Hawkins is a fictional town in Stranger Things, depicted as located in Indiana, United States, near Indianapolis. In the show’s lore, Hawkins sits in Roane County and serves as the central setting for the early seasons, though the city itself is not a real place. The series’ production, however, used real locations in Georgia to stand in for Hawkins on screen. What this means for viewers and fans:
- In-universe location: Hawkins, Indiana (fictional), often described as near Indianapolis or in central Indiana in various materials and fan resources. This is the in-story location fans reference when discussing the town and its surrounding geography.
- Real-world filming locations: While Hawkins is fictional, many scenes were filmed in Georgia, with notable sites used to represent Hawkins’ streets, labs, and other landmarks. Visitors often tour these real locations in and around Atlanta and nearby towns.
- Related in-world landmarks: The Hawkins Laboratory, Hawkins Middle School, Hawkins High School, and other named places have corresponding real-world filming sites, which fans frequently map to their fictional counterparts.
If you’d like, I can pull up a concise map of commonly cited in-universe locations versus the actual filming sites and provide directions or a short tour-style guide.
