House of Cards, the hit Netflix show whose fourth series was unleashed today, follows the conscience-deprived world of Washington DC politics - but much of the action was actually shot outside the US capital. Here we reveal the locations that really exist – and those that don't.
Washington DC
The opening credits, of course, do show off many of Washington DC’s most recognisable sights, including Capitol Hill, the Washington Monument, John Marshall Park and the Lincoln Memorial. Peter Foster, the Telegraph’s former US Editor, advises a trip to the city in March to catch the annual National Cherry Blossom Festival.
“The spectacular cherry blossoms on Washington’s National Mall are nature’s equivalent of a firework display: the many varieties of Japanese cherry exploding in bursts of white, pink and purple that stand out against blue, blue skies,” he says.
“Washington is a city best seen on foot – the White House, the Mall and the memorials to Lincoln, Jefferson, Martin Luther King and FDR – which is why it pays to take note of the seasons. Bitterly cold in winter, steamy hot in summer, March and April can still be chilly in the evening, but offer perfect walking weather by day.”
The National Gallery of Art in Washington also appears in the show. Frank meets intrepid reporter Zoe Barnes in front of The Biglin Brothers Racing, a painting of rowers by Thomas Eakins.
Baltimore, Maryland
The main filming location for House of Cards is, in fact, the neighbouring city of Baltimore. The “Washington DC” home of Frank Underwood and his wife Claire is actually found here, at 1609 Park Avenue in the Bolton Hill neighbourhood.
Zoe’s far more modest dwelling is on Preston Street, next door to a pizza restaurant.
Interior shots of the US Capitol are actually the impressive Maryland State House in Annapolis, which dates back to 1772. Guided tours are available nearly every day of the year – or you can take a virtual tour online.
The Baltimore Museum of Art appears in the series - Frank meets Zoe there. Its collection spans many centuries and includes works by Matisse, Picasso, Cézanne, Manet, Degas, Gauguin, van Gogh and Renoir. So too does the Walters Art Museum – it’s the location for yet another meeting.
The offices of the fictional Washington Herald, Zoe's place of work, are actually the offices of the Baltimore Sun, a real newspaper. The Washington Opera House is represented by Baltimore’s Lyric Opera House.
Several restaurants appear in the series, including Tio Pepe’s on 10 E Franklin Street (it’s here that intense Doug Stamper finds ex-prostitute Rachel Posner), Golden West Café on 1105 W 36th Street, and Wit & Wisdom at 200 International Drive. Sadly, Freddy’s BBQ, Frank’s favourite rib joint, doesn’t exist - a set was created in an abandoned building at 2605 Greenmount Avenue.
If there’s one thing House of Cards taught us, it’s that cuddly Kevin Spacey should not be crossed. Zoe discovers this at the Charles Centre Metro Subway Station.
The Peabody Institute, an historic library, appears as the fictional Hotel Cotesworth, venue for Claire’s charity event.
Joppa, Maryland
Most of the interiors for House of Cards were created in a giant warehouse in Joppa, a little-known suburb of Baltimore, including a reconstruction of the White House’s West Wing.
Tours of the real White House can be arranged through a member of US Congress; far easier is the virtual tour available on its website.
Monkton, Maryland
Camp Puh'tok, a summer camp in Monkton, north of Baltimore, fills in for Camp David, the President’s rural retreat.
The Patapsco Valley State Park, meanwhile, appears in season two, when Frank takes part in a US Civil War battle re-enactment.
Gaffney, South Carolina
It might surprise you to learn that the peach-shaped water tower in Frank’s hometown does exist in reality. Don’t let its shapely appearance distract you from the road.
The US is a feast for fans of giant – and utterly pointless – roadside attractions, including a catsup bottle (Collinsville, Illinois), the 134-foot thermometre (Baker, California) and the world's largest beagle (Cottonwood, Idaho).
Telegraph Tours: East Coast rail journey
This is a highly significant year for the United States – especially Washington DC, where this Telegraph Tour through American politics and history starts. You will have time with the Telegraph’s Washington editor as the presidential campaign gains momentum, with insight you would not gain elsewhere. From there you transfer by long-distance Amtrak service to Williamsburg to immerse yourself in the East Coast’s rich colonial history, before moving on to explore the people and places behind the country’s brutal and transformative civil war. After a visit to America’s first capital, Philadelphia, you will take the Amtrak service back to Washington DC.
From £2,645 per person for 12 days. Our partner: Great Rail Journeys. Departs: May 20, June 17, Sept 16 and Oct 21. Call 0333 005 9101 or see more details here.
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