The television series “M*A*S*H,” which ran from 1972 to 1983, is set in Korea, but the exteriors were filmed at the former 20th Century Fox Ranch in Agoura Hills, California. For decades the land hosted many productions, including the original “Planet of the Apes,” “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” and several “Tarzan” films. The Robert Altman film upon which the TV show is based likewise filmed exteriors here. The location was later sold and today is known as Malibu Creek State Park, which is open to the public and serves as a popular hiking destination. There are entrance fees to park at the trailheads, which vary depending on the length of your planned visit. The hike itself is about 4.75-miles round trip, on mostly flat terrain, although there’s at least one section that goes up a short incline. It’s a manageable hike for most, but depending on the weather, it can become more arduous on hotter days. Be sure to plan accordingly and bring a lot of water if you intend to visit. The trail running Craigs Rd will lead you directly to the “M*A*S*H” set. Only the exteriors filmed here, interiors shot on Stage 09 at Fox Studios in Century City.
LOCATION: Craigs Rd, Malibu Creek State Park, Agoura Hills, CA 91301 (GPS coordinates: 34°05’47.6″N, 118°44’41.2″W)
Here is a restored vehicle that is on display at the site.
Several widfires have come through the set over the years, leaving some of the other vehicles in very damaged and aged condition.
There are several signs around the area, noting the history of the show.
The popular TV series “Stranger Things” is set in the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana. The real locations of Hawkins are actually a composite of a number of small towns scattered around the Greater Atlanta Area of Georgia. Many of the locations are fairly distanced from one another, so it takes some dedication to see them all. Here we’ll take a look at many of these locations.
The Hawkins National Laboratory, where all of the supernatural mysteries seem to originate, can be found in Atlanta. The building is actually a former clinic, which is part of Emory University.
LOCATION: 1256 Briarcliff Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30306
Mike’s house, which is seen frequently on the show, can be found in the town of East Point. Most of the kids’ houses from the show are all not only in East Point, but all in the same neighborhood.
LOCATION: 2530 Piney Wood Ln, East Point, GA 30344
Hawkins High School can be found in the town of Stockbridge. The real school is Patrick Henry High School. The same school also appeared in the film “Brightburn.”
LOCATION: 109 S Lee St, Stockbridge, GA 30281
Hawkins Middle School is actually the same location as the high school, just different buildings on the same property. Quite a number of scenes take place around these school buildings.
LOCATION: 109 S Lee St, Stockbridge, GA 30281
The kids can be seen parking their bikes here. This and many scenes were filmed towards the back of the school property, away from the road. So if you don’t immediately spot recognizable areas, look for the tall field lights and head toward the back of the school.
This building could be seen pretty close to the road, in which the giant creature from the alternate universe known as the “Upside Down” can be seen towering over it. The building was still painted with the fictitious school name from the show long after filming ended. However, it was eventually demolished in 2025.
This entrance is seen prominently is Season 2 of the show, with the kids dressed as Ghostbusters. This same area of the school was also featured in Season 2 Episode 10 of the TV show “Atlanta.”
Max, played by Sadie Sink, is seen walking up these stairs as the other kids spy on her.
The kids look for Dart in another Season 2 episode at this spot.
Another wide view of the school, as seen from the field at the back of the property.
Most of the town square of Hawkins is comprised of buildings from the town of Jackson, Georgia. Melvad’s General Store is one such example. The interior was dressed for filming when we visited, so here’s a couple glimpses inside.
LOCATION: 4 2nd St, Jackson, GA 30233
Eleven uses her mind control powers to kill a man inside of this restaurant in Litha Springs, known as Tiffany’s Kitchen.
LOCATION: 7413 Lee Rd, Lithia Springs, GA 30122
The Hawkins Library is actually the Butts County Probate Court building (25 3rd St, Jackson, GA 30233).
Switching back to East Point, this house, where Lucas lives, is located right beside Mike’s house.
