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where was the waterfront netflix filmed

Netflix’s crime drama The Waterfront is set in the fictional town of Havenport, but it was filmed primarily in North Carolina, especially in and around Wilmington and Southport.

Main filming locations

  • Wilmington, North Carolina – A big chunk of the show was shot here, using real waterfront spots and historic streets to stand in for Havenport.
  • Southport, North Carolina – The production also used this coastal town for key exterior and harbor scenes.
  • Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina – Some seaside and bridge sequences (including shots around South Banks Channel Bridge) were captured here.

Notable on-screen places

  • Suites on Market motel (Wilmington) – Used as one of the recurring locations in the series.
  • The Cotton Exchange & Riverfront area (Wilmington) – Stands in for parts of Havenport’s commercial and waterfront district.
  • Little Drum Landing & Historic District (Wilmington) – Provide many of the atmospheric dock and town scenes.
  • Fishy Fishy Cafe, Morningstar Marina, Potter’s Seafood (Southport) – These real businesses appear as waterfront hangouts and Buckley-related spots.

Quick HTML table for reference

html

<table>
  <thead>
    <tr>
      <th>Location</th>
      <th>City</th>
      <th>How it’s used in The Waterfront</th>
    </tr>
  </thead>
  <tbody>
    <tr>
      <td>Suites on Market motel[web:1][web:5]</td>
      <td>Wilmington, NC</td>
      <td>Key motel/location standing in for part of Havenport.</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>The Cotton Exchange & Riverfront[web:1][web:5][web:9]</td>
      <td>Wilmington, NC</td>
      <td>Shops and waterfront streets used as Havenport’s town center.</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Little Drum Landing & Historic District[web:1][web:5][web:9]</td>
      <td>Wilmington, NC</td>
      <td>Event space and historic streets used for docks and scenic town shots.</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Fishy Fishy Cafe[web:1][web:3][web:7][web:9]</td>
      <td>Southport, NC</td>
      <td>Transformed into Buckley’s waterfront restaurant and other harbor scenes.</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Morningstar Marina & Potter’s Seafood[web:1][web:3][web:7][web:9]</td>
      <td>Southport, NC</td>
      <td>Used for marina, dock, and fishing-business sequences.</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Wrightsville Beach & South Banks Channel Bridge[web:7][web:9]</td>
      <td>Near Wilmington, NC</td>
      <td>Bike-ride and coastal bridge scenes that sell the seaside vibe of Havenport.</td>
    </tr>
  </tbody>
</table>

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.