The 1989 film “Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure” supposedly takes place in San Dimas, Califorina. However, due to tax incentives at the time, most of the production mostly took place near Phoenix, Arizona and the surrounding towns.
Bill and Ted, played by Alex Winter and Keanu Reeves respectively, practice as their band “Wyld Stallyns” in Bill’s garage. Bill’s house was actually a composite of two locations. The first house, which was used for interiors and the back yard, can be found in Phoenix.
LOCATION: 112 W Kaler Dr, Phoenix, AZ 85021
The second house, used for garage shots of both the interior and exterior, was located in Pacific Palisades, California, but has since been torn down with a new home built in it’s place.
LOCATION: 1460 Amalfi Dr, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272 (demolished)
Exterior shots of Bill and Ted’s high school were filmed at Coronado High School in Scottsdale. The school, also seen in the film “Just One of the Guys,” has been heavily remodeled since filming took place. The interiors were filmed at the former East High School in Phoenix (515 N 48th St, Phoenix, AZ 85008), which had already closed at the time of filming and has since been demolished.
LOCATION: 7501 E Virginia Ave, Scottsdale, AZ 85257
One location that does still look similar to how it appeared in the film is Ted’s house, located in Phoenix.
LOCATION: 1841 E Berridge Ln, Phoenix, AZ 85016
Here is another angle of the home.
The Circle K, where Bill and Ted first meet Rufus, played by George Carlin, can be found in Tempe. After seeing the time traveling phone booth, Ted delivers the iconic line, “Strange things are afoot at the Circle K.” The store was a popular location for fans of the film, regularly attracting visitors who quote and reenact scenes. However, it permanently closed in 2022. Another business has since opened at the building.
LOCATION: 1010 W Southern Ave, Tempe, AZ 85282
Napoleon eats ice cream at the fictional Zyggies. At the time, the restaurant was known as Showbiz Pizza Place, but it has since become a Chuck E Cheese.
LOCATION: 8039 N 35th Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85051
The bowling alley Napoleon gets thrown out of after being unable to pay can be found in Tempe.
LOCATION: 4407 S Rural Rd, Tempe, AZ 85282
Bill and Ted take their crew of historical figures out to the San Dimas Mall. This was actually filmed at the Metrocenter Mall in Phoenix. The mall, which was only seen from interior views in the film, has since closed down.
LOCATION: 9617 N Metro Pkwy W, Phoenix, AZ 85051
Waterloo, where Napoleon becomes enamored with the water slides, was filmed at Golfland Sunsplash in Mesa.
LOCATION: 155 W Hampton Ave, Mesa, AZ 85210
This castle building is seen in some shots during the scene.
“The Walking Dead” is famously shot around Atlanta, Senoia and the surrounding towns of Georgia. The former Raleigh Studios Atlanta is the central hub of the show, but many famous locations have shot beyond the studio property.
Early in season 1, Rick Grimes, played by Andrew Lincoln, awakens from this “hospital” to discover a world in chaos. This scene was filmed at the back of the Atlanta Mission Administrative Offices.
LOCATION: 2353 Bolton Rd NW, Atlanta, GA 30318
Rick can be seen walking out of the door and down the stairs.
Rick’s house can also be found in Atlanta.
LOCATION: 817 Cherokee Ave SE, Atlanta, GA 30315
Right around the corner from Rick’s place is Morgan’s house, where the two meet for the first time.
LOCATION: 376 Ormond St SE, Atlanta, GA 30315
The sheriff’s office where Rick worked is part of a long strip of commercial lots. It’s a bit further down Ellsworth Industrial Blvd, with a sign stating “Complex F” (though the building itself is labeled “G”).
LOCATION: 1737G Ellsworth Industrial Blvd NW, Atlanta, GA 30318
The iconic shot of the post-apocalyptic freeway, used as the poster for season 1, can be seen from the Jackson Street Bridge, overlooking the 10 freeway leading into the Atlanta skyline. Some CGI was added to achieve the exact look the production wanted. The same shot (minus the CGI) can be seen in the TV show “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” as well as “Bugonia” and the 2015 remake of “Vacation.”
