Where Was East of Eden Filmed? The New Zealand Locations Behind Salinas Valley | TravelPirates

Quick Facts: Monster: East of Eden Filming Locations

• New Zealand played California's Salinas Valley, with the shoot based more than 6,000 miles from where Steinbeck set the novel.

• Filming began in October 2024 and continued into early 2025 on both the South Island and the North Island.

• Ōamaru's Victorian Precinct became Salinas, its 19th-century limestone streets dressed as the California farm town.

• The Trask farm scenes were shot in the foothills of Otago's Hawkdun Range, the centerpiece of Oteake Conservation Park.

• Auckland hosted the interior sets, including the brothels at the center of Cathy's story.

• Ōamaru has a self-guided walking tour of the filming spots, including a Victorian hotel where you can still book a room.

• All seven episodes premiered October 1, 2026, on Netflix, with Florence Pugh starring as Cathy Ames.

Meet the Cast Behind the Story

Set largely in California's Salinas Valley between the Civil War and World War I, the series puts Florence Pugh at the center as Cathy Ames. Christopher Abbott plays Adam Trask, with Mike Faist as his half-brother, Charles, and Tracy Letts as their father, Cyrus. Joseph Zada and Joe Anders play Adam's twin sons, Cal and Aron.

Hoon Lee appears as Lee, who keeps the Trask household running, while Ciarán Hinds plays neighbor Samuel Hamilton and Martha Plimpton enters the story as the brothel madam Faye. Zoe Kazan, whose grandfather Elia Kazan directed the 1955 film with James Dean, created and wrote the series, and Garth Davis and Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre shared directing duties.

Hoon Lee as Lee, Ciarán Hinds as Samuel Hamilton and Christopher Abbott as Adam Trask in episode 103 of East of Eden. Cr. Courtesy of Netflix © 2026

Ōamaru Plays Turn-of-the-Century Salinas

Kazan has said the real Salinas Valley no longer looks the way it did in Steinbeck's day, so the production went looking for a place that still could. It found one in Ōamaru, a small harbor town in Otago with whole streets of 19th-century limestone buildings, the kind of Victorian leftovers Kazan credits to New Zealand's gold rush money. Dressed with period storefronts, the town's historic precinct became Salinas.

Florence Pugh as Cathy Ames and Christopher Abbott as Adam Trask in episode 103 of East of Eden. The show's Salinas street scenes were filmed in Ōamaru. Cr. Courtesy of Netflix © 2026

It's also the easiest location to visit. The local tourism board has mapped a self-guided East of Eden walking tour that takes about an hour and stops at the Ōamaru Steam and Rail yard and the Criterion Hotel, both seen in the series. The Criterion is still a working pub and hotel, so you can have a drink or stay the night inside the show's version of Salinas.

Ōamaru's Victorian Precinct on New Zealand's South Island, which stood in for the town of Salinas in East of Eden.

The Trask Farm Is in the Otago Hills

For the Trask family's ranch, the production headed inland to the foothills of the Hawkdun Range. Production designer Grant Major told Condé Nast Traveller that the farm scenes were shot there, in dry, wide-open country with nothing modern to hide. The flat-topped range anchors Oteake Conservation Park, which is popular with hikers and mountain bikers.

Ciarán Hinds as Samuel Hamilton and Christopher Abbott as Adam Trask in episode 103 of East of Eden. The Salinas Valley ranch scenes were filmed in the foothills of Otago's Hawkdun Range. Cr. Courtesy of Netflix © 2026

The rest was a mix of real streets and careful invention. Dunedin's old stone city center was reportedly dressed for the period, while Auckland handled the interior sets, including the brothels at the center of Cathy's story. The Trask homes were built from scratch, right down to fake bird droppings under the rafters, a detail Kazan says even she had to squint to see.

The Real Salinas Valley Is Still There, and You Can Visit It

Even though the filming for East of Eden was done in New Zealand, the real Salinas still plays a part. Steinbeck was born in Salinas in 1902, and the valley he wrote about is still farm country, about two hours south of San Francisco.

In downtown Salinas, the National Steinbeck Center is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with exhibits on his life and books. Two blocks away, the Victorian house where he was born is now a restaurant serving lunch Tuesday through Saturday.

Plan it as its own trip, since Salinas is about a half hour from Monterey and roughly 6,000 miles from every filming location.

The National Steinbeck Center in downtown Salinas, California, the real setting of East of Eden.

If East of Eden has you wanting to step into the scenery for yourself, you essentially have two very different trips to choose from. New Zealand gives you the landscapes and streets you actually see on screen, from Ōamaru's Victorian buildings to the wide-open hills of Otago, while Salinas takes you back to the place that inspired Steinbeck in the first place.

And really, that's part of what makes this adaptation so interesting. Netflix moved the story thousands of miles from California, but still managed to find places that feel convincingly tied to Steinbeck's world. Whether you follow the filming locations through New Zealand or head straight to the real Salinas Valley, there's now a pretty good excuse to turn your East of Eden binge into a trip.

Frequently Asked Questions: East of Eden Filming Locations

Where was East of Eden filmed?

The Netflix series was filmed in New Zealand. Ōamaru, Dunedin and the Hawkdun Range on the South Island provided most of the locations, with interior sets built in Auckland.

Was East of Eden filmed in California?

No. Netflix says the series was filmed in New Zealand, more than 6,000 miles from the Salinas Valley. Creator Zoe Kazan has said the real valley no longer looks the way it did in Steinbeck's time.

Why was East of Eden filmed in New Zealand?

Kazan has pointed to New Zealand's unspoiled landscapes and its well-preserved Victorian architecture. Reports also cite budget as a reason the production didn't film in California.

When did East of Eden premiere on Netflix?

It premiered on Netflix on October 1, 2026, as a complete seven-episode limited series.

Who plays Cathy Ames in East of Eden?

Florence Pugh stars as Cathy Ames, with Christopher Abbott as Adam Trask and Mike Faist as his half-brother, Charles.

Is East of Eden based on a book?

Yes, it's based on John Steinbeck's 1952 novel. Zoe Kazan's adaptation gives Cathy Ames a more central point of view while following two generations of the Trask family.

Can you visit the real Salinas from East of Eden?

Yes. Salinas, California, is Steinbeck's hometown, and the National Steinbeck Center downtown is open daily. His birthplace, the Steinbeck House, is two blocks away and serves lunch.

Can you visit the East of Eden filming locations?

Yes. Ōamaru has a self-guided walking tour of its filming spots, including the Criterion Hotel, a working pub and hotel. The Hawkdun Range sits in Oteake Conservation Park, which is open to hikers and mountain bikers.