The Mystic Grill storefront in Covington, Georgia. The store's brick exterior is painted a teal blue-green. There are people sitting at the tables outside the store chatting with each other. The sky above is deep blue.

Mystic Grill in Covington, Georgia

Guide to Covington

Top tips for things to do, places to stay, great restaurants and best times to visit "The Hollywood of the South."

Historic downtown Covington is known as a film town, home to locations from "The Dukes of Hazzard," "In the Heat of the Night" and, most recently, "The Vampire Diaries" and "Sweet Magnolias," along with 140 other films. The thriving downtown has locally owned boutiques, antique stores and restaurants. 

Things to Do

A circular fountain with an intricate, medium-sized statue of an angel and a winged animal sits in the foreground of the photo. Behind it is a large green manicured lawn. Behind that is the Worthington Manor in Covington, Georgia, a stately Greek Revival building with white columns and brick exterior, plus multiple stories and skinny windows.
Worthington Manor in Covington, better known as known as Lockwood Mansion on The Vampire Diaries.

1. Mystic Falls Tours

Visit the landmarks from The Vampire Diaries and other Covington film landmarks with Mystic Falls Tours. Fans will visit locations like the Lockwood Mansion and the home used as the Gilbert house.

A red-and-black old-school looking trolley, part of the Main Street Trolleys, travels down a road in Covington, Georgia. There are green-leafed trees surrounding the trolley and the sun is shining from a dusty-blue sky.
Main Street Trolleys in Covington, Georgia. Photo by @gcalebjones

2. Main Street Trolleys

Take a trolley tour with Main Street Trolleys to see filming locations that represented Mystic Falls, Virginia; Sparta, Mississippi; Hazzard County, Georgia; and Serenity, S.C.; right in Covington. Hear stories and get exclusive views of some of the most iconic places to appear in Georgia films.

3. Covington Ghost Tours

Experience the spooky side of Newton County with Covington Ghost Tours, which operates walking tours of the historic sites in town. The expert guides are associated with The Atlantic Paranormal Society.

4. Historic Home Self-Guided Tour

You don’t need a guide for the Historic Home Self-Guided Tour, just a brochure from the downtown visitor’s center. It showcases the historic homes and buildings in downtown Covington.

5. On Location Self-Guided Tour

Fans of film can’t miss the On Location Self-Guided Tour, a walking or driving tour that visits the locations from the "Dukes of Hazzard," "In the Heat of the Night," "Remember the Titans" and numerous other television and movie locations. Pick up a brochure from the visitor’s center.

6. Walk of Stars Self-Guided Tour

More than 30 television and film productions are honored on the Walk of Stars Self-Guided Tour, so see these stars as you explore downtown.

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Where to Stay

Covington is the perfect retreat from the city.

The Greek Revival-style building of the Twelve Oaks Bed & Breakfast in Covington, Georgia. It is a large, multi-storied white mansion with columns, places on the roof that are pointed and several chimneys. Around the mansion are several leafy trees underneath a mostly blue sky.
Twelve Oaks Bed & Breakfast in Covington, Georgia

1. Twelve Oaks Bed & Breakfast

The Twelve Oaks Bed & Breakfast is an 1836 antebellum home that has also been used as a filming location. The eight guest rooms have flat-screen televisions, free WiFi, fireplaces, and plush robes, as well as daily breakfast.

2. Holiday Inn Express Covington

The spacious rooms at the Holiday Inn Express Covington are another option, which have free WiFi and coffee makers. The property has a fitness center and outdoor pool, daily breakfast and event space.

3. Hampton Inn Covington

Similarly, the Hampton Inn Covington is right off the highway and has pet-friendly rooms, complete with free WiFi, mini fridges, flat-screen televisions, microwaves and workspaces.

4. La Quinta Inn & Suites Covington

La Quinta Inn & Suites Covington has comfy pillowtop beds, flat-screen televisions, free high-speed WiFi and work space, as well as coffee makers, microwaves and mini fridges. The hotel also has a swimming pool, fitness center and sundries market.

5. Baymont by Wyndham Covington

The well-located Baymont by Wyndham Covington is pet-friendly and offers free hot breakfast, free WiFi, microwaves, refrigerators, a fitness center and a business center. There are also laundry facilities and a seasonal outdoor pool.

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Where to Eat

Dine at one of Covington’s many local restaurants that have a variety of flavors.

Several round tables with chairs on the rooftop seating at Mystic Grill Restaurant in Covington, Georgia, have people sitting at them, looking at menus, ready to order. Around them and below on the street are other buildings of the area in Covington. There are several leafy, green trees in the background and the sky above is blue, slightly peppered with clouds.
Rooftop seating at Mystic Grill Restaurant in Covington, Georgia

1. Mystic Grill Restaurant

Inspired by the restaurant in The Vampire Diaries, Mystic Grill Restaurant has a menu of chef-driven and seasonal Southern food like fried chicken and burgers.

The stark, white-brick storefront of City Pharmacy in Covington, Georgia, sits in the foreground. The side of the building has art and a painted sign that says "TASTY EATS | CLASSIC SIPS | CITY PHARMACY." The store is on a street with cobblestone walkways. The sky above is clear and blue.
City Pharmacy in Covington, Georgia. Photo by @gcalebjones

2. City Pharmacy

Set in a pharmacy from the 1920s, City Pharmacy serves a new generation of visitors with chef-prepared dishes and cocktails for dinner and brunch. It also has a raw bar with oysters on the half shell.

3. Your Pie

The casual pizza chain Your Pie has an outpost in the historic Covington square, where you can get custom-built pizzas, including those with vegan and vegetarian toppings, as well as gluten-free bases.

4. Town House Cafe

Opened in 1964, Town House Cafe is a family-owned and operated restaurant serves hearty breakfasts as well as sandwiches for lunch and chicken, pork, and Southern-style sides for dinner.

5. The Social Goat Tavern

The Social Goat Tavern is set in a historic building in downtown Covington, serving fan favorites like burgers, street tacos, Georgia craft beer and signature drinks.

6. Bradley's Real Pit Bar-B-Que

Enjoy the hickory smoked pork, beef, and chicken and all the sides at Bradley's Real Pit Bar-B-Que, the area’s best barbecue restaurant. They offer dine in or take out services.

7. Bread and Butter

Start your day with coffee and pastries at Bread and Butter, a popular cafe in Covington. They bake their own bread for sandwiches and use Georgia-grown ingredients. They also serve soups and salads.

8. RL’s Off the Square

RL’s Off the Square opens for dinner, serving daily specials and Louisiana-inspired entrees like gumbo, fried green tomatoes and barbecue shrimp.

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Events

Plan your trip around Covington’s two big annual events.

A line of decorated golf carts drives down a road at the Stars & Stripes Fest in Covington, Georgia. Behind them are patriotic decorations on a big, regal-looking building. The street is lined with spectators for the parade and the sky above is mostly blue with scattered, billowing clouds.
Stars & Stripes Fest in Covington, Georgia

1. Stars and Stripes Fest

Stars and Stripes Fest involves food, fun, and friends every July 4th with some of the best fireworks displays in the state. Live music brings together local and regional talent.

2. Christmas in Covington

Christmas in Covington brings together local shops and restaurants. There’s a s’mores station, visits with Santa and a kids craft area.

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