Netflix’s The Waterfront is set in Havenport, but is it a real place? Details revealed

At first glance, Havenport in The Waterfront looks like your typical sleepy coastal town — fishing boats bobbing on the docks, families running seafood joints, and locals who’ve known each other for generations. But stick around past the first episode and you’ll realize there’s nothing ordinary about it. Secrets simmer beneath every surface, and the town becomes an active force in the drama that unfolds around the Buckley family. Naturally, fans are now asking: is Havenport a real town in North Carolina?

The short answer is no. Havenport is entirely fictional — a creation born from the mind of The Waterfront’s creator, Kevin Williamson. However, its deeply realistic portrayal and rich visual texture come from real places in North Carolina, which helped build the immersive and moody atmosphere the show thrives on. While Havenport doesn’t exist on any map, its spirit is grounded in Williamson’s own memories of coastal life.

In fact, the setting is far more personal than many might expect. Williamson, a North Carolina native, infused The Waterfront with echoes of his own upbringing — not just geographically, but thematically too. The authenticity in the town's vibe comes from lived experience, even if the zip code is fictional.

Wilmington and Southport: The real faces behind Havenport

Even though Havenport is made up, Waterfront was filmed entirely on location in North Carolina, making excellent use of two real-life towns: Wilmington and Southport. These coastal hubs have long served as filming hotbeds — think Dawson’s Creek, One Tree Hill, and now, The Waterfront. For this project, they were transformed into one seamless world, blending together to create Havenport’s salty charm and dark corners.

The creative genius behind the show, Williamson, has remarked praise toward Southport, saying it is one of the greatest sources of his inspiration. The small town’s waterfront feel elevated it as an amazing setting for the Buckleys tainted tale. At the same time, Wilmington’s versatile locations enriched the show’s visual storytelling. In addition to its cinematic history and moody shorelines, Wilmington offered gritty back alleys for the depiction of tense scenes.

How fiction blends with real life in The Waterfront

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Kevin Williamson didn’t just want to create a fictional place — he wanted to reflect a truth. That’s why Havenport feels so alive. Inspired by Williamson’s own family history — including his father’s transformation from fisherman to small-time criminal — the show builds a world that feels grounded, even as the stakes escalate. The Buckleys, who run a fishing business as their front, operate out of sets so realistic that even Williamson himself was stunned upon seeing them.

And it’s more than just sets. The show cleverly utilizes actual locations too. The Buckley family's seafood restaurant? That is, in fact, a real place in Southport called Fishy Fishy Café. Details like this do so much to immerse the viewer into Havenport. It’s all meticulously crafted to declare the series’ core conflict: the deceptiveness of facades, and that under every placid exterior, there lurk a maelstrom of turbulence.

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