Most of Terminator 2: Judgment Day was shot in and around Los Angeles, from valley malls to the Bull Creek flood channel.
Terminator 2: Judgment Day was filmed mainly in the Los Angeles area of California, especially the San Fernando Valley and downtown landmarks, with key scenes in Fremont and other spots across the state. Filming ran from October 9, 1990 to March 28, 1991, on a budget of roughly $102 million, the largest of its era.
James Cameron's 1991 sequel keeps its story in Los Angeles and shot almost entirely in the real city and its surroundings. The San Fernando Valley supplied the malls, suburban streets and flood channels, while downtown, Fremont, Fontana and the high desert filled out the rest.
Several sites remain easy to view today, including three shopping malls and a public park. Others have changed completely: the biker bar is now a library branch, the steel mill site is a speedway, and the original 6th Street Viaduct was demolished.
| Location | Where | What was filmed | Access |
|---|---|---|---|
| John Connor's House | Winnetka | John Connor's home with foster parents | Outside only |
| Cyberdyne Systems HQ (Mattson Technology) | Fremont | Cyberdyne headquarters exterior | Outside only |
| The Corral Biker Bar (former site) | Lake View Terrace | Biker bar scene where T-800 gets clothes and bike | Closed |
| Pescadero State Hospital (Phoenix Academy / Lake View Medical Center) | Lake View Terrace | Hospital interiors and escape scenes | Private property |
| Sherman Oaks Galleria | Sherman Oaks | Mall scenes | Free to see |
| Northridge Fashion Center | Northridge | Mall exterior chase scenes | Free to see |
| Santa Monica Place | Santa Monica | Mall interior chase scenes | Free to see |
| Bull Creek Debris Basin (Plummer & Hayvenhurst) | North Hills | Truck jump into flood channel | Free to see |
| El Mirage Dry Lake | San Bernardino County | Desert and vehicle scenes | Free to see |
| Elysian Park | Los Angeles | Nuclear nightmare scenes | Free to see |
| Kaiser Steel Mill (former site) | Fontana | Steel mill and final battle scenes | Closed |
| 6th Street Viaduct (former) | Los Angeles | T-1000 arrival under bridge | Closed |
12 locations. The map loads when it scrolls into view.
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
California, Winnetka Outside only
Filmed here: John Connor's home with foster parents
This Winnetka home stood in for John Connor's residence with his foster parents. It remains a private house, so the only access is exterior. Fans can view it from the street, though visitors should be respectful of the occupants and keep the stop brief.
California, Fremont Outside only
Filmed here: Cyberdyne headquarters exterior
The exterior of this Fremont office building served as Cyberdyne Systems headquarters, target of the film's biggest explosion. The production added a glass facade specifically so it could be blown apart on camera. The building functions as an office today and can be seen from the public street.
California, Lake View Terrace Closed
Filmed here: Biker bar scene where T-800 gets clothes and bike
The biker bar where the T-800 acquires clothes and a motorcycle once stood in Lake View Terrace. The bar is long gone, and the site now hosts the Lake View Terrace Branch Library. There is nothing of the original set to see, but the location itself is publicly accessible.
California, Lake View Terrace Private property
Filmed here: Hospital interiors and escape scenes
This Lake View Terrace facility provided the hospital interiors and escape sequences involving Sarah Connor. It now operates as an addiction treatment center and is not open to the public. Fans should not attempt entry; the building can only be appreciated as a passing reference point.
California, Sherman Oaks Free to see
Filmed here: Mall scenes
The Sherman Oaks Galleria hosted the film's mall scenes and remains one of the easiest locations to revisit. It is a working shopping mall open to everyone, though it has been remodeled since 1991, so the interiors differ from what appears on screen.
California, Northridge Free to see
Filmed here: Mall exterior chase scenes
The exterior mall chase scenes were shot at Northridge Fashion Center in the heart of the valley. The mall is open to the public and still shopping at scale. It suffered serious damage in the 1994 earthquake but was restored, so its current look departs from the film in places.
California, Santa Monica Free to see
Filmed here: Mall interior chase scenes
Interior chase footage was filmed at Santa Monica Place, the outdoor shopping center near the beach. Because it remains a public mall, visitors can walk through freely and combine the stop with the rest of Santa Monica. Expect a layout altered by later redevelopment.
California, North Hills Free to see
Filmed here: Truck jump into flood channel
The truck jump into the flood channel, one of the sequel's signature stunts, took place at this debris basin in North Hills near the intersection of Plummer and Hayvenhurst. The channel is publicly accessible, but it is active flood infrastructure, so visitors should use caution and avoid the basin itself.
California, San Bernardino County Free to see
Filmed here: Desert and vehicle scenes
Desert and vehicle scenes were shot on this dry lake bed in San Bernardino County. The flat playa is public land and famously popular with film productions. It sits in a remote area, so travelers should bring water, fuel and supplies, and check conditions before driving out.
California, Los Angeles Free to see
Filmed here: Nuclear nightmare scenes
The nuclear nightmare sequence was filmed in Elysian Park, a large public park overlooking downtown Los Angeles. Visitors can reach it easily and enjoy the same skyline views that anchor the film's most haunting sequence. No admission or arrangement is needed.
California, Fontana Closed
Filmed here: Steel mill and final battle scenes
The steel mill and the final battle between the two terminators were shot at Kaiser Steel in Fontana. The mill no longer exists; the site is now California Speedway, and there is no public access to anything from the original facility. Racing events sometimes take place there.
California, Los Angeles Closed
Filmed here: T-1000 arrival under bridge
The T-1000 arrives beneath the 6th Street Viaduct in downtown Los Angeles. That original bridge has since been demolished and replaced with a new structure, so while the area is public and easy to reach, the viaduct on screen no longer exists in that form.
The story is set in Los Angeles, and the production stayed remarkably faithful to that setting, filming primarily in the Los Angeles area and the San Fernando Valley, with additional work in Fremont and other California locations. A few establishing shots or final scenes involved Chicago, Illinois, but no substantial filming happened outside California.
No dedicated Terminator 2 location tour operates at these Los Angeles sites, most of which are free to visit independently. Travelers open to film tourism elsewhere can consider the option below.
Albuquerque: Breaking Bad RV Filming Locations Tour
This Albuquerque RV tour visits Breaking Bad filming locations, including a stop at this Terminator 2 spot, and suits film fans building a broader locations trip beyond Los Angeles.
Principal photography took place in the Los Angeles area of California, especially the San Fernando Valley and downtown landmarks, with key scenes in Fremont and additional locations in San Bernardino County and Fontana.
Filming ran from October 9, 1990 to March 28, 1991. The production budget was approximately $102 million, the most expensive film made at the time.
The building used for the Cyberdyne Systems exterior is in Fremont and can be viewed from the public street. The glass facade blown up in the film was added specifically for the production.
No. The Corral bar site in Lake View Terrace is now occupied by the Lake View Terrace Branch Library, so nothing of the original bar remains.
The former Kaiser Steel site in Fontana is now California Speedway. The original mill is gone and there is no public access to any remaining structures.
Yes. Sherman Oaks Galleria, Northridge Fashion Center and Santa Monica Place are all public shopping centers, though each has been remodeled since filming.
Terminator 2: Judgment Day left one of the most visitable location maps of any 1990s blockbuster. Three malls, a public park, a flood channel and a Fremont office building can all be seen without special access, making a self-guided driving day through the San Fernando Valley a realistic plan for visiting fans.
Before You Go
The tours travellers book most for Terminator II.
