If you were ever an Archie's Double Digest fan like myself, then you probably died when you found out the Archie Comics were being made into a TV series (thank you The CW).
SEE ALSO: If Movies Shot In Vancouver Were Actually Set In Vancouver
From the get go, during Jughead's mysterious introduction of Riverdale itself, you probably had an equally mysterious feeling that you recognized some of the places that were in the opening montage. Is Riverdale...Vancouver? Why yes, why yes it is.
As you know, Vancouver is a hotspot for filming, and Riverdale uses Vancouver filming locations to its full advantage. Here are 10 familiar locations from Riverdale, and even more familiar locations you know as home.
1. Sweetwater River // Alouette Lake and Alice Lake
Ahh, the opening scene of Riverdale. The river that Jason Blossom dies in is actually not even a river, in fact, it's a lake. The few scenes where Jason's murder? death was filmed at Alouette Lake at Golden Ears Provincial Park in Maple Ridge and Alice Lake in Brackendale.
2. Riverdale High // Lord Byng, Point Grey, and John Oliver Secondary School
The exterior of the kinda foreboding-looking Riverdale High is actually Lord Byng High School on W 16th in Vancouver West (which you probably already recognized). The interiors of the hallways were shot at Point Grey Secondary near UBC and the gym where Veronica shows Cheryl who the real queen bitch is, is filmed at J.O.
3. Archie's House // 2037 E 3rd Ave
The home of Archie Andrews is located around the Commercial/Broadway neighbourhood in East Van, in real life. If you want to go take a look, please don't harass the neighbours, people actually live there.
4. Pop's Chock'lit Shoppe // Rocko's Family Diner
The good old all-American Pop's Chock'lit Shoppe diner is actually filmed at the a Canadian diner, Rocko's Family Diner in Mission. It is currently up and running, and it looks like they have some pretty decent ratings on Yelp too.
5. Thornhill Mansion aka Blossom Family Mansion // Copperstone Mansion
The seriously creepy home of Jason and Cheryl Blossom was filmed at the Copperstone Mansion in South Langley. Though made out to be almost haunted looking in the series, it's actually very grand and beautiful in daylight sans film editing. Again, people actually live here, so please don't try to trespass this property.
6. Veronica's Apartment at The Pembrooke // The Permanent Building
Well okay, maybe not Veronica's, but her mom's, apartment at The Pembrooke is shot at The Permanent Building in downtown (so that's what they were filming there). The building has actually been used for a lot of films and is currently an heritage events venue.
7. Betty's House // 111 Queens Ave
The quaint home of Betty Cooper is located in New Westminster on Queens Ave. Maybe if you live around the area you've seen it?
8. Football Field // Bear Creek Park
All of Riverdale's "school field" scenes are actually filmed at Bear Creek Park in Surrey. Lord Byng, J.O., Point Grey and now Bear Creek Park, who knew filming one school required going to so many different locations?
9. The Twilight Drive-In // (is actually) The Twilight Drive-In
So if you live around the Langley area, or have been to The Twilight Drive-In Theatre, and you watch Riverdale, you probably saw the first few minutes of the show and freaked out, because you knew exactly where this was filmed. The Twilight Drive-In aka Jughead's home, really exists in Langely. It's definitely a local's favourite summer time pastime.
10. Sister's Quiet Mercy: Home for Troubled Youths // Riverview Hospital
If you've been catching up, or are already finished your Riverdale binge, you know that Betty eventually decides to go find her sister, Polly. Considering their parents were pretty certain Polly was crazy, it's pretty fitting that the filming location for where she was is the Riverview Hospital in Coquitlam. Once a mental asylum, now abandoned and apparently one of the most haunted places in BC.
All images credited to Netflix.
Like this article? Follow us on Instagram @narcity_vancouver.
