January 8, 2026, 4:09 pm | Read time: 5 minutes
The hit series “Stranger Things” has captivated fans worldwide. The 1980s culture, genuine friendships, and supernatural threats have sparked excitement. With the airing of the finale, viewers now witness the end of the Hawkins friend group and their battle against Vecna to save the world after ten years. Many are now asking: Which “Stranger Things” filming locations are real? And what do the waterfalls at the end mean?
“We will go to a distant, peaceful place—with three waterfalls,” says Mike (Finn Wolfhard) to Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) in the final, fifth season of “Stranger Things.” “Do you think that could really be true?” she asks worriedly, but Mike is sure: After defeating Vecna and escaping the military, everything will be fine. Until the “Stranger Things” finale, fans hoped for a happy ending—but it leaves some questions and interpretations open. The fascination with the cult series by the Duffer Brothers continues to spark discussions, questions, and theories among viewers.
SPOILER Alert: This article contains spoilers for the Netflix series “Stranger Things.”
The End of “Stranger Things” Explained
The Final Battle
The “Stranger Things” finale lasts over two hours—and it’s intense. The friend group faces their last battle against the terrifying Vecna, who is also Henry Creel and controlled by the Mind Flayer. After viewers learn more about Henry’s dark past, connections to the “Upside Down” and “The Abyss” become clear. It also becomes evident that Henry became the Mind Flayer’s puppet in the form of Vecna due to a traumatic childhood event. As a young boy, he encountered a Soviet spy in a cave near a U.S. military test site. The spy was transporting particles from another dimension in his suitcase and intended to flee. Henry killed the man and opened the suitcase. This moment would change his life dramatically—leading to his transformation.
Eleven Sacrifices Herself–or Not?
The Hawkins friend group wins the battle against evil—but what happens next? They are still not out of danger–especially Eleven: The military is already waiting for her and is still after her supernatural powers. She sees only one way out: “I will always be with you. I love you,” Eleven tells Mike before she gives herself to the exploding “Upside Down” world. To protect them all and put an end to it, she sacrifices herself.
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At Which Waterfall Does Eleven Stand in the “Stranger Things” Finale?
The Three Waterfalls
Eighteen months pass in Hawkins, and the friend group graduates—but the grief for Eleven remains strong. In a final scene, the friends play Dungeons & Dragons once more, and Mike shares a new theory: Kali, who also had supernatural powers, was actually still alive and created an illusion in which Eleven only seemingly died. His theory: Eleven is still alive. She is far away in a distant, peaceful place. The scene shows Eleven in beautiful, rocky nature, wandering and gazing into the distance. But what about the three waterfalls?
What the Screenwriters Say
In the clip, only two waterfalls are visible—what this means and whether Mike’s theory is true is not confirmed. The Duffer Brothers, creators of “Stranger Things,” deliberately chose this ending and revealed in an interview with “Kino.de” that they wanted “an ending that is not so simple, but still bittersweet—and one that contains hope.”
The Háifoss Waterfall in Iceland
The good news: The waterfall where Eleven stands in Mike’s vision in the “Stranger Things” finale is real! The iconic scene takes place at the Háifoss waterfall in Iceland. It is a twin waterfall near the Hekla volcano in southern Iceland. Some speculate that the Háifoss waterfall might even contain a smaller, third waterfall that would fit into Mike and Eleven’s “Stranger Things” vision, but this is not confirmed. The waterfall is the fourth highest in Iceland at 122 meters. According to “Islandspezialisten,” the drive from Iceland’s capital, Reykjavik, takes about two hours. A four-wheel-drive vehicle is recommended, as the roads can be bumpy. At the top of the waterfall, there is a parking lot. Although the waterfall was already known, it gained worldwide fame and a travel boom through the series.
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Does the Small Town of Hawkins Really Exist?
The disappointing news for all fans: Hawkins in Indiana does not actually exist; it is a fictional place. Those searching for Hawkins on the map will only find a Hawkins in Texas or Wisconsin—but these locations are not featured in the series. The central filming location is in the small town of Jackson in the state of Georgia, while other scenes are also shot in Atlanta, Georgia.
“Set-Jetting” as a Travel Trend
Traveling to film and series locations is a well-known trend alongside social media influences. In a recent travel trend report, Expedia showed how significantly “set-jetting” has established itself. According to the report, 53 percent of respondents said their desire for a “set-jetting” trip had grown in the past year. The trend is particularly noticeable among Generation Z and Millennials, who discover new travel inspirations in films and series or want to feel close to their favorite stories.