'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wAARCAAGAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFgABAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMH/8QAIRAAAQQBAwUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAwECBREABCMxEhMVQZH/xAAVAQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEBf/EABgRAQEBAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAECACFB/9oADAMBAAIRAxEAPwDL4mbIAOr8qEJ9IIfYaFo0Xcu2utfXF5Yc+5BtR0VFdVJe0vP3GMmXEvUyyk93/9k='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Schitt’s Creek Fact no. 8 opens up a question that many fans have asked after falling in love with the show’s quirky charm and small-town energy: Does Schitt’s Creek actually exist? While the town may be fictional, the places where the series was filmed are very real, and they’re every bit as endearing as they appear on screen. Tucked away in the quiet corners of Ontario, Canada, the real-life version of Schitt’s Creek might not be marked on most maps, but it’s left a permanent mark on pop culture and on the hearts of viewers around the world.
A show that found its magic in the unexpected
When Eugene and Dan Levy first pitched Schitt’s Creek back in 2015, it sounded like a simple comedy setup: a wealthy, out-of-touch family suddenly goes broke and ends up living in a town they once bought as a joke. But what unfolded over six seasons wasn’t just about watching rich people struggle to adapt. It became a slow-burn story of growth, love, and unlikely community, a story where kindness and vulnerability took center stage.
At the heart of it all were the Roses. Johnny, the quietly determined father, was trying to regain control without losing his dignity. Moira, the former soap opera diva with a flair for the theatrical and a wardrobe that defied logic. David, their sarcastic and stylish son, who protected his soft side with sharp humor. And Alexis, who started out as little more than a spoiled party girl and evolved into one of the show’s most grounded and inspiring characters. They weren’t just funny, they felt real, flawed, and deeply human.
The Emmy-winning underdog that took the world by surprise
Schitt’s Creek didn’t burst onto the scene with fireworks. It built its following slowly, airing in Canada and quietly earning a cult following. But when the series landed on Netflix, everything changed. Word of mouth turned into widespread praise, and by the time the final season aired, it had become one of the most beloved comedies in years. The Emmys took notice, too. In 2020, the show swept all the major comedy categories in one historic night. What had started as a modest project had grown into a defining piece of television.
The real Schitt’s Creek? It’s just north of Toronto.
While Schitt’s Creek itself may be made-up, the locations used to bring it to life are open to visitors, and they’re just as charming in real life. Most of the show’s outdoor scenes were filmed in Goodwood, a small town about an hour outside Toronto. It’s not flashy, and that’s exactly the point. With just over a thousand residents, it offered the perfect setting for a story rooted in simplicity and connection.
If you visit Goodwood today, you’ll recognize quite a bit. The Rose Apothecary? It’s actually a local wool and craft store. The Café Tropical is a real diner. Even Bob’s Garage is there, tucked into the same intersection where so many of the show’s funniest and most touching moments unfolded. Walk through the town center, and you’re basically walking through Schitt’s Creek.
Then there’s the Rosebud Motel, possibly the most iconic location of all. It’s not in Goodwood, but in Mono, Ontario. Known in real life as the Hockley Motel, it still stands, no longer in operation, but very much intact. Fans come from all over to take photos, linger outside the doors, and soak in the backdrop of so many emotional turning points in the series.
Other spots include Unionville (home of the Blouse Barn), Stouffville (where Ted’s veterinary clinic scenes were filmed), and Toronto, where most of the interior scenes came together in studio sets. Despite being filmed in various towns, the illusion of one cohesive place was so carefully crafted, it’s hard to believe these weren’t all part of the same quiet community.
A quiet town turned tourist destination
Since the end of the series, Goodwood and the other filming sites have seen an influx of visitors. Fans hoping to stand where David and Patrick stood, to sip coffee at the Café Tropical, or simply feel a bit closer to the world of Schitt’s Creek have made pilgrimages to these spots. Some residents have embraced the attention, while others remain a bit more cautious, but one thing’s certain: these towns are now part of something much bigger.
It’s a funny twist. A show about a town in the middle of nowhere ended up putting real small towns on the map, not just geographically, but emotionally. That sense of place, of a community that’s flawed but full of heart, resonated deeply. And it came through because the locations weren’t polished sets, they were lived-in, layered, and real.
A love story in many forms
At its core, Schitt’s Creek is a love story. Not just romantic love, although David and Patrick’s relationship remains one of the most tender and quietly revolutionary portrayals in recent television. It’s also about love between parents and children, between siblings, between friends. And perhaps most powerfully, it’s about learning to love yourself when you’re no longer who you used to be.
That message played out across motel rooms and storefronts, across awkward family dinners and heartfelt monologues. And now, those locations hold more than visual significance; they’ve become symbols of growth, acceptance, and starting over.
Ontario’s subtle starring role
The real locations weren’t just background, they were characters too. Ontario’s small towns gave the show its visual language. Their humble charm helped ground the story’s more eccentric elements, and their authenticity brought emotional depth to the characters’ journeys. You didn’t just believe the Roses had landed in a nowhere town, you believed that, somehow, this nowhere place had exactly what they needed to become better people.
And that’s part of what makes visiting those towns so powerful. You’re not stepping into a fantasy. You’re stepping into something that mattered, to the cast, to the crew, and to millions of viewers who saw something honest in a show that never tried too hard to be cool.
Schitt’s Creek was never just about where; it was about who
In the end, Schitt’s Creek isn’t defined by its geography. It’s defined by its spirit. A place where misfits find their people. Where second chances aren’t just possible, they’re expected. And where laughter always, always finds its way in.
Trending
Knowing that the town that holds all those stories exists, quietly, patiently, in the countryside of Ontario, makes the show’s message feel even more real. You can go there. You can stand in it. You can remember what it felt like to watch the Roses grow into who they were always meant to be.
And maybe, if you listen closely, you’ll hear Moira Rose’s voice float through the air, wry, whimsical, and just a little dramatic, reminding you: One must champion oneself and say, I am ready for this. Thanks to Schitt’s Creek, maybe we all are.
Reply
