Cabot Cove, Maine is not a real town. It is the fictional fishing village where Jessica Fletcher lives in Murder, She Wrote. The show never names its real location, but fans have used clues from the episodes to narrow it down, and several real Maine coastal towns share its feel.
Is Cabot Cove a Real Place?
No. Cabot Cove exists only in fiction. CBS aired Murder, She Wrote from September 30, 1984 to May 19, 1996, for 12 seasons and 264 episodes, with Angela Lansbury as Jessica Fletcher. The show calls Cabot Cove a small coastal town in Maine, and that is as specific as it gets.
Where Is Cabot Cove Supposed to Be?
The clues do not all agree. One first-season episode places the town just north of Newcastle, Maine. Other episodes mention Route 27, which runs along the coast in only a limited area, say the town is south of Augusta, and refer to Coast Guard stations in Boothbay and Rockland. One fan blog uses these clues to point to the Boothbay Harbor area, which is the blogger’s own inference, not something the show states.
Where Was Murder, She Wrote Filmed?
Not in Maine. Most episodes were shot on sound stages at Universal Studios in California. Mendocino, a Northern California town, stood in for Cabot Cove, and the dockside scenes were filmed a few miles north at Noyo Harbor in Fort Bragg.
Maine Towns That Feel Like Cabot Cove
- Boothbay Harbor: a working waterfront with lobster and fishing boats, and the town fans most often name.
- Kennebunkport: a small coastal village on the southern coast, about 90 minutes from Boston.
- Rockland: a Penobscot Bay harbor town with art museums and the Maine Lobster Festival each August.
None of these is Cabot Cove, but each gives you the small harbor town look the show is known for.
The Cottages at Cabot Cove in Kennebunkport
The Cottages at Cabot Cove is a real hotel in Kennebunkport with 16 small cottages, open in summer and fall. It is not a filming location. According to Roadtrippers, the name comes from a nearby inlet called Cabot Cove, not from the TV show, and the property was formerly the Sleepy Hollow Motor Lodge. Check its own website for current rates and dates.
Cabot Cove, Maine FAQ
Is Cabot Cove, Maine a real town?
No. It is the fictional setting of Murder, She Wrote. There is a hotel called The Cottages at Cabot Cove in Kennebunkport, but it is a hotel, not a town.
Where is Cabot Cove in Maine?
The show never says. Its clues point to the midcoast, near Boothbay, but they conflict, so there is no official answer.
Where was Murder, She Wrote filmed?
Mostly on Universal Studios sound stages in California, with Mendocino and Fort Bragg, California, used for exteriors. It was not filmed in Maine.
Can you visit Cabot Cove?
Not the town itself, but you can visit Boothbay Harbor, Kennebunkport or Rockland for a similar Maine harbor village. For another fictional Maine town, see our Castle Rock, Maine guide.