Here at Escape Brooklyn, we’re pretty big Severance fans.

As lovers of suspense and beautiful cinematography – plus half our team being based in Kingston, NY – our enthusiasm for Severance comes as no surprise. For those unaware, a significant portion of Severance (both seasons) was filmed in and around this vibrant Upstate town.

Following the season finale, we’ve compiled a selection of notable locations featured throughout both seasons. And with summer approaching, true to Escape Brooklyn form, we’re also highlighting some favorite spots for lodging, dining, shopping, hiking, and more to assist with planning a Severance-inspired getaway.

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD! If you missed the Season 2 finale, you’re safe(ish). But if you’re just getting started on Severance, or have a few episodes to go, bookmark this and come back to it.

All screen grabs are c/o Apple TV+. Other photographer credits are noted.

Minnewaska State Park: Woe’s Hollow ORTBO

Awosting Falls transforms to Woe’s Hollow, home of “the tallest waterfall in the world,” according to character Milchick. Photo: Escape Brooklyn

“Woe’s Hollow” was arguably one of Season 2’s most pivotal episodes. During the MDR team’s ORTBO (Outdoor Retreat and Team-Building Occurrence), we get extensive Eagan lore, creepy doppelgängers, and confirmation that Helly R. has been Helena Eagan since the overtime contingency.

The entire episode was filmed at Minnewaska State Park – a 24,000-acre state park just two and a half hours from NYC. The park features multiple waterfalls, three sky lakes, dense forests, streams, 35 miles of carriage roads, and 50 miles of footpaths.

Noteworthy spots featured in “Woe’s Hollow” include Lake Minnewaska, Sam’s Point and its Ice Caves Trail, and Awosting Falls, which was coined “the tallest waterfall in the world” by Milchick.

Should you want to explore more of the surrounding area, grab a beer at Arrowood Farms (and maybe catch a concert – check out their summer lineup here). You can also visit Skate Time, where the Severance team had their most recent wrap party.

Taghkanic House: The Eagan Residence

The Taghkanic House boasts two pools (including the indoor lap pool featured in Severance), 400 acres of sprawling land, a sauna, and seven bedrooms. Photos via Airbnb

In “The After Hours,” we get a look into the Eagans’ private residence: an all-glass modern home with an indoor pool, sleek fireplace, and incredible views. During our time in the home, we also get a look at the tense dynamic between Helena and Lumon CEO Jame Eagan.

The eerie vibe of this episode’s intro scene ends with the camera zooming out to show us exactly how much of a grip Lumon has on the Severance world – down to the privatized Lumon water tower.

The Eagans’ residence is the real-life Taghkanic House, located in the town of Taghkanic, NY, less than fifteen minutes from Hudson. Set on 400 acres of land, this contemporary home was designed by noteworthy architect Thomas Phifer, whose talented team is known for designing museums, cultural centers, and breathtaking homes (mainly in the Hudson Valley).

For those looking to immerse themselves in the Kier experience, this impressive home can be rented on Airbnb for just shy of $6,000 a night.

Mohonk Preserve Testimonial Gateway Tower: Demona Birthing Retreat

Located in New Paltz, NY, the Testimonial Gateway Tower marks the entrance to more than 800 acres of land in the Mohonk Preserve Foothills. Photo: Gerald Berliner

In the Season 2 finale, we returned to the Demona Birthing Retreat, which was first introduced in the Season 1 episode “The Grim Barbarity of Optics and Design.” In the severed cabin at the birthing retreat, the audience was reminded that innies have as much autonomy and consciousness as their outies, thanks to a painful video camera conversation between Mark’s innie and outie.

Shot at the Mohonk Preserve Testimonial Gateway Tower, this eerie location is actually the entrance to the Mohonk Preserve Foothills. Filled with both carriage roads and gentle trails, this section of the preserve is ideal for those looking for long walks and leisurely hikes through the Shawangunk Mountains. Beyond the Foothills, the Mohonk Preserve stretches 8,000 acres in total, and is home to rock-climbing cliffs, hiking trails, and biking trails.

