Quick answer: Jill’s bench above the Golden Gate Bridge isn’t a real place you can sit at. Those scenes were shot on a green screen near Vancouver. But the view behind her is completely real, and it has a name: Battery Spencer, a free hilltop overlook in the Marin Headlands, about a 25-minute drive from downtown San Francisco. Go at sunrise or blue hour for the version you saw in the film.
There’s one image from Voicemails for Isabelle that stays with you long after the credits roll. Jill, alone on a bench in the dark, phone against her ear, the Golden Gate Bridge glowing red-gold across the water. She sits there for hours, leaving long, rambling, heart-cracking voicemails for her sister Isabelle. It’s her spot, the place she goes to say the things she can’t say anywhere else.
If Zoey Deutch’s performance left you reaching for tissues, you’ve probably had the same thought I did. Can I go sit there too?
The answer is a little more complicated than you’d hope, and honestly a little more beautiful.
Read more about Voicemails for Isabelle’s Filming location here:
First, why the bench matters (light spoilers ahead)
To understand the bench, you have to know what it means to Jill. She’s an aspiring pastry chef who left Austin for San Francisco to chase a dream under a tyrant of a boss, Chef Bastien, played with gleeful awfulness by Nick Offerman. Back home, her younger sister Isabelle has lived with cystic fibrosis since childhood. The two of them share a ritual. They narrate their whole lives to each other in impossibly long voicemails.
When Jill loses Isabelle, she can’t stop leaving them. She keeps calling the number, keeps talking, not knowing the line has quietly been reassigned to a stranger named Wes. He’s played by Nick Robinson, and he slowly falls for the woman pouring her heart into his voicemail. The bench above the Golden Gate is where all of that lives. It’s where Jill grieves. It’s where Wes eventually finds her. And the song that belongs to the two sisters, the one that keeps coming back, is Robyn’s “Dancing on My Own.”
That’s the weight this view is carrying. No wonder people want to stand there.
Is Jill’s Bench in Voicemails for Isabelle a Real Place?
Here’s the honest part. The exact bench Jill sits on isn’t a findable spot. Those quiet nighttime scenes were shot mostly on a green screen at Martini Film Studios near Vancouver, where the bulk of the film was actually made. The cast and crew only spent about three days on the ground in San Francisco.
The sweeping view framed behind her, though, is the real thing. It’s called Battery Spencer, a historic military lookout perched high on the Marin Headlands, just across the bridge from the city. This is the postcard angle, the one where the Golden Gate feels close enough to touch and the San Francisco skyline glitters behind it. It’s the same iconic overlook that matches the bridge view recreated in the film.
No, you can’t sit on Jill’s exact bench. But you can stand at Battery Spencer, look across the bay toward the same iconic bridge, and understand why the filmmakers chose this view to carry the story’s quietest, most emotional conversations.
Why Battery Spencer captures the film so well
Battery Spencer sits about 500 feet above San Francisco Bay, and that height changes everything. Up here the Golden Gate Bridge stops feeling like a landmark you photograph and starts feeling like something you could talk to. Fog rolls in and swallows the towers, then pulls back and hands them to you again. The view is intimate and enormous at once, which is a big part of why Jill’s scenes land the way they do.
Come at dusk and you’ll understand the whole mood of the film in about ten minutes.
How to visit Battery Spencer
Everything you need to know before you go.
Getting there. From downtown San Francisco it’s roughly a 25-minute drive, or about 15 from the Presidio. Cross the Golden Gate Bridge, then wind up Conzelman Road into the Marin Headlands, part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. If Conzelman happens to be closed for construction, take Alexander Avenue to Bunker Road and go through the one-lane tunnel instead.
Parking. This is the catch. There are only about 20 free spaces along Conzelman Road, and on weekends they fill up by 8 a.m. Come early, or come on a weekday. Two accessible parking stalls and an accessible overlook sit right beside the lot.
Cost. Free. No entrance fee.
Best time to go. Sunrise, roughly 6 to 7 a.m. depending on the season, gives you soft golden light, drifting fog, and almost nobody around. Sunset is the most dramatic and the most crowded. For Jill’s after-dark mood, stay into blue hour and watch the bridge lights flicker on.
While you’re there. Wander the old concrete bunkers and gun emplacements scattered around the site, and read the little displays about this century-old coastal fort. It’s a quiet, slightly melancholy place, which suits the film beautifully.
Recreate the moment (bring the song)
This is a lovely spot for your own meet-cute, an anniversary photo, or a quiet call to someone you miss. Frame the shot low so the bridge rises up behind you the way it does on screen. And if you want to honor the movie properly, cue up “Dancing on My Own” while you’re standing there. Jill would approve.
Make a day of it: the rest of Jill and Wes’s San Francisco
Battery Spencer pairs nicely with the other real San Francisco spots in the film. Jill and Wes pack a lot into their day together, so you can trace their route:
- Union Square, where they share their first kiss across from Macy’s after their “Golden Gate Giggles” tour.
- The Powell–Mason cable car, the classic ride they catch mid-date.
- Pier 39, where they stop to watch the sea lions bark and sprawl on the docks.
- The Chinatown dragon mural, near Commercial Street and Grant Avenue.
