If you’re a fan of “Gilmore Girls,” you’ve probably wondered where it was filmed. Is Stars Hollow a genuine tiny town where people can go?
“Gilmore Girls” tells the story of a mother and her daughter through high school and college. The show’s pleasant, feel-good ambiance, lovable characters, and funny scripting helped it become wildly successful. All of this comes to reality in the little Connecticut hamlet of Stars Hollow, where the Gilmores talk over coffee at Luke’s Diner, have awkward dinners at the grandparents’ house, and catch up at the Dragonfly Inn.
You’re not alone if seeing the charming buzzing town on your TV makes you want to schedule a vacation to Stars Hollow immediately. Continue reading to find out if Stars Hollow, Connecticut is real and where “Gilmore Girls” was filmed.
Where was “Gilmore Girls” Filmed? All the Real Locations
Plenty of shows are set in small towns where everybody knows each other’s routine business and deep secrets. Still, Stars Hollow in “Gilmore Girls” seems different, with unique locales like Al’s Pancake World, which serves many cuisines from across the world but not the breakfast of the same name. Let’s explore the locations together.
Washington, Connecticut
- Key Scenes: Inspiration for quaint town
- Best Time to Visit: Fall, for colorful foliage and mild temperature
- Transportation: Travelers should drive (or rideshare) or take the train
Stars Hollow, sadly, is not a genuine town. Nothing in Stars Hollow exists in real life, from the fall foliage to the comfortable dwellings. In the show, Stars Hollow is an adorable town with a lovely cafe and eccentric inhabitants, and the shooting for “Gilmore Girls” took place in a number of places to portray the imaginary town.
Despite not being a real place, the show’s little village is full of charm and feels authentic, owing to the intricacies in each episode. Although Stars Hollow’s neighborhood may not exist, Washington, Connecticut, served as its inspiration. There are five villages in Washington that travelers will surely enjoy discovering – Washington Green, Washington Depot, New Preston, Marbledale and Woodville. Learn what the charming rural town of Washington, Connecticut has to offer visitors.
Things to Do: Visitors can try to capture the magic of Star Hollow by visiting sites like the Hollister House Garden and Hopkins Vineyard.
Where to Eat: A quirky spot to stop by that gets raving reviews from locals is the Tap Room at the Mayflower Inn and Spa, which serves pub style and Northeastern inspired delights.
Where to Stay: The Mayflower Inn and Spa, which houses the Tap Room, is naturally a great option for travelers who prefer to stay in central areas. The five star hotel offers a posh retreat for any time of the year.
Warner Bros. Studio
- Key Scenes: Cityscape and village
- Best Time to Visit: Weekdays for busier atmosphere, weekends for calmer environment
- Transportation: Many bus and subway options, including the Olive Ave. and Hollywood Way bus station which is a seven minute walk away
No backlot at Warner Bros. is as identifiable as Midwest Street, which was turned into the classic fictitious town of Stars Hollow, Connecticut, for the “Gilmore Girls” series. Other backlots at the studio were changed to seem like New York City and the Wild West. In this location, during the filming of “Gilmore Girls,” Luke’s Diner, Doose’s Market, the Dragonfly Inn, and Stars Hollow Books all formerly stood. The Stars Hollow gazebo, still intact and frequently used for fan pictures, is undoubtedly the most famous building on Midwest Street.
An episodic series like “Gilmore Girls” did very well on Midwest Street. The trees feature false leaves to provide the impression that the town is enjoying Christmas or the peak of summer. Potato flakes were used to simulate falling snow. The inside walls of the dwellings are easily movable. Some buildings even combine the front face of one house with the backyard facade of another. Several settings used during “Gilmore Girls” were swiftly built and then quickly changed for another scene.
Things to Do: Travelers can take a studio tour that highlights the show’s set, spend their time shopping in the studio shop or visit Universal Studios Hollywood.
Where to Eat: Thankfully, for adventuring tourists, there are plenty of themed restaurants at the Warner Bros. Studios.
Where to Stay: Staying in the Burbank area is important so that travelers can avoid extra transportation fees or inconveniences. Hotel Amarano Burbank-Hollywood is a great place to stay since it has a free airport shuttle.
Unionville, Canada
- Key Scenes: Town and background shots
- Best Time to Visit: Year-long, fall for cooler temperatures
- Transportation: Since it located around 18 miles from Toronto, Unionville can be reached by car or public transport
The show’s pilot episode was filmed in Unionville, Canada. The ideal location to shoot at was Unionville because it conveyed the same small-town feel that Sherman-Palladino fell in love with in Connecticut. Even today, many Stars Hollow fans travel to Unionville to view the show’s recognizable locations. Although the village made a terrific setting for the premiere episode, the rest of the series was filmed elsewhere.
The filming for most of the seven seasons of “Gilmore Girls” took place in Connecticut. A Gazebo was positioned in the middle of the set, and production designers built replicas of the famous cafés and businesses in Stars Hollow for the show.
Things to Do: The Toogood Pond Park and Varley Art Gallery are popular attractions in the Unionville, Canada area that many people enjoy.
Where to Eat: Chat Bar is a Chinese restaurant located in Unionville that is highly rated by locals and tourists alike.
Where to Stay: The Hilton Toronto/Markham Suites Conference Center and Spa is located in central Unionville and has a four star rating.
California’s Greystone Park and Mansion
- Key Scenes: Outdoor shots of nature and graduation
- Best Time to Visit: Year-round, the estate is open every day
- Transportation: From LA, the drive to Greystone Park and Mansion is around 20 minutes
Rory’s graduation made Lorelai, Sookie, and Luke Danes (Scott Patterson) cry because of the difficulties she had at that specific school, both academically and socially, and because they understood how hard she fought to achieve it. California’s Greystone Park and Mansion served as the backdrop for the outside scenes of Chilton Academy and the graduation scenes.
Greystone, which dates to the 1920s, is currently a Beverly Hills city property; Edward Laurence Doheny Jr. was its first owner.
Things to Do: Visit the historic estate and take a self guided tour or visit the park. Travelers can hike, bike, fish or golf at the park.
Where to Eat: The Rainbow Bar and Grille is less than a mile away from Greystone Park and serves American cuisine.
Where to Stay: The Maybourne Beverly Hills is a hotel nearly two miles from Greystone Park and Mansion with great shopping and dining options.
How was the ‘Gilmore Girls’ set handled after the show ended?
Stars Hollow was still there after the last episode of “Gilmore Girls” had finished filming. The town’s overall structure remained the same. The TV program “Pretty Little Liars” built the city of Rosewood on the same set. A keen eye will allow one to spot Stars Hollow elements in movies like “La La Land” and television series like “You.”