To spend a day hiking here, look into the Labyrinth and Skytop Road Loop; a challenging hike that features caves, rock scrambles, and incredible views. Nearby stays include the Starlite Motel, Inness (also great for a cocktail or dinner overlooking the preserve), Mohonk Mountain House, and Stonehill’s (with a tapas bar on weekends).

Eng’s in Kingston, NY: Zufu

Eng’s – the Chinese-American restaurant that doubles as Severance’s Zufu – has been a staple in the Kingston community for nearly 100 years. Photos c/o Eng’s.

In Season 2’s episode “Atilla,” we meet Zufu – a Chinese restaurant Mark retreats to mid-reintegration. After a heated argument with Dr. Reghabi, the former Lumon surgeon who has performed both of the known reintegration procedures in the show, Mark decides to soothe his anxiety by gorging himself on Chinese food. While there, he runs into Helena Eagan, who has a conversation with Mark’s outie, after spending the first half of the season getting to know him as his innie.

Eng’s – a classic Chinese American family restaurant in Uptown Kingston – opened in 1927 and was the first Chinese food restaurant in Kingston. Nearly a century later, this family-owned spot has recently reopened its dining area, where authentic Szechuan and Cantonese fare is perfectly paired with tiki drinks. Check out their all-you-can-eat smorgasbord every Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday.

Phoenicia Diner in the Catskills: Pip’s Bar & Grille

Featured in both Season 1 and Season 2, The Phoenicia Diner is one of Severance’s most distinctive filming locations. Photo: C. Seitz

We first see Pip’s Bar & Grille in Severance’s pilot episode, “Good News About Hell” (we also see Pip’s in Season 2’s “Goodbye, Ms. Selvig”). After sustaining an injury during Helly R.’s orientation process, Mark receives a pass to the VIP section of Pip’s, where he goes to enjoy a meal after the day. It’s here where Petey explains to Mark that he once worked at Lumon, and that he was Mark’s best friend on the severed floor. It’s also where we begin to learn about reintegration, and the grounds for the premise of the show are laid.

Set at the base of the Northern Catskills, Pip’s is actually the famous Phoenicia Diner. Built in 1962, this classic roadside diner has been serving up breakfast and lunch favorites in the area for over sixty years.

For a weekend in the area, plan to stay at The Leeway – a creekside nine-room boutique hotel less than five minutes from the Phoenicia Diner. While in the area, plan to hike some of the trails in the Slide Mountain Wilderness (our favorites are the Slide Mountain Out-and-Back and the Giant Ledge and Panther Mountain Trail). Afterward, grab dinner at The Pines before heading back to The Leeway to spend the rest of the night unwinding around a creekside fire pit.

Frank Lloyd Wright’s Usonia: Devon and Ricken’s Home

Set in Frank Lloyd Wright’s Usonia, the historic Bier House doubles as Devon and Ricken’s home in Severance. Photo: Thad Russell

First seen in Severance’s pilot episode, Devon and Ricken’s home serves as the setting for some of the show’s most important moments – specifically, where innie Mark finds himself during the OTC. Although by this point the audience knows that Ms. Casey is actually Mark’s deceased wife Gemma, Devon and Ricken’s house is where Season 1 ends on a dramatic cliffhanger, with Mark yelling “she’s alive” before the OTC is terminated.

Outside of the world of Severance, Devon and Ricken’s home is actually The Bier House – a private residence in the mid-century Usonia Historic District in Pleasantville, NY. Designed by Kaneji Domoto (one of Frank Lloyd Wright’s protégés), The Bier House and other homes in the Usonia Historic District served as the blueprint for modern American residential architecture. Today’s sought-after open floor plans, passive solar design principles, built-in furniture, and carports are all featured in this community.

Should you choose to drive through the Usonia Historic District to see The Bier House and its exceptional neighbors, stop into the nearby town of Pleasantville to fuel up with a latte from The Black Cow Coffee Company. Those looking to further immerse themselves in innovative art and media can catch an art house movie at the Jacob Burns Film Center, which also houses the Take 3 Wine Bar & Café. Pleasantville is less than an hour from two of our favorite day-trip spots in the Hudson Valley – Cold Spring and Beacon – making it a perfect detour to take during a quick escape from the city.