- Waller Street, where an overjoyed Jill leaves a voicemail about finally landing the baker job.
- Fisherman’s Wharf, Lombard Street, and the Palace of Fine Arts, the postcard trio the crew raced through in those three days.
Put them together and you’ve got a full day inside the movie.
For the completists: the Vancouver “faux San Francisco”
If you’re a serious set-jetter, it’s worth knowing how much of the film was built up north in Vancouver. Chef Bastien’s restaurant is really Havana at 1212 Commercial Drive, which now serves Cuban food instead of Bastien’s tyranny. Jill’s dessert-nacho food truck scenes were filmed at David Lam Park in Yaletown. The interiors, including the Austin scenes, went up at Martini Film Studios, the same stages behind that green-screen bench.
One-Day Voicemails for Isabelle Filming Locations Itinerary
Explore the real San Francisco locations featured in Voicemails for Isabelle in one unforgettable day.
7:00 AM — Sunrise at Battery Spencer
Start your morning at Battery Spencer in the Marin Headlands for the city’s most iconic Golden Gate Bridge view. Arrive early to enjoy softer light, fewer visitors, and the peaceful atmosphere that closely matches the film’s emotional backdrop.
⏱ Recommended time: 45–60 minutes
8:30 AM — Palace of Fine Arts
Cross the Golden Gate Bridge and head to the Palace of Fine Arts. Walk around the lagoon, photograph the rotunda, and enjoy one of San Francisco’s most elegant landmarks before the crowds build.
🚗 Drive: ~15 minutes
⏱ Recommended time: 45 minutes
10:00 AM — Fisherman’s Wharf & Pier 39
Spend the late morning exploring Fisherman’s Wharf before walking over to Pier 39. Watch the famous sea lions, browse the waterfront shops, and stop for lunch with views of the bay.
This is the perfect place to slow down before continuing into downtown.
🚶 Walking: 5–10 minutes between attractions
⏱ Recommended time: 2–2.5 hours
1:30 PM — Ride the Powell–Mason Cable Car
Hop aboard one of San Francisco’s historic cable cars and ride toward Union Square. Even if it wasn’t filmed exactly this way, it captures the same classic city experience featured during Jill and Wes’s day together.
⏱ Ride time: ~20–30 minutes
2:30 PM — Union Square
Walk around Union Square, browse the surrounding streets, and visit the area where Jill and Wes share one of the film’s sweetest moments. It’s also a great place for an afternoon coffee break.
⏱ Recommended time: 45–60 minutes
4:00 PM — Chinatown
Finish your itinerary with a short walk into Chinatown. Look for the colorful dragon mural near Grant Avenue and Commercial Street before exploring the neighborhood’s historic streets, bakeries, and tea shops.
It’s a relaxed way to end the day without rushing back across the bridge.
🚶 Walking: ~15 minutes from Union Square
Optional: Stay for Sunset
If you’re driving and the weather is clear, you can return to Battery Spencer for blue hour and nighttime bridge views. Otherwise, consider watching sunset along the Embarcadero or simply enjoy dinner in Chinatown or North Beach.
Trip Snapshot
| Duration | 1 Day |
| Driving Time | ~45–60 minutes |
| Walking | 6–8 km (3.7–5 miles) |
| Best Season | Spring & Fall |
| Start | Battery Spencer |
| Finish | Chinatown or North Beach |
| Best Transport | Rental car + walking + cable car |
Local Tip
Drive only for the first part of the day. Battery Spencer is easiest to reach by car, but once you’re back in San Francisco, parking becomes expensive and limited. After visiting the Palace of Fine Arts, it’s often easier to park once near Fisherman’s Wharf and explore the rest of the itinerary on foot and by cable car.
Frequently asked questions
Is Jill’s bench in Voicemails for Isabelle a real place?
Not exactly. The bench itself is a set piece, and the emotional bridge scenes were shot mostly on a green screen at Martini Film Studios near Vancouver. The real-life view behind it is Battery Spencer in the Marin Headlands, and you can absolutely visit that.
Where was Voicemails for Isabelle filmed?
Most of the film was made in and around Vancouver, British Columbia, including a “faux San Francisco.” The crew spent about three days shooting on location in the real San Francisco, hitting landmarks like Fisherman’s Wharf, Lombard Street, the Palace of Fine Arts, Pier 39, Union Square, and Chinatown.
How do I get to Battery Spencer from San Francisco?
Drive across the Golden Gate Bridge and take Conzelman Road up into the Marin Headlands. It’s about 25 minutes from downtown, or 15 from the Presidio. If Conzelman is closed, use Alexander Avenue to Bunker Road through the one-lane tunnel.
Is Battery Spencer free, and is there parking?
Yes, it’s free with no entrance fee. Parking is the hard part. There are only around 20 spaces along Conzelman Road, and on weekends they fill by 8 a.m., so aim for early mornings or weekdays.
When is the best time to visit for that movie view?
Sunrise for soft light, fog, and empty overlooks; sunset for the most dramatic sky and the biggest crowds. For Jill’s exact after-dark mood, stay through blue hour as the bridge lights come on.
What song do Jill and Isabelle share in the film?
Robyn’s “Dancing on My Own.” It’s the sisters’ song and it returns at the film’s most important moments.
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