The Summer I Turned Pretty turns real coastal city into stunning fictional town

If you’re in need of a sunny summer TV getaway, then look no further than Amazon Prime Video’s The Summer I Turned Pretty.

The series takes place in the stunning seaside town of Cousins Beach and features plenty of bright and breezy scenes as the story’s central love triangle unfurls.

But just where was The Summer I Turned Pretty filmed and is the idyllic coastal town a real place?

The Summer I Turned Pretty glided onto Amazon Prime Video on Friday, June 17th, 2022.

Based on the novel trilogy by Jenny Han, the series tells the story of Isabel “Belly” Conklin, as she and her family return to the beach house where they’ve spent every summer since before she was born.

However, Belly’s annual trip to her favourite place is complicated this year, as she finds herself catching the eye of her friends, Jeremiah and Conrad, and firmly in the middle of a complex love triangle.
• LOVE TRIANGLE EXPLAINED: Who does Belly end up with?

Where was The Summer I Turned Pretty filmed?

The Summer I Turned Pretty is filmed in and around Wilmington, North Carolina.

Sadly for fans, the town of Cousins Beach is not actually a real place. Instead, it was fictional creation for the Jenny Han novel trilogy on which the series is based.

However, according to Distractify, the author did take inspiration for the town from some real-life locations, including Cape Cod, the Hamptons and “just a splash of the Outer Banks.”

And it’s the east coast of the US where The Summer I Turned Pretty chose to film, with the city of Wilmington in North Carolina serving as the central location.

Filming took place in and around the city between June and October 2021 with notable locations including Carolina Beach, Fort Fisher, Wave Transit’s Padgett Station as well as the Cape Fear Country Club on Oleander Drive.

Wilmington in North Carolina has earned itself the nicknamed Hollywood East in recent years as a huge array of movies and TV shows have been filmed in and around the city.

As well as The Summer I Turned Pretty, Wilmington has also played host to 2022’s Scream, Netflix’s Along for the Ride, One Tree Hill, The Conjuring, Halloween Kills, 2002’s A Walk to Remember, Weekend at Bernie’s, several scenes in Iron Man 3 and upcoming horror film, The Black Phone.

Aside from the stunning scenery and studios on offer, Wilmington has been growing in popularity with filmmakers thanks to a financial incentive scheme and production support offered by the regional film commission.

The Summer I Turned Pretty is available to stream now on Amazon Prime Video after arriving on June 17th, 2022.

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