Where Was Virgin River Filmed? Filming Locations Of An Empowering Netflix Series!!

I wouldn’t certainly blame you, if you have outgrown the complex plots of crime-thriller series, admittedly I have too. So, today let me introduce you to an empowering Netflix series, Virgin River. And later let you in on where was Virgin River filmed.

The American romantic-drama series, Virgin River, released in 2019 was inspired by a novel of the same name by Robyn Carr. While developing this Netflix original series, Sue Tenney slightly deviated from the original story and made a few changes. The basic premise revolves around the character of Melinda Monroe, a strong and independent woman, practicing medicine in North Carolina. After suffering the pains of a troubled marriage, Melinda finally lets go of the toxic relationship, to seek a better life.

Virgin River is an ongoing series available on Netflix. This popular show has a total of 4 seasons with 10 episodes in each. Except for season 4 which has released 12 episodes, recently released in 2022. Virgin River has won a number of prestigious awards over the years. The fans and critics generally rated this show to be super-entertaining and rousing. 

Now, before I discuss the plot of this heart-warming show, let’s explore where was Virgin River filmed. So that you can take a closer look at the filming locations.

Where Was Virgin River Filmed? Let’s Know This Rousing Series Closely!!

More often than not, Netflix’s original shows have a higher production budget than other shows. However, the makers of Virgin River decided to refrain from splurging money by filming in exotic locations. The entire shooting was done in Canada, specifically in the province of British Columbia. In order to capture the picturesque backdrop of this beautiful place and to take advantage of the hefty filming tax credit offered by the province.

Thus after finalizing certain locations in British Columbia, the principal photography for season 1 commenced towards the beginning of December 2018 and was completed in 3 months. All the other seasons of Virgin River more or less took almost the same amount of time to film. Interestingly the production unit also didn’t change the shooting location from British Columbia, Canada throughout the 4 seasons.

So, without any further ado, let’s discuss where was Virgin River filmed in-depth, and find out more interesting facts about the specific shooting sites.

Vancouver, British Columbia | Canada

The production unit arrived in the lively city of Vancouver, to shoot the pivotal sequences of the pilot season. A small-sized home was used to capture the establishing scenes of Melinda’s previous home in California. 

The name of the show is derived from the name of the fictional small town of “Virgin River” in which the female lead is shown moving in, after ceasing to live with her abusive husband. Thus to portray the sequence of this fictional town, the production unit used a quiet neighborhood located in the posh area of Vancouver. Exterior shots of a medium-sized modern apartment were filmed.

To depict the cabin in which Melinda is shown to live in, after landing a job in the medical field, was shot in North Vancouver. The crew arranged filming permissions from the owners of McMurdo Frazer Park Caretaker’s Cabin located at 2720 Pemberton Avenue. The crew captured multiple other exterior shots for seasons 1 and 2 in Vancouver.

New Westminster, Brackendale, British Columbia | Canada

The production unit heads thought of exploring other picturesque locations in British Columbia, in the later years. Thus for seasons 3 and 4, filming was done outside of Vancouver. The city of New Westminster located in the lower mainland region of British Columbia was used to capture the majority of the sequences of the third season. To depict the interior sequences of Doctor Mullen’s clinic, the crew used an actual medical facility, which is located at 122 1st Street, New Westminster.

For season 4, the unit moved to the District of Squamish and began searching for a potential shooting location in the near vicinity. Soon the unit members located the region of Brackendale. This place is situated on the banks of the Squamish River, which was perfect for the crew to film the outdoor scenes of the river, shown in the series. The Watershed Grill, located at 41101 Government Road, Brackendale was used to capture the exterior shots of Jack’s Bar. Most other interior sequences were filmed inside Northbrook Studios in Burnaby. Filming lasted for about two and half months for the fourth season, then the production began working on the promotion of the latest season of Virgin River. 

So if you’re planning to visit Canada anytime soon, then you must look into Montreal, Quebec, Calgary, Ottawa and Whistler which are some of the best places in Canada, with a view to die for.

Alright guys, now it’s time for me to give you a brief overview of Virgin River, so that you can have a better idea of the actual storyline. Plus, in the meantime, you can check out The Pale Blue Eye, The Invitation and The Vampire Diaries which are equally fun to watch.

Plot Of Virgin River | What’s It About

The basic premise of Virgin River is centered around the character of Melinda Monroe. The female is shown to be a strong and independent woman, who musters up the courage to live life on her own terms. 

At the very beginning of the first season, we see the strenuous relationship of Melinda with her husband taking a toll on her mental health. Later as the story progresses, the character of Monroe evolves and gains the courage to live an independent life. Eventually, the female lead applies for a medical practitioner’s job and moves to the small town of “Virgin River” in North Carolina. 

Now, in order to find out how Melinda reaches the pinnacle of success in the field of medicine, you’d have to watch this series yourself, which is now streaming on Netflix.

Final Words

Alright guys, now that you know where was Virgin River filmed, I hope you’ll watch the show. Although I would recommend you to start with the first season, to get an immersive experience. Let us know about your thoughts in the comments section below, and be sure to check out other articles on Viebly.