Where was Parks and Recreation filmed? All filming locations explored 

Parks and Recreation (2009-2015) is a mockumentary-style sitcom based in the fictional town of Pawnee, Indiana. It follows the story of Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler), a high-energy deputy director of the government's Parks and Recreation department. Her enthusiasm and passion for government work are legendary and help bring the laughs and emotions.

Created by Michael Schur and Greg Daniels, the show uses the fictional town of Pawnee as the main premise. The characters work for the city, making it a central aspect of the mishaps and wins, both small and big. Leslie and the gang interact with the city and its people in hilarious ways.

Although set in Indiana, Parks and Recreation was filmed predominantly in and around California. Many exterior shots were also filmed in Washington, D.C., Indianapolis, and Colorado.

Disclaimer: All opinions in this article belong solely to the writer. Parks and Recreation spoilers ahead!

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Pasadena City Hall, Pierce Farm Centre, and other filming locations of Parks and Recreation

1) Filming Locations in California

Pasadena City Hall, AKA, the Pawnee City Hall

Pawnee City Hall (Image via YouTube/Parks and Recreation)

Most of Parks and Recreation is shot in a government office set up, where Leslie and her colleagues work for the city's parks department. The memorable exterior shot of Pawnee City Hall is the Pasadena City Hall, California. The exterior is way bigger and more grandiose than the tight frame the building gets in the show, with sweeping Spanish Colonial revival architecture. However, since the show is set in a small town in Indiana, the camera shows only a small section of the building.

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Harvest festival at Pierce Farm Center

Ben and Leslie with Joan at the Harvest Festival (Image via YouTube/Parks and Recreation)

Leslie plans an elaborate Harvest Festival in season 3 of Parks and Recreation. It is one of her genius creations to draw attention to the department and gather more funds. Despite obstacles (Ken Hotate's curse, Lil' Sebastian going missing, and Joan Calamezzo giving it bad PR), the crew pulls off a successful event. While the festival is set in Pawnee in the show, the filming happened in Pierce Farm Center, an area within Pierce Community College in Woodland Hills, California.

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The smallest park in Indiana is just a parking lot

Ben and Leslie in the smallest park in Indiana (Image via YouTube/Parks and Recreation)

In season 4, Ben and Leslie break up due to Leslie's political aspirations. In a desperate attempt to spend more time with him, Leslie creates "The smallest park in Indiana", a tiny plot of grass with a bench, as a tourist attraction. The couple later reconciled in this park. This was shot in a parking space near Studio City in California, near Kraft Avenue.

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Treat Yo Self at Westfield Topanga Mall

Donna (Retta) and Tom (Aziz Ansari) form a memorable duo, with their iconic catchphrase "Treat Yo Self". Once every year, the duo spends all day at the mall, splurging on anything they want. While the mall they go to on the show is in Eagleton, Indiana, the shooting location is Westfield Topanga Mall in California.

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Unity Concert at Woodley Park

The Unity Concert performances (Image via YouTube/Parks and Recreation)

In season 6, two rival town governments-- Pawnee and Eagleton--are merged due to budget restraints. This is Leslie Knope's worst nightmare, as a perpetual Eagleton hater. But the Parks department turned things around with a music festival called the "Unity Concert" to unite the two towns. The concert scenes were filmed at Woodley Park, Los Angeles, California. The park is known for its sprawling outdoor space, perfect for a music festival shoot.

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Houses in Parks and Recreation

Ann Perkins' house near "The Pit" (Image via YouTube/Parks and Recreation)

Most houses, like Ann's, Leslie's, April and Andy's, or Ben and Leslie's future house, are all located in various residential areas around Los Angeles, California. Murietta Avenue in Van Nuys is home to Ann's house, and the iconic "pit" that kickstarts season 1 of the show was created near it for filming. Other houses can be spotted in Sherman Oaks, Altadena, or Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles.

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JJ's Diner is a 4 'N 20 restaurant

The crew at JJ's Diner (Image via YouTube/Parks and Recreation)

Leslie Knope's most frequented haunt in Pawnee, Indiana, is the warm and welcoming JJ's Diner, which serves quintessential diner food, including her favorite waffles. Interestingly, JJ's diner has two locations, one for the exterior, in Atlanta, Georgia, and one for all the interiors, a 4 'N 20 restaurant in Sherman Oaks, California.

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Pawnee Zoo is a defunct establishment in Griffith Park

Leslie at the Pawnee Zoo (Image via YouTube/Parks and Recreation)

In Season 2, Leslie gets entangled in the zoo world when she officiates the wedding of two male penguins in the Pawnee Zoo. The actual location is Griffith Park Zoo, and while there are no animals now, the animal enclosures are still intact, and the park is open to the public, making it the perfect filming location.

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2) Other Parks and Recreation filming locations explored

Washington D.C.

Ben Wyatt (Adam Scott) and Leslie Knope, the show's power couple, have high government aspirations that take them to the country's capital, Washington D.C. Filming locations include all the iconic landmarks like the White House, the Washington Monument, and the United States Capitol. In a funny moment between the couple, Leslie looks at the White House with Ben and remarks,

"How can I pass up an opportunity to look at our future house?"

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London, United Kingdom

Part of the crew, consisting of Ben, Leslie, Ron (Nick Offerman), Andy (Chris Pratt), and April (Aubrey Plaza), takes a trip to London when Leslie receives an international award. The show runners created a mini story arc for Pratt, who was filming Guardians of the Galaxy in London. They visit iconic locations, including London Bridge, the London Eye, and Buckingham Palace, which Andy is convinced is Hogwarts.

In a moment of pure comedic panic, Ben asks Andy,

"That's Buckingham Palace. Hogwarts is fictional, do you know that? It's important to me that you know that."

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Paris, France

Leslie is recalled as a City Councilwoman and is let go from her job at Pawnee City Hall. She sets her sights on bigger dreams in politics and government. But before that, Ben surprises her with a trip to Paris, where the couple spend romantic moments while exploring the city.

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Marin Headlands, San Francisco

Foggy weather in San Francisco - Source: Getty

Days before the Unity Concert in Season 6 of Parks and Recreation, Leslie, Ben, and Andy travel to San Francisco for Leslie's speech at the National Parks conference (and her memorable meeting with Michelle Obama). When Leslie is unsure whether the job in National Parks is for her, Ben takes her on a hike through a National Park overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge. The exact location might be the Headlands, a beautiful green area near the bridge.

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Parks and Recreation has many more exciting places, like Tom's Bistro, which is Delancey Pizzeria in Hollywood, and The Quiet Corn Bed and Breakfast from season 3's infamous camping episode, which is one of Pasadena's oldest surviving homes on Adena Street.

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