Virgin River, the Netflix romance-drama series based on Robyn Carr’s bestselling novels, follows nurse Mel Monroe (Alexandra Breckenridge) who trades her LA lifestyle for one in the picturesque town of its name. The small town offers a peaceful escape from the hustle and bustle of urban life, where neighbors know everyone’s business and dashing bartenders double as leading men.

While many viewers assume the fictional town is set in northern California, the show actually films much of its footage further north in Canada. Vancouver is now Hollywood North, where the production studios behind shows like Riverdale, The Flash, the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina and Stargate SG-1 shoot many of their scenes.

The 'Welcome to Virgin River' sign from the opening credits was filmed in Squamish, about 90 minutes east of Vancouver. The exterior of Jack’s bar can be seen at the Watershed Grill in Brackendale, while scenes inside the bar are filmed in a Vancouver studio. The exterior of Hope McCrea’s house, the mayor of Virgin River, is located in Burnaby on Deer Lake Drive. The beautiful wood-framed bungalow was built in 1912 and is registered as a heritage building.

The small village of Squamish is also home to the small Bernie Legge Theatre, which acts as the local theater in the show. Other locations used in the show include a local grocery store, which plays Samz Pub, and Charmaine’s hair salon, which is located in a commercial space in New Westminster. The caretaker’s cabin that serves as Mel’s temporary residence in the show is a real-life rental at Murdo Frazer Park in Squamish, which has been used as a filming location for a number of other shows, including Psych and The Magicians.