The 4 Best Beaches in South Carolina
By Brittany Hunter
The Best Beaches in South Carolina
Have you ever wondered where to go for the best beaches in South Carolina? If you’re anything like me, whenever you need to relax and take a break from hectic days, you crave the beach.
Beaches offer so much. A cool breeze, the sound of seagulls, sand between your toes, and the ocean hitting your legs. The ocean itself offers us so much more – even if you don’t live near the coast.
Marie Hasty discusses this in her article, Why You Should Care About Our One World Ocean. The ocean protects us by producing oxygen and absorbing carbon dioxide.
South Carolina is one of the best states to enjoy everything the ocean has to offer.
Known for its family-friendly beaches, warm weather, and plenty of golf courses, the state attracts tourists from all over the country.
With 2,876 miles of coastline, South Carolina has many beautiful beaches to choose from if you want to take a trip. But when you can’t pick just one and can’t see them all, how do you narrow down your options?
We did the research for you!
You might be looking for a beach that has it all. Or maybe a more remote getaway. Whichever you prefer, this list of the best beaches in South Carolina will have something for you.
Let’s dive in!
1 – Myrtle Beach
If you’re looking for a beach with a little bit of everything, this is the one.
Taking up 60 miles of South Carolina coastline, Myrtle Beach offers more than fun in the sand.
These are some of the amazing sights you’ll find in Myrtle Beach:
- Boardwalk
- Promenade
- Shops
- Restaurants
- Water activities
- Amusement park
- Museums
It’s no wonder over 19 million people visit every year! Myrtle Beach may bring tourist crowds, but it’s popular for a reason. With so many things to do for both kids and adults, it’s hard to do everything you want in one visit.
For a one-stop-shop of beach fun, this is one of the best beaches in South Carolina for you.
2 – Folly Beach
If you’re looking for a water-sport staple, make your way to Folly Beach.
It doesn’t take long to find a spot for:
- Kayaking
- Boating
- Surfing
- Sailing
- Paddleboarding
If relaxing with a fishing pole is more your speed, don’t worry! The mellow nature of Folly Beach makes this the beach for you, too.
As a mostly residential town, you don’t have to worry about a lot of attractions drawing a ton of crowds every day. Folly Beach is pretty laid-back. There aren’t a ton of distractions from the beautiful landscape.
It’s so beautiful, people even get married there.
And being only 12 miles from Charleston, it’s close enough to the city to have plenty of other things to do.
But you might not need to leave the beach at all. Folly Beach has plenty of restaurants, shops, and bars of its own.
Take a stroll down the Folly Beach Pier to visit Pier 101 Restaurant and Bar. This is the perfect spot for some seafood and cocktails with beautiful views of the Atlantic Ocean.
If you want a getaway with more options than laying out on the sand, Folly Beach is the place for you!
3 – Kiawah Island
Imagine walking down to the sparkling ocean in 80-degree weather.
As you walk you realize you’re the only one around except for a couple of people scattered here and there. It’s fairly quiet except for the waves crashing on the beach.
You take a seat, get out a good book, and enjoy the relaxing surroundings.
Kiawah Island is the place for a peaceful break from reality. In fact, it’s so far from reality that the only public beach access is through Beachwalker County Park.
There are many resorts on the island for people who want more than just a day to enjoy the area. Considering those ocean view rooms, it’s a wonder that Kiawah Island isn’t more popular with tourists.
But the lack of crowds compared to other beaches – like Myrtle Beach – makes this place a hidden gem. It’s perfect for the ultimate South Carolina beach getaway.
And the waves hitting the sand isn’t the only nature there is to enjoy at Kiawah Island.
The Kiawah Island Nature Center gives you a closer look at all the wildlife living on the island. Alligators, birds, dolphins, deer, and bobcats – to name a few. The Nature Center is one of the many things to do with the whole family on your trip to Kiawah.
4 – Hilton Head Island
Hilton Head Island was built to accommodate vacationers. It has everything you could want on a beach vacation – most of which you can easily get to on a bike.
For a relaxing, family-oriented upscale beach vacation, look no further.
You’ll find plenty of classy resorts, restaurants, and shopping for the ultimate treat-yourself trip.
Lounge on the clean, white-sand beaches or take your pick from the many sports activities like tennis, volleyball, polo, and golf of course. There are also plenty of parks and trails for hiking and biking.
The museums and wildlife refuge offer educational ways to learn about the surrounding natural environment.
Want to explore a city on your trip? Hilton Head is not too far from both Beaufort and Savannah.
Although the crowds pick up in the summers, any time of the year is a good time to visit Hilton Head. Just don’t forget your sweater in the winter!
Many people swear it’s one of the best beaches in South Carolina.
Protecting the Beaches in South Carolina
With 95% of our one world Ocean still unexplored, there’s no telling how much more we benefit from the ocean than we currently know. Unfortunately, trash has been found in what’s thought to be the deepest part of the ocean.
Everything we do has an effect on our one world Ocean.
So take some time to play in the sand or swim in the ocean. But remember that any trash you leave behind could end up in the water, in marine life, and eventually in our bellies.
Want to do more than read a good book while enjoying the sound of the waves in the background?
Picking up after ourselves is a very simple solution.
But Ocean Blue Project makes it easy to get more involved.
You can enjoy the beach and do something good for it at the same time by organizing a beach cleanup in South Carolina or at your local beach.
Volunteers like you help make beaches like those discussed in this article more enjoyable for everyone. Plus, they make the environment safer for the animals – both on land and in the sea.
Head on over to Ocean Cleanup to organize or join a beach cleanup.
Can’t get to a beach but still want to help?
Ocean Blue Project’s goal is to remove 1 million pounds of plastic from our coasts and river banks by 2025. You can support our efforts by shopping in the Ocean Blue online store.
And don’t forget to stay up-to-date on environmental news and Ocean Blue Project by signing up for our newsletter.
Author Bio: Brittany Hunter is a copywriter living in Los Angeles. She loves reading, hiking, and watching Netflix with her puppy, Cali.
