Short answer
South Florida, July 9 to August 24, 2018. The shoot centered on Broward County, with scenes in Hollywood, a high school in Davie, the Rickenbacker Causeway and Key Biscayne for the opening shot, and Gramps, a bar in Miami’s Wynwood, dressed as a diner.
Locations we could confirm
Waves (2019) filming locations
| Place | Used for | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Rickenbacker Causeway toward Key Biscayne | The opening driving shot | Jitney Books |
| Key Biscayne | Filming location | Wikipedia |
| Broward County | The main base of the shoot and the setting | Wikipedia |
| Hollywood, Florida | Several scenes | Tufts Daily |
| A high school in Davie | School scenes | Jitney Books |
| Gramps, Wynwood, Miami | Dressed as a diner | Jitney Books |
| A Florida spring | The scene with Chance the Rapper’s How Great | A24 |
What is not in the film
Shults avoided the Miami postcard: there are no scenes on Ocean Drive and no Wynwood murals (Jitney Books). The film is about the suburbs where he lived, not the tourist strip.
Visiting
- The Rickenbacker Causeway is a public road from the mainland to Key Biscayne, with a toll for cars and a popular bike lane.
- We do not list the high school’s name or any private homes. Please respect the people who live and study there.
The shoot
Principal photography ran July 9 to August 24, 2018 (Wikipedia). The ASC interview says the bond company thought the schedule was "impossible", and Shults credits the actors and Drew Daniels for making it (ASC). Read how they shot it in the aspect ratio guide.
Questions people ask
Where does Waves take place?
In suburban South Florida, around Broward County, where Shults lived for several years.
Which diner is in Waves?
The diner scenes were shot at Gramps, a bar in Wynwood, Miami, that Shults dressed as a diner, per Jitney Books.
What road is in the opening shot of Waves?
The Rickenbacker Causeway, driving toward Key Biscayne.
Sources
- Jitney Books, Trey Edward Shults on his South Florida movie Waves (Dec 2, 2019)
- Wikipedia, Waves (2019 film)
- Tufts Daily, Shults talks writing and directing Waves (Nov 2019)
- A24, The Annotated Waves Playlist, notes by Trey Edward Shults (Dec 6, 2019)
- American Society of Cinematographers, Making Waves: a conversation with Trey Edward Shults (Dec 26, 2019)
Last reviewed October 29, 2026. Streaming catalogs and listings change; check the service before you pay.