Let me know if you have any problems or questions (E-Mail address: valdezmarc56@gmail.com).
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"A Guidebook To 'Breaking Bad' Filming Locations: Including 'Better Call Saul' - Albuquerque as Physical Setting and Indispensable Character" (Sixth Edition)
Purchase book at the link. This book outlines thirty-three circuits that the avid fan can travel in order to visit up to 679 different filming locations for "Breaking Bad" and "Better Call Saul" in the Albuquerque area. Some background is provided for each site, including other movies that might have also used the site for filming.
"‘Breaking Bad’ Signs and Symbols: Reading Meaning into Sets, Props, and Filming Locations” (Second Edition)
Purchase book at the link. “‘Breaking Bad’ Signs and Symbols,” aims to understand some of the symbolism embedded in the backgrounds of “Breaking Bad” and “Better Call Saul,” in order to decode messages and stories Vince Gilligan and crew have hidden there. A series of tables are used to isolate how certain (particularly architectural) features are used: Gentle Arches, Tin Ceilings, Five-Pointed Stars, Octagons, etc. Daylighting innovations that were either pioneered or promoted in Chicago are examined: Glass Block Windows, Luxfer Prismatic Tile Windows, and Plate Glass Windows.
Certain symbols advance the plot: foreshadowing symbols like Pueblo Deco Arches, or danger symbols like bell shapes and stagger symbols. Other features, like Glass Block Windows or Parallel Beams in the Ceiling, tell stories about the legacies and corruptions of modernity, particularly those best-displayed at Chicago’s “Century of Progress” (1933-34).
To avoid unnecessary friction, I have redacted the addresses of all single-family homes in these books. (These addresses are still available at Marc Valdez Weblog, however.) The pictures in the print editions are black-and-white, in order to keep costs down.
"A Guidebook To 'Breaking Bad' Filming Locations: Including 'Better Call Saul' - Albuquerque as Physical Setting and Indispensable Character" (Sixth Edition)
Purchase book at the link. This book outlines thirty-three circuits that the avid fan can travel in order to visit up to 679 different filming locations for "Breaking Bad" and "Better Call Saul" in the Albuquerque area. Some background is provided for each site, including other movies that might have also used the site for filming.
"‘Breaking Bad’ Signs and Symbols: Reading Meaning into Sets, Props, and Filming Locations” (Second Edition)
Purchase book at the link. “‘Breaking Bad’ Signs and Symbols,” aims to understand some of the symbolism embedded in the backgrounds of “Breaking Bad” and “Better Call Saul,” in order to decode messages and stories Vince Gilligan and crew have hidden there. A series of tables are used to isolate how certain (particularly architectural) features are used: Gentle Arches, Tin Ceilings, Five-Pointed Stars, Octagons, etc. Daylighting innovations that were either pioneered or promoted in Chicago are examined: Glass Block Windows, Luxfer Prismatic Tile Windows, and Plate Glass Windows.
Certain symbols advance the plot: foreshadowing symbols like Pueblo Deco Arches, or danger symbols like bell shapes and stagger symbols. Other features, like Glass Block Windows or Parallel Beams in the Ceiling, tell stories about the legacies and corruptions of modernity, particularly those best-displayed at Chicago’s “Century of Progress” (1933-34).
In addition, a number of scenes in the show are modeled after Early Surrealist artworks. The traces of various artists can be tracked in both shows, including: Comte de Lautréamont, Giorgio De Chirico, Man Ray, Max Ernst, Leonora Carrington, René Magritte, Toyen, Yves Tanguy, Remedios Varo, Paul Klee, and in particular, Salvador Dalí.
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Inaugurating Pluribus!
Very Large Array (VLA) radio telescopes, San Augustin Plain west of Magdalena, NM (also used in the movie 'Contact,' starring Jodie Foster.
Bookstore - Barnes and Noble Bookstore, 6600 Menaul Blvd. NE, at Coronado Mall (FB friend Xandra was in the scene, so any questions can be forwarded to her).
USAMRIID labs - CNM Rio Rancho campus, 2601 Campus Blvd. NE, Rio Rancho, NM.
ABQ Sunport - On landing, the view is looking northeast along SW/NE runway, towards the Sandia Mountains. Baggage collection and escalators at the ABQ Sunport are shown as well.
Sunport parking garage - Row I, Level 3? This parking garage is holy ground in the Gilliverse. Essentially, the parking garage is treated as a map of the ancient American Southwest, featuring the ancient Pueblo Meridian, represented by the skylighted north-south open space within the garage. All parking-garage filming locations in BrBa, BCS, and probably Pluribus too are chosen to be as close as possible to the skylighted open space, which represents the Pueblo Meridian. It will be important to nail this location down to the exact foot (see my discussion here).
