You’ve seen the shimmering Atlantic waves, the white-shingled beach houses, and those perfect summer sunsets that make you want to drop everything and move to the coast. In Jenny Han’s world, Cousins Beach is this ethereal, untouchable place where Belly Conklin grows up and falls in love. It feels real. It feels like a place you could actually drive to if you just had the right map. But if you type "Cousins Beach" into your GPS, you’re going to be disappointed. It doesn't exist.
So, where is Cousins Beach filmed then?
Basically, the entire vibe of the show is anchored in Wilmington, North Carolina. While the books originally hinted at a setting more like the Hamptons or Cape Cod, the production team for the Amazon Prime series traded the Northeast for the Port City. It was a smart move. Wilmington has this specific, timeless Southern coastal energy that fits the "coming of age" genre perfectly. It’s the same soil that gave us Dawson’s Creek and One Tree Hill, so the town is literally built for teen drama.
The real-life Cape Fear locations
Wilmington isn’t just one spot; it’s a collection of neighborhoods, bridges, and nearby islands that all pull together to create the fictional Cousins. Most of the "beach" scenes—the ones where the sand actually looks like sand and not a soundstage—take place at Wrightsville Beach and Carolina Beach.
Wrightsville Beach is the upscale sibling. It’s got that clean, polished look with the iconic Johnny Mercer’s Pier in the background. If you’re looking for the spot where Belly and Conrad have those heavy, staring-at-the-ocean conversations, you’re likely looking at Wrightsville. On the flip side, Carolina Beach and Kure Beach provide a bit more of that "local" flavor. The Carolina Beach Boardwalk is where you see the arcade games and the summer crowds. It’s authentic. It’s loud. It’s exactly what a tourist town feels like in July.
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Finding the Fisher House
Everyone wants to find the house. You know the one—the massive, shingle-style mansion with the pool where the Fishers and Conklins spend their summers. This is where the magic (and the heartbreak) happens.
Surprisingly, the exterior of the house isn't actually on the ocean. It’s located in a private, gated community called Landfall in Wilmington. The "backyard" that leads to the water in the show is actually facing the Intracoastal Waterway, not the open Atlantic. If you try to find it, honestly, you’ll probably get stuck at a security gate. Most of the interior scenes, including that famous kitchen and the bedrooms, were filmed on a soundstage at EUE/Screen Gems Studios in Wilmington. This is pretty common in TV—the "real" house usually only exists for those sweeping drone shots and the front porch scenes.
Why the location change from the books matters
In the original trilogy by Jenny Han, the setting feels very New England. Think Martha's Vineyard or Montauk. The transition to North Carolina changed the texture of the show. Instead of the cold, grey-blue water of the North, we get the humid, green-gold haze of the South.
It works because Wilmington has a "timelessness" problem. In a good way. You can’t really tell if a house was built in 1992 or 2022 because they all stick to that classic coastal architecture. For a show about memory and nostalgia, that’s gold. The production designers leaned into this, using local spots like Fat Tony's Italian Pub (which became the site of some pivotal hangouts) and the Cape Fear Country Club.
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The country club is a huge part of the first season’s Debutante Ball storyline. They filmed those scenes at the real-life Cape Fear Country Club, which is one of the oldest in the state. It brought a level of genuine "old money" atmosphere that you just can't fake with props.
The hidden spots you might have missed
If you're a die-hard fan, you probably noticed the bridge Belly crosses at the start of every season. That’s the Heide Trask Memorial Bridge. It connects the mainland to Wrightsville Beach. Crossing it is a rite of passage for locals; it means you’ve officially left the "real world" and entered vacation mode.
Then there’s Fort Fisher. This is where the landscape gets a little more rugged. The wind-swept trees and the rocky outcrops provide a different visual than the flat, sandy beaches. It’s used for some of the more emotional, isolated moments. It’s also a historical site, but in the show, it just looks like the edge of the world.
Logistics of a beach shoot
Filming on the coast is a nightmare. Ask any producer. You have to deal with shifting tides, screaming seagulls, and the unpredictable Carolina weather. During the filming of season two, the cast frequently posted about the heat. Wilmington in August isn't just hot—it’s "the air is soup" hot.
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Yet, the crew managed to make it look effortless. They used a lot of natural light, specifically "golden hour," to give Cousins Beach that dreamlike quality. If you’ve ever wondered why everyone looks like they have a literal halo around them, it’s because they’re shooting in that narrow 20-minute window before the sun dips below the horizon.
How to visit the "Cousins" world
If you’re planning a trip to see where where is Cousins Beach filmed, you can actually do a pretty decent self-guided tour.
- Start at the Riverwalk: Downtown Wilmington’s Riverwalk is iconic. It’s where many of the "city" scenes were shot.
- Grab a coffee: Hit up some of the local cafes in the Historic District. The show uses a lot of real storefronts with just the names changed.
- Head to Wrightsville: Walk the "Loop"—a popular 2.4-mile trail—and then head to the pier.
- The Boardwalk: Go to Carolina Beach and get a donut at Britts. It’s not in the show, but it’s a local law that you have to eat one if you're there.
The impact on Wilmington
The "Summer I Turned Pretty effect" is real. Since the show premiered, tourism in the Cape Fear region has spiked. It’s joined the ranks of The Notebook and A Walk to Remember as a staple of North Carolina's "Screen Tourism." The city has embraced it, though locals will tell you that traffic on the bridge to Wrightsville has never been worse.
People are looking for that feeling of a perfect, endless summer. Even though Cousins Beach is a map of fictional memories, the physical locations in Wilmington offer a tangible piece of that story. You can stand on the same pier, breathe the same salt air, and for a second, pretend you’re caught in a love triangle with two brothers.
Actionable steps for your trip
If you want to see these spots without the crowds, go in the "shoulder season." Late September or early October is best. The water is still warm enough to swim, but the "Cousins" fans and the summer tourists have mostly cleared out. You’ll have a much better chance of getting a clear photo of the pier or finding a quiet spot on the sand at Fort Fisher. Check the local film commission website (Wilmington Film Commission) before you go; they often list which streets are closed for filming if a new season is currently in production. This helps you avoid getting blocked by trailers and craft services tents.