And Just Like That, I Completed My Stranger Things Atlanta Bucket List
I even made it to dinner at Enzo’s. (It took Joyce and Hopper two seasons to get there.)
The series finale of Stranger Things may have premiered all the way back in December, but — similar to “Conformity Gate” enthusiasts — I wasn’t ready to say goodbye at the time. Even though I can always rewatch the show on Netflix, I wanted to give Hawkins, Indiana and the Upside Down a proper sendoff by planning another set-jetting adventure to Georgia.
On a late 2025 trip to visit one of my best friends in Atlanta, I spent hours in and around iconic Stranger Things filming locations like downtown Hawkins, the Palace Arcade, Hawkins National Laboratory, and the Wheeler house. But that was before Season 5 dropped. In the time since then, I added a few new hot spots to my bucket list — and planned another Georgia bestie trip this summer to see them all.
A Long-Awaited Dinner At Enzo’s
After hearing about Enzo’s since Season 3 — you know, the Italian restaurant that Joyce and Hopper planned to meet up at for dinner, but things kind of got in the way — I’ve been wanting to eat there. It wasn’t until the finale that fans finally got to see Hawkins’ No. 1 date night spot, where the couple’s candlelit evening ended with a romantic proposal.
The actual restaurant used for filming is Dominick's Italian in Norcross at 95 S Peachtree St. It’s in a cute outdoor shopping area that has the same small town feel as Hawkins. Inside, some of the decor is slightly different and there wasn’t a house band, but I could immediately pinpoint the area where Winona Ryder and David Harbour’s characters sat.
Pro tip: Take a look around the check-in area and you’ll find that there’s a little Stranger Things Easter egg in the form of an Enzo’s menu framed on the wall. And if you plan to have your own romantic evening here, I recommend sharing plates of pasta. The portions were so huge, I had more than enough to take home for lunch the next day.
Popping By Dustin’s College Like I’m Steve Harrington
At the end of Season 5, fans get to see Dustin off at college. The best part of all is he’s still friends with Steve Harrington, who comes to visit him. That heartwarming scene was filmed at Oglethorpe University in Brookhaven. On the weekend, my friend and I were able to visit campus, which was also used for Do Revenge, Love, Simon, Spider-Man: No Way Home, and The Vampire Diaries.
The Long Journey To The Creel House
It was hard to check off every location on my first trip to Atlanta, because places like the infamous Creel House are a bit of a drive. If you want to visit Vecna’s hideout, aka Henry Creel’s childhood home, it can be around 90 minutes from the town center with traffic.
Since I wasn’t able to make it there on my first trip, I made it a priority this time — especially since Creel House plays such an important role in Season 5 with all the younger kids.
The actual address is 906 East 2nd Avenue in Rome, Georgia. It’s a residential home, so be respectful when you visit. My friend and I went for a walk around the neighborhood, and seeing the massive manor in person made my jaw drop. It looks exactly like it does in the show.
A Quick Stop By WSQK On The Way
Since driving to Rome from Atlanta is a trek, I made sure to add in a few other filming locations to make it worth it. Between the journey there and back, we stopped at The Tara Theatre (2345 Cheshire Bridge Rd NE) where Max and Lucas have their movie date, Benny’s Burgers (Tiffany's Kitchen, 7413 Lee Rd), and Bradley's Big Buy (Piggly Wiggly, 506 Center St) where Eleven steals the Eggo waffles in Season 1.
We also stopped by the field where the WSQK The Squawk radio station was built for Season 5. Unfortunately, production tore down the set after filming wrapped, but you can see the field where Robin, Steve, and the crew gathered to take down Vecna on Hutchesons Ferry Road near Phillips Road in Chattahoochee Hills.
I Believe There Are More Stranger Things To Explore
I may have visited pretty much every filming location still standing in Atlanta for Stranger Things, but I haven’t checked out any of the New Mexico spots used for the California scenes in Season 4. If I’m missing the show, I can also relive Season 5 at Universal Studios’ Halloween Horror Nights with the Stranger Things haunted house this year. So, there are ways to keep the fandom going, if I really feel like carrying on my love for Eleven and the crew.
