I was late to the party when I started watching The Vampire Diaries (around 2014-ish), but after all this time, I still consider it to be a favorite show of mine. A friend and I had been planning a trip to Mystic Falls for a while and we finally got the chance to make it down to Covington, Georgia!

We planned for a random weekend in October without knowing I Was Feeling Epic in Mystic Falls was taking place with almost all the cast members in town! Ian Somerhalder (Damon) and Paul Wesley (Stefan) were also promoting their Brother’s Bond Bourbon with a tasting at Legion Field, so I grabbed a ticket when I found out they were still available that evening! Paul wasn’t at the tasting, but I didn’t care since I was there to see Ian. 😉

12 Locations to Visit in Mystic Falls

When you visit Mystic Falls, you can either do a self-guided tour or book a tour with the Vampire Stalkers. Unfortunately for us, everything was full since it was a busy weekend, but we didn’t mind doing the self-guided. All the locations are near one another (besides the last two on my list), so you can easily walk to each place or drive if you need to.

Below are the prime locations you do not want to miss when you’re in town –

1. Covington Square & The Clock Tower

One of the things that came to mind while walking around Covington Square was all the scenes that were filmed there! From The Vampire Diaries all the way to Legacies. It was surreal to see and envision episodes of TVD. You will also notice there is a ‘Walk of Stars‘ where you can find pavers dedicated to Nina Dobrev, Ian Somerhalder, & Paul Wesley (just to name a few). Make sure to get a picture with the clock tower in the background!

Location: 2101 Washington St SW, Covington, GA 30014

Don’t forget to grab a blood bag to enjoy while you’re walking around! You can purchase juice blood bags from The Alley Gift Shop or wine blood bags from Bread and Butter.

2. Mystic Grill

You can’t go to Mystic Falls without stopping at the iconic Mystic Grill! They didn’t film any scenes inside (those were shot in the studio), so it looks completely different, but it was still a cool experience to see in person. They even have a rooftop that overlooks Covington Square with a view of the clock tower. Since we visited on a busy weekend, it was super packed, but we were able to grab a drink from the bar and sit outside.

Location: 1116 Clark St SW, Covington, GA 30014

Side Note: Make a stop at Scoops on the other side of the square for some ice cream. The cast would frequently go here during their filming days.

3. Covington Visitor Center – Welcome to Mystic Falls Sign

If you want a picture with the “Welcome to Mystic Falls” sign, you’ll find it outside of the visitor center. There’s another one painted near The Alley Gift Shop, but this is the original sign from the show. The visitor center has a huge collection of props from TVD along with all the information you may need. They also had a lot of props from The Originals and a few items from Legacies.

Location: 1143 Oak St SE, Covington, GA 30014

4. Elena’s House

Elena’s house is a short walk from Covington Square. It looks just like it did in TVD, but none of the filming took place inside the house. That was all shot in the studio.

Unless you go on a tour with the Vampire Stalkers, you aren’t allowed on the property since people actually live there. We were fortunate enough to take pictures on Elena’s porch since the owners were allowing it at a price.

Location: 2104 Floyd St NE Covington, GA 30014

5. Caroline’s House

Right across the street from Elena’s house, you will find Caroline’s!

Location: 2118 Floyd St NE Covington, GA 30014

6. Gram’s House

As soon as you see Gram’s house, you’ll remember all the scenes with Bonnie and her Grandma.

Location: 2136 Conyers St SE Covington, GA 30014

7. Isobel’s House

In case you forgot like I did after all these years, Isobel is Elena’s birth mother. The home is conveniently located right next door to Gram’s house.

Location: 2146 Conyers St SE Covington, GA 30014

8. The Lockwood Mansion

Another iconic location is the Lockwood Mansion! Since it’s gated, you can only view the residence from the entrance. If you go on the Mystical Falls Tour with the Vampire Stalkers, you will have access to the property.

Location: 2129 East St Covington, GA 30014

9. The Old Lockwood Mansion (1864) – Twelve Oaks Bed & Breakfast

Some of the early flashbacks Damon and Stefan had about Katherine were at the Old Lockwood Mansion. Since the property serves as a bed and breakfast in real life, you’re able to stay here when you visit! They even offer suites that are themed from the show and you can reminisce on some of the scenes that were filmed there (the living room area and grand staircase).

Location: 2176 Monticello St SW, Covington, GA 30014

10. Mystic Falls Cemetery

Introduced in the pilot of The Vampire Diaries, there were countless scenes filmed at Mystic Falls Cemetery. Every season featured this location all the way until the last episode. It was also in a few scenes in Legacies (season one and four). Although we couldn’t find the exact location where Damon was walking through the graveyard, I tried to mimic that scene.

Location: Southview Dr, Covington, GA 30014

11. Wickery Bridge

Wickery Bridge is about 25 minutes away from Covington Square and it’s on a busy narrow road. Luckily, there is an area to park right near the bridge, but since there’s so much traffic, it makes snapping a picture in the street nearly impossible. I still recommend checking it out if you have time. There’s a few spots near the river where you can see the bridge and think back on all the scenes that took place on it.

Location: News Bridge, Stonecrest, GA 30038

12. Whitmore College

Less than 10 minutes from Covington, you will find Whitmore College (Oxford College) where Jenna, Elena, Caroline, and Bonnie all attended.

Location: 801 Emory St, Oxford, GA 30054

I’m so glad we finally got to make it to Mystic Falls and see all the filming locations in person. Especially throughout Covington Square and the iconic Mystic Grill. If you love The Vampire Diaries, I highly encourage you to make a trip and see Covington for yourself. There are quite a few movies and shows that were filmed in this town, so there’s more to see beyond TVD. After all, they don’t call Covington ‘Hollywood of the South’ for no reason.

Are You A Fan Of The Originals?!

If you watched the spin-off of The Vampire Diaries, The Originals, you’ll be pleased to hear a lot of the filming took place in Olde Town Conyers! It’s about a 15 minute drive from Covington and it gives off total NOLA vibes! Although it’s a small town, many movies and shows are filmed here (just like Covington)! They were even getting ready to start filming a movie when we visited. Make sure you stop in the Welcome Center so you can grab a brochure for your self-guided tour. You can also download it here.

Xoxo

Sorayah