LOCATION: Jackson Street Bridge, Jackson St NE, Atlanta, GA 30312 (near 210 Jackson St NE, Atlanta, GA 30312)
Season 1 concludes with the group reaching the Center for Disease Control. This unique building is the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre.
LOCATION: 2800 Cobb Galleria Pkwy, Atlanta, GA 30339
Season 2 was primarily set on Herschel’s Farm. The farm is a real location, not a set. However, it sits on private property on a gravel road off GA-85. The owners are rumored to have distanced themselves from the show, due to the excessive attention it brought. The property can be found at 33°18’01.5″N, 84°31’22.4″W in Senoia, Georgia, but it is not accessible to the public.
Season 3 largely took place at a prison, which was actually a set at Raleigh Studios Altanta. After the prison story arc was completed, the set was heavily overhauled and became the Savior’s Sanctuary in later seasons. The studio can be found at 600 Chestlehurst Rd, Senoia, GA 30276, but until 2018 was entirely inaccessible to fans. The building still remains, but the fences and towers are now gone. At first glance, you’d probably not even recognize it as being the prison at this point.
Also in season 3, the fictional town of Woodbury plays a key role. Main Street in Senoia stood in as Woodbury, with some sets and art decoration added. Due to the popularity of the show, many of these properties have since become shops and restaurants themed around the series, which we’ll get to later in this article.
Here is a view of the main strip of Woodbury. The Governor’s house was a set that has since been removed, but the area is still recognizable. This same area was seen in the film “Pet Sematary II.”
LOCATION: 9 Main St, Senoia, GA 30276
If you’re headed to the former Raleigh Studios in Senoia, along the way you’ll pass this restaurant, which stood in as a bar where Merle has a drink in season 3, episode 15.
LOCATION: 34 Chestlehurst Rd, Senoia, GA 30276
As you approach the main studio, you’ll pass Crook Rd, which has been used in countless episodes of the show, any time a wooded road is needed. Even though the road is not on studio property, it is scarcely used by motorists and is therefore easy to obtain filming permits, hence the frequent appearances.
LOCATION: Crook Rd, Senoia, GA 30276
Also in Senoia, in season 4, episode 9, Carl sits atop the roof of this house eating a can of pudding. This house is located near the the “Alexandria” site.
LOCATION: 239 Pylant St, Senoia, GA 30276
In season 5, “Terminus” plays a central role. The Terminus site is a real location in Atlanta. Although there are some walls along Windsor Street obscuring the view a bit, it can still be seen with relative ease by simply looking over top. The same location appears in the Marvel show “Echo.”
LOCATION: 799 Windsor St SW, Atlanta, GA 30315
Back in Senoia, another location that’s very close to the studio is Dwight’s house, seen in season 7, episode 11.
LOCATION: 30 Golfview Ct, Senoia, GA 30276
In 2017, AMC purchased Raleigh Studios Atlanta, renaming it Riverwood Studios. This paved the way for something the fans had long been requesting; a studio tour. Beyond the studio itself, the tour also takes guests inside the walls of “Alexandria.”
Alexandria is filmed in a real neighborhood in Senioa, just past Main St (“Woodbury”). Originally the area was a developing neighborhood and open to the public. You can even see old google street views taking you through it, before the show sealed it off. At the time AMC took interest, only one brownstone building was there, with tenants already occupying the units. The rest of the land was vacant lots planned for residential development. The network worked out a deal with the existing tenants to allow them to film and Alexandria was born. They then began purchasing the empty lots and constructing houses for the show. Due to the fact the buildings needed to remain standing for years on end, state laws required them to meet actual building codes, meaning the houses in Alexandria are fully functional. Likewise, the massive walls surrounding the neighborhood is also built to code, which is to say they are dug deep and very sturdy.
There is a security guard posted at the main entrance of the neighborhood and the whole area is surrounded by cameras. Tenants are allowed to come and go as they please, but pedestrians and motorists are not allowed in. That changed slightly in 2018, however, with the launch of the Walking Dead Studio Tour. Fans are now able to enter within the walls and see pretty much everything there as part of the tour. Photo privileges are very strict, however. There is unfortunately only one spot in the entire neighborhood where photos are allowed, which is facing toward the windmill. Eventually after the show has ended or no longer uses the site, the neighborhood will hopefully return to being open to the public. As is, key sites such as Rick and Michonne’s house are prohibited from photography.
