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With picturesque small towns, misty mountain peaks and rugged beaches, it’s not hard to see why North Carolina is a location scout’s dream. Various movies, dramas and TV series have been filmed in the Southern state, which sits on the east coast of the US between Virginia and South Carolina, boasting a beautiful stretch of Atlantic coastline. In fact, Wilmington is sometimes nicknamed “Hollywood East” or “Wilmywood” thanks to the long list of film and TV productions filmed in the town and surrounding areas.
Since the first series of the teen show landed on Netflix in 2020, Outer Banks has been drawing visitors to the state’s barrier islands to see the areas where the “Pogues” would have adventured, while all-American TV dramas like One Tree Hill and The Summer I Turned Pretty were also inspired by places in North Carolina. On the big screen, you will spot North Carolina locations in Hollywood blockbusters like Forrest Gump and The Green Mile.
Here are some of our favourite movies and TV series set or filmed in the state, and how you can visit the sites yourself.
The Summer I Turned Pretty
Amazon Prime Video’s hit series The Summer I Turned Pretty was filmed in Wilmington and the surrounding beach towns on the southern coast, which stood in for the fictional Cousins Beach. Carolina Beach, Kure Beach and Wrightsville Beach all played starring roles, showing off some of the state’s loveliest stretches of sand.
Fans of the show can also eat and drink at a number of the sites where Belly and her friends spent their summers, including Benny’s Big Time Pizzeria, Duck & Dive, Oceanic restaurant, and Bespoke Coffee, among others. The Finch College scenes were filmed at the University of North Carolina campus, in the pretty college town of Chapel Hill. Visit North Carolina offers a suggested set-jetting itinerary for fans to follow.
Read more: All The Notebook filming locations in Charleston, South Carolina
One Tree Hill
Another teen classic to be filmed in Wilmington, One Tree Hill borrowed a number of sites across its nine seasons. Fans can take a walking tour of some of the best, including Michael’s on the Waterfront (which served as an open-air market on the show), Blue Post Billiards tattoos, the New Hanover County Courthouse, Thalian Hall (which stood in for the steps of One Tree Hill’s town hall), Jungle Rapids Family Fun Park, Harry Forden Bridge (the One Tree Hill Bridge) and Grace United Methodist Church (scene of Brooke and Julian’s wedding).
There are also a number of food and drink spots that featured on the show that are still open, such as Reel Café (which served as Carl’s Crab Shack in the show), The Dixie Grill and Dough House Pizza Co. (“Karen’s Cafe” in the pilot episode and also as “Tree Hill Cafe” in the final season).
Forrest Gump
While Forrest Gump was primarily filmed in South Carolina, scenes were shot in several states across America, including North Carolina. A few seconds of Forrest running on his famous cross-country trip were filmed on Grandfather Mountain near Linville in the Blue Ridge Mountains – fans of the movie can visit what is now known as the “Forrest Gump Curve” to take a photo.
Outer Banks
The vast majority of the five seasons of the hit Netflix series Outer Banks were filmed in South Carolina, but a few spots were shot in North Carolina. These include the Enduro race at the beach, filmed at Fort Fisher State Recreation Area at Kure Beach, and the Enduro race in the woods, filmed at North Carolina’s Copperhead Ranch in Rocky Point. Of course, the Outer Banks are real barrier islands in North Carolina; this area is a popular holiday spot boasting beautiful beaches, pretty lighthouses and a plethora of wildlife.
Dawson’s Creek
Classic 1990s teen drama Dawson’s Creek was set in the fictional town of Capeside in Massachusetts (many people think this is modelled on Cape Cod), but filming primarily took place in Wilmington, North Carolina. Visitors can take a self-guided tour of the places made famous by Dawson, Joey, Pacey and Jen. Hell’s Kitchen, which stood in for Mollye’s Market, is a popular stop, while Wilmington Riverwalk is within walking distance and other sites such as Airlie Gardens’ Bradley Creek Lawn and New Hanover County Arboretum are within a 15-minute drive away.
Read more: A slow Virginia road trip from mountains to coast
The Green Mile
The building that served as the Georgia Pines nursing home in the film adaptation of Stephen King’s The Green Mile is found in Blowing Rock, North Carolina. Moses Cone Manor (also known as Flat Top Manor), which sits within 3,600-acre grounds, is where 108-year-old Paul Edgecomb (played by Tom Hanks) relates the story of his time as head death row corrections officer 64 years earlier. Visitors can arrange a free tour by contacting the National Park Service.
Dirty Dancing
Although Dirty Dancing was set in upstate New York, Lake Lure in North Carolina was the primary filming location for the classic 1980s movie. Here, you’ll find the stairs where Baby carried a watermelon, the golf course where Baby’s father practised his swing, and the floor where Baby and Johnny danced to “Time of My Life”.
The floor the pair actually danced on was salvaged when the gym where the scene took place was demolished, and can now be found at The Esmeralda Inn, Restaurant & Spa. Fans can even stay at the 1927 Lake Lure Inn & Spa, where the stars (including Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey) stayed during filming, and which now has Dirty Dancing-themed rooms including Johnny’s Cabin and Baby’s Bungalow.