Visiting Mystic Falls: Your Questions Answered

Covington, Georgia is the town that became Mystic Falls. If you're planning a trip, whether a day visit from Atlanta or a full weekend, here are honest answers to the questions fans ask most.

Getting There

Where was The Vampire Diaries filmed?

The Vampire Diaries was filmed primarily in Covington, Georgia, throughout its eight-season run on The CW. Covington's historic square, courthouse and surrounding streets stood in for the fictional town of Mystic Falls, Virginia. The town has been a film and television location since the 1950s and has hosted more than 160 productions, from The Dukes of Hazzard and In the Heat of the Night to Sweet Magnolias.

How far is Covington, Georgia from Atlanta?

Covington is about 35 miles east of Atlanta and about 45 minutes from Hartsfield-Jackson airport on I-20. Outside Atlanta rush hour it's a straightforward drive. There's no train or bus service between Atlanta and Covington, so a car or rideshare is the practical way to get here. Once you're on the square, it's easy to get around on foot, and golf carts can be rented in town.

Is Covington worth a day trip from Atlanta?

Yes, though most fans find a single day feels rushed. The historic square, the filming locations, a tour, the shops and a meal together fill a full day comfortably. An overnight stay lets you see the town after dark, when the courthouse clock tower is lit, the crowds thin out and Covington looks most like the show.

Where do I start when I arrive in Covington?

The Covington Welcome Center on Oak Street, two blocks off the square, is the best first stop. It's free, and its film and TV museum is full of screen-used props from The Vampire Diaries, The Originals and Legacies, including Damon's Camaro. Staff hand out free filming locations maps and can tell you which tours still have space. The Welcome Center is closed on Sundays, so plan your visit for a weekday or Saturday. For a look at the part of the building visitors can't see, read The Secret Behind the Cellar Door.

Filming Locations

What Vampire Diaries filming locations can I visit in Covington?

Most of the outdoor filming locations can be seen from public streets and sidewalks. The historic Covington square and courthouse clock tower appear throughout the series as the center of Mystic Falls. Elena's house and Caroline's house are on Floyd Street, a short walk from the square, and the Lockwood Mansion is on East Street. Academy Springs Park, where the Damon and Elena rain kiss was filmed, is a public park, and the Mystic Grill is a real restaurant on the square. Most of the houses are family homes, so please stay on the sidewalk. Every filming spot—along with restaurants, shops, tours and day trips—is pinned on the Mystic Falls Interactive Map.

Can I go inside Elena's house in Covington?

No. Elena's house on Floyd Street is a private home, and the interior isn't open to the public. It's a popular photo stop from the sidewalk. The Mystic Falls Tour from Vampire Stalkers includes access to the front porch, which is the closest most visitors get.

Can you visit the Lockwood Mansion?

The Lockwood Mansion on East Street is a private home that you can see through the gate from the sidewalk. It's the house behind Miss Mystic Falls, the masquerade ball and Caroline and Stefan's wedding. Inside access is only available on a guided tour that includes it, such as the Mystic Falls Tour from Vampire Stalkers, so ask when you book. The 1864 Lockwood Mansion from the flashbacks is a different house, Twelve Oaks.

Is Twelve Oaks Bed and Breakfast a filming location?

Yes. Twelve Oaks, an 1836 Greek Revival mansion on Monticello Street, stood in for the Lockwood Mansion in the show's 1864 flashbacks. It's also known as the house that inspired Twelve Oaks in Gone with the Wind. Today it's a beautifully restored bed and breakfast, with suites inside the mansion, spa tubs and a home-cooked Southern breakfast. Unless you're a guest or booked on one of their tours, enjoy it from the street.

What Vampire Diaries filming locations no longer exist?

The best-known loss is the Salvatore boarding house. Its exterior was Glenridge Hall, a mansion in Sandy Springs, north of Atlanta, which was demolished in 2015. You can still step into a recreation of the Salvatore living room, built with props from the show, at Mystic Mercantile on the square. Many interiors, including the inside of the Mystic Grill, were sets on soundstages, so they were never in Covington to begin with. Shops on the square change over time, and tour guides, many of them locals who watched the show film, are the best source on what's still there.

Where was the Delena rain kiss filmed?

Damon and Elena's rain kiss in Season 6 was filmed at Academy Springs Park in Covington, a small public park with shaded paths, a pond and a bridge. Aunt Jenna's funeral was filmed there too. It's a short drive from the square and a favorite photo stop for fans.

