I guess this goes in here, but does anyone know which studios they tape the show at in LA? Is it the Burbank ABC/Disney Studios, or the Los Angeles one?

As for the fountain thingy from S1 episode 4 (when Meredith and derek have breakfast), I think that they may feature that same location in both Charmed and Alias. I don't know if anyone watched Charmed, but it really looks like Quake from season 1. If it is than that location is most definitely in LA, but I don't know the exact location.

The park that George and Meredith visited was Kerry Park which is on Queen Anne Hill, northwest of the Space Needle. Denny Park is closer to the Space Needle, but it's to the east and not on a hill.

There's no way to tell where Derek's land is. If his land is on Bainbridge Island, then he would indeed commute to work via ferry. It's not uncommon for people to commute via ferry, but I imagine it would be a pain for an attending neurosurgeon. It would be a good excuse for him to spend every night at Meredith's, too.

There are a few location tidbits in this blog from someone on the crew. They were shooting at Disney's Prospect Stages in Hollywood and the hospital's atrium is part of the V.A. Hospital in Northridge, Ca.

Thanks, Catri. I actually go to school in Northridge, so I was wondering why the hospital looks so familiar. He's right, Northridge is hell.

Did anyone catch what island McD is living on? I'm think he mentioned it when he was arguing with Addison or when he was talking to Meh but I'm not sure. Was it in the close captioning? Anyone?

If anyone was wondering about where the sequence was shot in episode 2.8 when George, the pigeon, and a falling man have a memorable interlude and Burke and Xtina discuss their upcoming date, it was downtown Los Angeles.

Hey, here's a satellite photo analysis of where Meredith's house must be located in Seattle. No idea if any of this is accurate.

I decided to check this out when I was in Seattle yesterdday. "Meredith's" house is right near Kerry Park on West Highland Drive between 2nd and 3rd Avenue. This is the postcard view of the city with the Space Needle in the foreground a.k.a. the view from Frasier Crane's window.

After seeing the house it is clear to me that aside from a few shots in the first episode most of the other exteriors of Meredith's house are shot somewhere else. While the recreated house has the same look as the real house, the outdoor scenes from Izzy's infamous house party just couldn't have been filmed at the "real" house in Seattle.

FYI Grey's cast and crew were filming in Seattle April 8,2006 see Grey's Chatter for my full post

I put a note about the Seattle site visit over on the media thread -- Sandra Oh was the only cast member seen, but there must have been more, for all the time and effort that went into the shoot. They primarily shoot outdoor and establishing shots in Seattle, and have visited for a few days over the past year where they shoot separate scenes from different episodes on the same day. Miserable rainy day on the most recent visit!

They had to cut filming short when Homeland Security halted the helicopter landings because the Mariners baseball game was starting, and airspace was restricted.

In "Where The Boys Are" and the boys from Seatlle Grace are camping they walk across a bridge at the start and finish of their trip. Do any of our Washington state viewers know exactly where that bridge is located?

I read somewhere that North Bend, WA and the Snoqualmie river were used for the camping trip shots. Not sure if the bridge scene in particular was North Bend.

I think this is the right thread to post since it's about The Location..

Some college class has visited the set of GA..They met the cast of GA and were allowed to take some pictures..

Here is the link:

GA at home.
Fun pictures, thank you.

I liked the Dr. Bones On Call!

I found myself at Seattle Grace in the San Fernando Valley. I didn't think about it at first until I saw the signs that said "SGH" on the side of the doors. They must shoot at night. I saw the famous catwalk where everyone blurts out juicy stuff and look down on everybody looking up at them.

Does anyone know where the exterior of Burke's apartment was shot? There was a scene in "Where the Boys Are" when Derek was picking him up to go camping, and they showed Burke coming out of a building. Was that actually in the Seattle area?

I don't know the exact location, but I'm pretty sure it was shot in Seattle. I remember seeing photos and a fan-made video of PD, IW and JPJ on a street in Seattle filming those scenes.

Burke's apartment location was in the Pioneer Square area of downtown Seattle.

Oh, that's good to know. I've always wondered where it was. Does anybody know where Pioneer Square is in relationship to the 'hospital' (which to me appears to be in downtown Seattle).

[I write fic and I really really like knowing these little things.]

The hospital is supposed to be in the heart of downtown Seattle, as in some scenes you can see a (CGI generated) Pike Place Market sign outside of some windows. Pike Place is slap bang in the heart of down town Seattle, the way that Times Sq is in the heart of down town NYC. Pioneer Square is about a 10 minute walk from Pike Place Market, or a 5 minute drive, depending on the traffic. It is downtown too and is maybe 5-10 blocks away heading south. I was there 2 summers ago, I wasn't keeping track of exact distances but I do know that they are pretty close to each other. The apt building that Burke lived in has a store called Fireworks at street level, if that helps any. Getting to work would have been a 10 minute walk for Dr Burke if he really lived in that building, and SGH really was just beside Pike Place Market.

If SGH is supposed to be next to the Space Needle, then it wouldn't be next to Pike Place. If burke's apartment was in Pioneer square (10-15 minute walk to the south of Pike Street) then SGH would be probably a good half-hour walk north for him [I've done it :)]

I don't think that SGH is supposed to be beside the Needle. I think its supposed to be near the heart of downtown/Pike Place Market/Eliot Bay etc. The Needle is a good 1 1/2-2 miles away from Pike Place and Pioneer Sq. When they film scenes on the roof that involve helicopters taking off and landing, they use the helipad on top of the local Fox news affiliate. That building is is right beside the space needle, which is why the hospital looks like it is right beside the needle. But it is only in those rooftop shots. (The Fox buidling is quite the local landmark now and they even point it out and other GA locations during the guided tours that they do at the top of the needle. It's really pretty funny.)