This is the main entrance into the neighborhood, where the security guard is posted. If you attempt to approach Morgan St (outside of the tour), you’ll quickly be asked to turn back. There are signs posted stating the road has no public access.
LOCATION: 132 Morgan St, Senoia, GA 30276
Here is another entrance, which remains closed unless the production is using it.
This is the sole permissible photo location inside Alexandria on the studio tour.
Here’s another look at the completed windmill, taken during the filming of the show.
Moving on to Riverwood Studios itself, quite a lot of the show has been filmed there. In addition to the previously mentioned prison set, Hilltop, Oceanside and the Sanctuary are all there as well. Hilltop is a real building built to code on the outside, but the inside is completely empty. All interior Hilltop scenes are filmed on a sound stage. The show’s production offices are also based at Riverwood Studios.
The tour opened in late 2018. Prior to that, the studio grounds were fenced off and guarded by security. It’s a very large place, surrounded by woods full of animals and insects, so it’s probably not the kind of place you want to go wandering around unprepared. You’re much better off purchasing a tour ticket. For the most part, the tour is a very enjoyable experience. Due to the size of the property, as well as potential safety hazards, much of the time is spent in tour buses, guided by a very friendly and well-informed staff. There are select spots where you can exit the bus for closer looks.
The biggest drawback of the tour is the strict policy on photography and video. Video and audio is prohibited altogether. There are some areas that can be photographed. However, they are mostly limited to the sites no longer used in active storylines on the show. Anything being used in current seasons, while still showcased on the tour itself, is unfortunately off-limits for photos or video. This includes Hilltop, Oceanside and the Sanctuary. Alexandria is the only exception, but it’s very limited, allowing the aforementioned single photo spot.
While there are some minor spoilers involved with some of the sets, if specific parameters were set, as with Alexandria, the photo rules could be a bit more relaxed. These sets have been shown on screen to millions of viewers for years, so they’re not exactly top secret places. Having said that, the tour is otherwise excellent from top to bottom and it’s a very welcome change that the studio is finally open to fans. However, the tour seasons are limited only to times when the show is not filming, so you need to plan in advance.
We’ll now take a look at the sites at Riverwood Studios that can be photographed. First up is the site where (*spoilers*) Negan kills Glenn and Abraham. The show was so secretive about which characters would be killed off that they actually filmed scenes of Negan killing every major character, in order to maintain the mystery of which ones would make it to air.
LOCATION: 600 Chestlehurst Rd, Senoia, GA 30276
Next is the lake where Rick and Aaron search a houseboat for supplies in season 7, episode 7. It’s a nice touch that they kept some body props in the water.
LOCATION: 600 Chestlehurst Rd, Senoia, GA 30276
Arguably the best site that can be photographed at the studio is the Scavenger’s junkard, also known as “The Heaps.” It’s right next to the Sanctuary, but the junk is piled so high, you’d never know by the photos alone.
LOCATION: 600 Chestlehurst Rd, Senoia, GA 30276
The junk is actually just a top layer. Just beneath are large piles of dirt, giving the appearance of more junk than is actually there.
Also on the tour are many vehicles used in the show. These too were prohibited from photography, for reasons unknown. Overall, if you’re a fan of the show, we still highly recommend the tour. You’ll see virtually all of the sites available there and gain a lot of knowledge about the show, even if only a few spots can be captured. The tour hosts did say that it’s a work in progress, so perhaps the policies and places will change as time goes on.
Beyond the actual filming locations, there are several show-themed business in Senioa. The Woodbury Shoppe sells a wide variety of show merchandise. The store is located along Main St in Senoia, which served as the fictional town of Woodbury on the show.
LOCATION: 48 Main St #1A, Senoia, GA 30276
The basement of the store also features a Walking Dead museum, which houses props, posters, artwork, memorabilia and more. There’s autographs from nearly every cast member scrawled across the walls. Here we’ll take a look at a bit of what can be seen in the museum, but not everything. Here is one of the motorcycles Daryl rode in the series.