Vicinity of Bar - Vicinity of Vernon's Speakeasy, 6855 4th St. NW (where the 2013 Walter White burial plaque was eventually memorialized).
Police car - on Bobby Foster Rd., near "Q" Studios, where many "Breaking Bad" scenes were filmed.
Carol gazes over city on fire - Bobby Foster Rd, at almost exactly the same place where Kim Wexler has her car crash in "Better Call Saul."
Hospital - College and Career High School, 940 University Blvd. SE.
Street scene - Approximately 1500 1st St. NW. Vicinity of Kinley Ave. and 1st St. NW.
Cul-de-sac where Carol lives - Roughly six houses on the slope of the JA Volcano (35.165335°, -106.746240°). I tried visiting there in February, 2025, but I could see that security was waiting for me, so I didn't visit.
Episode 102 - "Pirate Lady"
Islas Canarias (Canary Islands)
Approximate location of Car Crash - Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Barranca Guiniguada (28.102771°, -15.429149°)
Zosia climbs on motorbike - up above previous site? - C. Cruz de Piedra
Painted pavement - Calle Nilo (28.104666°, -15.422091°)
Near rug shop -
Motorbike descends towards port - C. Sierra Nevada (28.104243°, -15.424704°)
Coastal drive pedestrian overpass (28.067770°, -15.417158°)
Airport - In the Pluribus Facebook Group on Facebook, this location is claimed by the Belen Regional Airport, but the terminal looks mysterious to me. What is the model for the airport terminal? I don't know!
Cul-de-sac again
C-130 at Sunport - on landing, view looking northeast along SW/NE runway, towards the Sandia Mountains. Shower at Hotel (thinking Sandia Casino, but who knows?) I like how they are preparing Zosia's extensions in the scene.
Subdivision street - unclear. Possibly Retablo Rd. NW
Crane - According to Frank Sandoval: "First Baptist Church on Paseo Del Norte east of golf course, north side of the building. They used the backside of the Baptist Church for the scene. 4101 Paseo del Norte Blvd NW, Albuquerque, NM 87114"
Driving on street - thinking around 9101 Retablo Rd. NW.
Cul-de-sac
Airport at Bilbao, Spain - According to Atlas of Wonders: The "establishing shot was filmed at the real Bilbao Airport in the Basque Country, designed by the renowned Valencian architect Santiago Calatrava. However, the interior was filmed at the Oviedo Congress and Exhibitions Center in Asturias, designed by the same architect."
Estate in northeastern Spain - Getaria, Basque Country - Iturregi Hotela, 20808 Askizu, Gipuzkoa, Spain.
Episode 103 - "Grenade"
Sprouts (interior) - According to Apple TV podcast, this is the old Sears Store at Cottonwood Mall, same as the location used for a department store in "Better Call Saul," episode "Nippy.".
Sprouts (exterior) - Sprouts Farmer's Market store #707, 13150 Central Ave. SE, 87123
Parking lot - Carol watches trucks approach not far away from the old Sears store location, over more by Dillards, where there is a better view of the Sandia Mountains, at (35.197336°, -106.655171°)
Hospital - CNM Westside Campus, 10549 Universe Blvd. NW.
Episode 104 - "Please, Carol"
Storage units and house in Paraguay - Interior is on set, according to Apple Podcast. Exterior, storage units in ABQ, off 4th Street, near Vernon's. Perhaps Chamisa Self Storage, 7010 4th Street NW, Los Ranchos de Albuquerque. These place are all near the El Camino Motor Hotel, which was an important filming location in "Better Call Saul."
CNM Open Space?
Cul-de-sac
Hospital - CNM Westside Campus, 10549 Universe Blvd. NW.
Episode 105 - "Got Milk"
Hospital - CNM Westside Campus, 10549 Universe Blvd. NW.
House Interior
Crowne Plaza Hotel, 1901 University Blvd. NE, Albuquerque, NM.
(Rooftop built in studio)
Stairwell
City Vista as seen from top of the Crowne Plaza Hotel.
Cul-de-sac
Street corner
Near playground - milk containers
Duke City Dairy - According to Atlas of Wonders, this is La Cumbre Brewing Co., 3313 Girard Blvd. NE.
Cop car scraping bottom -
Builder Materials, 1707 Commercial St. NE.
Driving on the street
Sprouts at night -
Agri-jet (exterior) - Monumental Studios, 1235 Aspen Ave. NW.
