Take the Hollywood Tour of Wilmington, North Carolina

Some cities are subjected to film festivals. The classic South Park episode in which the Sundance comes to the small Colorado town and guts it of all its authenticity is not wholly off base. On the other hand, some cities fit the film festival bill beautifully. The Cucalorus Film Festival in Wilmington, North Carolina couldn’t be more right. 2,300 hundred miles from Hollywood, Wilmington has film fever.

More specifically, this cozy Cape Fear town has filming fever. Call it “Hollywood East”, call it “Wilmywood”, believe it or not, Wilmington, NC is the second most popular film and TV production location on the east coast. In number of productions, both annual and total, Wilmington trails only New York City.

Explore Wilmington’s history on screens big and small with a Hollywood Location Walk of Old Wilmington. The name is pretty straightforward. This engaging 90-minute walking tour leads you past filming locations from dozens of popular movies and TV shows, several of which are instantly recognizable.

There are more than I can readily mention, but highlights include: Dawson’s Creek, One Tree Hill, The Hudsucker Proxy, Matlock, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (I & II), Blue Velvet, Weekend at Bernie’s, A Walk to Remember, The Crow, Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood and so many more.

The Hollywood Location Walk is more than a roaming photo op. Your tour guide, a bit of a character himself, packs the tour end-to-end with funny and fascinating stories about the many stars that have made Wilmington their home away from home, however briefly. Learn what the stars did on their days off, and maybe even learn a couple tricks for yourself.

It’s fun, laidback, and for fans of three-star quality film and TV, it’s even interesting. The Hollywood Location Walk of Old Wilmington is hosted five times a week – Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday (twice), and Sunday – and tickets only cost you $12 per person. Tours are held rain or shine. Learn more here and order your tickets here.

We rarely stray from our favorite hotels in Wilmington, NC. A one-two punch of sister properties that can go either cozy-classic or extended-upscale, depending on what you like. We recommend:

• Hilton Wilmington Riverside
• Riverview Suites at Water Street Center

Have a fun time exploring the history of Hollywood East: Wilmington, NC.

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