When Outer Banks first premiered on Netflix in April 202o, folks immediately got hooked on the teen mystery drama. After all, who wouldn't have been drawn in by a story following two different groups of teenagers on the hunt to find a lost treasure on the coast of North Carolina?
Well, it's been four years since folks were first introduced to the series, and it continues to build a legion of fans with every installment. And with season 4 being split into two parts (with the first episodes dropping on October 10), we're ready to dive back into the world John B. (Chase Stokes), Sarah (Madelyn Cline) and their friends all are invested in.
But before you watch the new episodes of season 4, take a look at where the Pogues' story actually takes place. Let's dive a little deeper into the real-life locations where Outer Banks is filmed.
Where is Outer Banks filmed?
In January 2019, Outer Banks co-creator Jonas Pate stated he originally envisioned filming the action-adventure show in the real-life Outer Banks of North Carolina. The executive producer — who also lives in Wilmington, North Carolina — was inspired by his own childhood memories to bring the historic town to the small screen. Popularly known as OBX, the coastal town is comprised of a 200-mile stretch of barrier islands just off of North Carolina. What's more, more than 35,000 people call OBX home, with Dare County (a suburb of the area) having a population as large as 38,000 people.
Ultimately, though, Outer Banks is filmed mostly in Charleston, South Carolina. Residents may recognize locations like Shem Creek and the Old Village in Mount Pleasant, James Island, Johns Island, McClellanville, Kiawah Island, Charleston Harbor and the Morris Island Lighthouse. What's more, Pitt Street, Hunting Island, the Hunting Island Lighthouse and Lowndes Grove also make appearances in the show.
But the show hasn't just filmed in South Carolina. When Outer Banks' season 3 storyline involved a plane crash in the Bahamas, the show actually went to areas surrounding Port St. Charles, Barbados to film the tropical island scenes that were pivotal to the season.
Despite having his heart set on North Carolina, Jonas and his crew supported Netflix’s decision to move production about 500 miles away to South Carolina. This was due to North Carolina's anti-LGBTQ House Bill 2, which required transgender people to use the public bathroom corresponding with their sex assigned at birth. It was first passed in 2016. The following year, the bill was partially repealed and from then on, it was known as a replacement bill called HB142.
Outer Banks began filming its first season in the summer of 2019 and the House Bill was still in effect, prompting Netflix to take its creative endeavors elsewhere.
"I was thrilled because I love Charleston and it's been fun to watch it grow and change," Jonas told NBC News WCBD Charleston. "I got sent back to all these coastal eddies that I hadn't hung in in 30 years, so it was like visiting all your old haunts from high school."
"Mostly it's been so positive because people like the show and it's fun for them to see places that they recognize, so it's been amazing," he added. "It's hard to shut down pieces of Charleston, so we were just super thankful."
Selena is the entertainment and news editor for Good Housekeeping, where she covers the latest on TV, movies and celebrities. In addition to writing and editing entertainment news, she also spotlights the Hispanic and Latinx community through her work. She is a graduate of CUNY Hunter College with a B.A. in journalism and creative writing.
As the entertainment and news associate editor for Good Housekeeping, Adrianna (she/her) writes about everything TV, movies, music and pop culture. She graduated from Yeshiva University with a B.A. in journalism and a minor in business management. She covers shows like The Rookie, 9-1-1 and Grey's Anatomy, though when she’s not watching the latest show on Netflix, she’s taking martial arts or drinking way too much coffee.
