Most of the locations for ‘The Notebook’ were recreated in Charleston and its surrounding area.

Thanks to its charming historic downtown, pre-Civil War style homes and idyllic seaside views, Charleston, South Carolina, has been featured in several movies. One of them is undoubtedly ‘The Notebook’.

Although Nicholas Sparks originally set the book in New Bern, North Carolina, the movie places Noah and Allie in Seabrook, South Carolina, a small town an hour south of Charleston. However, most of the film was shot in Charleston, with the Old Village of Mount Pleasant and parts of King Street serving as the center of Seabrook, along with various private and public homes in the area that provide historical context.

If you loved ‘The Notebook’, you will enjoy visiting the Southern city of Charleston and its surroundings to experience its incredible locations!

You’ll love this electric bike tour of the filming locations! Ready for a movie-worthy ride?

We recommend starting with historic downtown Charleston:

HISTORIC DOWNTOWN CHARLESTON

1. American Theater

The setting of Noah and Allie’s first date (which was followed by some dancing in the street) is the American Theater, a 1940s cinema on King Street in downtown Charleston.

The theater is now a space for private events and no longer shows movies, but you can write a personalized message on the marquee for your partner.

Address: 446 King St., Charleston, SC 29403.

2. Intersection of King and Mary Streets

After their date at the cinema, Noah asks Allie to marry him while they walk through the city.

To film the scene according to the story, the parking meters were changed to fit an older style and the fire hydrants were painted red.

The characters decide to stop walking and lie down at the intersection that locals in Charleston can easily identify as King and Mary Streets, and Noah asks her, “Would you like to dance with me?” This is where they dance for the first time while Noah softly hums the 1938 hit, ‘I’ll Be Seeing You’.

The traffic on the real King Street (which is a bustling area filled with restaurants and bars) can be very busy, even at night! But no one will say anything if you dance on the sidewalk!

Address: 99 Mary St, Charleston, SC 29403.

3. William Aiken House

Right next to the American Theater on King Street is the historic William Aiken House, where Allie tries on her wedding dress when she sees the photo of Noah in the newspaper in front of the house he restored.

The bright yellow house was built in 1810 and embodies the best of Charleston architecture. Unsurprisingly, the house is now primarily used for events and is one of the most sought-after wedding venues in the city.

Address: 456 King St., Charleston, SC 29403

There is a tour that takes you along King Street, which is over 300 years old and is known as the second most historic street in Charleston. In addition to visiting these three locations from ‘The Notebook’, you’ll also enjoy other stops like the Charleston Music Hall and the beautiful historic homes that are hidden around every corner. Plus, a Southern brunch will be provided!

OUTSIDE CHARLESTON

1. Boone Hall Plantation

The exterior scenes of Allie’s family’s summer house were filmed at Boone Hall Plantation just outside of Charleston.

You’ll instantly recognize it as you turn onto the oak-lined driveway and see the iron gate in front of the house against which Noah crashes his truck while desperately searching for Allie, only to discover that she is moving away.

This action was not intentional during filming, but the director liked it and kept it.

Located on Wampacheone Creek, Boone Hall Plantation has a long history.

The charming “Avenue of the Oaks”, seen several times in the movie, was first planted around 1743. The property features nine slave cabins dating back to 1810, which also appear in the film, albeit briefly.

Boone Hall is one of the oldest working plantations in the country, with over three hundred years of history.

Boone Hall Plantation is open for public tours seven days a week. In addition to the plantation house and grounds, the public can also visit Boone Hall Farms, the agricultural branch of the operation. This beautiful market is open year-round and is located at the front of the property.

The best way to visit the plantation is with this tour that depart from Charleston!

2. Cypress Gardens

The reunion between Noah and Allie begins when Noah takes Allie out in a rowboat to see the hundreds of swans on the lake behind his house. The beautiful scenery was also filmed near Charleston, at Cypress Gardens in the town of Moncks Corner, but it is not actually behind Noah’s house.

The scene itself, although set in the warmer months, had to be filmed in January so that the numerous alligators in the swamp would be hibernating and not tempted to attack the swans… or the actors!

You can take a tour of the swamp in your own rowboat, but you won’t witness the great swan migration: they were trained and brought in specifically for the movie. Don’t be surprised by the rain (or maybe you will)!

Address: 3030 Cypress Gardens Road, Moncks Corner, SC 29461.

3. Old Village, Mount Pleasant

The fictional town of Seabrook is the setting for most of the movie.

It is Noah’s hometown and where Noah and Allie first meet, where they eat ice cream and ultimately fall in love.

Although Seabrook is fictional, a real town was used to represent it. The Old Village of Mount Pleasant was dressed up to look suitable for a Southern town in the 1940s, and it is indeed very convincing.

The address 110 Pitt Street is a private residence, though it served as the only hotel in Seabrook (the Seabrook Inn) for the movie. Allie stays there when she returns to Seabrook to see how Noah is doing.

Pitt Street is one of the main streets of Old Village, lined with several charming shops and boutiques.

To get to Mount Pleasant, there’s no better way than to book this private tour that will also show you the main locations from the hit Netflix series ‘Outer Banks’ and other movie sites.

4. Martins Point Plantation

And nearing the end, you’re probably thinking:”I can’t leave without visiting Noah’s white house with blue windows!”

In the movie, Noah tells Allie the (fictional) story of a dilapidated house that was once known as Windsor Plantation. He mentions that it was built in 1772 and that Francis Marion proposed to his wife under the stairs, but the scenes from the film were actually filmed at Martins Point Plantation.

For the movie, it was ‘destroyed’ (using visual effects) for the initial scenes and then returned to its original appearance for the ‘renovated’ scenes.

Very little is known about the actual history of the plantation. It is located near a creek at the end of a long dirt road on Wadmalaw Island, about an hour south of Charleston. The main house was built sometime in the late 18th century.

The house and grounds (including the dock from the iconic rain scene) are private property and inhabited, so unfortunately, it is not accessible.

Address: 1260 Martins Point Rd, Wadmalaw Island, SC 29487

What you can do is book your stay in a typical Southern mansion that will transport you to this beautiful home of Allie and Noah: Harbourview Inn, The Vendue, Downtown Art Hotel or The Palmetto Hotel.

If you’re a movie fan like us, you can create your Custom Neon Signs with the name of your favorite film or series, and even have your own Hollywood-style neon. Imagine hitting play every single day!

We hope you enjoy a unique movie-themed trip! If you want to find more information about the filming locations of your favorite series and plan a movie-worthy journey, we look forward to seeing you at screenbie.com!