Keeping Things Strange – Our First RV Trip
In October, I had planned a November car trip to the Atlanta area to indulge in some “Stranger Things” fun. Not only was Stranger Things: The Experience being offered by Fever at Pullman Yard, most of the show’s filming locations are also in Georgia near Atlanta. I did some research, watched a lot of YouTube videos, and booked a hotel room for three nights about an hour Southwest of the city.
After years of dreaming, we bought our first RV at the beginning of November. I immediately canceled that hotel room and began planning a full Georgia trip as we were already scheduled to turn right back around and drive to Southwest Georgia to spend Thanksgiving with my husband’s parents. Being new RV owners presented the perfect opportunity to plan our first camping trip…in three weeks.
For the first three nights of our trip, we stayed in High Falls State Park River Campground located approximately 51 miles south of Atlanta. But, even closer to some of the most popular Stranger Things filming locations. There are several others that we were unable to visit. Some are up to 2 hours out, so your best bet is to pick your top 2 or 3. We decided to eliminate private residences out of respect for the property owners. If you do visit these locations, please remember that this is a person’s home and treat it as you would want strangers to treat yours.
High Falls State Park is in Jackson, GA. Downtown Jackson is also the setting of Downtown Hawkins. You will find Hawkins Library, The Hawk Theater, and Melvald’s General Store located in the center of town. Of course, you won’t find these locations if you’re looking for the names given by the show. Hawkins Library is actually the Butts County Courthouse (yes, you read that right and if you like that, you’ll love the water tower view on the way into town that reads “Beautiful Butts County”).
The building is gorgeous and iconic to the show. Work was being done to the structure during our visit, but it didn’t stop me from taking some lovely photos. The Hawk Theater is a tavern featuring a Stranger Things food and drink menu as well as their regular items such as burgers, wings, a few entrees, and more, including the best Cajun spiced pork rinds I’ve ever tasted. The building housing Bradley’s Olde Tavern dates back to the 1800s. The atmosphere was cozy and fun, and the creaky floors added to the creepy vibe that the show gives off.
We were running short on time and decided to skip a walk around the entire town square to take in every site, so we missed the opportunity to see if the Radio Shack sign was still there. You can also check out the empty corner storefront used as Melvald’s General Store in the show, as well as the alley where Jonathan and Steve’s rivalry came to blows as Nancy and Steve’s friends looked on. If you have a couple hours to spare while in the area, I highly recommend a bite and a drink at Bradley’s Olde Tavern, a nice walk around the downtown square, and don’t miss the banner hanging on the back of the courthouse.
My number one priority as far as filming locations to visit was easily Hawkins High School located in Stockbridge, GA about 25 miles NW of Jackson and approximately 20 miles South of Atlanta. At the time of our visit, Patrick Henry Adult Education Center still appeared the same way it does on Stranger Things with Hawkins High School painted on the pitched part of the building. Being there was such a neat experience and made me feel like I was playing a part in one of my favorite shows.
I say it’s a must do if you’re planning your own little tour of show locations but beware that in November, 2022 there was a Sheriff stationed outside the school informing visitors not to drive or walk down to the other sections of the school and that taking photos through any windows is prohibited. I suspect that filming for season 5 was probably being planned and staging was more than likely in progress. As time goes on, I’d expect more restrictions, so definitely check into it and respect boundaries that are set by film crews and local authorities.
The locations we visited during our trip were exactly what we wanted to see. You can find several homes of your favorite show characters around the areas outside of Atlanta as well as a few of the commercial locations filmed there. Some of the most popular characters’ homes to visit are the Wheeler House, The Victor Creel House (aka The Claremont House), and of course The Byers’ home. Other locations we skipped due to their distance from the campground or accessibility to the public, but would add many to my next trip:
In Atlanta
· Hawkins National Laboratory 1256 Briarcliff Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30306 Note: I did not visit this location as it is in the city and from what I’ve seen online, is not easily accessible to the public.
· Hawkins Community Pool, where some of those iconic scenes from Season 3 took place is located at 2000 Lakewood Ave SE and is known as South Bend Park and Swimming Pool in Atlanta.
· Sattler Quarry at Chappell Rd NW, Atlanta is the real name of Bellwood Quarry where the fake Will Byer’s body was pulled from the water in Season 1.
· Season Two’s Chicago scenes were filmed in the Fairlie-Poplar area of Downtown Atlanta. (And no, that’s not a joke, but it may be a play on the expression “fairly popular.”)
· Skull Rock can be found at 1238 Boat Rock Rd SW in the city and is known as Boat Rock Bouldering Area.
And Around Atlanta
· As much as I wanted to take a bite out of a Benny’s Burger at Tiffany’s Kitchen in Lithia Springs, it was a bit far from our planned route. 7413 Lee Rd
· The same thing goes for The Palace Arcade and adjacent Family Video (6503 Church St) as well as Hawkins PD (8485 Courthouse Square W) all located in Douglasville.
· Star Court Mall is an actual mall known as Gwinnett Place located at 2100 Pleasant Hill Rd, Duluth, GA 30096
· The Abandoned Mill used as the Mind Flayer’s Lair in Season 3 can be found at 2903 RN Martin St in East Point. Note: This is fenced property and should not be trespassed on.
And now, a little more about Stranger Things: The Experience brought to you by Netflix and Fever. The event we visited was located at Pullman Yards in Atlanta. The experience was only available in this location through February, 2023. Current experiences are being offered in Los Angeles, Paris, and Toronto. The event’s website gives fans of the show the opportunity to nominate their city from a list provided. Indianapolis is not on the list, but it should be. Not only is Indy my hometown, it’s also the closest major city to Hawkins, Indiana, the fictional town setting in the show. At the end of season four, a newscast states that the town sits just 80 miles outside the Midwest city, and I think it’s a crime to not host the experience there at some point.
Okay, I’ll get back to the actual experience and not my feelings about the obvious location choice for an upcoming appearance. Stranger Things: The Experience is an immersive and interactive game of sorts that allows fans to step inside Hawkins National Laboratory to take part in a sleep study. Filming and photos are not allowed during the “study” to not spoil the fun for those who have not had the chance to partake yet. What I will tell you is that this fun and unique experience is enhanced by the sets and the actors present. The creepy scientist in the first section of the “study” never broke character while staring at me suspiciously, considering every move I made.
Once through the experience, which lasts about forty-five minutes to an hour, you’re dropped into the “mixed tape.” This is where you can pose for pictures with a Demogorgon, Vecna, and multiple props that look like they came straight from the set of the show like the phone booth littered with signs for Dustin’s “lost” cat Mews. There are also many show related merchandise items for purchase. And you’ll have the opportunity to eat ice cream at Scoops Ahoy, devour a slice from Surfer Boy Pizza, or even sign up for Hellfire Club. There are actors among the crowd, wearing their finest 80s gear and ready for photo-ops. And don’t forget to take your turn in the photo booth.
At the end of this portion of the trip, I wished we could stay longer and see and do more that the area has to offer. I want Stranger Things: The Experience to make an appearance in more cities, especially Indianapolis, and I want it to stay longer. I would visit the experience at least one more time. It’s so fun and immersive, making the time scoot by too fast. Fingers Crossed that they keep this show on the road and that you have the opportunity to check it out.
