10 Finest Seaside Cities in South Carolina

Folly Seaside

“As somebody who lives 10 minutes from Folly Seaside, I actually really feel like I’m on trip the place I dwell,” Katie Hirsch, the director and chief curator of the Halsey Institute of Modern Artwork, tells Journey + Leisure. It’s one of many closest seaside cities to Charleston, so it’s a fantastic choice for a day journey in the event you’re visiting the Holy Metropolis; simply make sure to arrive on the sooner aspect if you wish to beat the crowds and have a better time parking. Plus, “in the event you’re an early riser,” says Hirsch, you would possibly wish to “strive discovering shark tooth throughout a morning seaside stroll.” She additionally recommends grabbing some meals at native favourite Jack of Cups Saloon for “sudden bites impressed by Asian delicacies.”

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Hilton Head Island

“Hilton Head Island is likely one of the greatest locations to flee to if you wish to be close to a seaside city however desire a totally different atmosphere from Charleston,” explains Hirsch. “It has fashionable touches however nonetheless retains its Southern allure, interesting to each vacationers and locals alike.” Hilton Head is understood for its golf programs and bike trails, however there’s one thing for everybody on the 12-mile-long, five-mile-wide island. Gullah heritage excursions, boat rides, paddleboarding, and birding are all itinerary contenders, and Hirsch additionally says the vacation spot has “a few of the greatest thrift shops.” If that’s up your alley, save a day for exploring the products at The Discount Field, My Sister’s Closet, and The Church Mouse.

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Isle of Palms

I’ve spent numerous days on Isle of Palms, a small barrier island slightly below half-hour from downtown Charleston. It’s one of many extra family-friendly seashores within the space, with many guests opting to remain at Wild Dunes Resort or hire a roomy oceanfront residence. Regardless of the place you’re on the island, although, its leisurely tempo, extensive seaside, and basic small-town options will entice guests of all ages. One in all my favourite issues to do on “IOP,” because the locals name it, is to seize dinner at Islander 71 and watch the boats come out and in of the marina. I’d additionally advocate testing the dwell music schedule at The Windjammer — or choosing up a to-go frosé from The Co-Op.

Sullivan’s Island

Named one of many greatest seaside cities on the East Coast, Sullivan’s Island continues to be a favourite — particularly for Charlestonians. “The seaside may be very relaxed, and the marsh views are second to none,” says Betsy Fuller, proprietor of A Maker’s Put up. “If you happen to’re visiting, I’d advocate taking an extended seaside stroll ending at Station 22.5, so you may head into ‘city,’ aka Center Road, to perform a little purchasing.” This a part of Sullivan’s Island is standard for its varied eateries; there’s all the pieces from Mexican and barbecue to burgers and seafood. Fuller recommends getting a desk at Excessive Thyme or The Obstinate Daughter — then grabbing a nightcap at Dunleavy’s.

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Beaufort

The second-oldest metropolis in South Carolina, Beaufort is usually in comparison with Charleston; it’s historic, stunning, and crammed with oak timber and wonderful structure. Its proximity to the water can be a perk. Equally to Charleston, you’ll should drive a bit out of the primary hub to get to the seaside. If you happen to don’t thoughts parking your seaside chair by Battery Creek, relatively than the Atlantic Ocean, make your method to the Sands Seaside on the southern finish of Port Royal. The seaside is free to the general public, and there’s lots to maintain the entire household entertained, together with shark tooth searching, a boardwalk, and an commentary tower. For true oceanfront seashores, you’ll have to drive to Searching Island State Park, the place 5 miles of lovely seashores dwell alongside marshes, a saltwater lagoon, and maritime forests. 

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Pawleys Island

Rest is paramount whenever you’re visiting Pawleys Island, a barrier island seaside city situated between Myrtle Seaside and Charleston. That is the kind of place the place time mechanically slows, the place you’re inspired to log out, and the place you may see the unparalleled pure splendor of South Carolina’s coast. Spend your days crabbing, browsing (if the waves allow), fishing, {golfing}, or eating on basic Lowcountry staples; simply don’t neglect to avoid wasting time for the artwork of doing completely nothing. For a very rejuvenating getaway, ebook a room at The Pelican Inn, an eight-bedroom bed-and-breakfast with a variety of studying nooks and locations to take a nap. 

Murrells Inlet

Murrells Inlet, or the “Seafood Capital of South Carolina,” makes this checklist for a couple of causes. For starters, the historic fishing village has a characteristic generally known as MarshWalk. The picket boardwalk spans a half-mile alongside a pure saltwater estuary and several other eating places, together with Bovine’s, Wahoo’s Fish Home, and The Claw Home. In between journeys to the far-from-crowded Huntington Seaside State Park, guests ought to make some extent to cease by Brookgreen Gardens, a zoo and 9,100-acre sculpture backyard. Murrells Inlet was additionally beforehand the placement of Goat Island, which Hirsch calls a “spectacle to see,” however as of 2023, the resident goats have been changed with steel goat replicas as excessive tides posed an excessive amount of of a menace to the animals.

Edisto Seaside

Edisto Seaside isn’t your typical, buzzy seaside city — and that’s the fantastic thing about it. There are not any stoplights, excessive rises, or chain eating places on the whole thing of Edisto Island, and the seaside city itself wholeheartedly embraces the magic of sluggish dwelling. For leisure, guests can (respectfully) discover the 4.5 miles of shoreline, take a dip within the ocean, and seek for shells, shark tooth, and different fossils which will wash up on shore. Biking, kayaking, and dolphin excursions are additionally favourite trip additions. But when there’s completely one factor you may’t miss whereas visiting Edisto Seaside? The fantastic sunsets. Carry a blanket to Edisto Seaside State Park, sit again, and benefit from the present. 

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Myrtle Seaside

Myrtle Seaside could technically be a metropolis, but it surely has the entire trappings of your basic seaside city. There’s a bustling boardwalk, golf programs, go-karts, memento purchasing, and, after all, a variety of public seashores. “I’ve all the time been drawn to the nostalgia that you’ll find on Myrtle Seaside,” says Fuller. “One in all my favourite motion pictures, “Shag,” is ready there, and at any time when I watch it, I daydream about going again to go to the seaside city within the Fifties.” And whereas it is likely to be synonymous with spring break crowds and households on summer time trip, this can be a vacation spot that delivers — whether or not you’re hoping to spend the day by the water or holding your schedule full, from sun-up to sunset. 

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Kiawah Island

“Seaside city” has totally different associations for various individuals. To me, a seaside city is someplace that’s simply navigable by bike; it’s a spot with just a few outlets that each one, for probably the most half, promote some type of solar hat or location-specific t-shirt. In South Carolina, a seaside city additionally evokes a nostalgic mixture of humidity, salt water, and the scent of pluff mud. Kiawah Island meets all of those standards — after which some. A majority of the island capabilities as a gated personal group, accessible solely to residents, their friends, and people with reservations, although there are a few areas open to the general public, particularly Kiawah Beachwalker Park and Freshfields Village. On the latter, you may load up on all of your trip necessities — groceries, seaside reads, bathing fits, and extra. 

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