A Guide To “Outer Banks” Filming Locations

Situated in Beaufort County, S.C., the Hunting Island State Park acted as the driftwood-riddled filming location for the Boneyard in the season one pilot episode. In the “OBX” Netflix universe, the Boneyard is a neutral territory on the Cut, where Pogues live, on the opposite side of the island from Figure 8, where the wealthy Kooks reside. Every so often, the Kooks, Pogues and Tourons (a wholesome combination of the words “tourist” and “moron”) come together for keggers and obligatory quarrels here — ahem, John B (Chase Stokes) and Topper (Austin North). In reality, Hunting Island State Park covers 5,000 acres on a barrier island roughly 89 miles from Charleston. The Hunting Island State Park lighthouse served as the interior filming location for the Redfield lighthouse, while the exterior shots were filmed at the Morris Island lighthouse on Folly Beach near Charleston. Entrance fees for the park cost less than $10 for adults, children and seniors, making it a great day trip from Charleston.

Countless quotable scenes were filmed at John B’s marsh-side home, respectfully known as the Chateau. Between run-ins with the police and square groupers, sleepovers with Pogues and nights spent under the string lights in JJ’s (Rudy Pankow) hot tub, a.k.a. the Cat’s Ass, the Chateau has acted as the headquarters for the gang and the HMS Pogue throughout the series. It may be located in the Cut far from Figure 8 on Kildare Island on the show, but the scenes at the Chateau were filmed in the heart of the ultra-secluded Secessionville Historic District, which extends into Charleston. Visit the storied area to soak in the essence of the Chateau before visiting Fort Lamar and the site of the American Civil War Battle of Secessionville.

John B and Sarah Cameron’s (Madelyn Cline) day trip to Chapel Hill marked a turning point in the star-crossed lovers’ relationship. Their stated destination was UNC Chapel Hill in search of more clues about the Royal Merchant and Denmark Tanny, though like many filming locations, the scenes of the university’s exterior were actually filmed in Charleston outside of the Gaillard Center. Visit the nonprofit arts center to watch the Charleston Symphony play while living out your treasure quest fantasy. Other Charleston filming locations used for John B and Sarah’s day trip include the Ben Silver Collection, where John B can be seen donning seersucker, and the lush and bucolic Washington Square Park.

After John B and Sarah secretly meet up at Midsummers, the pair make a plan to rendezvous later in the evening at the Hawk’s Nest Tower, where they’re caught together by Sarah’s boyfriend, Topper, who inadvertently pushes John B off the 50-foot tower. You can visit the observation tower where the dramatic scene was filmed at Mt. Pleasant’s Palmetto Islands County Park. Admission to the 943-acre park is just $2 and gets you access to boardwalk trails, tidal creek fishing, a crabbing dock and the infamous observation tower where you’re in for sweeping views of the Lowcountry marsh.

Located on Shem Creek (more on that later), Geechie Seafood is a treasured Mt. Pleasant seafood shack selling freshly caught shrimp from the creek. The modest shack stars as Heyward’s Seafood in “Outer Banks” and is owned by Pope’s (Jonathan Daviss) father, Bobby Heyward (E. Roger Mitchell), where he sells fresh seafood and groceries to people across Kildare. Pope can be seen helping his dad out at the store, delivering seafood to Kooks on Figure 8 and shucking oysters at soirees like Midsummers with Heyward. If you’re visiting the Charleston area and have access to a kitchen, pick up some blue crab for dinner in honor of the fan favorite.

Aside from the white-columned Tanneyhill Plantation, Kooklandia, a.k.a. Figure 8, is known for its luxe, landscaped golf clubs like the Island Club, where the annual Midsummers party is held. You’ll remember this scene for Kiara’s (Madison Bailey) look, which is giving bourgeoisie pig, and JJ’s run-in with Rafe (Drew Starkey) and his merry band of Kooks. You can visit the Kiawah Island Golf Resort and dine at one of their seven restaurants or make a weekend of it and check in at the Sanctuary hotel.

In the “Outer Banks” universe, Shem Creek is the sun around which all other filming locations orbit. The creek is located in the suburban hub of Mount Pleasant, just seven miles east of Charleston by way of the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge. Most of the scenes on the water in the fictional Kildare Harbor were filmed on Shem Creek, including many of the Pogue boating scenes. We recommend visiting Shem Creek’s waterfront in the late afternoon and staying to watch the paintbrush sunsets. Elsewhere, Pitt Street in Mount Pleasant’s Old Village Historic District is featured heavily as downtown Kildare and is where John B famously yeeted over a chain on a stolen bike. Stop by St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, where Sheriff Peterkin (Adina Porter) met with Lana Grubbs (CC Castillo) just before the sheriff’s untimely death, before heading over to Pitt Street Pharmacy for a milkshake and BLT.

After Hurricane Agatha blew through and cut electricity to Kildare Island, John B, JJ, Kiara and Pope took the HMS Pogue out through the marshes and found a sunken boat containing a key to room 229 at the Summer Winds Motel. The Pogues eventually visited the motel in search of the boat’s owner, but instead found ominous clues leading to more shenanigans. Today, you can stay in room 229 at the Creekside Lands Inn, where the scenes were filmed, on the banks of Long Branch Creek in Charleston; just make sure to do a better job of hiding from the cops than John B and JJ did.

Situated on the banks of the Ashley River, the historic Lowndes Grove Estate served as the filming location for the Tanneyhill Plantation, also known as the Cameron estate, where Kook princess Sarah Cameron lives with her villainous father Ward (Charles Esten) and psychotic brother Rafe. The white mansion has late 18th-century, old South architecture, huge lawns on 14 acres surrounded by live oak trees and the infamous 700-foot-long dock where Ward’s My Druthers yacht exploded in season two. The estate is primarily used as a venue for wedding receptions and events, and was once visited by President Theodore Roosevelt.

We love a two-for-one food-centric filming location so we can imagine feasting on seafood surrounded by our favorite characters. On “Outer Banks,” the Wreck is a “total cash cow for tourists” owned by Kiara’s family and a place where she can be seen waiting tables and begging her parents to feed Pogues. Thankfully, the restaurant is fully operational, though its official name is the Wreck of the Richard and Charlene in honor of a boat wreck that occurred at the site during Category Four Hurricane Hugo in 1989. Like so many other iconic spots, the Wreck of the Richard and Charlene is located on the banks of Shem Creek in Mount Pleasant and serves up Lowcountry favorites like fried, grilled or boiled seafood platters with red rice, coleslaw, hush puppies and fried hominy squares.