Lucky for us, the show was filmed right here in Austin and there’s a certain amount of pride that comes along with that. We’re also lucky that some of the filming locations still exist (though many have sadly disappeared).
It may have been a while since you’ve watched the series. After all, it’s been off the air for eight years. Though it seems like just yesterday, ammiright?
Here’s a quick reminder of how Friday Night Lights was and still is pure magic.
See, magic.
One of the many reasons Friday Night Lights felt so real was that, unlike most shows, they did not film on a production set but in actual real life locations in Central Texas.
As previously mentioned, many shooting locations have been remodeled/ updated or are no longer standing. We’ve confirmed what’s still around and what’s not and we’re proud to bring you the most up to date Friday Night Lights guide.
We encourage you to check out these locales, stop and take pictures but we ask that you please be mindful. These are not just prop houses or buildings but real homes and establishments. Be respectful and courteous with your approach.
Here are the most recognizable Friday Night Lights filming locations that still exist in Austin.
Tim Riggins’s Land
7252 Burleson Manor Rd., Manor, Texas
Let’s start the list off with the character responsible for the phrase “Texas Forever.” That’s right #33 Tim Riggins. In the pilot episode, which aired October 2006, Tim is drunkenly talking to Jason Street when he declares; “Here’s to God and football and, 10 years from now, Street, good friends living large in Texas. Texas forever, Street.” The rest is history. Riggins may have been a bad boy but he had a heart of gold and we loved seeing him end up getting the land he always dreamt of owning in the final episode.
This is our first stop because it’s a little further away from the rest but totally worth the drive out.
Coach Taylor’s House
6805 De Paul Cove, Austin, TX 78723
Y’all this is not a house, this is a home. I don’t care who’s living in it now, this will always be Coach Eric and Tami Taylor’s home. In film a lot of times inanimate objects are identified as a character, this house is one of them.
Side note: has anyone counted how many times Tami Taylor says “y’all” in the show? That might be one heck of a drinking game to play while re-watching!
Tim Riggins’s House
2604 Lehigh Dr., Austin, Texas 78723
Good news! You don’t have to drive far for the next house. Apparently Coach Taylor and Tim Riggins lived just down the road from each other. Man-o-man if these walls could talk, the hypothetical tales they’d tell about our beloved bad boy.
Has anyone else notice this is NOT the house with the #33 sign in the yard used in the opening credits? No idea where that house is.
Panther’s Field
1301 Pecan St., West Pflugerville, Texas 78660
Lucky for the series, Pflugerville High School’s mascot is also a panther so they didn’t have to do much in the way of signage. It’s also lucky for us because we can still go get pictures of the “Home of the Fighting Panthers” sign. Due to the fact that FNL had an unusual production process using real locations, they also used dozens of extras. Most of the high school students and crowds for the football games were all students and other locals. I’ve never been so jealous of a high school. This field was only used in the pilot of the series though.
West Dillon High School
7104 Berkman Dr., Austin, TX 78752
1301 W. Pecan St., Pflugerville, TX 78660
This is where things get a little confusing. We still aren’t 100% sure which high school they used for the internal scenes for “West Dillon” but there are two schools they used for filming. One is Pflugerville High School and the other is Northwest Early College High School also known as Reagan Early College Prep. External shots of both schools were used but rumor has it that they only used Pflugerville for the pilot and Northwest for the rest of the series. If you happen to have the full scoop, let us know!
East Dillon High School
3908 Avenue B, Austin, TX 78751
East Dillon was filmed at Baker Center, which has been renovated and is now home to Alamo Drafthouse’s new headquarters. Most recently, it has beenused as a school in the CW series Walker. 
Tasty Pfreeze
2700 W. Pecan St., Pflugerville, TX 78660
This gem of an establishment in the shape of a giant ice cream cone may not have been mentioned in more than the pilot episode but it’s in the opening credits of the series with the name of Twisters. Though it might not be white with stripes anymore (or even yellow), it still looks like a great place to stop, take a picture, and grab a tasty snack.
Panther Field House
7 Flow Ln., Del Valle, TX 78617
A lot of blood, sweat, and tears happened here, probably both off and on camera. That’s why it’s nearly last on our list. The Panther field house and practice field were both filmed at the abandoned Del Valle High School near the Austin airport. No one know’s how long it will be up but after production wrapped they never tore down the set. If you drive out there you’ll still see that Dillon Panther blue and the Panthers Field House sign along with a now overgrown field. While it’s locked up, you can still get decent pictures. If no one is around maybe you should, you know, just scream CLEAR EYES, FULL HEARTS, CAN’T LOSE into the empty field then quickly get in your car and drive away. Just a personal suggestion.
Apparently, this was also the set for the East Dillon Lions and the back side of the field house is painted red. However, you can’t see that without trespassing, which we do not recommend.
The Landing Strip
745 US-183, Austin, TX 78741
If you want to end your day the Tim Riggin’s way, you may want to end this tour at the Landing Strip. It’s right around the corner from Panther field.
Fun fact: the “premier men’s club” was also a filming location in Varsity Blues.
Broken Spoke
3201 S. Lamar Blvd., Austin, TX 78704
Perhaps you’d like to end your night somewhere a little more tame. If that’s the case, head over to the Broken Spoke where Landry’s band Crucifictorius played a show in season one.
Honorable Mentions
Here are a few other locations which aren’t as highly featured in the series but may mean something to you based on the character/ storyline.
- Garrity Motors (AKA Capitol Chevrolet) • 6200 S Interstate 35
- Appleby’s • 6315 S IH 35 Frontage Rd.
- Smash William’s Apartment • 905 Bedford St.
- Promise Land Church • 1504 E 51st St.
- Dillon Bus Depot • 4999 East Cesar Chavez St.
Update of Friday Night Lights filming locations that are no longer there as of 8/29/2019 (we know because we checked ourselves).
- Saracen’s House
- Alamo Freeze
- Vince Howard’s House
- Fran’s
- Mini Max
- Ray’s BBQ
- Ez’s Brick Oven and Grill
So there you have it, your ultimate guide to Friday Night Lights filming locations in Austin.
But before we go, we thought we’d throw a mention to someone who loves Friday Night Lights and Tim Riggins just as much as we do: actress Mae Whitman.
Whitman is an ATX TV Festival regular and, in 2016 when the festival hosted the show’s 10 year reunion , she was front and center. We have to admit that we’re quite jealous of Whitman due to the fact that she has costarred with not ONE but FIVE of the FNL boys. Despite her best efforts though, she’s never had the honor of meeting or working with Austin resident Taylor Kitsch. She has however worked alongside Street, Matt, Landry, Billy, and Luke. She’s even kissed four of them. Despite our jealousy we still love our pint sized super fan and to prove it here are some of our top “Mae’s obsessed with FNL” moments.
-
- Instagram @mistergarf
-
- Instagram @mistergarf
-
- Twitter @Maebirdwing
-
- Instagram @mistergarf
-
- Twitter @Maebirdwing
-
- Instagram @Minstergarf
-
- Instagram @Mistergarf
-
- Instagram @mistergarf
-
- Instagram @Mistergarf
-
- Instagram @Mistergarf
-
- Instagram @Mattlauria
BTW, our creator/editor HAS is fact had the opportunity to meet Tim Riggins himself. You can check out that interview here.
Did we miss a filming location? Let us know by commenting below or sending a DM on Facebook or Instagram.
