Where was Sweet Home Alabama filmed? All filming locations explored

Vintage, short-haired Reese Witherspoon brought a lot of nostalgic Southern charm to Sweet Home Alabama, making the movie one of the most rewatchable films ever, even after over 20 years.

She plays a city-dwelling sweetheart, who's about to wed her new fiance, the most eligible bachelor in the city. But first, she has to return to her hometown in Alabama to finalize her divorce from her secret husband.

Adding to Witherspoon's charming portrayal of Melanie Carmichael is Sweet Home Alabama's soundtrack, filled with easy-listening anthems and dance-worthy tunes, and the beautiful scenery of what's supposed to be small-town Alabama. In real life, the movie was mostly filmed around Georgia.

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Where was Sweet Home Alabama filmed?

Crawfordville, Georgia

The tiny town of Crawfordville was largely used as the backdrop in the film. It sits some 90 miles from Atlanta and is home to over 500 residents and several historic sites.

It has a suburban-rural mix feel and beautiful 1900s old-school scenery, which captures the charm of Melanie's Southern Alabama hometown of Pigeon Creek in the movie.

Several of Crawfordville's famous spots made it to the movie, including the local BBQ joint called Heavy's Bar-B-Que, which was featured as Stella's Bar in the film. Other storefronts and town buildings that appeared include the Taliaferro County Courthouse, Crawford Historical Society and the downtown cafe and post office.

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Other Georgia filming locations

The movie was also filmed outside of Crawfordville, like the setting for Melanie's husband Jake's (played by Josh Lucas) glass-blowing business. The outdoor scenes were shot in Fayette County, Georgia, specifically Starr's Mill, which sits on a beautiful 14-acre land that's open to the public.

The lakeside home, which was supposedly Melanie and Jake's family home in Sweet Home Alabama, was shot in a 240-acre charming lakeside recreation spot in Lake Peachtree, Georgia. Moreover, the Carmichael Plantation featured in the movie is the Oak Hill and Martha Berry Museum located in Rome, Georgia.

The Georgia International Horse Park was another filming location used in the movie. It served as the backdrop of the Civil War re-enactment scene in the film.

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Eufaula, Alabama

While Georgia was the main filming spot, a little bit of Alabama made it into the movie, specifically in the scene where Melanie is driving home to Pigeon Creek. The row of beautiful historic homes she passes through on the drive are real residential homes in Eufaula, Alabama.

One of the historic homes that made it into the final cut is the famed Shorter Mansion. It's a well-preserved two-story Revival-style historic house museum in the town, one of the most opulent structures in Eufaula.

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New York City

Before Melanie returned to her Southern hometown, she was living in the city, and New York served as the backdrop for those scenes. The sprawling cityscape captured Reese Witherspoon's character's extravagant city lifestyle.

Moreover, the Tiffany store proposal scene where Andrew (played by Patrick Dempsey) proposed to Melanie was a real Tiffany store in New York.

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Captiva Island, Florida

One of the most iconic scenes in Sweet Home Alabama is the one where the lighting strikes the sand on the beach, forming fulgurites.

The beachside backdrop was filmed at Captiva Island, Florida, which is famous for its secluded charm, breathtaking sunset views, white sands and rich collection of seashells.

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Catch Sweet Home Alabama now streaming via Hulu or rent or purchase the movie on Apple TV or Prime Video.