Tours

What Vampire Diaries tours are available in Covington?

There are three main options. The Mystic Falls Tour from Vampire Stalkers is the original guided tour. It runs on an open-air tram from the Welcome Center with local guides, some of whom watched the show film, and guests who book directly get access to the Lockwood Mansion and Elena's porch, which aren't open to the public otherwise. Private tours are available too. Main Street Trolleys and Tours runs trolley tours of filming locations from The Vampire Diaries and other productions shot in the area, along with movie and ghost tours. Take Your Time Tours offers self-guided audio tours narrated by a Covington local, which you can do on foot, by golf cart or in your own car.

Do I need to book a Vampire Diaries tour in advance?

Yes, especially for weekends. Vampire Stalkers tours often sell out, so book on their website as soon as you know your dates, and join their waitlist if your date is full. Children under 5 can't be accommodated on their tram because of car seat laws. Main Street Trolleys tours are best booked ahead as well. The Take Your Time audio tours don't need a set time, since you can start one whenever you're ready.

Can I see the filming locations without a tour?

Yes. The square, the courthouse, the outside of Elena's and Caroline's houses on Floyd Street, Academy Springs Park and the Mystic Grill can all be seen for free. Pick up a free map at the Welcome Center or open the Mystic Falls Interactive Map on your phone (it pins every filming location plus restaurants, shops, hours and directions). What a guided tour adds is access to the Lockwood Mansion and Elena's porch, and the behind-the-scenes stories from guides who were here during filming.

Eating and Shopping

Is the Mystic Grill a real restaurant in Covington?

Yes. The Mystic Grill opened on the Covington square in 2014 in the historic building whose front you'll recognize from the show. It's a full-service restaurant and bar, with a rooftop when the weather is kind. The interior scenes were filmed on a set, so the dining room won't match what you saw on screen. The storefront and the square are the draw. It doesn't take reservations, so arrive early on busy weekends.

Where can I buy Vampire Diaries merchandise in Covington?

Several shops on and around the square carry TVD merchandise, each with its own focus. On Location Gifts, the shop run by Vampire Stalkers across from the historic courthouse, carries apparel, collectibles and fan favorites. Mystic Mercantile, which opened in 2024 right on the square, recreates the Salvatore mansion living room using actual props from the show and sells items like the Petrova Vault jewelry line and Bennett Witch Apothecary products. The Alley Gift Shop sits in the alley below the Mystic Grill, which appears in several scenes from the show, and has a small museum of cast-worn wardrobe tucked inside. Vervain Vault keeps fall and Halloween going all year, with set props from The Vampire Diaries, The Originals and Legacies. Bitten offers TVD-inspired apparel and is known among fans for a warm, personal shopping experience. All are worth a stop, and most are within easy walking distance of each other. Several of them also pour blood bags; see the blood bag roundup.

What else is there to do in Covington beyond the TVD locations?

Covington's historic square has independent shops and restaurants and a courthouse that is architecturally significant in its own right. The Walk of Stars along the sidewalks honors the productions and actors who filmed here, including pavers for Ian Somerhalder, Paul Wesley and Nina Dobrev. Olde Town Conyers, about 20 minutes west toward Atlanta, played the French Quarter in The Originals and is worth a stop for fans of the show. Stone Mountain Park is about 30 minutes west, and The Walking Dead's Senoia is about an hour and a half southwest for fans who want to combine trips.

What is there to do in Covington at night?

The Covington square changes character after dark. The courthouse clock tower is lit, foot traffic thins, and the atmosphere is closer to how Mystic Falls feels on the show than it is at midday. The Mystic Grill serves dinner and is a bar in the evening, and ghost tours run on select evenings. If you're staying overnight, an evening walk around the square and down Floyd Street is worth doing at least once. Keep voices down near the houses, since they're family homes.

Planning Your Visit

How long should I spend in Covington for a Vampire Diaries trip?

A focused day visitor can cover the main locations, eat at the Mystic Grill and browse the shops in six to eight hours. A full weekend is the format most fans recommend: arrive Friday evening, spend Saturday on a tour and exploring on your own, and leave Sunday. It gives you the square at different hours, a proper dinner and time to find the locations without a schedule. Make Saturday your big day, since the Welcome Center is closed on Sundays.

What is the best time of year to visit Covington, Georgia?

