Shuvrajit Das Biswas
If you don’t put too much thought into ‘Baywatch’, the 2017 movie, you are bound to find it mildly entertaining. Based on the television show of the same name, the movie has all the elements to become a success. This includes an intriguing plot about a mysterious woman, a shady drug trafficking ring, some shocking murders, and sizzling cast members who take to running on the beach in the classic slow-motion style, that became a favorite during the original show.
‘Baywatch’ is filled with sandy beaches, and pretty sights, despite the action and adventure unfolding at all times. We have a brave crew of lifeguards who come together to save the day and the beaches from the evil clutches of a fatal drug lord. While the series takes place in Malibu, California, the movie is set in the fictional Emerald Bay at Broward County, located in Florida. However, the beaches, waters, and buildings shown, are based on real-life locations.
Baywatch Filming Locations
According to reports, ‘Baywatch’ has been filmed mostly in Savannah and Tybee Island, in Georgia, apart from shooting scenes in Boca Raton and Miami. However, we have more specifics to offer, by way of the exact beaches and buildings where some of the most iconic scenes of ‘Baywatch’ were shot. Read about the filming locations, here.
Boca Raton:
According to reports, the crew and cast for ‘Baywatch’ decided to put up at the Boca Raton Resort & Club, located at 501 E Camino Real, Boca Raton. The hotel also served as the filming location for numerous party scenes. Talk about ease of access! The Boca Beach Club on 900 S Ocean Blvd, is a prominent resort that hosted many of the important party scenes that unfolded in ‘Baywatch’.
If you have a sharp eye for real estate, you might have noticed the One Thousand Ocean condo, which appeared in several scenes in the movie. Located on 1000 S Ocean Blvd, the condos were built in 2010, and reportedly each unit costs over $10 million.
The opening scene of the movie was shot at the Boca Raton beach, itself. Reports also suggest that the north side of the jetty at the Boca Inlet was used as a filming location. The South Inlet Park, located at 1100 S Ocean Blvd, is also visible when Dwayne Johnson’s character rushes into the water to save a kitesurfer, who becomes unconscious upon hitting his head on a rock, underwater.
Deerfield Beach, Florida:
The central filming location for ‘Baywatch’ was at the Deerfield Beach in Florida, especially near the International Fishing Pier. However, the lifeguard tower there had been built specifically for the movie, so you might not find it there anymore. In fact, Deerfield Beach Ocean Rescue officials were involved in giving Johnson pointers about how to be a lifeguard.
As per the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau, the other locations hit by the ‘Baywatch’ crew include Hilton Fort Lauderdale Marina, open water outside of the Port Everglades Inlet, Hollywood Beach, and Broadwalk, between Johnson and Garfield streets, as well as the 300 block of Hayes Street in Hollywood.
With a keen eye, you can also spot glimpses of Ocean Way in Deerfield, where the Embassy Suites of Hilton are visible in the background.
The Palm Beach County Film and Television Commission calculated that the movie generated around $7 million in terms of economic activity.
Tybee Island, Georgia:
Several of the key scenes in ‘Baywatch’ were also filmed in Tybee Island, Georgia, especially on the beach. The north and south end of the waterfront was used as film crews were there for around two weeks. They shot near the Water Park Pier and Pavilion. Savannah’s Memorial University Medical Center is where the morgue scene was shot, where the brave group starts to stumble upon the fishy instances going on in their beach.
The chase scene with the jet skis was also shot in Tybee Island, specifically near Estill Hammock Marina. The obstacle course on the beach was also set up here. Notably, reports suggest that Paramount offered the residents of Estill Hammock $750 as compensation for any disturbance caused to their relatively quiet community.
Trip Tollison, the president of the Savannah Economic Development Authority, said at the time that she felt the movie would go on to benefit the community economically, having far-reaching advantages.
Miami, Florida
The film crew even ventured into Miami to shoot part of ‘Baywatch’. They specifically headed over to Ocean Terrace, located on the Miami beach. The sandy area east of the Ocean Terrace is where some of the scenes involving lifeguard training, which is shown early in the movie, is shot.
In conclusion, it is clear that the crew of ‘Baywatch’ put in a considerable amount of effort to choose the best locations possible for the filming of the project, which is why we got to enjoy the breathtaking sights in the movie, while being blown away by the explosive action that seems to take place right from the start.
Read More: Will There be a Baywatch 2?
