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.