Rocky Filming Locations And Tours

The Short Answer

The Rocky franchise was filmed mainly on location in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with exteriors across Kensington, South Philly and the Art Museum steps. Some interior scenes and fight footage were shot in Los Angeles, including at the Olympic Auditorium and a former Main Street Gym. Most Philadelphia sites are free and public, making a self-guided visit easy, and private driving tours cover them all.

Rocky has been part of American cinema since 1976, and the franchise ran through 2023 with the Creed films. Sylvester Stallone lived in Philadelphia as a teen and worked on the docks, which shaped the authentic working-class setting that sets these films apart from typical boxing stories. The first movie was made for about $1 million, with exteriors shot by a non-union New York crew to keep costs down.

Almost everything fans remember is real and visitable. The rowhouse, the gym, the market and the steps all sit within a few miles of each other in Philadelphia. Some spots have changed over the decades, one has become a brewery, but they remain recognizable. This guide covers every major filming location and the private tours that connect them.

Every Location At A Glance

Location	Where	What was filmed	Access
Rocky Steps / Philadelphia Museum of Art	Philadelphia	Training run up the 72 steps and victory pose at the top	Free to see
Rocky Statue	Philadelphia	Statue at base or top of steps	Free to see
Rocky's Apartment	Philadelphia	Exterior of Rocky's rowhouse home in Kensington	Outside only
South 9th Street Italian Market	Philadelphia	Training run through the market and shopping scenes	Free to see
Mighty Mick's Gym	Philadelphia	Exterior of the gym	Outside only
Victor Cafe (Adrian's Restaurant)	Philadelphia	Rocky's restaurant scenes with opera singing waitstaff	Ticketed
Laurel Hill Cemetery	Philadelphia	Adrian's grave scenes	Free to see
Pat's King of Steaks	Philadelphia	Cheesesteak reference and South Philly scenes	Free to see
Max's Steaks	Philadelphia	Cheesesteak scene where Adonis learns 'jawn'	Free to see
1818 E Tusculum St area / Take You Back Corner	Philadelphia	Opening scenes and singing corner	Outside only

Filming Locations Map

10 locations. The map loads when it scrolls into view.

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors

Location By Location

The 72 steps in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art are where Rocky completes his training run and throws his victory pose at the top. They appear in Rocky, Rocky II, Rocky III, Rocky Balboa and Creed. Free to visit and open to the public, they draw around 4 million visitors annually because of the franchise. Expect crowds, especially on weekends, but the run to the top takes under a minute for most people.

The bronze statue of Rocky, commissioned for Rocky III, stands near the steps and appears again in Creed. It has been moved several times over the years and now serves mainly as a photo opportunity at the bottom of the museum approach. Access is free and public. Lines for photos form quickly in peak season, so early morning visits tend to be calmer for travelers wanting a clear shot.

The exterior of Rocky's rowhouse home appears in Rocky and Rocky II. It stands in the Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia. This is a private residence today, so visits are exterior only and trespassing is not permitted. Fans typically photograph the facade from the sidewalk and move on. It pairs naturally with the nearby singing corner location a short distance away in the same neighborhood.

Rocky trains through this busy outdoor market in the original film, and the location returns in Rocky Balboa and Creed. It remains an active market with vendors, shops and food stalls, making it one of the most enjoyable stops for visitors. The famous unplanned moment where a vendor threw Stallone an orange, which he caught on camera, happened right here. Great for photos and a quick bite.

The exterior of Mighty Mick's Gym appears in Rocky, Rocky II, Rocky III and Creed. The interior gym scenes were actually filmed at the now-defunct Main Street Gym in Los Angeles, not here. The Philadelphia building currently operates as a brewery, so visitors can see the recognizable exterior and then step inside for a drink. Access to the exterior is unrestricted; the interior is a functioning business.

Victor Cafe stood in for Adrian's, the Italian restaurant Rocky runs in Rocky Balboa and Creed, complete with scenes of opera singing waitstaff. It remains a working Italian restaurant in South Philadelphia, and the singing staff are real. This is the one major location that requires a reservation rather than a photo stop. Book ahead, as fans and locals both fill the tables, especially on weekends.

Laurel Hill Cemetery in Philadelphia is where the Adrian grave scenes were filmed for Rocky Balboa and Creed. The headstone used for Adrian remains in place and has become a site of quiet pilgrimage for fans. The cemetery itself is a large historic landmark open to the public. Visitors should be respectful of active burials and other mourners while locating the grave within the grounds.