One of the main cell blocks from the prison in seasons 3 and 4, on loan from AMC.
A kid’s bedroom in the prison from season 4, episode 9.
To the left is the “W” zombie, on loan from executive producer Greg Nicotero. To the right is a dental chair from season 3, episode 16, in which Andrea is handcuffed to the chair by The Governor and left for dead.
Some knives from the show.
Some pieces of the Woodbury Town Hall, from season 4, episode 6. This was part of a set, which was later destroyed, but these fragments were collected.
A prop mirror broken by Beth, when she attempts to kill herself in season 2. Actress Emily Kinney has signed the prop.
Also on Main St in Senoia is The Walking Dead Cafe.
LOCATION: 48 Main St, Senoia, GA 30276
For those looking for a full course meal, just a few buildings down is Nic & Norman’s, owned by executive producer Greg Nicotero and actor Norman Reedus.
LOCATION: 20 Main St, Senoia, GA 30276
Here is some artwork inside the restaurant, done in the style of the famous closing photo from “The Shining,” depicting most of the cast from the show.
It’s always a challenge photographing anything actively in production. It’s usually easier to do after filming has ended, so production agendas won’t interfere. In some cases, however, sites only exist as long as the production does. We’ve tried to show a mixture of both and we’ll add what we can when the opportunity presents itself. It’s likewise a challenge capturing the sheer volume of filming locations a long-running show such as “The Walking Dead” has utilized over its run. We barely scratched the surface here. There are of course dozens more locations we did not cover and new ones always keep popping up as the show continues onward. Atlanta has a lot of sites to offer fans of the show, particularly from the early seasons. The town of Senoia in particular thrives on the show, driving tourism, employing locals at the studio and inspiring show-themed businesses.
In Joel Schumacher’s 1993 film “Falling Down,” Michael Douglas plays the central character, referred to only as “D-Fens,” which is his license plate number. The film follows D-Fens as he makes his was from Los Angeles to Venice Beach. For the most part, the locations actually do follow this path, with a few exceptions.
The opening traffic jam is set at the 101 interchange of the 110 freeway. The traffic pileup is in the southbound lane to the left, while D-Fens abandons his car and takes the northbound lane to the right on foot.
LOCATION: Interchange of I-110 / I-101, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Beth, the estranged wife of D-Fens, played by Barbara Hershey, lives just off the Venice boardwalk. This view next to her house, facing towards the beach, is seen multiple times in the film.
LOCATION: 201 Ocean Front Walk, Venice, CA 90291
Beth’s house was unfortunately completely remodeled and looks nothing like it did in the film.
LOCATION: 18 Ozone Ave, Venice, CA 90291
The police station where Detective Prendergast, played by Robert Duvall, works was a set built at Warner Bros. Studios (4000 Warner Blvd, Burbank, CA 91522).
D-Fens makes his was to the market of Mr. Lee, where the first outburst of violence occurs over an overpriced can of soda. This location is right next to the 101 freeway, making it a logical stop along the path of D-Fens. The market has since been demolished and a park (Madison West Park) now exists in it’s place.
LOCATION: 458 N Madison Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90004
Later in the film, Prendergast makes his way to the market and climbs this embankment. After spotting a billboard, he correctly places the proximity to the abandoned car and identifies D-Fens as his suspect. A note to those interested in visiting, this dead end next to the park is not a very safe area, serving as a makeshift homeless community.
As D-Fens makes his way through East L.A., he sits to rest and is approached by two gang members demanding his briefcase. D-Fens refuses and things quickly turn violent. The hilltop where the scene was shot has been converted in to a park, Vista Hermosa Natural Park, but the skyline of downtown Los Angeles still matches up.
LOCATION: 100 N Toluca St, Los Angeles, CA 90026
Looking for retribution, the gang members spot D-Fens in front of a theater, where they attempt to ambush him with a drive-by shooting. The theater has since been demolished, but the surrounding buildings where the car rolls up still match.
LOCATION: 2524 East Cesar E Chavez Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90033 (looking down from N Fickett St)
After hitting everyone in sight except D-Fens, their car turns off East Ceasar E Chavez Ave onto N Ficket St and crashes in front of this building. D-Fens walks up and takes their bag of weapons.
