Veronica Mars Filming Locations

Veronica Mars was filmed in San Diego at Stu Segall Productions. The show aired in the United States on the UPN Network from 2004 - 2006, and in 2006 - 2007 aired on The CW Network. While most of the show was filmed on the Stu Segall lot, they often took huge trucks with lights, cameras, and miles of cables on the road to get that San Diego / Neptune look.

Here are a few San Diego locations for the Marsophile, and a MAP of them too! These locations are ones that were used on the show multiple times and that someone visiting San Diego might find interesting places to visit.

Mars Investigations is at about the Cabrillo Academy of the Sword. The doorway seen in this photo leads up the stairs to where Mars Investigations would be. Lestat's Coffee House is below where Mars Investigations would be.

Most of the scenes filmed inside the office of Mars Investigations are, of course, on a set at the Stu Segall lot.

Cabrillo Academy is a real fencing school, not a tourist destination. If you visit have coffee and a snack downstairs at Lestat's, knowing that you are safe with Keith Mars just upstairs.

Across the street and on the same block as Mars Investigations is the car wash often seen in Season One flashbacks with Lilly Kane. It is The Adams Avenue Car Wash on Adams Avenue.

While the car wash isn't really an exciting tourist spot, it is a pretty decent place to wash your car. Bring a friend so you can say "I have a secret, it's a good one" to each other while you scrub.

Veronica Mars' apartment building as shown after the pilot episode is in the The Inn at Sunset Cliffs. The Inn at Sunset Cliffs is a real hotel, so the true Marsophile visiting from out of town can stay here, perhaps right in Veronica's apartment. Of course, it's only the outside of the apartment they film here, inside the apartment is a set on the studio lot. I'd guess that inside the hotel room where Veronica's apartment would be looks more like a regular hotel room than it looks like the Mars apartment. So, if you plan to stay remember to pack your own "Unleashed" poster to get that true Mars apartment feel.

Oceanside High School was sometimes shown as Neptune High, although most times you see Neptune High on the show it was filmed on the lot at Stu Segall Studios.

Hearst College was mostly SDSU San Diego State University, but was occasionally USD University of San Diego.

Dog Beach at Ocean Beach is often used as the beach on Veronica Mars, especially if Veronica is with Backup. You can sometimes see the Ocean Beach Municipal Pier in the background.

With a change of signs The Navajo Lodge Motel became The Camelot Motel.

The bus crash scene was at Cabrillo National Monument. The cliffs used were near the "Coast View Parking Area". A pretty nice place to visit with or without the VM ties.

This one is a little obscure, but the Petro Merica station is where Veronica got off the school bus, went to talk to Weevil, and so missed being killed in the big crash. Just the spot to fill up with gas before hitting the road to see all of these exciting locations!

The Studio Diner was occasionally seen on the show, usually only for a quick shot of the pay phone out in front. In season three they used the Studio Diner in the credits with the shot of Mac and of Wallace. It is mostly interesting to the Veronica Mars fan because it is right outside the gate to the Stu Segall lot, and has a bunch of movie and TV memorabilia.

Here are two photos of the Veronica Mars cast and crew on location to give you some idea of the insane amount of work these guys did. The first shows the lighting they set up outside Starcraft's Book Store in San Diego, which was Madam Sophie's in Episode 2.05 "Blast From the Past". So, those big lights are outside the store just to make the INSIDE look good.

And here's where it really gets crazy. They set up the Black Bead to look like the OUTSIDE of Madam Sophie's, just so they could show a nice shot looking towards the beach after Veronica leaves Madam Sophie's.

If you live in the San Diego area, and are interested in learning more about behind the scenes work on other shows and movies in San Diego, why not sign up to be an extra with Background San Diego.

In 2005 much of the cast (excluding Kristen Bell) of Veronica Mars made an appearance at Comic Con in San Diego.



In 2006 again much of the cast (including Kristen Bell) of Veronica Mars made an appearance at Comic Con in San Diego.