Pat's King of Steaks in South Philadelphia is tied to the original Rocky through its cheesesteak references and South Philly atmosphere. It is a functioning cheesesteak institution rather than a formal filming set piece, but fans of the first film will recognize the neighborhood flavor it represents. Access is public and casual. Cash is preferred here, so travelers should come prepared.

Max's Steaks in North Philadelphia appears in Creed and Creed II, most memorably in the scene where Adonis learns the word jawn over cheesesteaks. It remains a popular spot with fans and locals alike. Access is public and no reservation is needed. It sits in North Philly, a separate trip from the South Philly cheesesteak spots, so travelers short on time often choose one or the other.

This Kensington corner appears in the opening scenes of Rocky and again in Rocky II, including the famous singing corner moment. Some buildings in the area have been demolished over the years, so parts of the streetscape look different from the films. Access is exterior only. It sits near Rocky's apartment, so visitors often pair the two stops in a single walk through the neighborhood.

Where It Is Set Versus Where It Was Filmed

The story is set in Philadelphia and, unusually for a studio film of its era, it was primarily filmed there too. The production shot real exteriors across Kensington, South Philadelphia and Fairmount rather than recreating the city on a backlot. The main exceptions were interior scenes and fight sequences, which were filmed in Los Angeles, including the interior gym scenes at the now-defunct Main Street Gym and fight footage at the Olympic Auditorium.

The Studio Side

The Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles hosted fight filming for the franchise. It is no longer operating in its original capacity and is not set up for filming location visits, so travelers building a Rocky itinerary should focus on Philadelphia, where nearly every exterior location survives in visitable form.

Tours That Visit These Locations

Two private tours cover the Rocky locations, both by car with a driver-guide. Because the sites are spread across Kensington, North Philly, South Philly and Fairmount, a driving tour saves considerable time compared with public transit. Both are private, so pricing is per vehicle rather than per person in practice.

Half-Day Private Tour, Extended

Philadelphia: Half-Day Private Rocky Movie Locations Tour

At $695 with a perfect 5 rating from 134 reviews, this half-day private tour allows more time at each location, including stops farther from center city.

5.0 out of 5 · 134 reviews

From$695Check availability

Private Driving Tour, Standard

Yo! A Private Rocky Balboa Driving Tour of Philadelphia

At $595 with a 4.9 rating from 112 reviews, this private driving tour hits the core Rocky stops with a dedicated guide and vehicle.

4.9 out of 5 · 112 reviews

From$595Check availability

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you visit the Rocky Steps for free?

Yes. The 72 steps at the Philadelphia Museum of Art are public and free to climb. They draw around 4 million visitors annually due to the franchise, so they get crowded, but there is no ticket or entry fee at any time.

Where is the Rocky statue located?

The statue stands near the base of the Rocky Steps at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. It was created for Rocky III and has been moved several times over the years. It is free to visit and functions mainly as a photo stop.

Can you go inside Rocky's apartment?

No. The Kensington rowhouse used for exteriors in Rocky and Rocky II is a private residence. Visitors can photograph the facade from the sidewalk, but trespassing is not permitted and the owners' privacy should be respected.

Was Rocky actually filmed in Philadelphia?

Yes, most exterior scenes were filmed on location in Philadelphia across the franchise, from the 1976 original through Creed. Interior scenes and fight sequences were shot in Los Angeles, including at the Olympic Auditorium and the now-defunct Main Street Gym.

Is Mighty Mick's Gym a real gym?

The Philadelphia building used for the gym exterior in Rocky, Rocky II, Rocky III and Creed now operates as a brewery. The interior gym scenes were filmed in Los Angeles, so only the exterior matches the films, but fans can visit and grab a drink inside.

Are the Rocky tours worth booking?

The locations are spread across several neighborhoods, from Kensington to South Philly, so a private driving tour saves significant time over transit or walking. Both listed tours are private with strong ratings, and guides typically add filming trivia that is easy to miss on a self-guided visit.

Rocky is one of the rare franchises where nearly every location is free, public and unchanged enough to recognize. Travelers on a budget can walk or ride between the steps, the statue, the Italian Market and the cheesesteak spots in a single day. Those who want the full picture, including Kensington and Laurel Hill Cemetery, will get more from a private driving tour. Either way, save room for a cheesesteak, preferably where Adonis learned the word jawn.