LOCATION: 2550 Piney Wood Ln, East Point, GA 30344
Jonathan and Steve get into a fight in this alley as Nancy is caught in the middle. It can also be found in Jackson, not far from Milvad’s General Store and the Hawkins Library. It is located at the alley between N Oak St / Pittman St, Jackson, GA 30233 (the building seen across the street is 124 W 2nd St, Jackson, GA 30233).
While the kids are being pursued, Eleven uses her powers to flip a van over in front of these houses, found in Tucker, Georgia.
LOCATION: Between 3782 and 3788 Sarahs Ln, Tucker, GA 30084
The police station, where Sheriff Hopper works, can be found in the town Douglasville, not far from the arcade seen in Season 2. Finding the building can be slightly confusing. Many online resources state the address as “48 Pray Street” in Douglasville. The number above the doorway of the building is indeed 48. However, the street name is actually Courthouse Square West. Google lists the address as 8485 Courthouse Square West. If you find yourself confused, just locate the intersection of Church St and Courthouse Square West and you’ll have no trouble spotting the building.
LOCATION: 8485 Courthouse Square West, Douglasville, GA 30134
Dustin’s house, nested in trees, can also be found near the houses of Mike and Lucas in East Point.
LOCATION: 2886 Piney Wood Dr, East Point, GA 30344
Barb’s house is likewise located on the same road.
LOCATION: 2980 Piney Wood Dr, East Point, GA 30344
Jonathan pays a visit to Lonnie’s house, which can be found in Atlanta.
LOCATION: 930 Garibaldi St SW, Atlanta, GA 30310
Season 2 kicks off with police in pursuit of a van carrying another girl with supernatural powers, much like Eleven. As they approach this overpass, the girl seizes control of the cop’s mind to make him envision the structure collapsing.
LOCATION: Glenn St SW, Atlanta, GA 30312 (nearest address is 562 Glenn St SW, Atlanta, GA 30312)
The cop slams his breaks, with many cop cars crashing into him, only for his partner to inform him his vision wasn’t real. The tunnel appears much longer and deeper on the show than it is in real life. It’s actually just a short overpass. The same overpass was seen in the 2018 film “Game Night,” when Kyle Chandler’s character throws himself from a moving car.
It isn’t the safest or cleanest of areas, we wouldn’t recommend coming out here alone at night.
The arcade, seen in Season 2, still has the paint job from the show, although the sign is no longer there. The building currently sits vacant in Douglasville, the same town as the Hawkins Police Department.
LOCATION: 6501 Church St, Douglasville, GA 30134
A couple glimpses inside the empty arcade building…
Max lives at this small house, which can be found in Stone Mountain, Georgia.
LOCATION: 5280 Moore St, Stone Mountain, GA 30083
While you’ll spend a lot of time driving across Georgia to see all of these places, one upside is that most of these locations still bear a strong resemblance to how they appeared on the show, with some still continuing to be used for production.
The apartment exterior seen in the first three seasons of the 70s / 80s sitcom “Three’s Company” can be found in Santa Monica, California. The building, which is actually a house, is tucked away behind tall shrubs and a fenced gate, but at the right angle, you can still manage a good view. The property still mostly resembles how it appeared on the show.
LOCATION: 2912 4th St, Santa Monica, CA 90405
The opening credits for season 4 were filmed at the Santa Monica Pier. John Ritter can be seen riding this carousel, which is still in operation. This same location was featured in the film “The Net.”
LOCATION: 200 Santa Monica Pier, Santa Monica, CA 90401
The cast is seen walking near the entrance of the pier. The building on the right is where the carousel is located. The same building was seen in the 1961 Dennis Hopper film “Night Tide.”
While set in Palo Alto, Northern California, the headquarters of Pied Piper can actually be found in Woodland Hills, in the San Fernando Valley of Southern California.
LOCATION: 5230 Penfield Ave, Woodland Hills, CA 91364
The classic 1966 “Batman” TV series, starring Adam West as Batman and Burt Ward as Robin, remains as popular now as ever. Even decades later, some of the locations can still be seen.
