Cousins Beach: Where was The Summer I Turned Pretty filmed? Guide to all the locations
Posted by Ra Moon
Set in the fictional coastal town of Cousins Beach, The Summer I Turned Pretty was almost entirely filmed in North Carolina, in and around Wilmington and Southport.
Join us as we explore Cousins Beach and all the filming locations of The Summer I Turned Pretty, in the best guide you'll find.
In this spoiler-free report, the locations are listed in the order of their first appearance. Click here to jump directly to the new Season 2 or Season 3 locations.
If you’re looking for the Season 1 locations, the ones that have been part of the series from the beginning, just keep reading.
Join us as we explore Cousins Beach and all the filming locations of The Summer I Turned Pretty, in the best guide you'll find.
In this spoiler-free report, the locations are listed in the order of their first appearance. Click here to jump directly to the new Season 2 or Season 3 locations.
If you’re looking for the Season 1 locations, the ones that have been part of the series from the beginning, just keep reading.
Welcome to Cousins Beach
In the story, Cousins Beach is located in the state of Massachusetts.
The series opens with establishing shots of the beautiful coastal town of Marblehead near Boston, Massachusetts.
(You can open all the locations on Google Maps by clicking on the links below in the captions ↴)
Image courtesy of Amazon Prime - Map
Image courtesy of Amazon Prime - Map
The Russell's Gas and Groceries gas station is Russell's Quick Stop at 2101 Wrightsville Avenue in Wilmington.
This is the same location that appeared in the Netflix movie set in the also fictional town of Colby Beach, Along for the Ride.
Image courtesy of Amazon - Map
The entering Cousins Beach sign was located near the Wilmington Cape Fear Pilots Association old lookout tower in Southport.
This spot is situated very close to the restaurant featured in the 2013 romantic movie Safe Haven, also filmed in the area.
Image courtesy of Amazon - Map
The Summer I Turned Pretty House
Susannah's jaw-dropping beach house is a gorgeous villa located at Porters Neck Plantation, a private, gated golf course neighborhood in Wilmington.
Built on Futch Creek, this luxury community is surrounded by ponds, lakes, creeks, and protected natural areas.
Image courtesy of Amazon - Map
According to real estate websites, this spectacular five-bedroom and six-bathroom home, built in 2005, boasts 6,144 square feet (570 m2) of space and has an estimated market value of about two million dollars.
The Fisher's stunning low country-style house has amazing creek views, a beautifully landscaped yard, a picturesque pier, and the infinity swimming pool featured in many scenes.
This is a private residence - if you are visiting, please be considerate of the owners’ property.
The Cape Fear Country Club in Wilmington is a key location in the series. The swimming pool, the debutante ball, and some other scenes were filmed here.
Founded in 1896, the oldest private club in North Carolina has an 18-hole golf course that hosted the PGA Tour from 1949 to 1971.
Image courtesy of Amazon - Map
The beach was filmed at the south end of Wrightsville, just east of Wilmington.
The Crystal Pier, stretching 475 feet into the Atlantic Ocean, appears in the scene pictured.
Image courtesy of Amazon - Map
The local press reported that the Whale of a Tale bookstore is actually the Papercut Books at 200 Market Street in Wilmington.
The studio work was filmed on sound stages at EUE Screen Gems Studios in Wilmington.
Image courtesy of Amazon - Map
In the second episode, "Summer Dress", the girls go shopping for debutante dresses at a boutique called Blush Haus of Beauté at 1900 Eastwood Road in Wilmington.
Image courtesy of Amazon - Map
In the third episode, "Summer Nights", Conrad is on a boat with writer Cleveland Castillo (played by Alfredo Narciso).
All these scenes were filmed at the Cape Fear Marina near the Hilton Drawbridge in Wilmington.
Image courtesy of Amazon - Map
The bus station where Taylor (Rain Spencer) arrives at Cousins Beach is the new Wave Transit’s Padgett Station in Wilmington.
Image courtesy of Amazon - Map
In episode five, "Summer Catch", Belly and Cam (David Iacono) are cycling near the Fort Fisher State Historic Site at Kure Beach, Pleasure Island.
