgie (Mary Stuart Masterson) and her brother Buddy (Chris O’Donnell) live, can be found in the town of Senoia.   This house is known as the Travis-McDaniel house. Decades after “Fried Green Tomatoes” completed filming, the same house was featured in a much different kind of film; “The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It.” Senoia filming locations would also become synonymous with the TV series “The Walking Dead.”  The home sits at the corner of Travis St and Bride St.

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LOCATION: 204 Bridge St, Senoia, GA 30276

The bridge and train tracks where Buddy gets into an accident is literally right across the street from the Travis-McDaniel house, at the same corner of Travis St and Bridge St.  There is even an early shot in the film showing Buddy cross the street from the bridge to the house.  For those looking to get to these tracks beneath the bridge, there’s no need to attempt to climb down the steep embankment.  It levels off with the tracks for easy access about one block down, at the corner of Travis St and Clark St, where you can walk your way back up the tracks.  The train tracks more or less reach a dead end there as well, running off into a reclaimed horizon of trees and woods.

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LOCATION: Intersection of Travis St and Bridge St, Senoia, GA 30276 (across from 204 Bridge St, Senoia, GA 30276)

The most famous location from the film is of course the Whistle Stop Cafe, found in the town of Juliette, Georgia.  It is a real, operational cafe and they do indeed serve fried green tomatoes.  Visitors should note, however, the cafe is open daily during only lunch hours.  The entire town embraces it’s connection to the film and really, the businesses there survive because of it, attracting tourists from around the country seeking out the locations.  Mostly, you’ll find food and antiques there, but there are a few other novelties, which we’ll try to cover.  First, we’ll look at the cafe itself.

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LOCATION: 443 McCrackin St, Juliette, GA 31046

The window advertises fried green tomatoes, just like in the film.

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A view of the porch of the Whistle Stop Cafe.

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And a look inside.

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A poster for the film can be found on the wall, with a chair in front for photos.

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A look at the train tracks next to the cafe.  As you can see, the train depot building is no longer there.

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This building across the street refers to itself as “Ruth and Idgie’s Place.”

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A few other surrounding buildings, briefly seen in the film.

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If you’re a film location fan like us, it’s definitely worth it to take the detour from Atlanta over to the smaller towns of Senoia and Juliette.  While you’re in Juliette, be sure to also check out the bridge from the end of the film “Baby Driver.”