The beloved series Sweet Magnolias has made its return to Netflix with an exciting Season 5. Based on the popular book series, the show chronicles the lives of three lifelong friends as they navigate the complexities of adulthood. The main characters—Maddie (JoAnna Garcia Swisher), Helen (Heather Headley), and Dana Sue (Brooke Elliott)—form a tight-knit group they affectionately call the “Sweet Magnolias,” a nod to the show’s title.
While the series is primarily set in the charming town of Serenity, South Carolina, this season takes some intriguing turns as the Sweet Magnolias step beyond their familiar small-town borders. Season 4 concluded with Maddie preparing for a significant move to New York City for a new career opportunity. JoAnna Garcia Swisher shared her experiences filming in the bustling city with DECIDER, expressing her excitement about the new setting.
“We had an absolute blast,” Swisher enthused. “It was a fast-paced adventure. We had a ton to accomplish in the limited time we spent there, but it was incredibly thrilling. Sharing this experience with Brooke, Heather, and our core crew from Atlanta was surreal. Capturing our story against the backdrop of New York was an unforgettable experience.”
With the introduction of new filming locations, including a northern adventure, fans are curious about the real-life settings of Sweet Magnolias. Read on to discover more about these intriguing sites.
The series, along with the novels by Sheryl Woods, unfolds in the fictional town of Serenity, South Carolina—a quaint southern locale where everyone is familiar with each other. However, Season 5 broadens the scope as Maddie heads to New York and the trio explores Savannah, Georgia, for Helen’s bachelorette celebration. These new, real-world locations offer fans a chance to connect with tangible places beyond the show’s fictional setting.
Despite Serenity being a fictional place, the filming location is very real. The show is mainly filmed in Covington, Georgia. Located about 40 minutes outside of Atlanta, Covington is known for being a very popular filming location, where shows like Vampire Diaries and the spin-off series The Originals were also shot. The Newton County Courthouse is featured in a lot of the establishing shots and opening credits of the show, as well, per Entertainment Weekly.
In addition to Covington, the series filmed on location in both New York and Savannah. According to Netflix’s Tudum, shots of Central Park and the Grand Central Terminal can be seen in the series.
The addition of Savannah, is also not unrealistic, as South Carolina is only a couple of hours outside of Savannah. Most of the filming takes place near Foley House Inn, located in the heart of the Historic District.
Foley House Inn is a bed and breakfast that is currently operating if fans of the series want to recreate the magic of Helen’s bachelorette trip.
Seasons 1-5 of Sweet Magnolias are streaming on Netflix.