Visit the hangouts from 'One Tree Hill' and 'Dawson’s Creek'

Many visitors recognize the streets and settings of Wilmington on North Carolina’s coast even if they’ve never been to the historic city before. That’s because in addition to being a popular beach destination, Wilmington also is one of the leading film destinations in the country and it often doubles for other towns. In fact, fans of Dawson’s Creek and One Tree Hill will instantly recognize several sites in Wilmington as the fictional towns of Capeside and Tree Hill. Those programs frequently filmed in the area, from the shops where they worked, the restaurants where they ate, and some places such as Hell’s Kitchen that were featured in both series. But those aren’t the only film credits to Wilmington’s name. The Wilmington area has been the location for more than 400 film-related productions since producer Dino De Laurentiis “discovered” the area in 1983 while scouting locations for the movie Firestarter. EUE Screen Gems, the studio that has evolved from the one he founded in Wilmington, is now the largest movie studio outside of California. From feature films such as Iron Man 3 to cult classics like Blue Velvet and a host of TV series, Wilmington has become known as Hollywood East. Self-guided tours for Dawson’s Creek and One Tree Hill fans are available at the Wilmington Visitor Center.