Where is Sweet Magnolias filmed? All the Locations in Serenity, South Carolina
Posted by Ra Moon
Now coming back for season three, Sweet Magnolias was primarily filmed in Covington, a small, nice city in Georgia. The Netflix hit series is set in the fictional town of Serenity in South Carolina.
Following the steps of the romantic drama set in California, Virgin River, the show is also based on a best-selling novel series, created by American writer Sherryl Woods.
Following the steps of the romantic drama set in California, Virgin River, the show is also based on a best-selling novel series, created by American writer Sherryl Woods.
The story revolves around the lifelong friendship of three women supporting each other through relationships, family, and business, ready for whatever life throws at them.
The starring trio is composed of JoAnna Garcia Swisher (Once Upon a Time) as Maddie Townsend, Brooke Elliott (Drop Dead Diva) as Dana Sue Sullivan, and Heather Headley (Chicago Med) as Helen Decatur.
Here is our spoiler-free guide to all the filming locations of Sweet Magnolias, sorted into chronological order. You'll find the new season 3 updates below in the report.
Welcome to Serenity, South Carolina
The cute town of Covington in Newton County doubles as Serenity, SC. Downtown Covington features many beautiful historical buildings and has one of the prettiest squares in Georgia.
The town has been featured in many movies and TV shows, including The Walking Dead, The Vampire Diaries, and Doctor Sleep.
The iconic clock tower building featured in the series opening is Covington's Newton County Board of Commissioners.
The interior of the courthouse hall, pictured, was also filmed at the historic Newton County Board of Commissioners.
Several scenes with the characters talking and sitting on the bench are filmed in the town square, ornamented with a 1906 Confederate Monument and a war memorial obelisk.
Where was Sweet Magnolias filmed?
The Alley at Mystic Grill gift shop, located just across the street from the Newton County old Courthouse, served as Dana's restaurant, The Sullivan's.
The interior was filmed here, apart from the kitchen which was shot in a studio in Atlanta.
Image courtesy of Netflix and Google Maps
Watch out for Vampires! Mystic Falls is the fictional town where The CW series The Vampire Diaries, The Originals, and Legacies are set.
The Mystic Grill diner, the favorite hangout for all the creatures of these supernatural series, was also shot at this same location.
The real Mystic Grill restaurant where you can have a meal is placed next door, on the terrace upstairs that appears in the fifth episode of the second season, "Great Expectations".
At the beginning of the first episode "Pour It Out", the kids are walking through the scenic Southview Cemetery in Covington, also a popular destination for the Mystic Falls vampire hunter tours.
Image courtesy of Netflix - Map
A key location in the show is the Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, filmed at the Oakhurst Presbyterian Church in Decatur.
The Serenity Summer Market in the third episode of the second season, "The More Things Change", was also recorded here.
Image courtesy of Netflix and Google Maps
The Sweet Magnolias House
We were wrong about the location of the gorgeous old house that Helen buys to turn it into The Corner Spa, for the women of Serenity.
At first, we thought that it was a famous Newton County historic home, the Lee-Porter Mansion, an early 20th-century Greek-revival manor in Covington that was also used for filming scenes of HBO's Bessie movie starring Queen Latifah.
However, as a local website and one of our readers confirmed, the house exterior is the Law Offices of Wm. Thomas Craig at 1144 College Avenue, also in Covington, which is very similar to the Lee-Porter Mansion.
Almost all the other websites reporting on the filming locations of Sweet Magnolias have this wrong -sorry- as they took the information from Atlas of Wonders or the websites that copied us (and apart from a few honorable exceptions, we have not been cited as a source).
Image courtesy of Netflix - Map
Maddie's house is a magnificent single-family home located at 2103 Floyd Street Northeast in Covington.
Built in 1910, this cozy 4,787 square feet property has an estimated market value of about $640,000.
Image courtesy of Netflix - Map
Dana Sue Sullivan and her daughter Annie (played by Anneliese Judge) live very close to Maddie, in the same neighborhood, at 3119 Southeast Conyers Street.
Built in 1920, this approximately 2,754 square feet, four-bedroom, and three-bathroom home has an estimated market price of $450,000.
