Poker Face Filming Locations: Season 1 Road Trip Guide
Poker Face Filming Locations: Season 1 Road Trip Guide
I first got interested in Poker Face completely by accident.
At the time, I was binge-watching Columbo, and while I don’t usually jump into newer shows, Peacock kept featuring Poker Face front and center when it first debuted. What really caught my attention was that it was described as an homage to Columbo—one of those classic, character-driven mysteries I’ve always enjoyed.
The main character, Charlie Cale (Natasha Lyonne), isn’t a detective—she’s “not a cop”—but she has a remarkable gift: she can tell when someone is lying, every single time. Her laid-back style, sharp instincts, and subtle mannerisms felt like a modern nod to Columbo himself.
So I put on the first episode, “Dead Man’s Hand.”
And that’s when it immediately connected to one of our road trips.
A Familiar Stop: Laughlin, Nevada
I was surprised to recognize the exteriors of the Riverside Resort in Laughlin, Nevada, which stood in for the fictional Frost Casino.
At that point—February 2023—we hadn’t actually stayed there yet, but Laughlin wasn’t new to us. We had driven through in July 2022 while debating whether to stay there or spend the night in Las Vegas. Like many travelers, we chose Vegas that time.
But seeing Laughlin featured so prominently in the episode instantly pulled me in.
Then Came Route 66
I went straight into the second episode…
…and suddenly Route 66 was front and center.
That was it—I was hooked.
July 2023: Turning It Into a Road Trip
Laughlin & Bullhead City Locations
As we started planning a month-long remote trip along Route 66 in July 2023, Poker Face unexpectedly became part of the journey.
This time, we made it a point to stay at the Riverside Resort in Laughlin.
We also began researching filming locations in more detail and were able to track down several spots around the area—including locations in Laughlin itself, Charlie’s trailer site, and nearby Bullhead City, Arizona.
Route 66 Connections
On our return trip in July 2023, we visited filming locations from Poker Face Episode 2, “The Night Shift,” primarily set along Route 66 at a Whiting Bros. filling station in Moriarty, New Mexico, along with a few scenes shot at a diner in nearby Albuquerque.
Beyond the Southwest
Northeast Filming Locations (New York)
Later in the year, we took a couple of quick trips to Connecticut and extended our search into New York State, where additional filming locations were used for the show.
What started as a casual watch turned into something much more—another layer to the road trips we were already taking.
A Series Worth the Journey
We really enjoyed Poker Face, including Season 2 in 2025. It’s one of those shows that blends storytelling and setting in a way that makes you want to get out and see the places for yourself.
Like a lot of fans, we were disappointed to see it canceled after just two seasons.
But for us, the locations—and the road trips tied to them—are still very much part of the story.
Exploring Poker Face Filming Locations by Episode
This post serves as the starting point for a series of individual episode guides, where I’ll break down the filming locations, real-world sites, and how they connect to the places we’ve visited along the way.
Each episode brings a new destination—and another reason to hit the road. 🚗✨
S1, E1: Dead Man’s Hand
Set in Laughlin, Nevada, Dead Man’s Hand introduces Charlie Cale and her uncanny ability to detect lies. The episode’s desert casino setting—filmed at the Riverside Resort and nearby Bullhead City—blends mystery with classic Southwest road trip atmosphere.
COMING SOON! Filming Locations for Dead Man’s Hand