Shooting reality TV under pandemic conditions can be tricky, of course, which is why Matt James’ season of The Bachelor (a.k.a. Season 25) was filmed in a “bubble” in just one location—but it seems that things are different this time around for Clayton and his hopeful leading ladies. In fact, the global gallivanting on Clayton’s season will be nearly nonstop; no wonder The Bachelor’s Twitter account bragged in a recent tweet about all the far-flung, romantic locales! So… where was Season 26 of The Bachelor filmed? Here’s everything we know right now about the show’s filming locations.
Where was The Bachelor filmed for Clayton’s Season 26 (2022)?
Clayton and crew have actually been spotted all over the place. Here’s a breakdown of what we know so far.
Clayton filmed The Bachelor Season 26 early on in his hometown of Eureka, Missouri.
Clayton’s hometown was responsible for some of the earliest Season 26 spoilers. It seems the entire city threw an event in his honor downtown and even posted on Facebook about Clayton being chosen as the Bachelor. Naturally, a Bachelor film crew was on hand to shoot the whole thing. Worth noting: There didn’t seem to be any contestants with him at the time.
Clayton’s Season 26 was partially filmed at The Bachelor mansion.
After a pandemic hiatus, filming resumed at The Bachelor mansion. Bachelor creator Mike Fleisstweeted in September—when filming started—that the crew was back, alongside a photo of the mansion.
Clayton’s Season 26 of The Bachelor also filmed in Houston.
Spoiler guru Reality Steve tweeted in mid-October that the Bachelor production had relocated in H-Town. “Cast and crew are staying at the C Baldwin Curio Collection by Hilton in Houston,” he wrote, noting that there was also a “football group date” at the city’s NRG stadium. On episode 5, Clayton and contestant Serene Russell enjoyed a one-on-one date at the Pleasure Pier amusement park outside Houston in the city of Galveston.
Clayton’s Season 26 of The Bachelor then traveled to Toronto.
There’s not a ton of intel out there about what, exactly, Clayton and the contestants did in Toronto, but Reality Steve tweeted that while there, Clayton had a one-on-one date with Gabby Windey, as well as a two-on-one date with Genevieve Parisi and alleged season villain ShanaeAnkney. Gabby’s date “definitely involved a helicopter ride,” Reality Steve also wrote on his blog, noting that there is footage of Clayton and Gabby walking in a park and sitting on a park bench.
Clayton then filmed more of Season 26 of The Bachelor in Hvar, Croatia.
After Toronto, Clayton and the remaining women went to Croatia. There, Teddi Wright and Sarah H. each had one-on-one dates with him.
After that, Season 26 of The Bachelor hopped over to Vienna, Austria.
Clayton had two more one-on-one dates in Vienna before whittling the group down from seven to four. Those dates were with Susie Evans and Serene Russell, according to Reality Steve. Susie apparently sported a red dress to go on a Pretty Woman-themed date, Reality Steve said.
Did Clayton’s Season 26 of The Bachelor film hometown dates?
Reality Steve has a breakdown of who got hometowns and where they’re from—and it seems like they were actually shot on location. (Due to continuing pandemic restrictions, the “hometown dates” on Season 18 of The Bachelorette were all filmed in Minneapolis, with the male contestants’ families traveling there instead of the other way around.)
Susie Evans (Virginia Beach, Va.)Rachel Recchia (Orlando, Fla.)Serene Russell (Oklahoma City, Okla.)Gabby Windey (Denver, Co.)
Where was the end of Clayton’s Season 26 of The Bachelor filmed?
After all that travel, Clayton and his final three—Susie, Gabby, and Rachel, allegedly—made it to Iceland for overnight dates and the final rose ceremony. Judging by the trailer and spoilers, a lot of drama went down there, with Clayton confessing that he was “intimate” with two women and was in love with all three of them.
Who is The Bachelor’s Clayton Echard again?
Clayton is a 28-year-old former NFL football player and medical sales representative who appeared on Michelle Young’s season of The Bachelorette. Although he made it all the way to her hometown of Minneapolis, Michelle booted Clayton on week 6 due to a distinct lack of chemistry during their one-on-one date—despite the fact that he was a big hit with Michelle’s elementary school students. Clayton’s hometown is Eureka, Missouri, but his official Bachelorette profile lists him as living in Columbia, Missouri. Clayton’s Bachelorette profile says he’s looking for a woman who is “athletic enough to join him at the gym for a workout” and that he “would love to own multiple gyms” one day. (No word on whether that ambition has changed now that he’s become the Bachelor, though.) Next, What Ever Happened to Bachelor Season 1 Star Alex Michel? Here’s What He’s up to Now—And, All the Other Finalists, Too
