It is a weird feeling. You step out of your car in the middle of a town square in Georgia, and suddenly, you’re not in the Deep South anymore. You’re in Virginia. Or at least, the version of Virginia that lived in our heads for eight years while The Vampire Diaries was on the air. Covington is a quiet place, mostly. But for anyone who has spent hours watching Elena Gilbert cry on a porch or Damon Salvatore smirk in a graveyard, this town is holy ground. People still come here in droves. Why? Because a Covington Georgia Vampire Diaries tour isn’t just about looking at old buildings; it’s about touching a world that felt more real than reality for a lot of us.
Honestly, the locals are used to it by now. You see people wearing "Team Stefan" shirts while grabbing a coffee at Bread and Butter, and nobody even blinks. It’s been years since the finale aired, but the "Mystic Falls" magic hasn't faded. It’s actually grown.
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The Reality of Walking Through Mystic Falls
Most people start at the historic Newton County Courthouse. You know the one. It’s the clock tower. If you stand in the center of the square and look up, you can almost see a hybrid falling to their death or a vampire contemplating the meaning of immortality. It’s the pulse of the town.
When you book a Covington Georgia Vampire Diaries tour, specifically through groups like Main Street Trolleys or Mystic Falls Tours, you aren't just getting a bus ride. You’re getting the lore. Jessica Lowery, who started Mystic Falls Tours, basically pioneered this whole thing because she had a literal front-row seat to the filming. She knew the cast. She knew where the trailers were parked. That’s the kind of insider knowledge that separates a "tour" from a "fan walk."
You’ll see the Drake House, which served as the Lockwood Mansion. It’s private property, so don't go trying to climb the fence to find a secret werewolf cellar. You can’t. But standing on the sidewalk and seeing those white columns? It hits different. You realize how small the "town" actually is. In the show, everything feels spread out, but in Covington, the Mystic Grill is right there. You can actually eat there. They have a rooftop bar now, and yeah, the food is actually good. It’s not just a tourist trap. Get the sweet tea. It’s Georgia; you have to.
The Houses: Where the Drama Lived
The Gilbert House is a big one. It’s a private residence on Floyd Street. Imagine living in a house where teenagers from around the world show up every day just to take a selfie with your front door. The owners are generally cool about it as long as you stay on the sidewalk.
Then there’s the Salvatore Mansion. This is where things get tricky. The original "Salvatore Boarding House" used in the pilot was actually the Glenridge Hall mansion in Sandy Springs, which was heartbreakingly demolished years ago. But the "St. James" set and other locations used later in the series around Covington still carry that dark, gothic weight.
Beyond the Main Square: The Hidden Gems
If you’re doing the Covington Georgia Vampire Diaries tour thing properly, you have to leave the square. You need to head toward the cemeteries.
Covington has these incredibly old, atmospheric graveyards that look exactly like they do on screen—mostly because they are the ones on screen. There’s a specific kind of moss and a specific kind of light that hits the headstones in the late afternoon. It’s spooky. It’s perfect. It’s where the "bridge" is—the one where the Gilberts' car went off the road. It’s actually called the 5800 block of Lions Club Road. It’s just a bridge to some people. To us? It’s the catalyst for the entire series.
- The Clock Tower: The literal icon of the show.
- The Mystic Grill: Real food, real location, very real vibes.
- Scoops: The ice cream shop where the cast used to hang out. Nina Dobrev liked the "Banana Pudding" flavor, allegedly.
- The Twelve Oaks Bed & Breakfast: This place is stunning. It’s a massive antebellum mansion that served as the inspiration (and filming site) for several flashback scenes. You can actually stay the night there. It’s pricey, but if you want to feel like Katherine Pierce for twelve hours, it’s the place to be.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Tour
A lot of fans think they can just show up and see everything in twenty minutes. You can't. Covington is a working town. Sometimes there are festivals. Sometimes other shows are filming there—Stranger Things, Sweet Magnolias, and Legacies all used this area. If you show up on a day when a different production has blocked off a street, you’re out of luck.
Also, don't expect the actors to be hanging out at the Mystic Grill. They’re gone. Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley are busy selling bourbon (Brother’s Bond, which you can find in the local liquor stores, naturally). But the spirit of the show is baked into the bricks.
The most "expert" advice I can give you? Go on a weekday. Saturday is a nightmare. You’ll be fighting for a photo op with fifty other people. Tuesday morning? It’s just you, the Georgia heat, and the ghosts of the Salvatore brothers.
The Cost of Being a Fan
Let's talk money. A guided Covington Georgia Vampire Diaries tour is going to run you anywhere from $50 to $100 depending on how deep you want to go. Is it worth it? If you’re a casual viewer who only watched Season 1? Maybe not. If you have a tattoo of a vervain compass? Absolutely.
The guided tours often include access to "The Vault," which is full of actual props and costumes. Seeing Elena’s outfits or the actual grimoires used by Bonnie Bennett is a trip. It makes the digital world of the screen feel physical.
Where to Stay and What to Eat
If you aren't staying at Twelve Oaks, look for local Airbnbs. Some of them are literally themed after the show. It’s a bit kitschy, sure, but you didn't drive all the way to Newton County for a "normal" hotel experience.
Eating at the Mystic Grill is a rite of passage. They have a "tiki bar" vibe on the roof now which is a bit of a departure from the show's dark aesthetic, but the view of the square is unbeatable. Order the "Mystic Salad" or the burgers. They know why you're there. They aren't judging.
The Legacy of the Spin-offs
We can't talk about a Covington Georgia Vampire Diaries tour without mentioning The Originals and Legacies. While The Originals mostly moved its primary filming to Conyers (just down the road), Covington still served as the backdrop for Legacies. The Salvatore School for the Young and Gifted is actually Kent Rock Manor in Loganville, which is about a 20-minute drive from the Covington square.
It’s a massive estate. You can’t usually go inside because it’s a private residence/event venue, but seeing those gates is a major moment for fans of the later series.
Actionable Steps for Your Mystic Falls Pilgrimage
If you are planning this trip, don't just wing it.
- Book your tour weeks in advance. These things sell out, especially during the "Vampire Stalkers" events or around Halloween.
- Check the filming schedule. Visit the Covington/Newton County Chamber of Commerce website. They usually post if certain streets are closed for "filming activity." You don't want to drive six hours only to find the Mystic Grill covered in fake snow for a Christmas movie.
- Bring a portable charger. You will take more photos than you think. The town is incredibly "Instagrammable," and the GPS will drain your battery as you hunt for the "Welcome to Mystic Falls" sign (which is periodically moved or changed).
- Visit the Covington Welcome Center. They have a "Hollywood of the South" museum inside. It’s free. It has props from TVD but also from movies like My Cousin Vinny and Remember the Titans.
- Respect the residents. This is the most important part. People live in the Gilbert house. People work in the courthouse. Don't be "that" fan who ruins it for everyone else.
The reality of Covington is that it’s a town that embraced its fictional identity. It didn't shy away from the vampires; it invited them in. That’s why, years after the cameras stopped rolling, the Covington Georgia Vampire Diaries tour remains a bucket-list item. It’s one of the few places where the line between a TV show and a real-life location is so thin you can almost step across it.
Pack your bags. Leave the garlic at home. If you see a crow sitting on a signpost on your way into town, just remember: it’s probably just a bird. Probably.