The Walking Dead: Real Locations in Atlanta where the Show was Filmed & How You Can Visit

The small town of Senoia was incorporated in 1860, but it was the film industry that put it on the map. The main street is lined with shops and restaurants as well as historic homes and inns. Senoia has also been home to two of Southern Living’s Idea Houses. The street has stars to indicate various film and television productions that used the town as a backdrop or were filmed at nearby Riverwood Studios, the studio that helped bring “The Walking Dead” to life. Hang out long enough and you might just see filming of “The Walking Dead,” whose Alexandria set is a real neighborhood in town.

Owned by producer, director and special effects master Greg Nicotero and fan favorite Norman Reedus (“Daryl Dixon”), Nic & Norman’s is a Southern eatery in downtown Senoia. It’s one of a handful of dining options in the small town. The menu focuses on seasonal Southern fare with their favorite dishes added in. Gourmet burgers, grilled flatbreads and even vegetarian options are available. Pair your meal with a craft cocktail or Georgia-brewed beer.

Atlanta Movie Tours take Walking Dead fans to the Jackson Street Bridge for iconic photos of the Atlanta skyline. The original Atlanta film tour company, Atlanta Movie Tours makes it easy for visitors to geek out at their favorite filming locations. They operate a number of themed tours from their Castleberry Hill office, including “The Hunger Games,” “Gone With the Wind” and “Captain America” tours.

“The Walking Dead” tours set them apart, as they have three different experiences that take fans to filming locations from the series’ history. The company takes fans to the Jackson Street bridge for iconic photos of the Atlanta skyline, and it has access into locations like the Caldwell Tanks in Newnan and the shed where Rick and the Governor met in Haralson.

Every trip to Senoia should include a visit to The Woodbury Shoppe, which is the go-to location for “The Walking Dead” memorabilia and fan gear. The owners are the creator of the graphic novel and executive producer of the show Robert Kirkman, executive producer David Alpert, former Riverwood Studios co-owner Scott Tigchelaar and shop executive manager Brian Jagt. They’ve filled it with items like signed photos, cardboard cutouts and officially licensed products. There’s even a small museum of props from the set downstairs and the Waking Dead Cafe. Atlanta Movie Tours leave from this location.

Georgia Tour Company also runs tours of Senoia, but they are two-hour walking tours rather than driving tours. They visit locations used in “The Walking Dead,” “Fried Green Tomatoes,” “Pet Sematary II,” “Drop Dead Diva” and more. They’ll point out the base camp used for filming of “The Walking Dead” and test visitor knowledge. You have your choice of three different themed tours, all of which leave from Senoia.

This distinctive building overlooking I-75 just south of I-285 played the role of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in episode five of the show’s first season. In real life, the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre is a premier venue for Broadway shows, concerts, opera, ballet and more.

The actual CDC is located in Atlanta and has a free museum with exhibits that tell the story of the agency and its life-saving work.

Meriwether County has joined the geocache trend, an activity for all ages that resembles a good, old-fashioned treasure hunt. But what makes the Woodbury Zombie Geocache different is the zombies wandering around as you search for body parts and weapons in 12 caches to fill your passport. Your quest even includes a visit to one of the filming locations: the radar station where some of the Saviors lived. The name is a nod to the fictional town used in “The Walking Dead” as well as the real-life town of the same name located in west central Georgia.

Have you visited these filming locations? Let us know about your experience in the comments below!