In a lot of the interior shots of the hospital (the 1.02 scene with Derek and Meredith at the elevator when they are both going home for example) there are large windows and you can see the really big landmark Pike Place Market sign thru them. It is photo shopped in to make it look like it is in the heart of downtown.

When they filmed all those scenes with the actors and actresses in downtown Seattle that are in eps 2.07 -2.09 (Meredith and Derek on the balcony overlooking Eliot Bay, Addison and Derek meeting up for lunch, Addison and the Chief walking down the street etc etc) they were all in the downtown area close to the waterfront/ferry pier/Pike Place, they weren't anywhere near the needle. But it can all get thrown out of whack continuity wise when they use those helicopter shots, especially to someone who knows Seattle well.

Thanks for the replies, everyone. Sometimes it's hard to know (without obvious ferry boats or water/mountain shots) to tell if they are in Washington or not.

No problem. Ask whatever you want. I know Seattle very well coz my sister lives there. On one of my visits there a couple of summers ago, I even dragged her and her kid out to Bainbridge Island just so I could check it out and see where Derek was supposed to live, and ride that all important ferry boat of his that he loves so much, (yes I know, I am lame) so I can usually tell pretty easily what is the real stuff and what is the fake stuff.

I've lived in Seattle for the past 23 years, HotButteredRum, and I still have trouble. What I really wanna know is when they're filming here so I can stalker...er, I mean MEET Chandra Wilson.







ETA:

they use the helipad on top of the local Fox news affiliate

This is the first I've heard of KOMO being affiliated with FOX. I always thought the FOX affiliate was Q13.

HBR, my sister lives in Seattle too! What a small world this is, tee hee. I really thought they put SGH next to the space needle, but they may also be on the crack that the continuity fairy is too. That Pike Street Market sign I think is a large photo or painting across from the elevators (in S1 at least). They might be moving it around, but I'm pretty sure it's not a window. I keep thinking of the Thanksgiving episode where Mer/Der were on that balcony overlooking the Music Museum, which is next to the Space Needle. They could be just messing with our minds though. As always. ;p

It is a window, or a wall of glass. Derek has his back to it as he is standing in front of the elevator. I just watched it again (whatever happened that yummy beige suede jacket that Derek wore in that scene btw?) and you can see the sign through it. I agree that they keep moving it around, as it has popped up in other window scenes too that are no where near the lobby.

I agree that they are messing with us when they use real locations, coz Derek and Meredith were standing on the balcony overlooking the music museum in 2.09, but the 2 times Ads and Derek made a lunch date, it was for the spot right beside the ferry pier that is a couple of miles away downtown. Very weird.

Bella, I could have my TV network names mixed up, I just know that its the one across from the space needle. The chick on the needle tour said it was the Fox one, she may have been wrong.

I'm really want to find out if the site for Dereks house is on Bainbridge, or is it just some random rural WA location that the producers picked because it looked pretty and had a nice view. Bainbridge is pretty small and when I was there it didn't look like it had high cliffs/hills/mountains on it that Derek could build his dream house on. Anyone know if its really Bainbridge or not? Cuz I'll be back in Seattle in Sep/Oct and it would be fun to check out.

The scene in the finale was film at a park, I think it was something called Murray Park but I could be wrong and the view overlooking the lake is all CGI. So technically, Derek's land is just a fragment of Shonda's imagination brought to life by modern technology.

Question for all you lucky people who have been to Seattle: how long does it take to get from Bainbridge Island to downtown Seattle, where SGH is supposedly located? Would it be a long commute for Derek and Meredith if they do indeed build the house?

The ferry journey itself is only about about 15-20 mins. It is not long. But during rush hour time frames when demand for space on the ferry is at its highest, if you have your car, you may need to be waiting in the line in your car, for up to an hour prior to the ferry departing to guarantee a spot on the ferry. Peeps walking on can do so up to the last minute of departure, but for peeps with cars it is not that simple or quick.

When I was there 2 summers ago, we got to the ferry terminal at 3.15pm The next ferry left at 3.55pm. (The ferries run about once an hour or so.) We were able to catch the 3.55 ferry as there were only about 20 cars or so ahead of us, and each ferry run can take about 100 cars.

If we were traveling during peak rush hour travel periods (7-9 am and 4-6pm) when car volume is much higher, odds are we would have had 120 cars ahead of us, and we would have had to wait not just for the next ferry, but the one after that? Does that make sense?

All in all, given how long it takes for a Bainbridge resident to get to downtown Seattle (if they are traveling during peak rush hour periods when is when Derek and Meredith would be going to work) it is a very, very impractical place for them to live. Given the long commute.

The scenes of Derek and Webber and Mer featuring the trailer are shot at Griffith Park in LA. But the house site itself is different. They ran them both together for the season finale, but I think that overall they are 2 different locations. I don't think we know for sure where the supposed house site is, but PD and ED were in Seattle and its environs filming the house scenes from 4.11. That was a real location, it wasn't CGI fakeyness.

Seattleite for 22 years here. The ferry to Bainbridge Island from Seattle takes 45 minutes. There are 2 ferries - one leaving Seattle and one leaving Bainbridge at the same time several times per day. They use the Jumbo Mark II ferries which hold 2,500 passengers and 202 cars. There is no place high enough on Bainbridge Island for them to have the view they showed in the finale. They would have to be in the mountains East of the city for that kind of view.

The location they show for SGH is the KOMO TV building which is across the street from the Space Needle. The helipad is on this building. It's about a mile South to Pike Place Market from there and then another 3/4 of a mile South to Pioneer Square.