Bronson Cave, also known as the “Bat Cave,” can be found in Griffith Park in Los Angeles, California. A very popular hiking spot, 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. The cave has since been fenced off due to safety concerns, but you can still reach the others side by walking around to the left. Those who walk around it will also be treated to a nice view of the Hollywood sign on the other side.
LOCATION: 3200 Canyon Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90068 (the trailhead can be found at 2950 Canyon Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90068)
The exterior of the Wayne Manor, which is not visible from the street, can be found in Pasadena. It has appeared in other TV shows, such as “Alias,” “Knight Rider,” “Murder, She Wrote,” “Westworld” and more. It has also appeared in many other films, such as “Rush Hour,” “Bridesmaids,” “Bowfinger,” “The X-Files,” “Action Jackson,” “Dinner for Schmucks,” “Scary Movie 2,” “Delirious,” “The Mechanic,” “Dead Again” and many more.
LOCATION: 380 S San Rafael Ave, Pasadena, CA 91105
The Gotham City Police Headquarters was a set and still stands on the Warner Bros. backlot. It can be seen as part of their studio tour.
LOCATION: 4000 Warner Blvd., Burbank, CA 91505
This “Batcycle,” a 1966 Yamaha, was seen in the 1966 “Batman” feature film based on the TV series. It can be seen at the Peterson Automotive Museum in Los Angeles.
LOCATION: Peterson Automotive Museum, 6060 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036
In 2019, the same museum held a limited exhibition called “Hollywood Dream Machines: Vehicles of Science Fiction and Fantasy,” which featured some additional vehicles from the show. Here is the Catmobile, which appeared in the third season of the show.
Here is the Jokermobile from the show, a 1966 Mongrel T.
The challenge in capturing the filming locations for a TV series such as “True Detective” is that the list become so voluminous, the pursuit can become staggering. We did our best to capture as many of the most well-known spots as we could, but it remains an ongoing progress. This only covers the first season. We’ve split the locations up by episode as well, but some of course appear over numerous episodes.
Season one, starring Matthew McConaughey as Rust Cohle and Woody Harrelson as Marty Hart, is set against the green, empty landscapes and the industrial detritus of the Southern Louisiana bayou. The story immerses us in the lives of two detectives over a span of seventeen years, as they try to solve a murder investigation.
The series shot all over Southern Louisiana, mostly in the small towns surrounding New Orleans. Many of the locations chosen are impressive, as some are so far off the beaten path, they’re certainly not your run of the mill places for a big budget production to film. Some spots are actually quite a challenge to access and others aren’t the safest of places. We’ll attempt to break it all down.
Episode One – “The Long Bright Dark”
The detectives are introduced to the case in 1995, when they discover the body of Dora Lang under a tree. The tree in question is found at the Oak Alley Plantation. Many productions have shot there, including “Interview With The Vampire,” “Primary Colors” and more. While the plantation is open to tours, the tree is not included on their tours. Most plantations in Louisiana run several miles deep, full of sugarcane or other crops. This tree is located back in the farming area of the property. You can in fact drive on a bit of the plantation’s dirt roads, but you’ll not likely access the tree from the main entrance of Oak Alley along LA-18, as the roads to most of the crops are usually gated off. The tree is much closer to LA-3127 on the back side of the plantation, near the intersection of LA-3127 and Oak Alley Dr (the latter being an unmarked dirt road). We’ve provided exact GPS coordinates below.
LOCATION: 3645 LA-18, Vacherie, LA 70090 (GPS coordinates: 29°58’16.71″N, 90°46’9.32″W)
Marty and Rust work at the Criminal Investigative Unit, which can be found in New Orleans. This building is actually tucked back a bit from the road, past a couple other parking lots, so you may not immediately spot it upon first approach.
LOCATION: 155 Brookhollow Esplanade, New Orleans, LA 70123
Later in the series, Marty and Rust get into altercation in the parking lot out front.
