- Where does Breaking Bad take place? The entire Breaking Bad production was filmed in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
- Breaking Bad was originally going to be set in California but switched to New Mexico before shooting began.
- Many filming locations for Breaking Bad were used for both interior and exterior filming.
- Velvet Ropes Breaking Bad Albuquerque self guided tour features more filming locations than any guided tour of the city.
Breaking Bad Tour
Trying to think of things to do in Albuquerque during your visit? You owe it to yourself to take a tour of Breaking Bad locations! Part of the Land of Enchantment that is New Mexico, Albuquerque acted as the backdrop for Breaking Bad Better Call Saul – and the Netflix film El Camino!
There is a literal treasure trove of locations to visit for the Breaking Bad universe there and if you’re looking for what to do in Albuquerque and the best way to see the city, a do-it-yourself Breaking Bad tour is the way to go! From the car wash to the Walt house and more, there’s an endless supply of awesome places to visit for Breaking Bad fans.
Albuquerque Breaking Bad Tour Map
If you want a truly comprehensive tour of all things Breaking Bad, Velvet Ropes has you covered! Our self-guided tour features all the best Breaking Bad, El Camino, and Better Call Saul filming locations throughout Albuquerque as well as some awesome hidden gems you won’t see with any other guided tours in the area!
If you’re looking for the ultimate Breaking Bad locations map, Velvet Ropes’ self-guided tour lineup is a must!
Breaking Bad Filming Locations
If you’ve ever wondered “Where was Breaking Bad filmed?” both Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul have been filmed in just about every corner of Albuquerque, NM!
The series was originally going to be shot in Los Angeles, CA – but was later changed to New Mexico due to financial incentives to film there. Plus, one look at the Sandia Mountains and you have to imagine the creators behind the show instantly fell in love with the place.
Walter White House
The Breaking Bad house, aka Walter White house, is a must-see for those looking to get the full Breaking Bad experience. While the interior of the home was never used in the show, the exterior front and back were both featured in many episodes throughout the series.
In its current form, the home bears a slightly different look than what was seen in the show. There is now a security gate around the entire residence as well as a sign asking visitors to take photos across the street from the home rather than directly in front.
The reason for the security addition was due to fans of the show actually recreating the infamous pizza scene by throwing entire pizzas onto the roof of the home like Walter White (yuck!). On busier days, the house may see up to 300 visitors coming to pose for photos.
Mrs. Padilla, the current owner, was given $400k for using her house for the series. She was later offered an additional $800k from someone looking to turn the home into a Breaking Bad Museum – an offer that she actually turned down.
Jesse Pinkman House
Located in an upscale Albuquerque neighborhood is the Jesse Pinkman house – this was where Walt and Jesse cooked while the residence was vacant and up for sale. It was originally owned by Jesse’s parents until Jesse purchased it himself.
With the exception of more vines growing along the exterior walls of the 4,544 square foot, Spanish Colonial revival home, it hasn’t changed a bit since being featured on Breaking Bad. In its early appearances on the show, the exterior and interior were both used for the Jesse house until a replica of the interior was built on a soundstage.
While the show depicted Jesse throwing wild, drug-fueled parties at the home, that probably wouldn’t have flown with the neighborhood IRL. In reality, it’s actually a super quiet place where the most activity you may find is people jogging or taking a stroll with their furry friends.
A1A Car Wash
What was once Octopus Car Wash, aka A1A Car Wash in the show, is now part of the larger “Mister Car Wash” chains in New Mexico. The location was used for both interior and exterior shots in Breaking Bad and is easily a must for any Breaking Bad tour of Albuquerque.
One of the coolest parts about the Breaking Bad car wash is that you’re not limited to just snapping a few shots outside – you can actually go inside where the show was filmed!
Well, obviously not where the cars are being washed – but there is a section of the building you can walk through and find cool photos from the show, autographed Breaking Bad posters, and at the end of the hall there’s even a vending machine dedicated to Breaking Bad merch!
Los Pollos Hermanos
Is there really a more iconic filming location for both Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul than Los Pollos Hermanos? One step inside the restaurant, which is actually part of the popular restaurant chain “Twisters” in real life, and you instantly recognize this as the site of Los Pollos Hermanos.
Filming was done both inside the building and outside – and that’s made evident by just how little the inside has been changed. You really feel like you’re having lunch at Los Pollos Hermanos when you eat at Twisters – except you won’t be able to get Gus’s chicken since it’s a Mexican restaurant (order the Twisters Burrito and I promise you won’t be disappointed!!)
This Twisters fully embraces its status as Gus Fring’s restaurant – having not only a massive Los Pollos Hermanos logo on the wall but also this awesome little shrine dedicated to photos from filming and autographs from your favorite Breaking Bad stars.
Tuco’s Headquarters
Tuco’s headquarters, aka Java Joe’s, is a popular coffee shop that’s been around for over 20 years and loved by many long before it made its television debut.