City of Kingston, NY: City of Kier

Kingston’s iconic Wurts Street Bridge is one of the first Hudson Valley filming locations we see in the show. Photo: Ashley Ruprecht

Throughout the series, we get increasingly familiar with the City of Kier. Despite its on-screen appearance, this ominous city was filmed in the beautiful Upstate city of Kingston, NY. Because of its central location (less than 40 minutes to many filming locations), we recommend making Kingston your home base, should you plan a Severance-centered getaway.

Our lodging recommendation in Kingston is the Kingston Carriage House, which offers stylish rooms within walking distance of several Severance filming locations. Each of its elegant suites are historic and unique, rich in color and texture, and highly curated. Steps from the front door, the iconic bridge from Severance (that Mark crosses after work each day) is the Kingston–Port Ewen Suspension Bridge. Grab a coffee from Rosie General or La Vie Apres L’amour, and make it your morning walk from the hotel.

Another filming spot right around the corner from Kingston Carriage House is Cornell Park. We visit the park several times in Season 1, including the Irving-centric episode “What’s for Dinner,” and also in “Hide and Seek” (it’s here where Devon realizes that people may be undergoing the severance procedure for more than just “work-life balance”.)

Last, but certainly not least, is Great Doors – where Dylan interviews for a replacement job in Season 2’s episode “Goodbye, Ms. Selvig.” In real life, this warehouse-style building houses Red Owl, one of our favorite vintage shops Upstate. The 10,000-square-foot store features vintage furniture, clothing, and decor from over 85 vendors. With an ever-changing inventory and a monthly flea market (stop in on the first Sunday of the month to see), this filming location is not one to miss. For those on a vintage treasure hunt, we also love Kingston Consignments, Lovefield Vintage, Zaborski Emporium, and Capital Vintage.

Honorable Mentions: Other Remarkable Severance Locations

The original design for Bell Labs building (1962) emphasized innovation. Its architecture and history — its engineers and scientists earned nine Nobel prizes — contributed to a listing on the National Register of Historic Places. Real-estate developer Somerset and Alexander Gorlin Architects remade it into a mixed-use office and commercial space in 2013, rechristened as Bell Works. Photo c/o Bell Works

Though the above is pretty comprehensive, there are several more filming locations that helped bring Severance to life worth noting – Upstate and elsewhere.

The iconic Bell Works complex in Holmdel, NJ — a former Bell Labs facility designed by modernist architect Eero Saarinen — serves as the intimidating Lumon Industries headquarters, with its striking glass façade and quarter-mile central atrium providing the perfect backdrop for the show’s sterile corporate environment. These days, it’s a “one-of-a kind destination for business and culture, complete with a blossoming ecosystem of technology, traditional offices, retail, dining, hospitality, and more.” It’s open seven days a week to the public, and only an hour from NYC. See NYT’s story.

In addition to Kingston, downtown Beacon, NY contributed significantly to creating the fictional Town of Kier: with its historic “Dummy Light” traffic signal (America’s oldest, dating back to 1926) plus numerous storefronts and government buildings that were creatively reimagined for filming.

Meanwhile, the Hudson River Museum in Yonkers transforms into the mysterious Perpetuity Wing with its adjoining Gilded Age house. Nyack provided multiple key locations, including the Village Gate Townhouses where Mark’s “never really filled up” neighborhood was filmed, the Hudson House restaurant where his awkward date unfolds, and the Gulf Gas Station at the corner of Route 9W.

Perhaps most surprising are the remote locations in Newfoundland, Canada, that bring Harmony Cobel’s mysterious hometown of Salt’s Neck to life—filmed between Bonavista, Keels, and Port Union. Their rugged coastlines and historic fishing communities provide an appropriately isolated setting.

From the impressive Bell Works complex to the nostalgic Phoenicia Diner, Severance skillfully converts ordinary locations into its unsettling, fictional world. As you explore these filming sites throughout the Upstate region, pause to really appreciate the remarkable transformation of these familiar landmarks into the show’s dystopian landscape. Our hat tip to the location scouts, plus the very talented crew that brought the world of Severance to life.