They filmed the 2009 rom‑com The Proposal mostly in coastal Massachusetts, not Alaska.

Main filming locations

  • The fictional town of Sitka, Alaska, was primarily shot in Rockport, Massachusetts , especially the Bearskin Neck area and streets around the harbor.
  • Additional “Sitka” exteriors and coastal scenes were filmed in Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts.
  • Some scenes were also shot in Newport, Rhode Island , Gloucester, Massachusetts , and at other nearby New England spots.
  • Office and city sequences used locations in New York City–area buildings plus studio work in California (including Walt Disney Studios in Burbank) and other interiors.

Quick reference table

Here’s a simple overview of where they filmed The Proposal :

[9][5][1] [3][5][9] [5][1][3] [7][9][1][3]
On-screen place Real filming location Notes
Sitka, Alaska (main town) Rockport, Massachusetts (Bearskin Neck, Motif No. 1, downtown) Town was dressed to look like an Alaskan fishing village.
Coastal & family property scenes Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts Used for major water and family-estate sequences.
Other New England exteriors Gloucester & Newport (RI), Beverly Airport Supplementary airport and harbor shots.
Office/city environment New York City–area locations + studio work Used for Margaret and Andrew’s publishing-world scenes.

Mini context

The production started filming in April 2008, transforming parts of Rockport into a believable Alaskan coastal town with fake shopfronts and extra set dressing. This approach let them get the “Alaska” vibe while staying close to Boston’s production infrastructure.

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