Thanks to Breaking Bad, however, the shop has had an influx of tourists visiting the location regularly to snap pictures at what is commonly recognized now as Tuco Salamanca’s former headquarters. Filming for the show was focused on the exterior of the building, but the explosion you see at the location was very real.
While it’s awesome that the production opted for realism here, it didn’t completely go off without a hitch. Remember the AC unit that flew off the building from the explosion? Yeah, that was 100% real and NOT supposed to happen.
Additionally, the explosion itself cracked the side of the building, leading to a hefty payout for the owner of the shop in order to make repairs.
The Crossroads Motel
Coined “The Crystal Palace” by DEA agent Hank Schrader in Breaking Bad, the Crossroads Motel is a real motel operating out of Albuquerque. The motel was used for exterior shots and is most notably remembered as being Wendy’s place of business.
For those that don’t remember – Wendy, played by actress Julia Minesci, was a prostitute in the series. Julia, who is actually a local of Albuquerque, was completely transformed through makeup to play Wendy on the show. Her costume was apparently so convincing that she was propositioned by men several times while filming at the Crossroads Motel (yikes!).
The Abandoned Warehouse
The former site of Santa Fe Railway shops in Albuquerque, this location consists of 18 buildings created between 1915 and 1925. In the series, the rail yard was used as the location where drug dealers deposited payments for Gus Fring.
In addition to Breaking Bad filming here, the rail yard has also reportedly been used for many films and series that shoot in Albuquerque.
The Dog House
The Dog House drive-in restaurant was used in both Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul several times throughout the filming of both series. In Breaking Bad, it was the spot where Jesse Pinkman sold drugs before he attempted to sell to Tuco.
In Better Call Saul, it was the place where Saul started his cell phone selling side hustle. If you want to visit some seriously iconic locations during your Breaking Bad city tour, Dog House is a must – though you won’t find the picnic benches that were featured on the show since those were added exclusively for filming.
Saul Goodman Office Better Call Saul
Of course, we had to include some Better Call Saul filming locations, too! Day Spa & Nail, the location where Jimmy McGill maintains a closet-sized office space in the back, is actually a real nail salon and spa – and the sign featured on the outside is actually for the real business (minus the phone number).
The series also did use the interior of the real salon for filming, and even now the place looks almost exactly like what you see on the show. So, if you want to visit a cool Better Call Saul location AND get that Mani-Pedi you’ve been wanting – this is the place for you!
Chuck House Better Call Saul
Though filming at Chuck’s house in Better Call Saul was focused on the exterior, it’s definitely still worth a visit during your film location tour.
The gorgeous 3,428 square foot home acted as the residence of Chuck McGill, Jimmy’s brother, in Better Call Saul. The exterior still looks exactly like it did on the show, but don’t expect to find the mailbox where Chuck’s guests were forced to hide their electronics – that was added for the series!
The Candy Lady
The Candy Lady shop was never used in the series, but it’s an absolute must-stop for fans of Breaking Bad and especially those with a sweet tooth!
In addition to all the other tasty goodies The Candy Lady offers, they also have some Breaking Bad-themed “Blue Sky” sugar candy that’s delicious! (And only mildly addictive). Fans of the show can also have a photograph of themselves standing in front of a massive tub of the blue candy as a souvenir.
The Breaking Bad Store
If you want to pick up some sweet Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul merch during your trip, there’s no better place than The Breaking Bad Store. Here, you’ll find everything from mugs and figurines, to T-shirts and even a Breaking Bad Monopoly game!
Once you’re done spending some of that vacation money on cool souvenirs, you can also pop into the store’s mini museum. Pose for photos at the replica of Saul Goodman’s office or check out the real Breaking Bad costumes on display – there’s so much to see here!
Breaking Bad RV Tour
Being a resident of New Mexico and a major fan of Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, I’ve actually experienced a Breaking Bad RV Tour firsthand. The guided tour was cool and our tour guides had great enthusiasm for what they did and for the show, but my husband and I both agreed it wasn’t really how we wanted to experience a tour.
The seating was pretty cramped and the bus itself was hot (no matter how often the guide tried to cool it down for everyone). Additionally, there were a lot of locations the bus couldn’t visit because of time constraints and just the sheer size of the vehicle itself.
Breaking Bad Self Guided Tour
When I was given the opportunity to take the self-guided tour, I had an absolute blast! My husband and I started the tour at the time we wanted, stops were taken when WE needed them, and we got to see way more locations than literally any guided tour offers.
It was so much fun pulling up to a location on the tour and trying to see who could spot the filming site first. The self-guided Breaking Bad tour Albuquerque was honestly the most fun we’d had during our entire trip. If you’re looking for a true tour of Better Call Saul and Breaking Bad sites Albuquerque – the Velvet Ropes self-guided tour is where it’s at!
Sources
https://www.grubstreet.com/2018/01/los-pollos-hermanos-returns-for-breaking-bad-anniversary.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Fe_Railway_Shops_(Albuquerque)
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/jesse-pinkman-house-sale-buy-811624/