Most of Dexter is set in Miami, but the show was primarily filmed in Southern California, with only limited shooting actually done in Florida.

Main Filming Locations

  • Long Beach, California – Used heavily for Miami exteriors like marinas, waterfront streets, and neighborhood scenes.
  • Alamitos Bay & other Long Beach spots – Stand‑ins for Miami’s beaches and coastal areas.
  • Sunset Gower Studios, Los Angeles – Main soundstage where many interior sets (Dexter’s apartment interiors, Miami Metro offices, etc.) were built and filmed.
  • Greater Los Angeles area – Various districts and nearby cities (Pasadena, Marina del Rey, Glendale, Redondo Beach, and others) were used for houses, churches, streets, and background locations.

Actual Miami / Florida Filming

Although the vibe is very “Miami,” real South Florida appears only in select parts of the series.

  • Miami, Florida – Used for establishing shots and some early‑season exteriors to anchor the show in its supposed setting.
  • Bay Harbor Islands, Florida (1155 103rd St) – The real building used for the exterior of Dexter and Debra’s apartment.
  • Miami Beach and nearby areas – Some recognizable beachfront and skyline shots sprinkled through the early seasons.

Notable Specific Spots (Non‑Exhaustive)

Here are a few fan‑favorite identifiable places from the filming:

  • Dexter’s apartment exterior: 1155 103rd St, Bay Harbor Islands, Florida.
  • Angel of Mercy Hospital (exterior): 610 S St Louis St, Los Angeles (used as a hospital stand‑in).
  • Churches and cemeteries: First Congregational Church of Long Beach, First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood, and Hollywood Forever Cemetery appear in various episodes.
  • Ontario International Airport (California): Used for the airport scene in the finale episode.

Quick HTML Table of Key Locations

[3][1] [3][1] [3][1] [1] [1]
On-screen place Real filming location Region
Miami waterfront streets Long Beach & Alamitos Bay, CASouthern California
Dexter & Debra’s apartment (exterior) 1155 103rd St, Bay Harbor Islands, FLMiami area
Miami Metro interiors Sunset Gower Studios, Hollywood, CALos Angeles
General Miami establishing shots Miami & Miami Beach, FLSouth Florida
Airport in finale Ontario International Airport, CAInland Empire, CA

Mini “Behind-the-Scenes” Note

One fun detail fans often mention is that once you know most of Dexter was shot around Los Angeles, it becomes easier to spot California architecture, hills, and light that don’t quite match humid, flat Miami—even though the production did a lot with palm trees, marinas, and color grading to sell the Florida illusion.

TL;DR: When people ask “where was Dexter filmed,” the answer is: mostly Long Beach and the Los Angeles area for day‑to‑day shooting, with some real Miami and Bay Harbor Islands locations used sparingly to ground the series in its supposed Florida setting.

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