The 5 Surprising New Jersey Locations Where 'It Ends With Us' Was Filmed (It's Not Boston!)

The highly anticipated film adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s novel, It Ends With Us, has captivated audiences, but the setting on screen is not what fans of the book might expect. As of December 2025, the latest information confirms that while the story of Lily Bloom is firmly rooted in Boston, Massachusetts, and a fictional town in Maine, the majority of the movie’s production took place across the Hudson River, utilizing the vibrant cities of New Jersey to double for the New England backdrop. This strategic choice by the filmmakers allowed for a fresh, unique aesthetic while maintaining the feel of a major East Coast city.

The decision to film in New Jersey, specifically in cities like Hoboken and Jersey City, was a key logistical and creative move. Location Manager Jeff Brown revealed that the production team, led by director and star Justin Baldoni, chose New Jersey for its ability to convincingly mimic the architecture and atmosphere of Boston, Massachusetts, without the logistical challenges of shooting in the actual city. The result is a cinematic landscape that feels both familiar to the book’s readers and visually stunning.

The Creative Team and Cast Behind the Adaptation

The success of the It Ends With Us film, based on the 2016 novel by author Colleen Hoover, is a testament to its dedicated cast and crew. This romantic drama was brought to the screen by a talented team, many of whom also served as executive producers, ensuring the film stayed true to the spirit of the source material.

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• Director: Justin Baldoni
• Screenplay Writer: Christy Hall
• Author & Executive Producer: Colleen Hoover
• Director & Executive Producer: Justin Baldoni
• Location Manager: Jeff Brown

Main Cast and Characters

The film features a compelling ensemble cast, bringing the beloved characters from the novel to life:

• Blake Lively as Lily Bloom
• Justin Baldoni as Ryle Kincaid
• Brandon Sklenar as Atlas Corrigan
• Jenny Slate as Allysa Kincaid
• Hasan Minhaj as Marshall

The filming process, which included reshoots and wrapped up in early 2024, saw the main cast members, including Blake Lively and Brandon Sklenar, spending significant time in the heart of Hudson County, New Jersey.

The 5 Key New Jersey Cities That Doubled for Boston

Contrary to the novel’s setting in Boston, Massachusetts, and the fictional town of Plethora, Maine, the film’s crew utilized several real-life locations across New Jersey to capture the necessary urban and neighborhood feel. This use of on-site filming locations, rather than a soundstage, gives the movie a grounded, authentic texture.

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1. Hoboken: The Home of Lily Bloom's Flower Shop

Hoboken, New Jersey, was a central location for many of Lily Bloom’s (Blake Lively) most memorable scenes. The city’s charming brownstones and neighborhood streets provided the perfect substitute for a Boston neighborhood.

• Lily’s Flower Shop: The real-life Field Colony art gallery in Hoboken was famously transformed into "Maya & Maxim," the "homey-looking shop" that Lily opens in the novel. Other reports indicate it was also dressed as "Lily Bloom's" flower shop. The exterior of this establishment is located on Bloomfield Street in Hoboken.
• Neighborhood Shots: Numerous storefronts and local neighborhood shots were captured throughout Hoboken, providing the quaint, walkable urban setting for the protagonists' lives.

2. Jersey City: The Urban Backdrop and Fateful Scenes

Jersey City served as the primary urban backdrop, providing the necessary scale and atmosphere to convincingly portray a major city like Boston.

• The Big Kiss Scene: One of the most talked-about moments, the big kiss between the characters, was reportedly filmed on Newark Avenue in Jersey City right after Christmas.
• The Fateful Restaurant: A key restaurant scene was filmed at South House, a fine dining establishment in Jersey City, which stood in for a Boston eatery.

3. Weehawken: Ryle Kincaid’s Luxurious Loft

The production team utilized the luxury residential buildings of Weehawken, New Jersey, to create the impressive apartment of Dr. Ryle Kincaid (Justin Baldoni).

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• Ryle’s Loft: The gorgeous, high-end loft was specifically filmed at a building owned by Veris Residential. This location provided the modern, expansive space needed to reflect Ryle’s successful neurosurgeon career.

4. Plainfield, New Jersey

Plainfield, a city in Union County, New Jersey, was also listed as one of the filming locations used by the production crew. While specific scenes shot here are less publicized, its inclusion suggests the crew sought out diverse architectural styles and settings within the Garden State to complete the visual world of the film.

5. New York City

Although the bulk of the filming occurred in New Jersey, New York City was also used for some scenes. Given New York’s proximity to Hudson County, it is common for productions to utilize Manhattan or surrounding boroughs for quick establishing shots or specific interior scenes that require a particular urban feel, further cementing the East Coast setting.

The Importance of Location in the Story of Lily Bloom

The geographical setting is more than just a backdrop in It Ends With Us; it is a crucial element of Lily Bloom’s journey. Her move to Boston, Massachusetts, symbolizes her fresh start and her attempt to build a new life after growing up in the fictional town of Plethora, Maine.

The Boston setting, although primarily portrayed by New Jersey, represents the bustling, ambitious environment where Lily meets Ryle Kincaid and opens her beloved flower shop. The use of real-life, visitable locations in Hoboken and Jersey City, such as the Field Colony gallery and South House restaurant, allows fans to physically connect with the cinematic world of the novel, bridging the gap between the fictional narrative and the real-world production.

Ultimately, the choice of New Jersey as the primary filming location for It Ends With Us was a creative masterstroke. It provided the production with the versatility and authenticity needed to double for a major New England city, ensuring that the emotional weight of Colleen Hoover’s story—starring Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni—is grounded in a believable, visually rich environment, even if it's not the Boston the book describes.