LOCATION: 2600 East Cesar E Chavez Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90033 (at N Fickett St)
D-Fens is standing next to a children’s playground in MacArthur Park, when a beggar starts asking him for a handout. The playground has since been moved to another section of the park, but the structure to the left, seen in the film, still stands at the original spot.
LOCATION: 2230 W 6th St, Los Angeles, CA 90057
The beggar follows D-Fens through this tunnel, making up a sob story, which is quickly exposed as a lie. MacArthur Park is not the safest of areas in general. We wouldn’t recommend tourism here. This pedestrian walkway is one of several locations rumored to be the bridge that served as the inspiration for the Red Hot Chili Peppers song “Under the Bridge,” but singer Anthony Kiedis has never confirmed the true location.
On the other side of the tunnel, the D-Fens gives the beggar his briefcase. The lake in the background is also seen in the movie “Drive,” where Ryan Gosling’s character makes a deal with some criminals.
After discovering the briefcase only contains some lunch food, the disappointed beggar throws the apple at D-Fens, who kicks the apple and continues up the stairs to the left.
The “Whammyburger” in the film is the biggest departure from the true path of Los Angeles to Venice Beach. The restaurant, Angelo’s Burgers, is located much further south in Lynwood, California. It still bears a strong resemblance to how it appeared in the film, aside from the fictitious Whammyburger set dressing. Angelo’s was in fact the same restaurant at the time of filming. It has not changed ownership. The burgers there are quite good as well.
LOCATION: 10990 Atlantic Ave, Lynwood, CA 90262
A view inside the Whammyburger.
A poster for the film can be found inside, noting that filming took place on May 12, 1992.
Celebrating his last day, Prendergast eats lunch at a Mexican restaurant.
LOCATION: 4067 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90004
In one of the more poignant scenes in the film, D-Fens sees a man protesting, because he has been denied a loan and was determined to be “not economically viable.” The building is now a post office.
LOCATION: 5350 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036
The scene where D-Fens shoots up a phone booth was shot over on Sunset Blvd in West Hollywood, right along the iconic Sunset Strip. While the El Pollo Loco restaurant to the left was seen in the film, most of the other businesses in the plaza had changed since filming. The entire plaza has since been demolished.
LOCATION: 8148 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90046 (now demolished)
The army surplus store where D-Fens meets a Nazi store owner could be found back towards East L.A. The building really was a surplus store and still operated decades after filming, including at the time of our visit. It has since closed and been renovated, however.
LOCATION: 3828 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026
Here is a view of the front counter when it was still in business, which was brimming with quite a bit more merchandise than seen in the film.
Some of the rocket mortar props seen in the film were found in the store, albeit a bit tucked away.
The back of the surplus store, where more violence occurs, was actually a set constructed at Warner Bros. Studios (4000 Warner Blvd, Burbank, CA 91522).
The construction scene, where D-Fens fires a bazooka, faces towards the 110 and 105 freeway interchange. The same interchange can be seen in the films “Speed” and “La La Land,” the latter of which also opens with a traffic jam, albeit to much different results.
LOCATION: Intersection of S Broadway / W 112th St, Los Angeles, CA 90061
This church can be seen in the background of a few shots during the construction scene.
Near the end of the film, D-Fens finally finds his family at the Venice Fishing Pier. The pier had long been closed at the time of filming and was once set for demolition, but after community backlash, was ultimately saved and restored. The building at the end of the pier is no longer there, but otherwise the area looks the same for the most part.
LOCATION: Venice Fishing Pier, Los Angeles, CA 90292
Prendergast approaches and finally meets D-Fens.
Prendergast and D-Fens have a standoff in the film’s climactic scene.
There are quite a few locations to this film, some demolished or remodeled, others still standing. Other than a few slightly unsafe areas, if you’re a fan of visiting filming locations, most of them are worth a visit. “Falling Down” has grown in stature in the years since the film’s release and it has rightly taken it’s place among the the most iconic Los Angeles-based films.
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.
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.
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.
LOCATION: 229 Little John Trail NE, Atlanta, GA 30309
Film Oblivion 