Image courtesy of Netflix - Map
As Hooked on Houses revealed, Helen Decatur's blue house is located at 1941 Trotti Street Northeast in Kirkwood, Atlanta.
At over 3,000 square feet, this four-bedroom, three-bathroom home blends historic details, though it was actually built in 2015.
Its estimated market value is about one million dollars.
Image courtesy of Netflix - Map
Serenity High School is the Henry County Middle School in McDonough.
Image courtesy of Netflix - Map
The pizzeria from the second episode "A United Front" is The Depot Sports Bar and Grill, hosted in an old railroad depot at 4122 Emory Street NW in Covington.
Image courtesy of Netflix and Google Maps
The Spring River Medical complex is the Piedmont Newton Hospital in Covington.
Image courtesy Netflix - Map
The park with the small waterfall pond in the fourth episode of the second season, "Walk of Faith", is Costley Mill Park outside Conyers.
The white chapel from the scene in the same episode (lower picture) is also located in this park containing many beautiful settings.
Image courtesy of Netflix - Map
The True Bew Daily café from season two was the cozy Awake Coffee Co, now a coworking space called (e)station Conyers at 909 Commercial Street NE.
Image courtesy of Netflix - Map
The lake with the three gazebos in Charleston where Helen and Erik are at in episode eight, "The Rules of the Game", is Joels Lake in Stonecrest, DeKalb County.
Image courtesy of Netflix - Map
The new Season 3 Locations
In the first episode of the third season, "Meaning to Tell You", Ronnie meets with his sister Kathy at the fictional Hickory Hotel.
The exterior was actually filmed at La Quinta Inn & Suites in Covington.
Located two miles from historic downtown Covington, you can stay at this hotel for about $165 per night.
Image courtesy of Netflix - Map
The scene with Mary Vaughn Lewis and Kyle in the second episode "Meet Me Where I Am", was filmed in front of a house located at 2136 Conyers Street Southeast in Covington.
This happens to be the same location that served as the home of Shiela "Grams" Bennett, Bonnie's grandmother on The Vampire Diaries.
Image courtesy of Netflix - Map
The Forager Festival in the third episode, "The Searchers", was filmed in Madison Town Park.
The old hospital is located somewhere in Conyers.
Image courtesy of Netflix - Map
The Onstage at the Garden Theatre is the Porter Memorial Gymnasium in Porterdale.
Built in 1938, the historic gym suffered a devastating fire in 2005, and is now used as an outdoor event space and wedding venue.
Image courtesy of Netflix - Map
This scene with Maddie and Pastor June Wilkes (played by Tracey Bonner) in the eighth episode, "Beat Me at My Own Game", was filmed on Cherokee Road in Downtown Social Circle.
According to one of our readers, the short establishing shot for this scene was filmed in Monroe.
Image courtesy of Netflix - Map
The ceremony on the season finale, "Save My Place", took place at the elegant EnChanning Occasions Venue near Covington.
This 5,000-square-foot, 22-foot-wide beam barn, is located on a splendid 400-acre cattle farm.
Image courtesy of Netflix - Map
Stay tuned for season 3 location updates on this page!
Can you help to improve this article about the filming locations of Sweet Magnolias? To complete and correct this report, any feedback, info, or images that you may have are more than welcome, thank you!
NOTICE: If you’re using this information on your website, please credit and link to this page as a source.
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Can you help to improve this article about the filming locations of Sweet Magnolias? To complete and correct this report, any feedback, info, or images that you may have are more than welcome, thank you!
NOTICE: If you’re using this information on your website, please credit and link to this page as a source.
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9 comments:
1- Mrs. Nelson - Feb 22, 2021 at 10:18 PM
I've lived in Covington my entire life... my husband's roofed Maddie's house as well as the spa filming location (which your address is incorrect, its 1144 college avenue, a block from Conyers Street.) I have lived less than a qtr mile away from the square my whole life and know every one of these locations. Also, the obelisk on the square is a war monument, not just WW1. My uncles' name is on it, who died in WW2 in Iwo Jima. It's also about the Vietnam War. If you have any questions just ask I'll do my best to answer.
