You see that bridge. The one where the waves are crashing violently against jagged rocks while Shailene Woodley runs like she’s trying to outpace her own memories. It’s iconic. If you’ve watched even ten minutes of the show, you know exactly the vibe: moody, expensive, and perpetually misty. But here’s the thing about where was filmed Big Little Lies—the Monterey you see on screen is a clever, high-budget illusion.
It’s real, mostly.
The HBO hit, based on Liane Moriarty’s novel, moved the setting from Australia’s beach suburbs to the rugged coastline of Northern California. It was a genius move. The Monterey Peninsula provides a specific kind of atmospheric tension that Sydney just wouldn't have captured for an American audience. However, if you hop in a car and try to visit every house from the show in Monterey, you’re going to spend a lot of time driving in circles around Malibu.
The Monterey Landmarks You Actually Recognize
Most of the "mood" shots—the transitions, the driving sequences, and the public confrontations—were shot on location in Monterey, Pacific Grove, and Carmel.
Bixby Creek Bridge is the big one. You see it in the opening credits. It’s technically about 15 miles south of Monterey in Big Sur. It’s one of the most photographed bridges in the world, and for good reason. It represents that precarious, "edge of the world" feeling the characters live in. Fun fact: The characters are constantly driving across it to get to places that, in real life, wouldn’t require crossing that bridge at all. But hey, that's Hollywood geography for you. It looks better than a standard highway.
Then there’s Old Fisherman’s Wharf. Remember the Paluca Trattoria? That’s where Madeline (Reese Witherspoon), Celeste (Nicole Kidman), and Jane (Shailene Woodley) spent half their lives sipping coffee and dissecting the town’s latest scandals. It’s a real place on the wharf. Well, the exterior is. They actually used a real Italian restaurant called Paluca Trattoria, though the interior scenes were often reconstructed on a soundstage to get those perfect lighting angles on Nicole Kidman’s face.
💡 You might also like: Greatest Rock and Roll Singers of All Time: Why the Legends Still Own the Mic
The Big Lie: Where the Houses Really Are
This is where the "where was filmed Big Little Lies" search gets tricky for fans. The show is about real estate as much as it is about murder. The houses are characters. They tell you exactly who these women are.
But Monterey real estate, as pricey as it is, didn't always fit the aesthetic the producers wanted.
Madeline Martha Mackenzie’s House
Madeline lives in a stunning Cape Cod-style mansion with a kitchen that launched a thousand Pinterest boards. You’d think it’s tucked away in a quiet Monterey cove. It isn’t. That house is actually located at 30760 Broad Beach Road in Malibu. It’s a vacation rental. If you have about $3,000 to $5,000 to spare per night, you can actually stay there. It’s thousands of miles away from the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
Celeste Wright’s Cliffside Estate
Celeste’s house needed to feel like a beautiful prison. It’s cold, glass-heavy, and overlooks the crashing Pacific. Unlike Madeline’s place, this one actually is in the Monterey area—specifically in Carmel Highlands. The house is located on Spindrift Road. It’s private, gated, and incredibly hard to see from the street, which fits Celeste’s secretive, isolated life perfectly. The producers used the natural cypress trees and the fog of the Highlands to ground the show in that specific NorCal chill.
Renata Klein’s Power Mansion
Renata (Laura Dern) is all about status. Her house is a massive, modern fortress of glass and sharp edges. This is another Malibu transplant. Located in the Malibu Hills, the house features a swimming pool that seems to drop off into the ocean. It’s a far cry from the cozy, historic charm of Pacific Grove.
📖 Related: Ted Nugent State of Shock: Why This 1979 Album Divides Fans Today
Why Monterey Matters More Than the Sets
The soul of the show is the Monterey Bay Aquarium. It’s one of the few locations that is exactly what it claims to be. Jane works there. The kids go on field trips there. It’s a world-class institution, and the show used it to highlight the "fishbowl" nature of the community. Everyone is watching everyone else.