Episode Two – “Seeing Things”
In the second episode, the detectives discover a second body at a burned out church. That church was a set constructed by the production, but the location it was built at can still be visited. Locating it is not the easiest of tasks, however. It can be found near the Bonnet Carre Spillway in LaPlace. From CC Rd, you must take a slight left up an unmarked embankment, just before you reach the railroad tracks. If you pass the tracks, you’ve gone too far. If you follow the dirt road a short distance to the GPS coordinates listed below, you’ll arrive at the correct spot. While it is not private property, depending on the weather conditions, you might not want attempt it. The dirt roads flood very easily and depending on the time of year, the place can be swarming with insects as well.
LOCATION: GPS coordinates: 30° 1’8.83″N, 90°26’19.35″W, down an unmarked dirt road, just off of CC Rd, LaPlace, LA 70068
Episode Three – “The Locked Room”
Marty lives at this house in the town of Marrero. The home is seen several times in the series, such as when Rust comes and mows Marty’s lawn, much to his anger.
LOCATION: 2541 Fawnwood Rd, Marrero, LA 70072
Rust visits the Light of the Way Christian Academy where (*spoilers*) he unknowingly speaks to the killer, Errol Childress, who is mowing the lawn. Marty calls Rust away none the wiser as they follow a lead on Reggie LeDoux. The building itself is the Old Kenner High School in Kenner, which was subject to a fire by arson in 2018. This is what’s left of the building in the wake of the fire, the remnants of which, in all likelihood, will eventually be demolished.
LOCATION: 1601 Reverend Richard Wilson Dr, Kenner, LA 70062
Episode Four – “Who Goes There”
Rust meets Marty’s wife Maggie, played by Michelle Monaghan, at this diner and donut shop, where he informs her that Marty wants to see the kids while they are separated.
LOCATION: 7271 Jefferson Hwy, Harahan, LA 70123
Things take a darker turn when Rust goes undercover as “Crash” to reconnect with a biker gang known as the Iron Crusaders, in an attempt to find Reggie LeDoux. Rust heads to this biker bar, where he meets up with Ginger, a member of the gang. Marty arrives soon after looking for Rust, but he is quickly kicked out by the bikers. The building can be slightly tricky to find, as it sits behind a truck stop.
LOCATION: 65583 Pump Slough Rd, Pearl River, LA 70452
A view of the back of the property, where Rust makes a deal to help Ginger with a robbery, in exchange for a drug connection. Marty spots them boarding a boat just before he’s thrown out.
One of the most memorable sequences of the series is the six minute long, single take of Cohle and the Iron Crusaders robbing a drug house. Recreating the shot is no easy task. While set in Beaumont, Texas, the scene was actually filmed in Woodland Acres, a low-income housing unit located in Westwego, Louisiana. While nowhere near as extreme as what’s depicted on the show, it is nevertheless a tough neighborhood where tourism is certainly not common. There are only a few streets and all of them loop back together, meaning there is one way in and one way out (bad spot for a robbery, as the characters in the show quickly discover). Many of the residents like to sit outside and, due to the very self-contained layout, you will undoubtedly attract attention if you visit. Walking around photographing their properties, the reaction can be unpredictable. Sound judgment should be used as to how much you choose to impose. Another challenge is simply figuring out where all the shots take place. Even with plenty of research and preparation, it still takes a bit of time to figure out your bearings once you’re there. Other than one or two minor shots, which we voluntarily refrained from as not to be too disruptive to the tenants, we were more or less able to capture what we wanted unimpeded. However, prospective visitors should be aware your experiences may differ from ours, so use caution.
The Iron Crusaders pose as police officers with a shotgun held on one of the drug dealers, as they force their way into this drug house.
LOCATION: 212 Jackson St, Westwego, LA 70094
As the robbery proceeds, an angry crowd gathers outside and their control of the situation unravels after one of the robbers opens fire. Bullets flying, Cohle, no longer concerned with his cover, immediately turns on the Crusaders and takes Ginger hostage, as he still needs the information on LeDoux. Cohle and Ginger spill out the back door of the same apartment.
The camera pans up to see a police helicopter arriving above. Rust kicks in the back door of this adjacent unit with Ginger in tow, as he makes a call to Marty to pick them up at a nearby street.