Episode 106 - "HDP"
Agri-jet (exterior) - Monumental Studios, 1235 Aspen Ave. NW.
Westgate Hotel and vicinity, 3000 Paradise Rd. Las Nevgas, NV. According to the Apple podcast, the gambling scene was set in Elvis' old bedroom there.
According to the Apple podcast, the John Cena presentation was filmed in Tampa, FL.
Storage Units - Apparently Chamisa Self Storage, 7010 4th Street NW, Los Ranchos de Albuquerque.
Lit street - (I'm beginning to wonder if this is a studio shot)
Manousos talks with his 'mother' - Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Intersection of C. Real del Castillo and C. Gobernador Marín Acuña (28.101797°, -15.423640°).
Episode 107 - "The Gap" (will be updated as time allows)
There are many locations in this episode, so it will take a while to get all the locations gathered. Many echoes from "Breaking Bad" and "Better Call Saul" are present in this episode.
Opening Scene - Good old Highway 4 leading into the Jemez Mountains from San Ysidro (35.575128°, -106.754926°)
Second Scene - approximately (35.641777°, -106.724987°)
Gas Station and Convenience Store, which is also a filming location for the 2021 movie "The Marksman," starring Liam Neeson (35.643748°, -106.725261°)
"End of the World as We Know It" -
Back at the cul-de-sac
Golf course at the Albuquerque Country Club (with the buffalo), and its parking lot, at 601 Laguna Blvd. SW, Albuquerque.(previously seen in "Better Call Saul," where Kim, Paige and Kevin, as well as Howard and Cliff, golfed).
Jemez Springs Sign (35.680691°, -106.737422°)
"Explode Into Space" -
Hot Spring (bringing back memories of Werner talking about wanting to visit hot springs in the Jemez Mountains in "Better Call Saul") - Jemez Hot Springs (formerly Giggling Springs), 40 Abousleman Loop, Jemez Springs, NM.
Old Albuquerque Library (formerly used for Davis and Main's lobby in "Better Call Saul").- Special Collections Public Library, Bott Hall, 423 Central Ave. NE, Albuquerque.
In the episode credits, Georgia O'Keeffe paintings are attributed to the collection at the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum, which is located at 217 Johnson St. in Santa Fe, NM. Nevertheless, the walls as pictured remind me of the Albuquerque Museum, 2000 Mountain Rd. NW, Albuquerque. I need to check my pictures to get a better sense of which museum they actually used.
Cul-de-sac again
Fancy rooftop restaurant - Hotel Chaco, 2000 Bellamah Ave. NW, Albuquerque (previously visited by Lydia in "Better Call Saul").
Manousos on the Road
Manousos - Empty Gas Can (28.797610°, -17.785030°)
"How About Some Water?" (28.797640°, -17.785415°)
Driver Leaves (28.797550°, -17.785909°)
House with Spanish Tile Roof (28.796851°, -17.784307°)
Manousos on Bridge filmed from about here (28.796756°, -17.781169°)
Bridge - (28.797112°, -17.780979°)
Gilman Tunnels, Jemez Mountains - first view - (35.735451°, -106.764973°)
Gilman Tunnels, Jemez Mountains - second view - (35.734364°, -106.765050°)
Gilman Tunnels, Jemez Mountains - third view - (35.731900°, -106.764196°)
Jemez Pueblo, looking towards western horizon. Probably located near northern edge of Pueblo. I can't quite figure this one out. Here is a candidate location that needs to be checked out in person (35.618718°-106.724684°).
Petroglyphs (on map, San Pedro de Atacama) - Looks like near Jemez Pueblo. The official podcast implies it may be on the opposite side of Highway 4 from the gas station. Candidate Location for Map (35.642693°, -106.723609°)
Highway 6, southwest of Albuquerque (34.892383°, -107.081808°)
Steep street - Calle Cardón, Tazacorte, La Palma (28.643501°, -17.932031°)
Seashore -
Gabinete Literario, Pt. de Cairasco, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (28.102873°, -15.416567°)
Seaside Drive 1 - Kilometer 3 (28.089321°, -15.703299°)
Seaside Drive 2 - Manousos' car is at (28.091650°, -15.706444°)
Rain -
Seaside Village - Camino Bajada de Caleta, Gran Canaria (28.162603°, -15.681881°)
Church - Santuario de Nuestra Señora de Las Angustias - La Palma, Islas Canarias
Drive in city -
(on map, Huaquillas)
Tilos Bridge, La Palma - Manousos Drives (28.798464°, -17.777770°)
(The Girl Saves the Mouse from the Trap)
Waterfall - Cascada de Los Tilos
Hospital Perpetuo Socorro (HPS Private Hospital), C. Pdte Alvear, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain (28.137210°, -15.430486°)
Jungle - near Cascada de los Tilos?