This is also one of the locations that doubles as Coronado Beach, where the Florida Man series was filmed.
Image courtesy of Amazon - Map
The Fat Pelican pub where Susannah (Rachel Blanchard) and Laurel (Jackie Chung) spent the evening in the fifth episode is a real dive bar at 8 Lake Park Boulevard in Carolina Beach.
Image courtesy of Amazon - Map
The volleyball tournament in episode six, "Summer Tides," was filmed at Capt’n Bill’s Backyard Grill and Volleyball Facility, not on the beach, but in a northern neighborhood of Wilmington.
The series is based on the book by Jenny Han, the same author of the To All the Boys franchise.
Image courtesy of Amazon - Map
New Season 2 Locations
The scenes at Brown University were filmed on the University of North Carolina campus at Wilmington.
The elegant Alderman Hall, featured in the first episode, hosts some of the college's administrative offices.
Pictured is the Hoggard Hall, which appears in the seventh episode, "Love Affair".
This is the same location used for the Capeside High School in the Dawson's Creek TV series (1998 - 2003).
Image courtesy of Amazon - Map
The scene in the second episode, "Love Scene", where Steven and Laurel go shopping was filmed at the Mayfaire shopping center in Wilmington.
The bookstore where Steven stumbles upon Taylor (played by Rain Spencer) is Barnes & Noble located on the same street.
Image courtesy of Amazon - Maps: Street scene / Bookshop
When Belly and Jeremiah go back to Cousins Beach, there's a scene where they drive across Moore Street in Southport.
Image courtesy of Amazon - Map
In the third episode, "Love Sick", Susannah’s half-sister, Julia, stays at the SeaWitch Inn in Carolina Beach.
For about $250 per night, you can stay at this vintage-inspired oceanfront lodging, that features a spacious swimming pool.
Image courtesy of Amazon - Map
On their way to the beach house, Taylor and Steven stop at the Masonboro Country Store at 4505 Masonboro Loop Road in Wilmington.
Image courtesy of Amazon - Map
The funeral scene was recorded at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, also in Wilmington.
Image courtesy of Amazon - Map
In the fourth episode, "Love Game," the teens go to spend the day at the Carolina Beach Boardwalk at Pleasure Island.
The nearly 100-foot Ferris wheel and the Cousins Beach Arcade are located in this popular East Coast vacation destination built in the 1930s.
Image courtesy of Amazon - Map
However, the laser tag, the rock climbing wall, and the go-kart track called the Cousins Beach Jungle Raceway are located at the Jungle Rapids Family Fun Park in Wilmington.
Image courtesy of Amazon - Map
The Finch College
The fictional Finch College in The Summer I Turned Pretty, which first appears in the seventh episode, "Love Affair," is actually the courtyard of St. Andrews-Covenant Presbyterian Church in Wilmington.
Image courtesy of Amazon - Map
The New Season 3 Locations
But in the third season, Finch College was filmed at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
McNeill Hall in the series is actually the Old East building.
Image courtesy of Amazon and Google Maps
The scenes in the campus gardens were filmed in McCorkle Place, the historic front lawn of UNC–Chapel Hill.
Image courtesy of Amazon - Map
In the first episode, "Last Season," we are introduced to several fraternity and sorority houses.
The Alpha Mu Chapter of Kappa Sigma at UNC was founded in June 1893, making it one of the fraternity’s earlier U.S. chapters, originally established in 1869 at the University of Virginia.
Image courtesy of Amazon - Map
For some reason, the Pi Kappa Phi house sign was digitally edited to appear as the Omega Omega Alpha fraternity.
Founded in 1914, the chapter is known for strong academics, leadership, and philanthropy.
Image courtesy of Amazon and Google Maps
Founded in September 1923, the North Carolina Alpha Chapter of Pi Beta Phi at UNC–Chapel Hill was the university’s first women’s fraternity.
It occupies a traditional sorority house at 109 Hillsborough Street, built in the classic Colonial Revival style.
Image courtesy of Amazon - Map
There are a couple of aerial establishing shots filmed at Stanford University.
One features the Stanford Oval, the iconic entrance and central green space, while another shows Hoover Tower, which houses the institution’s archives.
