Sweet Magnolias is filmed primarily in Covington, Georgia, which serves as the real-life stand-in for the fictional town of Serenity, South Carolina depicted in the series
. Covington is a picturesque small town about 40 minutes from Atlanta, known for its charming downtown and historic buildings, many of which appear in the show. Key filming locations in Covington include the Newton County Courthouse clock tower, the Greek revival manor used as the Corner Spa, and the exterior of Sullivan’s restaurant (actually called Mystic Grill)
. Additional scenes were filmed in nearby Georgia towns such as McDonough, where Serenity High School (Henry County Middle School) and Serenity’s Prince of Peace Lutheran Church (Oakhurst Presbyterian Church in Decatur) are located
. Although the show is set in South Carolina, no filming took place there; the fictional town of Serenity is inspired by Sumter, South Carolina, but all production is done in Georgia
. In summary, the filming locations are:
- Covington, Georgia (main town scenes, downtown, spa, restaurant exteriors)
- McDonough, Georgia (high school and church scenes)
- Decatur, Georgia (church interiors and exteriors)
Serenity, South Carolina is fictional and not a real filming location
