Where Was The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 3 Filmed

I recently sat down on a lazy Sunday afternoon, pretending I was rewatching The Summer I Turned Pretty for "research purposes." (Riiight.) An hour later, I was fully invested — emotional, snack-less, and quietly furious at whoever broke concrete girl's heart. But as the credits rolled on Season 3, a question bubbled up: where on earth is this gorgeous beach town actually located?

I don't know about you, but the backdrop of Cousins — yes, that fictional little coastal paradise — looked so real that I half-checked flights to find it. Spoiler: it's not a real place. But the filming location? Oh, it exists, and it's absolutely worth knowing about.

Meet Cousins — the town that isn't

Jenny Han, the original author of the book series, was inspired by her own New England summer memories when creating the idyllic town of Cousins. She grew up dreaming about sandy walks, sunsets, and first kisses — and she basically bottled all of that into one fictional ZIP code.

Here's the irony though: the script says coastal New England, but the cameras never actually went to Massachusetts or Rhode Island. Instead, the production sprinted down south to find a perfect match. (You didn't see that coming, did you?)

So… was it filmed in North Carolina?

Yes — and it's beautiful there too. The Summer I Turned Pretty was filmed in and around Wilmington, North Carolina, and spots in the surrounding NC coastline. For Season 3 specifically, the crew returned to those familiar Wilmington-area sets and beaches to bring the final chapter to life.

Wilmington has quietly become one of Hollywood East's favorite playgrounds. Between the ocean, the lighthouses, and that warm ocean breeze, it practically adapts to any story you throw at it.

Southport, a charming little coastal town about 30 minutes south of Wilmington, often doubles as the heart of Cousins. If you've ever seen the show and thought, "I could live here," trust me — Southport is fully committing to that fantasy in real life.

Where Was The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 3 Filmed? - Jetset Times

The beach scenes: where are they?

The iconic summer house? That's not actually a real house anyone lives in year-round. The production team uses scenic beachfront locations in the Wilmington area and also employs some creative set design (and a bit of movie magic) to build the perfect beach house vibe.

The beach shots themselves were largely filmed along North Carolina's Atlantic coast. Think wide, sandy stretches with minimal crowds — perfect for a teen drama where everyone happens to look like a magazine cover while "accidentally" running in slow motion.

(Pro tip: come on a weekday if you visit. Just saying — the beach doesn't look like that when 400 tourists are in your background.)

What about town scenes?

Downtown street scenes, coffee shops, and little storefronts in Cousins were filmed in historic areas of Wilmington. The city's walkable, pixel-perfect main streets gave the producers everything they needed without building a single soundstage.

A look at all the locations where ‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’ season 3

Some interior scenes were shot on professional soundstages though — because nothing breaks the illusion faster than a production assistant tripping over your actress mid-monologue. Fair enough.

Why Wilmington works so well

North Carolina offers a solid screening party: generous tax incentives for film productions, a mild year-round climate, and crews that genuinely know their craft. Studios — big and small — keep coming back, and you can see why.

The landscape itself shifts cleverly: ocean -> marshland -> historic neighborhoods -> pine woods. For Cousins, the producers basically curated a geographically diverse mood board that feels authentically East Coast — even from the South.

Ironic? Absolutely. A Southern film that perfectly mimics New England? That's some seriously skilled illusion work.

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Are there tours?

Not exactly official ones yet, but fans have started doing their own homemade tours. Southport and Wilmington are both free to explore, multiple beach locations are public, and you'll recognize a startling number of corners once you start looking.

The Wilmington & Beaches Film Commission doesn't run a tip list (yet), but honestly — just walking around Southport with a rewatched playlist is a wildly nostalgic experience. I recommend it more than I'd like to admit.

One last thought

Cousins was never a place on any map, but it lives perfectly in North Carolina's coastline. Season 3 turned out to be the year everything changed for the characters — and honestly, it was a pretty good year for Wilmington too.

So the next time someone asks where it was filmed, you can say, "It absolutely wasn't New England — and that's the whole point." GC indeed.