Most casual viewers will tell you that Cobra Kai was filmed in Los Angeles. After all, the strip malls and palm trees seem to confirm that the show is set in the San Fernando Valley. However, the solution is a little funnier and more intricate. Southern California provided a few exterior shots, but the majority of the series was filmed in and around Atlanta, Georgia.
Table
| Location | Scene or Role in the Show | City / State | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 130 Woodlawn Dr. NE | LaRusso family home | Marietta, Georgia | Setting for the Christmas week dojo confrontation |
| Atlanta Motors Superstore, 6740 Oakley Industrial Blvd | LaRusso Auto Group | Union City, Georgia | Dealership has since permanently closed |
| C.T. Martin Natatorium and Recreation Center, 3201 M.L.K. Jr. Dr. SW | West Valley High School | Atlanta, Georgia | Site of the school hallway fight |
| South Seas Apartments, 19223 Saticoy St | Daniel’s old apartment complex | Reseda, California | Also appeared in the original 1984 film |
| 18555 Burbank Blvd | Johnny’s apartment exterior | Tarzana, California | Used for the scene where Robby brings Sam to Johnny’s door |
| Crossroads Shopping Center, Metropolitan Pkwy SW & Lakewood Ave SW | Kenny’s confrontation near the dojo | Atlanta, Georgia | Strip mall setting |
| Fun Spot America | Golf N’ Stuff scenes (per fan accounts) | Fayetteville, Georgia | Original Norwalk, CA location reportedly not used |
| Briarcliff Campus, Emory University | Season 1 filming | Atlanta, Georgia | Part of the early production run |
| Plaça Reial | Sekai Taikai (Season 6) | Barcelona, Spain | Mixed with studio and event spaces |
| Dunaway Gardens | Season 6 filming | Newnan, Georgia | Used alongside Atlanta venues like The Eastern |
| Puerto Rico | Mexico scenes (Season 5) | Puerto Rico | Short two-day shoot |
| Filming period | Season 1 through Season 6 | Mainly Georgia, plus California and international sites | Production began in October 2017 |
October 2017 marked the start of production, and the first season was distributed throughout metro Atlanta. Crews were employed at Emory University’s Briarcliff campus, Marietta, Union City, and Conyers. A few exteriors from Encino and Tarzana were used to promote the California illusion. Hollywood has been using this tactic for decades, and it usually works here.
Bring the LaRusso family home. It’s a real house at 130 Woodlawn Drive NE in Marietta, a historic town north of Atlanta renowned for its old Southern homes and tree-lined streets. If you know the area, it’s strange to see a teenager being thrown through a window on screen at Christmas. It appears to be the Valley. It isn’t.
The history of LaRusso Auto Group is more bizarre. The Atlanta Motors Superstore in Union City, Georgia, served as the filming location for the dealership scenes. Fans continue to stop and take pictures of the lot even though that business has since closed. A fictional empire based on a real one that failed has a somewhat depressing quality.
The story from West Valley High School is comparable. The C.T. Martin Natatorium and Recreation Center, a public facility on M.L.K. Jr. Drive in Atlanta, was the scene of the hallway altercation that ruined everyone’s week. You wouldn’t expect to witness a school riot there; instead, it’s a place where people attend classes and swim laps.
However, California does receive its just desserts. A nod to the original 1984 movie, the old South Seas apartment complex in Reseda served as a real-life Los Angeles setting. The exterior of Johnny’s apartment was inspired by Tarzana. Fans notice these brief shots, presumably because they feel like a handshake with the film that initiated it all.
It’s more difficult to describe the golf course scenes. According to some accounts, the original Golf N’ Stuff was located in Norwalk, California. According to fan accounts, Fun Spot America in Fayetteville, Georgia, was used in the production. Without being on set, it’s difficult to determine who is correct, but the fan version seems more in line with the production process.
The scope expanded by the last season. The Plaça Reial was one of the locations where the crew filmed the Sekai Taikai plot, which took place in Barcelona. Nearer to home, other scenes were constructed at locations like Dunaway Gardens in Newnan and The Eastern in Atlanta. Small crews were reportedly sent overseas in previous seasons, with a short block in Puerto Rico serving as a stand-in for Mexico.
The fact that this doesn’t really matter while you’re watching is noteworthy. The show is based on nostalgia, and nostalgia doesn’t require precise zip codes. Knowing the truth, however, adds another level. Fans now regard those peaceful streets in Georgia as sacred sites because they were the site of years’ worth of backyard brawls, competitions, and rivalries.
The Marietta house and the Atlanta sites make a sensible day trip for anyone who is considering a visit. Just don’t have high expectations. Some locations are private, some have closed, and some appear smaller in person than they do on camera. When it comes to well-known places, that is typically the case. Even so, it’s difficult to avoid experiencing a glimpse of the same love that the show was based on while standing outside the LaRusso residence.