Image courtesy of Amazon - Maps: Stanford Oval / Hoover Tower
Casa Blanca Coffee Roasters is a real coffeehouse occupying a beautiful mid-1950s building in Ogden, Wilmington, originally used as a car dealership and later as a vet office.
Image courtesy of Amazon - Map
The office building at 570 Franklin Street in Boston where Steven works is actually the Natural Sciences building at Cape Fear Community College (CFCC), located on the Downtown Wilmington campus.
Image courtesy of Amazon and Google Maps
The restaurant scene with the Conklin brothers was filmed at Benny’s Big Time Pizzeria in Wilmington’s South Front district, located in a recently restored mid-century commercial building.
Image courtesy of Amazon - Map
Laurel is attending a dull conference hosted at The Carolina Inn, a Colonial–Classical Revival hotel built in 1923–24 on the UNC–Chapel Hill campus.
With 185 elegantly styled rooms, rates at this historic inn typically range from about US $260 to $400 per night.
Image courtesy of Amazon - Map
The exterior of the Stanford Medical Center is actually the North Carolina Basnight Cancer Hospital, with the sign digitally added to the façade.
Image courtesy of Amazon and Google Maps
The Providence General Hospital exterior was filmed at the N.C. Children's Hospital.
Image courtesy of Amazon and Google Maps
The final scene of the second episode at the Kyong Hui Pavilion in Providence was filmed at the Union Station Building at Cape Fear Community College in Wilmington.
Image courtesy of Amazon - Map
Bespoke Coffee in the third episode, "Last Supper", is located at 202 Princess Street in Wilmington.
Image courtesy of Amazon - Map
The Oceanic at the Crystal Pier is a real seafood restaurant in Wrightsville Beach, offering oceanfront dining with stunning views from its historic pier location.
Image courtesy of Amazon - Map
Can you help to improve this article about the filming locations of The Summer I Turned Pretty? To complete and correct this report, any feedback, info, or images that you may have are more than welcome, thank you!
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NOTICE: If you’re using this information on your website, please credit and link to this page as a source.
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6 comments:
1- Anonymous - Jul 24, 2022, 2:24 PM
The Deb Ball was filmed at St Mary Catholic School in their gorgeous Upper Room. Some of it was at Cape Fear though like when they are getting ready.
2- Anonymous - Mar 11, 2023, 11:47 AM
The panoramic scene of a harbor with steeples on the left, a causeway at the bottom, and lush trees and homes with a dock on the right is the beautiful town of Marblehead, Massachusetts.
3- Anonymous - Sep 1, 2023, 6:34 AM
I'm trying to build the house in Bloxburg, and I'm having a hard time finding more photos of the house front and sides.
4- Anonymous - Sep 23, 2023, 8:13 AM
Conrad wasn’t learning to sail, he was an accomplished sailor helping the writer learn about sailing.
5- Anonymous - Aug 12, 2024, 10:28 AM
The Cousins Beach sign is no longer where this article mentions. It is completely gone.
6- Anonymous - Feb 27, 2025, 11:36 AM
I hope there is a 3rd season of The Summer I Turned Pretty.
1- Anonymous - Jul 24, 2022, 2:24 PM
The Deb Ball was filmed at St Mary Catholic School in their gorgeous Upper Room. Some of it was at Cape Fear though like when they are getting ready.
2- Anonymous - Mar 11, 2023, 11:47 AM
The panoramic scene of a harbor with steeples on the left, a causeway at the bottom, and lush trees and homes with a dock on the right is the beautiful town of Marblehead, Massachusetts.
3- Anonymous - Sep 1, 2023, 6:34 AM
I'm trying to build the house in Bloxburg, and I'm having a hard time finding more photos of the house front and sides.
4- Anonymous - Sep 23, 2023, 8:13 AM
Conrad wasn’t learning to sail, he was an accomplished sailor helping the writer learn about sailing.
5- Anonymous - Aug 12, 2024, 10:28 AM
The Cousins Beach sign is no longer where this article mentions. It is completely gone.
6- Anonymous - Feb 27, 2025, 11:36 AM
I hope there is a 3rd season of The Summer I Turned Pretty.
Ra Moon
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