2- Karen - Jan 26, 2022, 12:29 AM
I've just checked out the two addresses on Google Earth (a favorite pastime of mine), and whilst the two houses are very similar, it's easy to see that your address is the correct one. What are the addresses of Maddie's, Dana's, and Helen's houses? (I'm not going to go stalking them... I live in Australia lol).
3- Anonymous - Feb 8, 2022, 12:51 PM
I've been to the coffee shop they use in season 2! The name of it is Awake Coffee Co, and the address is 909 Commercial St NE, Conyers, Ga 30012. Cute and very cozy place, it looks almost identical to how they use it in the show, with a few minor changes.
4- Kayli - Feb 8, 2022, 1:21 PM
I just searched all throughout my google maps, and I believe that the lake Helen and Erik are at in Season 2 is Joel’s Lake, right between Conyers, Ga and Decatur, Ga in DeKalb county.
5- Carrie - Feb 11, 2022, 5:19 AM
I'm wondering if the lake and waterfall in "Walk of faith" is Costly Mill Park maybe?
6- Anonymous - Jul 21, 2023, 2:33 PM
Were the lake scenes in Sweet Magnolia Season 3, Episodes 2 and 3 filmed in Avondale Estates, Dekalb County, Georgia?
7- Anonymous - Jul 24, 2023, 11:42 PM
Hello! Curious as to the location of Dana Sue’s wedding on the last episode of Season 3? It’s such a beautiful building and setting. Thanks!
8- Anonymous - Aug 4, 2023, 6:21 PM
The street scenes of Episode 8 in Season 3 (8:35 and 8:36) are in Monroe, GA and (8:39- 9:52) in Social Circle, GA.
9- Anonymous - Aug 10, 2023, 4:30 PM
The location of the Season 3 finale episode for the vow renewal ceremony was EnChanning Occasions in Covington.
1- Mrs. Nelson - Feb 22, 2021 at 10:18 PM
I've lived in Covington my entire life... my husband's roofed Maddie's house as well as the spa filming location (which your address is incorrect, its 1144 college avenue, a block from Conyers Street.) I have lived less than a qtr mile away from the square my whole life and know every one of these locations. Also, the obelisk on the square is a war monument, not just WW1. My uncles' name is on it, who died in WW2 in Iwo Jima. It's also about the Vietnam War. If you have any questions just ask I'll do my best to answer.
2- Karen - Jan 26, 2022, 12:29 AM
I've just checked out the two addresses on Google Earth (a favorite pastime of mine), and whilst the two houses are very similar, it's easy to see that your address is the correct one. What are the addresses of Maddie's, Dana's, and Helen's houses? (I'm not going to go stalking them... I live in Australia lol).
3- Anonymous - Feb 8, 2022, 12:51 PM
I've been to the coffee shop they use in season 2! The name of it is Awake Coffee Co, and the address is 909 Commercial St NE, Conyers, Ga 30012. Cute and very cozy place, it looks almost identical to how they use it in the show, with a few minor changes.
4- Kayli - Feb 8, 2022, 1:21 PM
I just searched all throughout my google maps, and I believe that the lake Helen and Erik are at in Season 2 is Joel’s Lake, right between Conyers, Ga and Decatur, Ga in DeKalb county.
5- Carrie - Feb 11, 2022, 5:19 AM
I'm wondering if the lake and waterfall in "Walk of faith" is Costly Mill Park maybe?
6- Anonymous - Jul 21, 2023, 2:33 PM
Were the lake scenes in Sweet Magnolia Season 3, Episodes 2 and 3 filmed in Avondale Estates, Dekalb County, Georgia?
7- Anonymous - Jul 24, 2023, 11:42 PM
Hello! Curious as to the location of Dana Sue’s wedding on the last episode of Season 3? It’s such a beautiful building and setting. Thanks!
8- Anonymous - Aug 4, 2023, 6:21 PM
The street scenes of Episode 8 in Season 3 (8:35 and 8:36) are in Monroe, GA and (8:39- 9:52) in Social Circle, GA.
9- Anonymous - Aug 10, 2023, 4:30 PM
The location of the Season 3 finale episode for the vow renewal ceremony was EnChanning Occasions in Covington.
Ra Moon
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