Spring (March through May) and fall (September through November) have the most comfortable weather for walking the outdoor locations. Summers in Covington are hot and humid, which is manageable with early starts. October is the most popular month with TVD fans: the square is decorated for fall and the Vampire Run takes place. Cast members appear at fan events such as TVDU Fan Appreciation Weekend, so check the organizer's dates before you book. December brings holiday lights to the square.

Is there an annual Vampire Diaries event in Covington?

Yes. The Vampire Run is a Halloween-season 5K run and walk held each October in Covington, presented by Vampire Stalkers. The certified course passes many of the show's filming locations, with photo spots along the way, and it's open to runners, walkers and anyone who wants to crawl through in costume. Net proceeds benefit blood cancer research through Blood Cancer United (formerly The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society), and there's a virtual option if you can't make it to town. Check the race page for this year's date and start location.

Where to Stay

Where should Vampire Diaries fans stay in Covington, Georgia?

It comes down to how much you want the stay itself to be part of the trip. For fans who want to be inside the story, The Hideaway at Mystic Falls is a fully themed home three minutes from the square, with screen-used props including a Mikaelson coffin, paintings from the Salvatore and Lockwood mansions, and rooms styled around the 1864 era. For a historic inn, Twelve Oaks Bed and Breakfast, the 1836 mansion that played the Lockwood Mansion in the 1864 flashbacks, is a lovely choice. Hotels near Covington suit guests who prefer a conventional stay.

Is there a Vampire Diaries themed Airbnb in Covington, Georgia?

Yes. The Hideaway at Mystic Falls is a fully Vampire Diaries–themed Airbnb in Covington: an entire three-bedroom home that sleeps up to six guests. The screen-used props include a Mikaelson coffin reupholstered in red velvet and paintings from the Salvatore and Lockwood mansions, and the three bedrooms are styled around the 1864 Katherine Pierce era of the show. It's rated 5.0 on Airbnb across hundreds of reviews, which you can read here. There's a two-night minimum, and weekends book up to a year in advance.

What makes a stay at the Hideaway different from other themed rentals in Covington?

The Hideaway is built around an unfolding story, not just themed decor. Katherine welcomes every guest by text, and a wax-sealed letter is waiting at the house. She checks in during the stay, points guests toward a hidden room and helps if anyone gets stuck on the cipher. Guests aren't just staying somewhere themed; they're a character in it for the weekend. Guests can also add Katherine's Dress Up Trunk to their stay, to step into 1864-era gowns and adorn themselves with accessories befitting an immortal vampire goddess.

Is the Hideaway at Mystic Falls suitable for young children?

The Hideaway is best suited for guests ages 5 and up. The theming includes a full-size wall-mounted coffin, tall antique furniture, an outdoor fire pit and exterior stairs. It's not a childproofed space, so younger guests need close supervision throughout the stay. Families can read about other families' stays on the family reviews page.

How far is the Hideaway at Mystic Falls from the Covington square?

The Hideaway is a three-minute drive or about a 15-minute walk from the historic square. The walk follows Floyd Street, past Elena Gilbert's and Caroline Forbes' houses.

When do new dates open up for the Hideaway?

The calendar opens exactly 12 months in advance. There's no waitlist for unreleased dates; the calendar releases automatically, so it's first come, first served the moment dates open. Popular weekends go quickly. See open dates on Airbnb.

Is it easier to book a midweek stay at the Hideaway?

Yes. Weekends often book up to a year in advance, but midweek dates have more last-minute availability. Midweek is also a quieter time to see the square and the filming locations, and midweek stays are sometimes eligible for special pricing. If your schedule is flexible, a Tuesday-through-Thursday visit is often the easiest way to get the exact dates you want.

Can I plan a Vampire Diaries birthday trip or girls' trip to Covington?

Yes. Covington works well for celebration trips, since the filming locations, tours, restaurants and shopping fill a full day without much planning. The Hideaway hosts birthday groups, girls' trips, bachelorette parties and anniversaries. Booked guests can add celebration packages, including a gothic floral arch with a signature banner, 1864-era treats, a My Type blood bag cake, curated keepsakes, use of an Instax camera and Katherine's Dress Up Trunk. The house sleeps up to six guests across three bedrooms.

Is the Hideaway a good place to propose?

Yes. The Hideaway's private setting, candlelit rooms and gothic romantic atmosphere make it a popular choice for proposals. Guests have used a stay here to pop the question, often pairing it with a celebration package like the gothic floral arch or curated keepsakes to set the scene. Browse the celebration packages to plan ahead of your stay.

Something else on your mind, about Covington, love or vampires? Ask Katherine.