Pacific Grove’s Lovers Point Park is another heavy hitter. That’s where the stairs are. The stairs where secrets are whispered and where the town’s artificial peace starts to crumble. When you visit, it feels smaller than it does on TV. Cameras have a way of making a public park feel like an expansive, private arena for drama.
The Challenges of Filming on the Coast
Filming in Northern California isn't easy. The weather is famously unpredictable.
Director Jean-Marc Vallée and cinematographer Yves Bélanger (for Season 1) leaned into the natural light. They didn't want it to look like a sunny sitcom. They wanted the "marine layer"—that thick, gray blanket of fog that rolls in and makes everything look slightly blue and very expensive. Honestly, the weather is a plot point. If it were sunny all the time, the domestic violence and social climbing would feel out of place. The wind at Garrapata State Park, where many of the beach running scenes were filmed, is brutal. It adds a level of physical exhaustion to the actors' performances that you can't fake on a green screen.
Fact-Checking the Local Vibe
Locals will tell you that the commute the characters make is insane. Madeline drives from "Monterey" to "Big Sur" just to get a coffee. In reality, that’s a 45-minute trek on a good day. People don't just "pop over" the Bixby Bridge for a quick chat.
👉 See also: Mike Judge Presents: Tales from the Tour Bus Explained (Simply)
Also, the school. Otter Bay Elementary isn't a real school. The exterior shots were filmed at Kenter Canyon Elementary in Brentwood, Los Angeles. The producers needed a specific "elite public school" look that they found more easily in Southern California.
So, why mix and match?
- Tax Credits: California filming incentives are a puzzle.
- Logistics: Moving a massive crew to the Monterey Peninsula for four months is a nightmare for traffic and lodging.
- Aesthetics: Malibu offers the "dream home" scale, while Monterey offers the "moody atmosphere."
How to Do a Big Little Lies Tour (The Right Way)
If you’re planning a trip to see where was filmed Big Little Lies, don't just stick to a GPS. You need to understand the geography of the Monterey Peninsula.
Start at Old Fisherman’s Wharf. Have a clam chowder bread bowl. It’s touristy, but it’s where the show breathes. Walk down to Lovers Point in Pacific Grove. It’s a short drive, and you’ll see the exact spots where the moms sat and talked about their kids' "bullying" issues.
From there, head south on Highway 1. You’ll hit Point Lobos State Natural Reserve. They filmed several "rugged coastline" shots here. Keep going until you hit the Bixby Creek Bridge. If you want the real Jane Chapman experience, go to Garrapata State Beach. The sand is white, the water is freezing, and the cliffs are steep. It’s beautiful and slightly terrifying, which is basically the thesis statement of the entire show.
Actionable Steps for Location Hunters
If you're serious about visiting these spots, here is the most efficient way to do it without wasting your whole weekend in traffic:
- Book a hotel in Pacific Grove or Carmel-by-the-Sea. Avoid the standard Monterey hotel row if you want the actual atmosphere of the show. The "Seven Gables Inn" in Pacific Grove feels very much like a place Madeline would haunt.
- Check the weather apps for "Marine Layer" alerts. If you want those moody, foggy photos, you need to be out by 7:00 AM. By noon, the sun usually burns the fog off, and the "Big Little Lies" look disappears.
- Visit the Monterey Bay Aquarium on a weekday. It’s crowded. You won't get that "Jane Chapman pondering life by the shark tank" vibe if there are 400 school kids screaming next to you.
- Respect private property. Remember that Celeste’s house and the Malibu mansions are real homes. Don’t be the person trespassing for an Instagram photo. You can see the Carmel Highlands house from the water if you take a boat tour or a kayak out of Whaler’s Cove.
- Eat at Paluca Trattoria. Yes, it’s a real place. Order the calamari. Sit outside. Even if the interior scenes were on a set, the view from the deck is 100% authentic.
The geography of the show might be a lie, but the locations themselves are very much a part of why the series worked. It's a blend of Central Coast grit and SoCal glamour. Whether you're standing on the Bixby Bridge or walking the halls of the Monterey Bay Aquarium, you're standing in the middle of a very carefully constructed piece of television history. Just don't expect to find the school in the same zip code as the houses.