Is Virgin River a Real Town? Here's What We Know About the Netflix Show's Filming Location
Netflix's Virgin River quickly became a fan favorite when it first aired in December 2019, and the show is known for it's stunning scenery just as much as its small-town drama. Our favorite characters had to navigate plenty of ups and downs throughout the first three seasons, and we can't wait to see what new drama gets stirred up during season two. The show's breathtaking mountain vistas and beautiful nature scenes are supposed to be located in northern California, among the redwood forests, but we did some digging to find out whether we could pay a visit to the picturesque location on our own.
Is Virgin River a real town?
Unfortunately, the answer is no. The author of the Virgin River book series, Robyn Carr, told Entertainment Weekly that the town from her successful novels (now brought to life on the show) wasn't necessarily inspired by just one single place. "People always write and say, 'Where is it? I want to go there,' and I have to remind them that it only exists in our hearts and minds," Carr told EW. "But to further that thought, we can have that sense of community in our own neighborhood or school or church group or community center or library association. All we have to do is try to create it. We create it by being helpful neighbors and good friends and positive people."
The books and show are set in northern California, but for filming purposes, producers actually chose to shoot in Vancouver and nearby parts of British Columbia to create the dramatic natural backdrop viewers see in the episodes. If you're really craving a legitimate Virgin River experience, head over to Snug Cove in Bowen Island, Burnaby, or Port Coquitlam (all small towns in British Columbia), where several scenes were shot.
Is the Virgin River a real river?
Yes, the Virgin River is a smaller tributary of the Colorado River in the western United States. You *could* technically visit the river, but you might be searching for quite a while if you're on the hunt for a quaint riverside town or bar to enhance your experience.
Is Jack's Bar a real bar?
Not quite, but some of the exterior scenes that take place at Jack's Bar were filmed at The Watershed Grill, which is a real establishment located north of Vancouver on the Squamish River. Unfortunately, the indoor scenes were filmed in a studio, so we can't get the full experience, but The Watershed Grill looks magical nonetheless!
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