Dear diary, May 2, 2024 was different. It had to be. It was the day I had been waiting for since I was a university student back in 2009, watching The Vampire Diaries in my dorm room for the very first time.

We arrived in Mystic Falls just after sundown. The clocktower was glowing and the neon sign in the Mystic Grill window had an eerie vibe about it. The town square was completely empty. I felt like I had stumbled into an alternate reality.

In this blog post, I will give you 10 reasons why you should schedule a trip to Mystic Falls and provide you with some (hopefully useful) tips along the way.

“It’s Mystic Falls, nothing bad ever happens here.”

— Elena Gilbert

1. Hollywood of the South

It might surprise you to learn that Mystic Falls, Virginia is actually a picturesque little town called Covington, Georgia - otherwise known as the ‘Hollywood of the South’. Many things have been filmed here over the years, including The Dukes of Hazzard, Sweet Home Alabama, Footloose, Halloween 2, Sweet Magnolias, and, of course, The Vampire Diaries (TVD). So if you are not even a fan of TVD, this town is full of interesting Hollywood-related things to see.

Welcome to Covington mural on Pace Street

2. Accommodation

If you are a big TVD fan like myself, you will be delighted to hear that some of the filming locations actually double up as Airbnb’s. Yes, you can actually stay at Caroline Forbes’ house and even the Lockwood Mansion! We had an Airbnb in a delightful area which was just a short walk to Covington Square (under 10 mins). Fun fact, the place we stayed actually featured as a fraternity house in Season 7, Episode 18!

3. Guided Tours

Even though all of the locations were in walking distance to our Airbnb, it was definitely worth going on a guided tour for the insider knowledge! We booked with Vampire Stalkers as this company had the best reviews and is the only tour with access to the Lockwood Mansion. The tour guides were brilliant and had some great stories to tell from times they watched scenes being filmed.

Exclusive access to the Lockwood Mansion

4. TVD Museum

For the guided tour, you have to check-in first at the Covington Visitor Center. My biggest tip is arrive early! You will not finish the tour at the Visitor Center, so this is your only opportunity to look around. There’s an amazing museum inside, which mainly consists of TVD, The Originals and Legacies memorabilia, but also has some artifacts from The Dukes of Hazzard, as well as some local history of the town.

5. Mystic Grill

The most amazing thing about staying in Mystic Falls is that the Mystic Grill actually exists and you can eat/drink there! However, I must clarify, the inside will not look like what you see in TVD. They used a sound stage for inside Mystic Grill scenes, but the decor inside is very similar! If you want to try Damon’s vampire pancakes or have a drink at the rooftop bar, be sure to visit on a weekend (we went on a Thursday so I missed this - devastated). Make sure you also check out the two bar stools dedicated to Alaric and Stefan, as well as the hall of fame staircase.

Mystic Grill - sat on Alaric’s bar stool

6. Blood Bags!

Live the vampire life with a blood bag filled with red wine from the Mystic Grill. You can also get juice blood bags from the Vampire Stalkers store across the street.

Red wine blood bag from the Mystic Grill

7. Prison World

For us, staying in an Airbnb meant that we needed to find a local supermarket for snacks and essentials. Well, in Mystic Falls, you’ll be delighted to hear that Bell’s from the 1994 prison world is around 10 minutes from Covington Square by car. If you head to the frozen section, you’ll see some photos of scenes that were filmed inside.

8. Character Houses

Most character houses can be found within the centre of the town, including Elena Gilbert, Caroline Forbes, Tyler Lockwood, Matt Donovan, Grams and Isobel (Elena’s birth mother).

9. Shopping!

There are plenty of independent small businesses around Covington Square to find that perfect TVD souvenir. The first is located where Grayson Gilbert’s medical practice was (the writing in the window is still there!). It’s an art store and I got a cute Mystic Falls keyring! We had a lovely chat with the owner too, who was telling us about how she watched the filming of the scene where Damon and Elena jumped from the top of the clocktower (stunt doubles, obviously, but Ian and Nina were actually up there too!).

There’s also a cute store called Bitten. They have lots of hoodies and sweatshirts there - I got a ‘Bitten by Damon’ one and I’m obsessed with it.

The Vampire Stalkers, the company who do the guided tours, have their own shop on the corner by the clocktower. They have some really unique things like miniature moonstones, jewellery etc. The show also donated some props and costumes to the store - it’s a mini museum in itself.

And finally, there’s The Alley Gift Shop, which is located in the dreaded alley beside the Mystic Grill - nothing good ever happens there (in the show). They have also been donated costumes from TVD, so it’s another mini museum experience in this store too! What makes this place even more special is that Matt Donovan and Sheriff Forbes’ dedication benches are just outside.

10. Meet TVD Fans

All I have left to say is that this was the most magical experience and I think about it daily (true story). You’re guaranteed to make some new friends along the way who share your TVD obsession, literally everywhere - the tour, Mystic Grill, local stores. I already want to go back and it’s only been a month!

Covington, you’re the best! x

10 reasons why you should visit Mystic Falls