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what about bob filming locations

The main What About Bob? filming locations are mostly in Virginia around Smith Mountain Lake, even though the movie is set at New Hampshire’s Lake Winnipesaukee.

Main Lake & Town Locations

  • The “Lake Winnipesaukee” setting was filmed at Smith Mountain Lake in and around Moneta, Virginia.
  • Many lakeside scenes, including Bob hanging around the dock and waterfront exteriors, use the shores and coves of Smith Mountain Lake.
  • The quaint “town” area of Lake Winnipesaukee is largely the old downtown section of Moneta, VA , dressed and repaired for filming.

The Marvin Family House

  • Dr. Leo Marvin’s lakeside vacation home is at 8254 Scruggs Road, Moneta, Virginia, USA.
  • The famous finale gag with the house blowing up used a 3/4‑scale model of the real home, detonated on a nearby lot rather than the actual property.

Bob’s “New York City” World

  • Although the story starts in New York, Bob’s apartment interiors were shot at what is now a National Guard facility at 29 Omaha Beach Circle, Bedford, Virginia.
  • Some additional material labeled as New York in credits references New York City, New York, USA , but a lot of “NYC” interiors were recreated in Virginia.

Institutional & Wedding Scenes

  • The mental institution where Dr. Marvin tries to have Bob committed is the Elks National Home (now Spring Oak at Bedford), 931 Ashland Ave, Bedford, Virginia.
  • The wedding scene where Bob marries Lily was filmed at First Christian Church of North Hollywood, 4390 Colfax Avenue, Los Angeles (Studio City), California.

Other Listed Filming Spots

  • Broader area work also took place around Roanoke, Virginia, USA.
  • Production records and fan location hunts also cite Los Angeles, California, USA , and 13022 N Old Moneta Road, Moneta, Virginia , as additional spots used for small scenes and exteriors.

Quick HTML table of key locations

html

<table>
  <tr>
    <th>Scene/Use</th>
    <th>Real Location</th>
    <th>Details</th>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td>“Lake Winnipesaukee” lake scenes</td>
    <td>Smith Mountain Lake, Moneta, VA, USA</td>
    <td>Primary lakeside and boating backdrops.[web:1][web:3][web:5]</td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td>Lake Winnipesaukee town</td>
    <td>Old downtown Moneta, VA, USA</td>
    <td>Dressed up as the New Hampshire resort town.[web:1][web:7][web:8]</td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td>Marvin family summer home</td>
    <td>8254 Scruggs Road, Moneta, VA, USA</td>
    <td>Main house exteriors and lakeside scenes.[web:1][web:3][web:5]</td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td>Bob’s “NYC” apartment</td>
    <td>29 Omaha Beach Cir, Bedford, VA, USA</td>
    <td>Interior apartment set in what is now a National Guard facility.[web:1][web:3]</td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td>Mental institution</td>
    <td>Elks National Home, 931 Ashland Ave, Bedford, VA, USA</td>
    <td>Plays the psychiatric facility where Bob is nearly committed.[web:1][web:3][web:7]</td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td>Wedding scene</td>
    <td>First Christian Church of North Hollywood, 4390 Colfax Ave, Los Angeles, CA, USA</td>
    <td>Final wedding between Bob and Lily.[web:1][web:3]</td>
  </tr>
</table>

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Curious where What About Bob? was filmed? Explore the real filming locations behind the fictional Lake Winnipesaukee, from Smith Mountain Lake in Virginia to a Los Angeles church and more.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.