Photo: Sony Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection
You don’t have to travel to Massachusetts to see the all iconic filming locations fromDawson’s Creek.
Though the series takes place in the fictional New England town of Capeside,filming primarily took place in Wilmington, North Carolina. Additional scenes were also filmed in Southport and Wrightsville Beach, and as the characters got older, other filming locations included Durham for the fictional Worthington University in Boston.
The hit teen drama starring James Van Der Beek,Katie Holmes, Joshua Jackson and Michelle Williams first premiered in January 1998 and ran for six seasons until its series finale on May 14, 2003.
In early 2023, Jackson returned to where it all began —his new Starz seriesfrom Ava DuVernay began filming in Wilmington.
PEOPLE recently visited the coast withVisit NC, where we learned all the hidden secrets and details about the filming locations behindDawson’s Creek.
In honor of the show’s monumental anniversaries, here are a handful of filming locations you can visit in real life.
Dawson’s Creek
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The creek near the Leery home was filmed at Hewlett Creek as well as Bradley Creek located in Wilmington.
For Kerr Smith, who played Jack McPhee, some of his favorite memories from filmingDawson’s Creekwere from the actors' group trips to the beach. “In the summer we as a cast would go to Masonboro Island. We’d get out the grill and go Jet Skiing and swimming. It was the most fun I ever had in my life,“he previously told PEOPLE.
Leery’s Fresh Fish
Hell’s Kitchen
Unlike some of the other filming locations on the show,Hell’s Kitchenwas a temporary set used as the location for the bar where Joey and Eddie worked in the sixth season. After the series wrapped, the bar was sold to a local restaurateur, who turned it into a real bar.
Located in downtown Wilmington, Hell’s Kitchen has a long history with N.C. filming. It’s even set to be featured in the upcoming second season ofThe Summer I Turned Prettyseason 2.
“Hell’s Kitchen has a strong connection to the film industry,” the bar’s owner Eric Laut tells PEOPLE. “Originally a film stage forDawson’s Creek, Hell’s Kitchen has hosted many film sets, fromOne Tree HilltoFlorida Man,Electric Loveandmore recentlyThe Summer I Turned Pretty.”
He added, “In The Summer I Turned Pretty, the artists and production staff transformed the stage at Hell’s Kitchen into a lounge. It was amazing to see the transformation. The location crew, production staff and the artists were so talented and it was such a great experience to be on set and watch the magic of the film industry unfold.”
Joey’s Wall
In season 3, Pacey rents a wall for Joey to paint on as a grand gesture. In the season 3 finale, the two have a romantic moment as Pacey paints on the wall, writing, “Ask me to stay.” The wall (minus Pacey’s writing) can be seen across the street from Reel Café in Wilmington.
Capeside High School
The high school featured on the series was actually filmed at the college campus, UNC Wilmington, with many notable scenes filmed at Alderman Hall.
Boston Bay College
Jen and Jack’s school, Boston Bay College, and the campus radio station were filmed at 272 N Front St in Wilmington. Currently, a camping store called Outdoor Equipped stands in its place. (272 N Front St was also the filming location for Karen’s Cafe onOne Tree Hillthroughout the show’s run!)
Dawson and Joey’s big kiss
Though Dawson and Joey’s first kiss took place in the Leery home, their big kiss scene on the swings in the season 2 premiere takes place along the northern part of the Wilmington Riverwalk.
For Nina Repeta, who played Joey’s older sister Bessie, she loved filming along the water the most. “I love the practical water locations the best,” she told PEOPLE. “The river walk is located on the Cape Fear River downtown Wilmington where many scenes were filmed — not justDawson’s CreekbutOne Tree Hillas well. Those locations were my favorites.”
Andie and Pacey’s first kiss
Fittingly enough, Pacey’s first kiss with Andie also takes place along the Wilmington Riverwalk across the street from the Alton Lennon Federal Courthouse.
InEW’s 2018 cast reunion interview, Meredith Monroe, who played Andie McPhee, said shooting the series in Wilmington “was like growing up together.” She added, “I felt like I was so grateful that it was shooting in Wilmington. We all got to really connect in a way that I don’t think we would have had we been in New York or L.A.”
Worthington University
Since UNC Wilmington had served as the filming location for many of the high school scenes, the series looked elsewhere to find a backdrop for the college years. Worthington University, the fictional Ivy League university where Joey went to school, was filmed a few hours from Wilmington at Duke University in Durham.
True Love Dock
Throughout season 3, Pacey works on restoring a wrecked boat, which he names True Love. Unlike other filming locations, the boat was actually docked at the Old Yacht Basin in Southport, right near the restaurant Fishy Fishy Cafe.
Screen Play Video
Screen Play Video, where Dawson and Pacey work in high school, is located at 212 N Front Street in Wilmington. At the time of filming, there was a business with the same name, however, it’s now Nsalo Salon.
Pacey’s Icehouse
After the original Icehouse closes due to an arson incident, Pacey has it rebuilt years later. In the series finale, fans get a glimpse of the Icehouse, which was filmed atElijah’s Restaurant. The seafood restaurant is located in Wilmington and offers gorgeous views of the water from the deck.
source: people.com
