Season 4 of Stranger Things took the series beyond the familiar town of Hawkins, expanding the story both narratively and geographically. We all have the idea that the Duffer Brothers chose places like Georgia, New Mexico, and Lithuania to show us everything from the creepy Russian prison to a chilling haunted house, and yes, a dusty desert lab. But where exactly are these places – the real-world locations fans can visit — or at least Google!

1. The Creel House (Vecna’s Lair)

The mysterious, decaying Creel House in Hawkins is a major plot point, once home to Victor Creel and later a conduit to the Upside Down. The real-life location of this Creel house is in Rome, Georgia, and the name of this house is Claremont House. You can find the house at the Address: 906 E 2nd Ave SE, Rome, GA.

  • Why it’s iconic: Fans love how it echoes gothic horror aesthetics and brings a new level of psychological terror to the series.

Fun fact: The Creel house is a real 1800s-era mansion with its own spooky history and was on sale for $1.5 million while filming took place for a brief period in 2022! The horror-inducing clock is also a part of this house.
house was already cursed before they moved in Creel house is a real 1800s

While not officially a Stranger Things tourist site, curious fans often drive by. Local Rome, GA tourism boards have also highlighted it in fan tours.”The Creel House is as much a character as Vecna — it represents the trauma and rot at the center of Season 4.” – Duffer Brothers about the Vecna house.

2. Russian prison

Hopper is imprisoned in a Soviet labor camp, where he eventually faces off against a Demogorgon.The real-life location of this Russian prison is Vilnius, Lithuania, whereas the primary filming spot is Lukiškės Prison. Scenes were shot during frigid winter months to enhance authenticity — the breath you see? Totally real.

  • Trivia: This prison also appeared in Netflix’s Young Wallander and was decommissioned only a few years before filming.

3. Lenora Hills, California (Eleven’s new home)

In season 4 of Stranger Things, we see Eleven moving in with Will, Jonathan, and Joyce to Lenora Hills, California — a bright and sandy contrast to gloomy Hawkins. The real-life location is Albuquerque in New Mexico. The school shown was Eldorado High School stood in for Lenora Hills High School.

Sandia Mountains served as the backdrop for several wide exterior shots

Byers house in California

The reason why they chose New Mexico was that it matched the sunny, dry setting of California while being more cost-effective for production.

 4. Nina Project Lab (Desert military site)

Remember the top-secret program led by Dr. Owens and Dr. Brenner? It is in the Nina project lab, a secret military facility, where Eleven goes to regain her powers in season 4. The real-life location is in Dulce, New Mexico. This is built as a fictional site in the New Mexico desert.

The exterior of the Nina Project base was filmed in Los Lunas, New Mexico, specifically at an abandoned military building known as Becker Aviation Hangar. It is part of a decommissioned airfield that’s often used for filming desert or secret-bunker scenes.

Can anyone visit the Nina project house? 

Kind of — but only from a distance: The Becker Aviation Hangar isn’t open to the public. It’s located on private land, but fans can sometimes catch a glimpse while driving nearby.

Fun fact: The whole Nina project facility draws visual inspiration from 1970s sci-fi and Cold War medical aesthetics.

5. Skate Rink – Rink-O-Mania

Eleven faces a brutal bullying moment while trying to fit in at a California roller rink. The real-life location of this place is Skate-O-Mania, Albuquerque, New Mexico. The place was a fully functional roller rink before filming, though it’s since become iconic for its neon Stranger Things makeover.

And if you have looked closely into the arcade machines, many are the same ones from Hawkins Palace Arcade in earlier seasons!

Do you know? The infamous “milkshake throw” scene was filmed in a single take for authenticity.

  • Fun detail: The production transformed the rink to reflect a perfect pastel-heavy 80s vibe — from neon to signage. Not just this, every costume, from El’s flannel dress to Angela’s mustard outfit, was color-matched to the rink’s palette. 👗

6. Hawkins High School

The high school becomes a central setting again in Season 4. We have already seen this location in season 1 and the real-life location is Patrick Henry High School, Stockbridge, Georgia.

  • Interesting fact: The same high school was used in Season 2 and 3, and the production team redecorated the halls every season to reflect different years.

7. Hawkins forest and the Upside Down gate

We have already seen the forest in previous seasons and in season 4, it appeared in the corrupted gate scene, close to Eddie’s trailer. In previous seasons, we have seen the forest in Will’s vanishing season, Steve and Jonathan’s Demogorgon hunt, and Billy’s mind-flayer vision sequences. These Hawkins forest sequences are filmed in Stone Mountain Park and Atlanta forest reserves, Georgia.

  • Famous spot: The gate near “Lover’s Lake” was constructed on location and partially enhanced with CGI.
Could this be an easter egg? Fans noticed the lake's name mirrors Nancy and Steve’s Season 1 hookup — which gets subtly referenced again in Season 4.

Can I visit the Hawkins forest in real life?

  • Yes. You can. South Bend Park in Georgia is open to the public.
  • Some fans recreate photos near the pine grove where Will’s bike was found.
  • The gate interiors? Sadly, those are long gone set builds.

Other Stranger Things location

1. Pennhurst Mental Hospital where Robin and Nancy visit Victor Creel. The real location is Briarcliff Campus, Georgia Mental Health Institute, Atlanta, GA. 

2. The Underpass & Eddie’s Escape, When Eddie flees after Chrissy’s death and the gang is on the run. These shots are filmed near Bellwood Quarry.

3. Surfer’s boy pizza. This is filmed at Domino’s Pizza, Albuquerque – with branding changed.

4. War zone store which involves weapon buying scenes. The real store in Rome, GA turned into a retro weapons depot.

Final Thoughts

If you are planning to visit Georgia, don’t forget to visit some of these locations. Though most of the data provided here are based on real-time status provided online, do check before you reach there, especially if you are keen about taking pics and want an in depth exploration. Did we leave any location? Tell us or share with us on our Reddit channel – Vecnavolde.