Douglas County is a short drive from downtown Atlanta, making it the perfect day trip for film fans. The Douglas County Film Trail is a self-guided tour through the area’s notable film and television locations. For the full experience, watch the movies and television shows before you go to have an idea of what you’ll see. Take photos at each location, reenacting the notable scenes in front of the film trail markers. A car is necessary for this trip.
Atlanta to Lithia Springs
9 a.m.: Start your day with a hearty breakfast at Tiffany’s Kitchen in Lithia Springs. Not only is this a great place to have an authentic Southern meal, but it’s also a location along the trail. Fans of “Stranger Things” might remember this as Benny’s Burgers, where Eleven steals food before the restaurant owner makes her a burger until the “bad men” come.
10 a.m.: Spend a few hours wandering the trails at Sweetwater Creek State Park. One of the best in the area, it was once was home to a textile mill burned by Union troops. The LEED certified visitor’s center has a prop from “Killing Season,” which was filmed in the park. “The Hunger Games” and “Mockingjay Part 1” are other films that used the state park. You can even stay overnight at the onsite campsites and yurts.
Noon: On your way west, make a quick drive through the Tributary, a neighborhood featured in “Killers” and “Diary of a Wimpy Kid,” and Riverside Parkway, a stretch of road that was used a few times on “The Walking Dead.” Tributary’s quaint townhouses, trails and sports fields make the 1,500-acre community a popular place to live.
Lithia Springs to Douglasville
12:30 p.m.: Stop for lunch at Arbor Place Mall or in downtown Douglasville, both of which have been used as filming locations. The mall has plenty of dining options and was featured in “Big Mommas: Like Father Like Son,” “F’inding Carter”’ and “Manifesto.” They even have a movie theater where you can catch a Georgia film.
Downtown Douglasville also has restaurants, especially on East Broad Street. After lunch, stop by Pray Street, a building that was used as the police station in “Stranger Things.” Local buildings have also been used for “Finding Carter,” “Stan against Evil,” “MacGyver” and “T’he Founder.”
1:30 p.m.: Take a quick peek at the outside of the Old Jail, which is now used almost exclusively as a filming location. You might have seen it in “All Eyez on Me,” “Logan Lucky,” “The Gifted” Discovery Channel’s “Manhunt,” along with Tyler Perry’s television drama, “The Haves and the Have Nots.”
Then take a tour of the Old Courthouse, now the Douglas County Museum of History and Art. The free museum has exhibits on the county’s film history, with props and other items, as well as on regional history. The museum was also used as a filming location in its own right, including as an airport counter in “The Founder,” as well as in “Stranger Things” and “The Last Punch.”
Douglasville to Villa Rica
2:30 p.m.: Detour to the Pine Mountain Gold Museum in Villa Rica, which depicts the history of the gold rush in the state. The 4,800-square-foot space is Georgia’s only museum where an actual gold mine can be found. The museum has also been spotted on film, including “Killing Season” and “Grace.”
Villa Rica to Winston
4 p.m.: The last stop of the day is Foxhall Resort and Sporting Club, a former private estate turned luxury resort. The 1,100-acre space has equestrian facilities, sporting clays, dining and wedding venue spaces. It was also used as the main location for “Table 19,” a romantic comedy about a destination wedding. If time allows, have dinner and spend the night in one of their rooms or cottages.