Sacramento native Greta Gerwig pays tribute to her hometown in the critically acclaimed film Lady Bird, which appears to be on a continuous streak of accolades, reviews, and awards season buzz since its release in late 2017. The coming-of-age story about a high school senior in 2002 (played by Saoirse Ronan) is a semi-autobiographical tale of Gerwig’s upbringing in Northern California. It touches on familiar teenage struggles, from navigating romantic relationships and disagreeing with parents to wrestling with the love-hate feelings toward your hometown.
Growing up in Sacramento, “I knew this was a special place, but its physical beauty—the tree canopy, the wide streets, the neighborhoods, the river—I didn’t realize how wonderful they were until I moved to a vertical city like New York,” Gerwig said in an interview with The Sacramento Bee. “I wanted to make a love letter to Sacramento as seen through the eyes of someone who can’t appreciate how beautiful it is until she’s going away to someplace else.”
See California’s capital city through the eyes of Lady Bird—below are a few locations featured in the movie (shot in October 2016) that you can visit in real life.
American Market and Deli
2331 North N Street
This corner convenience store is where Lady Bird goes to make a few “adult” purchases on her 18th birthday. The large-scale mural on the outside wall was painted in 2007 and is one of many colorful paintings throughout Sacramento. (Check out the Wide Open Walls map for more outdoor art around the city.)
Tower Bridge
Sacramento’s most recognizable landmark appears multiple times in the movie, including the touching post-prom scene with Lady Bird’s best friend. Spanning over the Sacramento River, the iconic golden bridge—which was built in the 1930s—serves as the connection between Sacramento and West Sacramento in Yolo County.
Thrift Town
410 El Camino
Pivotal mother-daughter scenes take place at Thrift Town, Lady Bird’s preferred shopping locale. This store—one of three Thrift Town locations in the city—is where she finds her Thanksgiving and prom dresses.
Big Blue House
1200 block of 44th Street
Lady Bird’s favorite Sacramento house is a real residence in the Fabulous Forties neighborhood, an upscale, tree-lined neighborhood in the numbered 40s streets of East Sacramento.
McKinley Rose Garden
3255 H Street
Danny and Lady Bird confess their feelings in this 1.5-acre garden in McKinley Park, named for the late President William McKinley. More than 1,200 roses line the flower path in the historic attraction, which is the largest rose garden in Sacramento.
