Hey, Mouthbreather: You Can Visit the Real 'Stranger Things' Set in Atlanta
If you're in a funk after binge-watching the latest season of "Stranger Things" on Netflix, we have some good news: And it's better than having a triple-decker Eggo extravaganza.
According to Lonely Planet, tour and activity specialist Civitatis has launched a new "Stranger Things" set tour of filming locations that will bring the fictional Hawkins, Indiana, to life. During the four-hour-long tour, you can visit nearly all of the settings where your favorite characters fought scary Demogorgons, evil scientists, high school bullies and yes, the Soviet Union.
The set and tour are located in Atlanta, Georgia, where the majority of the show is filmed. Tickets for the tour cost $150 per person, and include a coach bus that will pick you up directly at your hotel and bring you straight to the Hawkins Laboratory. Fun fact: The lab is actually a building on Emory University's Briarcliff campus.
The tour continues from there, stopping at other iconic "Stranger Things" locations, including Melvald's General Store, an old-school Radioshack (RIP), Hawkins Middle School, Hawk Cinema, the library and more. The tour will even bring guests to places that Eleven hides during the second season. Guests are encouraged to take pictures and learn about the filming process for the hit Netflix series.
Perhaps the most exciting stop on the tour is the Starcourt Mall, which can be found in the semi-abandoned Gwinnett Place Mall in Duluth. Unsurprisingly, the mall now has acquired something of a cult following since its on-screen debut — which sounds just like the sort of thing the show's creators, the Duffer Brothers, would have wanted.
In addition to private transportation, the tour includes an English-speaking guide. You can purchases your tickets here.
If you want to really take a trip to the Upside Down (read: Atlanta), getting there is pretty easy. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International (ATL) is the largest airport in the world, not to mention a hub for Delta Air Lines, so you'll have plenty of options no matter what airline you choose. Of course, if you fly Delta frequently, we recommend making sure one of these cards is in your wallet first to get the most out of your trip.
In the words of our good friend Dustin Henderson, "Why are you keeping this curiosity door locked?" Go get your tickets, and we'll see you in Hawkins.