Manousos sets car afire - Podcast says car was set afire in PECOS, of all places! The town and area of Pecos is generally the entrance to the Pecos Wilderness, the terminus of a number of trails. Presumably they are at one of those places.
Manousos collapses - Podcast says that Manousos collapses in Spain (presumably the Canary Islands) but the helicopter arrives in New Mexico.
Carol Golfs - Approximately (35.088529°, -106.652323°) - This building was previously used in movies like "The Last Stand" (2013) with Arnold Schwarzenegger and "The Take" (1974) with Billy Dee Williams. This building is across the intersection from City Hall, which was used numerous times in "Better Call Saul."
Cul-de-sac fireworks (Call back to BCS episode "Lantern")
Samon's Home Improvement Center - Samon's Electric and Plumbing Supply, 5314 Central Ave. SW, Albuquerque.
Cul-de-sac
Episode 108 - "Charm Offensive"
Hospital - Don't have this yet.
Cul-de-sac
Arena - Presumably Rio Rancho Events Center, 3001 Civic Center Circle NE, Rio Rancho, NM 87144.
Cul-de-sac
Desert with train - This is quite a strange scene. Given the view of the Sandias in the distance, I suspect the overlook corresponds to an area previously-used at the beginning of "El Camino" - above the place where Mike dies in "Say My Name" in "Breaking Bad." Possible Overlook location is about (35.383992°, -106.502848°). The vista with the train in it, however, appears to me to be a creation of Rodeo in Montreal. So, Carol and Zosia spend much of their conversational time gazing into large green screens rather than looking into the distance.
I can think of two reasons why they would want to create an artificial landscape rather than use the real one: 1.) There aren't many sufficiently-good overlooks of railroad tracks in the Albuquerque area, and 2.) The actual vista from the overlook contains an area of religious sensitivity for Tamaya (Santa Ana) Pueblo. Since they are filming on Santa Ana land (possibly San Felipe land too, since the Pueblos are next to each other and their lands abut in this neighborhood) they must avoid showing this sensitive area. They also avoid showing this sensitive area in "Breaking Bad," "El Camino," and "Better Call Saul." The Rodeo people in Montreal have been getting better and better over the years making desert landscapes suitable for Albuquerque, and this landscape is their best creation yet!
Swimming Pool - Podcast identifies this as Los Poblanos Historic Inn & Organic Farm, 4803 Rio Grande Blvd NW, Los Ranchos De Albuquerque, NM 87107
Sculpture and Telescope - Podcast says near the Rio Rancho Events Center. Sky Room Campus Park, 2516 King Blvd. SE, Rio Rancho, NM.
Crocquet in sports stadium - Appears to be Milne Stadium, 1200 Hazeldine Ave SE.
Lauchlin's Coffee Shop - The former Whole Hog Café, 725 Central Avenue NE. Several "Breaking Bad" and "Better Call Saul" filming locations are not far away (Crossroads Motel, Grove Restaurant).
Cul-de-sac
Underpass - This is the same underpass under University Blvd. used in Breaking Bad. It looks different than I remember, but the podcast implies it's the same. I think the fascia of the underpass may have changed in the last 14 years. Coordinates: (35.008191°, -106.625973°)
Episode 109 - "La Chica o El Mundo"
Peruvian Village - This location is driving me nuts. The Official Apple Podcast states that this location is in the vicinity of Pecos, NM, but it's very hard to locate. All the mountain peaks are CGI, presumably by Rodeo in Montreal, so there aren't many reliable visual clues. And Pecos is a perfect warren of secret places. Still, it's important to resolve this location, because Manousos' journey is partly in pecos too.
Airstrip - I think this is the Moriarty, NM airport; specifically the western end, where the big "8" is painted on the tarmac (34.982262°, -106.016957°).
According to Atlas of Wonders, the swimming pool is at Iturregi Hotela, 20808 Askizu, Gipuzkoa, Spain, and the picture of towering rocks comes from Ha Long Bay, Vietnam.
Beach - ?
NYC - ?
Ski Lift Gondola - Tentatively, I think this is at the brand-new Explorer Gondola Base at the Big Sky Ski Resort in Montana (45.286008°, -111.402200°).
Ski Lodge Room - According to the Apple Podcast this place is a restaurant - "One and Only Moonlight Basin Restaurant," Big Sky Resort, 77 Roosevelt Rd., Big Sky, MT 59716 (45.322833°, -111.428575°).
Cul-de-sac
That's all I got at the moment!
