8 Georgia Film Sites that are Great for Groups
Get together with fellow film fans and see where your favorite Georgia movies and shows were made!
Whether you want to wander the gorgeous setting that served as heaven in the 2016 motion picture Miracles from Heaven, tangle with zombies on the set of The Walking Dead, tour the presidential mansion from The Hunger Games, or drive the streets Miss Daisy drove, Georgia's got it covered. Television and movie buffs can visit sets, see memorabilia, and perhaps even meet characters from their favorite productions.
From shows such as The Vampire Diaries to mega movies like Captain America: Civil War, fascinating film locales await all across Georgia. And like Forrest Gump’s box of chocolates (which he shared while sitting in Savannah’s Chippewa Square), you never know what you might discover next as the state’s ever-expanding entertainment industry brings in new projects.
Great Places for Film Fans
Gibbs Gardens, Ball Ground
Gibbs Gardens, a sprawling slice of heaven in Ball Ground, has actually represented the place — in the film Miracles From Heaven, starring Jennifer Garner. Visionary landscape architect Jim Gibbs toured lush sites around the world for 15 years before transforming this stunning property into a tourist favorite. Twenty-four ponds, 32 bridge crossings, 19 waterfalls, and thousands of native trees and colorful flowers make visitors feel as if they’ve stepped into a celestial realm. Groups of all sizes are welcome.
Atlanta History Center
Hunger Games fans will want to tour President Snow's palace, set at the stunning Swan House, a 1928 classical mansion on the Buckhead campus of the Atlanta History Center. Walk the winding staircase where Donald Sutherland and Philip Seymour Hoffman plotted nefarious schemes, stroll on the great lawn, and take in the expansive gardens, all featured in the blockbuster films. See original props and snap selfies where Jennifer Lawrence, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, and Elizabeth Banks filmed scenes. Groups of 10 to 20 guests are welcome, and tours include full access to the Atlanta History Center.
Mystic Falls Tours and On Location Self-Guided Movie Tour, Covington
Fans of The Vampire Diaries will want to sink their teeth into the show's mythical Mystic Falls Tours, complete with treks to the Mystic Grill, the Mystic Falls Courthouse, the Whitmore college campus, and the Lockwood Mansion. Long-time fans of The Dukes of Hazzard and In The Heat of the Night should stop by the Covington Visitors Center for information and set out on a walking or driving tour to see their favorite locales from these hit TV shows.
Home of The Walking Dead, Senoia
In Georgia, you can find yourself in the horror series' town of "Woodbury," actually the real-life Georgia city of Senoia. Visit the zombie arena and stop at the officially licensed Woodbury Shoppe, built with the help of the show’s Riverwood Studios. The cell doors and prison decor from the show’s third season inspired the shop's interior design. Upstairs, The Waking Dead Cafe serves its own blend of java "guaranteed to wake the dead" along with exclusive TWD merchandise.
Whistle Stop Cafe, Juliette
First opened in 1927 as a general store, this family-owned business garnered national attention with the release of the 1991 hit film, Fried Green Tomatoes, starring Kathy Bates, Jessica Tandy, and Mary Stuart Masterson. For 25 years now, the Whistle Stop Cafe has served its signature fried green tomatoes, plates of fried chicken, and Big Lee’s Georgia peach cobbler to thousands of famished tourists. If there's a wait inside, kick back in one of the rocking chairs on the porch.
Leopold's Ice Cream, Savannah
Future Academy Award–winning composer Johnny Mercer worked in this Savannah ice cream institution as a kid. But the establishment’s Hollywood connection doesn’t end there. After learning his family’s ice cream business, Stratton Leopold departed for Hollywood, where he produced films including Mission Impossible 3 and The Sum of All Fears, and worked on modern classics like The Big Chill. Movie posters from his storied career adorn Leopold's Ice Cream, as well as photos of celebrities enjoying the famed ice cream.
Savannah Movie Tours
Take in the sights of 100 years of moviemaking in Savannah with Savannah Movie Tours, all from your seat on a climate-controlled mini bus (seating up to 24). This 90-minute narrated tour includes movie clips screened on the bus and stops at filming locales for such flicks as 1962’s original Cape Fear, Glory, Forrest Gump, the Clint Eastwood–directed true crime hit Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, and the film adaptation of Nicholas Sparks’ The Last Song. Bonus: Pets are welcome, and the tour includes a stop at Leopold's Ice Cream.
Jekyll Island Club Resort
Thanks to the 2000 golfing drama The Legend of Bagger Vance, this beautiful island destination became a screen star. Directed by Robert Redford, the movie was shot on location here, and the Jekyll Island Club Resort re-built the lobby bar just for the filming (alas, it was removed after shooting). A National Trust Historic Hotel of America destination, the property dates back to the 19th century and is adjacent to the Jekyll Island Golf Club, where Will Smith’s iconic caddy taught Matt Damon the secret of success.
