'The Originals' Film Tour
See how Georgia stands in for New Orleans in this "Vampire Diaries" spinoff.
The successful spinoff of the Georgia-filmed CW television series “The Vampire Diaries,” “The Originals” also was filmed in Georgia. The series tells the story of the Mikaelson siblings, the power-hungry family of vampires living in New Orleans that becomes involved in supernatural politics as they try to take back the city they founded.
Conyers was home to the show for several seasons (it also filmed in Madison, Macon and Rome) and was such an integral part of “The Originals” that the Conyers Convention & Visitors Bureau offers a self-guided tour of filming locations throughout town.
Pick up a brochure from the Conyers Welcome Center or download it here, and before you visit, read on to learn how Georgia stands in for New Orleans in the vampire drama.
"The Originals" in Olde Town Conyers
Olde Town Conyers
The ornate gatework in Olde Town Conyers has been used to portray the French Quarter of New Orleans in several movies and television shows, and scenes from “The Originals” feature Commercial Street and Center Street as backdrops for Mardi Gras parades, festivals and even funerals. In real life, these streets are lined with shops and restaurants, including The Sandwich Factory, which stood in as Rousseau’s Bar, a hangout for characters in the series, and Simply Naked Candle Co., which was transformed into the Jardin Gris Voodoo Shop.
Popular attractions in town include Lewis Vaughn Botanical Gardens, the site of a fight between Elijah and Klaus, and Big Haynes Creek Nature Center, part of the Georgia International Horse Park.
Outdoors lovers gravitate to Big Haynes for its 170-plus acres of wetlands, forests and meadows. Stroll the 2-mile Bluebird and Butterfly Trail, spot wildlife from osprey to otters from the bird blind, or launch a kayak.
Celtic Tavern in Conyers
Celtic Tavern in Conyers
Celtic Tavern Irish Pub & Restaurant in Olde Town Conyers has been used as Gillespie's Pub in "The Originals" and offers patio dining overlooking the Lewis Vaughn Botanical Gardens, as well as a menu of draft beers, fish and chips, and shepherd's pie. Weekly events include trivia, poker nights, acoustic open-mic nights, live entertainment and karaoke.
Madison Town Park in Madison
Madison Town Park
Madison's public green space was used as New Orleans' Jackson Square in filming for "The Originals." Locals have been gathering on the Great Lawn since the early 1900s for concerts and other events – the bandstand was even designed to resemble the original Victorian bandstand that once sat there.
Hay House in Macon
Hay House in Macon
Featured in two episodes of "The Originals" as the Mikaelson family's ancestral home, Hay House is known as the "Palace of the South." This Italian Renaissance Revival home was built in 1855 and was passed through the Johnston, Felton and later Hay families until 1977. It was then transferred to the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation. Features of the stunning antebellum home include 24 rooms, pocket doors, spiral staircases and stained-glass windows. It's also a designated National Historic Landmark and open for tours Wednesdays through Sundays.
Rome Downtown Heritage Trails
Kingfisher Trail in Rome
Parts of Rome’s Kingfisher and Silver Creek trails have been shut down for filming of "The Originals" to set the stage for outdoor scenes, including one in which there's a confrontation between rival families. The paved multiuse paths are part of Rome's ECO Greenway that winds through downtown, right along the Etowah River. It connects restaurants and shops to local attractions and parks between Myrtle Hill Cemetery and 12th Street.