LOCATION: 205 Lake St, Westwego, LA 70094
They make their way out the front door of the same building when Cohle is struck in the back with a baseball bat by one of the gang members. He fights off the assailants and pistol whips them in this front yard.
Rust and Ginger hide behind a bush as gang members and cops both head down Alaska Street to the scene of the robbery.
LOCATION: Alaska St, next to 202 Lake St, Westwego, LA 70094
Rust and Ginger run over to this unit, where they hide right behind the divider wall, as armed gang members spill out from the unit right behind them, looking to defend their turf.
LOCATION: 710 Texas St, Westwego, LA 70094
They then hurry over to this fence on the same property and climb it.
They cross through the grassy area on the right, where Marty picks them up to narrowly escape the chaotic scene.
Rust takes Ginger to Sportsman’s bar, where Ginger reluctantly introduces him to Dewall LeDoux, Reggie’s cousin and cook partner. In reality, this is a composite of two locations. The exterior is actually a sporting goods and bait shop, while the interior is the Spillway Bar (15641 US-61, Norco, LA 70079), located just a short distance away.
LOCATION: 15611 US-61, Norco, LA 70079
The compound of Reggie LeDoux, where more violence occurs and LeDoux gives his “time is a flat circle” speech, was in fact a set built by the production. The set was built off of Florissant Hwy in the town of St Bernard.
Episode Six – “Haunted Houses”
Marty stops for a drink at what was formerly Fox & Hound. There he meets Beth by chance, a former teenage prostitute who he once helped out, and the two have a conversation over drinks. The building has since been remodeled a bit and is currently a discount shop. It can be found in the Elmwood Shopping Center in New Orleans.
LOCATION: 1200 S Clearview Pkwy, New Orleans, LA 70123
Marty and Beth meet up for more drinks, before heading back to Beth’s place. In the show, the bar is depicted as “The Keg,” but it’s actually the Rickshaw Lounge in Harahan.
LOCATION: 378A Hickory Ave, Harahan, LA 70123
Episode Seven – “After You’ve Gone”
Rust follows a lead and meets a transvestite prostitute at the Dragon’s Den in New Orleans, located not far from the famous French Quarter. The same location was seen in the film “The Lovebirds.”
LOCATION: 435 Esplanade Ave, New Orleans, LA 70116
Rust breaks into the home of Billy Lee Tuttle, where he obtains incriminating photos and videos.
LOCATION: 4717 St Charles Ave, New Orleans, LA 70115
Seventeen years after the murder of Dora Lang, Hart and Cohle resume their investigation at Marty’s private investigation business, Hart Investigative Solutions.
LOCATION: 5703 Read Blvd, New Orleans, LA 70127
In 2012, an older, alcoholic Cohle now works as a bartender at this bar, known as Fisherman’s Wharf.
LOCATION: 4381 Bayou Gauche Rd, Des Allemands, LA 70030
Rust lives in this small house, which is located directly behind the Fisherman’s Wharf bar location.
LOCATION: 4381 Bayou Gauche Rd, Des Allemands, LA 70030 (behind the Fisherman’s Wharf building)
Gilbough and Papania, the two detectives interviewing Rust and Marty throughout the series, encounter the killer, Errol Childress and much like Cohle, are unaware of his true identity. Errol is mowing the Fleming Cemetery in Jean Lafitte. It is located very close to the filming location for Errol’s house.
LOCATION: Fleming Cemetery, Jean Lafitte, LA 70067 (GPS coordinates: 29°44’39.12″N, 90° 8’4.91″ W)
Episode Eight – “Form And Void”
In the final episode, Errol is seen on a ladder painting a school where children are playing. The building can be found at the Buddy Lawson Playground in the town of Kenner.
LOCATION: 1800 Short St, Kenner, LA 70062
Another view of the building.
As the series reaches it’s climax, Marty and Rust finally make it to the home of the killer, Errol Childress. The house has been renovated a bit from how it appeared in the show, with a staircase notably being added. Otherwise, it appears more or less the same. This portion of the house is unfortunately not visible from the road and sits on private property.
