With its dramatic views of the Cape Fear River, ancient live oaks drizzled with Spanish moss, and Victorian homes on flower-edged lanes, the picture-perfect village of Southport charms residents, visitors and even Hollywood. The rich history of Native Americans, pirates, Revolutionary war and blockade runners makes the town, so full of southern coastal appeal, one of the loveliest on the Atlantic coast.
Brimming with art galleries, cafes offering locally caught seafood, and unique boutiques and shops, it’s a Norman Rockwell painting come to life. The extraordinary waterfront and early 19th century architecture also draws Hollywood and the television industry. More than 40 productions have filmed here, most recently “Safe Haven” and “Under the Dome.”
During your next Brunswick Islands vacation, get a close-up of some of the places made famous by “Safe Haven” and “Under the Dome,” via electric carts from Southport Tours or Southport Fun Tours. Narrated biking tours are offered by The Adventure Company and Old South Tour Company presents historical walking tours. Showcased are filming locations including iconic homes, the Old Brunswick County Jail Museum, (Cissy Spacek, “Crimes of the Heart”) Fishy Fishy Café (“Dawson’s Creek” and “Revenge”), Trinity Methodist Church (“Under the Dome” and “A Walk To Remember”) and the River Pilots Tower (radio station in “Under the Dome”). While in Southport, visit also the Southport Museum at Fort Johnston to see film related exhibits. For a list of motion picture and television productions filmed in North Carolina’s Brunswick Islands, visit here.