Where Was Netflix's Sweet Magnolias Filmed? All Filming Locations For Serenity Explained

Sweet Magnolias is set in the fictional and picturesque town of Serenity, South Carolina, prompting the question of where the real scenes of the Netflix drama are actually filmed. The show, based on the books of the same name by Sherryl Woods, centers on three characters who have been best friends since childhood as they navigate all the ups and downs of life together. Through the difficulties of living in the bubble of a small town, Maddie, Dana Sue, and Helen support each other.

That small town, Serenity, plays a big part of the show. Serenity has a charm all its own, a tiny town full of quaint homes and lovely areas, all full of Southern hospitality. The charm comes through in the writing of Sweet Magnolias with all its great quotes and memorable characters. While some scenes are shot on sets, the location of the "on-location" part of filming is important to get right, especially when the setting plays such an important role. Luckily, the location scouts did a great job. Here's where Sweet Magnolias is filmed.

Sweet Magnolias Is Filmed Almost Entirely In Covington, Georgia

Though the town of Serenity is meant to be in South Carolina, Sweet Magnolias is actually filmed on location in the town of Covington, Georgia. Covington is picturesque on its own, so not much has to be done in terms of set-building or completely reworking certain locations to acquire the small-town feel it needs. In fact, a number of the show's best-known fictional locations already exist in Covington.

• Sullivan's Restaurant is a real restaurant in Covington called Mystic Grill.
• The Corner Spa exterior shots are a law office in Covington.
• Serenity's clock tower building is the Newton County Courthouse in Covington.
• Maddie's and Dana Sue's houses are also located in Covington.

There are also a number of other scenes shot in and around downtown Covington, Georgia. However, even with the show filming mostly on location, some sets are created on a soundstage to get the exact look that Sweet Magnolias requires. The interior shots of The Corner Spa, for example, are shot on a soundstage.

Sweet Magnolias Also Films In Other Areas Of Georgia

While the majority of scenes are shot in Covington, there are a few locations that, unfortunately, aren't in the same area. Other locations are required to bring the town of Serenity to life in Sweet Magnolias. The entirety of the show, however, is still shot in Georgia. Here are the other locations in Sweet Magnolias not shot in Covington.

• Henry County Middle School in McDonough, Georgia stands in for Serenity High School.
• The Prince of Peace Lutheran Church scenes are shot at Oakhurst Presbyterian Church in Decatur, Georgia.
• Helen's house is actually located in Atlanta, Georgia.
• Sweet Magnolias season 3's Forager Festival scenes were shot at Madison Town Park in Madison, Georgia.
• Season 3's gym scenes were shot at Porter Memorial Gymnasium in Porterdale, Georgia.

A Real Town In South Carolina Inspired The Town Of Serenity In Sweet Magnolias

Serenity may not exist for real, but one can certainly visit the town of Covington to see where it was filmed. Before Covington, there was a real town in South Carolina that became author Sherryl Woods' inspiration for Serenity, and that town is Sumter, South Carolina. In fact, she has such fond memories of the town that she wrote a short ode to it in the very first Sweet Magnolias book, Stealing Home:

"Developing Serenity for this new series had a special meaning for me. Each year as I travel from my home in Key Biscayne, Florida to my family's summer cottage in Colonial Beach, Virginia, I make a stop in Sumter, South Carolina, to visit one of my family's oldest and dearest friends, Donnie Clemons."

Covington, Georgia Isn't Just Where Sweet Magnolias Is Filmed

Georgia has become known as "L.A. South" thanks the state becoming a hub of activity for movie and TV productions. Certain towns and locations around the state have more than one production to their name, and Covington is no different. Thanks to its Southern charm and lovely, small-town aesthetic, Covington is actually quite a hot spot for multiple film and TV shoots. The most well-known of these is likely the long-running CW series The Vampire Diaries. In fact, canny audiences may notice that certain areas of Serenity look an awful lot like another fictional town, Mystic Falls. If the real name of Sullivan's Restaurant, Mystic Grill, rings a bell, that's because it's the same name as the fictional grill frequented by the characters of Vampire Diaries.

But while The Vampire Diaries may have used Covington the most, and now that honor goes to Sweet Magnolias, that doesn't mean they're the only two productions to have ever shot in Covington. Far from it. Some movies that have filmed in Covington include Doctor Sleep, Sweet Home Alabama, My Cousin Vinny, Remember the Titans, Selma, and Footloose. Other TV shows that have filmed there include Legacies, I'll Fly Away, In the Heat of the Night, The Dukes of Hazzard, and others. Clearly, Netflix picked the perfect place for Sweet Magnolias season 4's sleepy town of Serenity when the show continues.