The Last Of Us is a TV series from HBO based on the popular video game of the same name. With season 1 completed, fans are more invested than ever in Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie’s (Bella Ramsey) story of perseverance. While the television series looks like it takes place in a post-apocalyptic world, the filming actually took place in Canada.
Like many productions before it, The Last Of Us used Canadian cities and towns as stand-ins for well-known American destinations. Find out which scenes from the show were filmed where and visit these now-iconic spots, many of which could combine to create one of the most scenic road trips in Alberta, Canada. Of course, Alberta is a beautiful place to visit year-round, with great hiking trails to explore in summer and lots to do during the winter. Now, it's a screen lover's paradise on top, starting with these ten The Last Of Us film sets.
10 Fish Creek, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
In the third episode of the series, Joel and Ellie are making their way to Bill and Frank’s house when they hike through what is, in real life, a local park in Calgary, Alberta. Fish Creek Provincial Park appears in scenes of this episode, and Joel and Ellie hike across the Shannon Terrace pedestrian bridge.
- Meant To Look Like: Somewhere near Lincoln, Massachusetts
- Episode It Appears In: Episode 3 “Long Long Time”
9 Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Edmonton features prominently in the second episode of the series, with iconic city landmarks making it into several shots. Most notably, the Alberta Legislature appears in the background of some scenes when Joel, Ellie, and Tess are supposed to be in Boston. Alberta is a culturally rich place with indigenous cultures, and Edmonton is its vibrant capital. Ultimately, whether one is a film fan or not, Edmonton is a top Canadian destination worth visiting for a weekend.
- Meant To Look Like: Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Episode It Appears In: Episode 2 “Infected”
8 High River, Alberta, Canada
The gorgeous scenery of High River, Alberta, makes an appearance in the third episode of the series, which shifts focus to the home of Bill and Frank. The couple is supposed to live in the small town of Lincoln, Massachusetts. In reality, the abandoned residential development of Beechwood was used. The government bought out these homes following floods in High River back in 2013.
High River also made an appearance in the show’s first episode. Joel’s home that he shared with his daughter Sarah was supposed to be in Austin, Texas, but was actually a property on a cul-de-sac on Sullivan Road in High River.
- Meant To Look Like: Lincoln, Massachusetts, USA + Austin, Texas, USA
- Episode It Appears In: Episode 3, “Long Long Time” + Episode 1, “When You’re Lost In The Darkness”
7 Fort Macleod, Alberta, Canada
Fort Macleod, Alberta, might’ve looked familiar to Canadian viewers when it appeared in the first episode of the series as downtown Austin, Texas (which is also a superb place to visit with its own tourist offerings). Joel, his daughter Sarah, and his brother Tommy are trapped in the chaos here during the initial outbreak.
- Meant To Look Like: Austin, Texas, USA
- Episode It Appears In: Episode 1, “When You’re Lost In The Darkness”
6 Canmore, Alberta, Canada
Canmore is a touristy town west of Calgary that is definitely worth visiting for fans of the show and outdoor enthusiasts. Canmore was meant to look like Jackson, Wyoming, for the show, where Joel finds his brother living in a commune.
- Meant To Look Like: Jackson, Wyoming, USA
- Episode It Appears In: Episode 6, “Kin”
5 Waterton Lakes National Park, Alberta, Canada
Near Canmore, more scenes were shot for the series at the beautiful Waterton Lakes National Park. One of many gorgeous Canadian National Parks in Alberta (besides Banff, of course), Waterton Lakes was used as a stand-in for the forests of Colorado. Hiking scenes between Joel and Ellie in episode eight take place there. It would seem that thanks to the show, one of the best things to do in Waterton Lakes as of late is to walk in the footsteps of these now iconic characters.
- Meant To Look Like: Colorado Wilderness
- Episode It Appears In: Episode 8, “When We Are In Need”
4 Okotoks, Alberta, Canada
The Okotoks’ Suntree neighborhood had its moment in the spotlight in the seventh episode of the season. While a lot of the episode takes place in the past and looks at Ellie’s life before the present day with Joel, the episode opens with Joel and Ellie in a dire situation. The opening panning shot of the episode is where Okotoks, Alberta, shines.
- Meant To Look Like: Abandoned Suburb
- Episode It Appears In: Episode 7, “Left Behind”
3 Northland Village Mall, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
In episode seven, fans of the show get a chance to see what Ellie’s life was like before she met Joel. On what is meant to be the best night of her life, Ellie and her best friend go to an abandoned mall together. The mall used for the episode is the Northland Village Mall in Calgary, Alberta. The mall is currently closed for renovations, but travelers can visit the nearby CF Market Mall of Nose Hill Park.
- Meant To Look Like: Deserted Mall in Boston
- Episode It Appears In: Episode 7, “Left Behind”
2 Heritage Park Historical Village, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
In the sixth episode of the first season, Joel and Ellie arrive in a Wyoming commune where they find Joel’s brother Tommy. Tommy takes Joel to a saloon to catch up and grab a drink. The filming location for this scene is the Wainright Hotel at the Heritage Park Historical Village in Calgary. Travelers planning a trip to Calgary, Alberta, should add this to their itinerary.
- Meant To Look Like: Saloon In A Wyoming Commune
- Episode It Appears In: Episode 6, “Kin”
1 Mount Royal University & Southern Alberta Institute Of Technology, Alberta, Canada
In the sixth episode of the series, Joel and Ellie leave the Wyoming commune and make their way to the University of Eastern Colorado in search of the Firefly Base. Two Alberta post-secondary schools stood in for the University of Eastern Colorado in this episode: Mount Royal University and the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology. To make the location more convincing, the crew actually had to remove snow from the university campuses during filming.
- Meant To Look Like: University of Eastern Colorado
- Episode It Appears In: Episode 6, “Kin”