LOCATION: 2258 Jean Lafitte Blvd, Jean Lafitte, LA 70067
Errol flees into the tunnels of Carcosa, which is actually the ruins of Fort Macomb State Historic Site in New Orleans. Unlike the layout depicted in the show, the ruins are quite a distance away from Errol’s house. Built in 1822 by the United States, the fort was intended to defend the port of New Orleans from potential invading forces. The fort was decommissioned in 1871. Since then, there have been some attempts to open it up for public tourism, but due to the condition of the ruins, it has unfortunately been deemed unsafe for tourism at this time. Today, the area is surrounded by barbed wire fencing and is not open to the public. However, we’ve also seen the gates open and completely accessible. The ruins have appeared in a few other productions as well, including “NCIS: New Orleans” and Beyonce’s music video “Lemonade.”
You can actually see the perimeter of the ruins along the water on public property, but not the inner tunnels seen in the show. A tip for anyone considering visiting this general area, since the grounds are not currently maintained, they can become overgrown and the presence of insects is significant, especially in the summer months. Winter is a bit more suitable.
LOCATION: Fort Macomb State Historic Site, New Orleans, LA 70129 (GPS coordinates: 30° 3’53.30″N, 89°48’15.16″W)
In the final scenes, Marty visits Rust at the “Lafayette General Hospital.” This is actually the St. Bernard Parish Hospital in Chalmette, located nowhere near Lafayette. The pair discuss light versus dark and each offers their perspective on which is winning.
LOCATION: 8000 W Judge Perez Dr, Chalmette, LA 70043
For as many places from the show as we captured, there remain just as many we didn’t. Visiting these spots can be both enjoyable and very challenging. Some places, we recommend only for the most avid of fans. Other spots, we suggest plenty of research and preparation before visiting. It is a unique way to explore the Southern Louisiana bayou and you can take the odyssey as far as you want to go with it. For us, it served as one of the most extensive location searches we’ve ever done.
The daytime news and talk staple “The Today Show,” famous for it’s crowds gathered outside, can be found at NBC Studio 1A in midtown Manhattan, at the corner of W 49th St and Rockefellar Plaza.
The famous cottage featured in the intro to the 1970s television series “Fantasy Island,” while set on a fictional island somewhere in the Pacific Ocean, can actually be found in Arcadia, California. Ricardo Montalban walks down the front steps, while Hervé Villechaize famously rings from the bell tower. The house is known as the Queen Anne Cottage and can be found inside the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden. While the house is perched beside a lake, it’s nowhere near any island. The same property was featured in the film “Meet the Fockers.”
LOCATION: 301 N Baldwin Ave, Arcadia, CA 91007
A closer look at the bell tower, where Tatoo famously shouted, “The plane! The plane!”
The apartment from the 1970s sitcom “Laverne & Shirley,” where the two women dance and say “Schlemiel! Schlimazel! Hasenpfeffer Incorporated!” in the opening credits, is actually a set on the Paramount Studios backlot. Even all these years later, the set still strongly resembles how it appeared on the show.
LOCATION: 5555 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038
Over at Planet Hollywood in Florida, you can find one of the dresses worn by Penny Marshall as Laverne on display.
LOCATION: 1506 E Buena Vista Dr, Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
While set in Philadelphia, the house from the TV series “Boy Meets World” can actually be found in Studio City, California. The house is obscured by a lot of greens and overgrowth along fencing surrounding the property and it’s not easily visible from the street. This is the view if you make your way up to the front gate.
LOCATION: 4196 Colfax Ave, Studio City, CA 91604
The high school seen in the show is John Marshall High School. A regular location in film and television, it has also appeared in such movies as “Rebel Without A Cause,” “A Nightmare On Elm Street,” “Pretty In Pink,” “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” “Bachelor Party,” “Grosse Pointe Blank,” “Grease” and “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” as well as such TV shows as “Growing Pains,” “Boston Public” and many more. It was even used in the Van Halen music video for “Hot For Teacher.”
Film Oblivion 