The Walking Dead Comes to Life in Senoia, GA

When you really, really love a TV show or movie, there’s nothing quite as exciting as seeing where it’s filmed. And while a lot of shows are filmed in closed studios, fans can experience many Walking Dead filming locations up close and personal in the charming town of Senoia, Georgia.

I’m a huge fan of The Walking Dead and have visited Senoia (pronounced seh-NOY – get it right so you don’t sound like a noob!) five times. The tiny town has embraced its TV fame and offers fans lots of opportunities to geek out.

Here are some key points you need to know about finding Walking Dead filming locations, taking Walking Dead tours, and maybe even spotting celebrities! You can also see my full video tour on YouTube!

Tips for Visiting Walking Dead Filming Locations

Are the filming locations hard to find?

When you drive into the town of Senoia, you are literally in Woodbury (Season 3). Drive around the corner and across the railroad tracks (the tracks to Terminus, Seasons 4-5) and you’ll run right into Alexandria (Seasons 5-10).

While the scenery is very recognizable, you’ll want to take a tour to learn all the details you can’t discover on your own. The tour guides are full of exciting stories and insider information – and some have even played Walkers and extras on the show! See below for my tour recommendations.

How much time do you need to visit Walking Dead filming locations?

I recommend at least a full day in Senoia to take a tour and visit the shops, restaurants and museum. If you’re a super fan, stay two or three days, take two (or more!) tours, and hang out at Senoia Coffee and Cafe (aka the Woodbury Coffee House) where you might catch a celebrity stopping in for their latte!

Where should you eat?

Definitely don’t miss Nic & Norman’s! This restaurant is owned by Greg Nicotero (director and makeup effects creator) and Norman Reedus (Daryl Dixon). Inside you’ll find Norman’s photography on the walls and it’s pretty likely you’ll find a cosplayer or two!

Nic ‘n Norman’s serves classic American food that leans toward the gourmet side. You’ll find salads, burgers, flatbreads, steaks, chicken, and fish. Some of our favorite items are the Philly Cheesesteak Fries, Fried Mozzarella, Garlic Pesto Flatbread, and the Coca-Cola Braised Pork Shank. They have some excellent cocktails, too.

For breakfast or lunch, I recommend Senoia Coffee and Cafe. They have amazing coffees, like the “Dirty Daryl” – a shot of espresso mixed into a chai tea latte. My favorite breakfast is “Hershel’s Hash,” a bowl of hash browns, eggs, corned beef, and a little cheddar cheese.

Where can you stay?

Atlanta is only 45 minutes from Senoia, so it’s an easy drive if you are already in Atlanta for other reasons. But you can also stay right in Senoia at the lovely Veranda Historic Bed & Breakfast Inn. There are also a number of chain hotels in nearby Peachtree City.

There’s also the option to stay in Morgan’s apartment from the “Clear” episode. It’s in the town of Grantville, GA and available for rent on Airbnb. A couple rooms were used in filming the episode and still look the same.

The other side is a large living area with five bedrooms, a full kitchen and bathroom. We stayed there, but found it to be a bit grungy with old, run-down furniture and bedding.

It’s also in a very rural and deserted area about 30 minutes from Senoia. But if you’re looking for a unique experience, it’s kinda cool.

Walking Dead Tours with the Georgia Tour Company

I’ve toured twice with the Georgia Tour Company and loved it both times. Their tour guides dress up as characters from the show. My first tour was with “Senoia Rosita” and my second tour was with “Senoia Daryl.”

The tour is about two hours long and you stroll slowly around the town, covering about two miles. I loved how the guides had their own stories of celebrity encounters. Senoia Rosita (Mara) was even an extra in several episodes in Season 8, so she’s got stories to tell!

Here are some of the spots you’ll see on your tour:

Alexandria Safe Zone

Woodbury

Enid’s Wall

Pudding House

… and lots more!

The Georgia Tour Company has been offering tours since 2014 and estimates upwards of 15,000 people take their tour each year. Fans come from all over the world – it is commonplace for each guide to have an overseas guest at least once a week.

In addition to their walking tours, they also have scavenger hunts, food tours and more.

You start and end your tour at the Georgia Mercantile Company – a delightful store full of local gifts, foods, and souvenirs. And the building was used for filming an “Oceanside” scene in Season 7!

Another spot to be sure to visit is the Walking Dead Store. Downstairs you’ll find the Walking Dead Museum and “Abraham’s Army” – the photo op studio of Chris Twellman, aka the German Abraham, who is a dead ringer for Abraham! Stop in and take an iconic photo with the German Abraham and sometimes other cosplayers are there, too. 

Walking Dead Filming Locations Tour With Water Tower Tours

The guides at Water Tower Tours can also show you around Senoia. They offer the option of “wheels or heels” (golf cart tour or walking tour).

After getting up close and personal with The Walking Dead filming locations in Senoia, you can branch out and see some other filming locations such as Marvel or Stranger Things. Water Tower Tours offers tours for both.

Atlanta Movie Tours is Out of Business

You may have heard about other Walking Dead tours with Atlanta Movie Tours. Unfortunately, that company is no longer in business, and I am thankful I got to go on two of their tours in the past. Here’s a little recap of the places we got to see.

We boarded the tour bus and listened to an introduction by our guide (who was a walker on the show!) I liked that they showed scenes from The Walking Dead on monitors on the bus. This helped refresh my memory and gave each stop more impact.

After a brief tour around Senoia, we rode out of town to several other filming locations. We were given exclusive entry to the Woodbury Arena where the Governor staged fights for entertainment in Season 3. This is where Daryl & Merle were forced to fight each other. The arena is also where some scenes from The Hunger Games were filmed.

The site where the group camped at the end of Season 2 and Rick made his “this is not a democracy” speech.

The Carriage Bar where Hershel fell off the wagon after his barn full of walkers were gunned down by Shane. Around the corner from here is Steve’s Pharmacy where Glenn & Maggie first did the deed.

There was also a stop inside Morgan’s apartment from the “CLEAR” episode.

And then there’s this iconic wall, shown in the opening credits of the earlier seasons.

You may have also heard about the Walking Dead Studio Tour. This tour ran from December 2018 through May 2019, but now appears to be closed. They were supposed to open up again when filming completed for the season, but their web site is down and my emails to them have gone unanswered.

But if it does open again, I’ve heard it’s worth your time and money. You get access to the garbage heaps, the Sanctuary, Hilltop, Oceanside, and even exclusive access behind the wall in Alexandria! Some of my friends took the tour and enjoyed it, but told me that they were very limited in what they could photograph.

Maybe they will reopen the studio tour now that The Walking Dead is wrapping up filming for good.

There are also smaller tours, such as the Grantville Dead Walking Tour (site of Morgan’s CLEAR apartment), and Walkin’ Dead Haralson Tours (site of the mill where Merle dies).

For any serious fan of The Walking Dead, taking a pilgrimage to Senoia, GA is a must. These Walking Dead tours and filming locations are so much fun and you’ll leave an even bigger fan than you already are!