South Grand Strand

"While the Grand Strand stretches for nearly 60 miles from the North Carolina line to Georgetown, each area of the beach has developed its own personality, and the communities lying south of Myrtle beach are no exception! Through all are vibrant with activity, life is more relaxed on the South Strand". 

Surfside Beach and Garden City Beach are both minutes from Myrtle Beach proper and were developed in the 1940’s and 50’s as “family beaches” lined with single-family cottages. Through change has come in the 50-plus years since, the two remain mostly family destinations, offering a taste of the way things used to be, with amusement parks, hot dog emporiums, arcades and fishing piers.

Beyond Garden City Beach is Murrells Inlet, a picturesque fishing village that proudly calls itself “The Seafood capitol of South Carolina.” Here you can take in the spectacular view of the marshes and inlet while enjoying a meal of freshly caught seafood. After dinner, stroll along the waterfront boardwalk, a community project designed to allow unparalleled access to the inlet’s beauty.

Rich in history as well, Murrells Inlet marks the northernmost end of the Waccamaw Neck, a narrow spit of land between the Waccamaw River and the Atlantic Ocean. The Waccamaw Neck was home to the antebellum rice plantations that once produced half the rice grown in the world!

Huntington Beach State Park and Brookgreen Gardens, just south of Murrells Inlet, are a must to see. The pristine beach and marshes at Huntington allow a look back at how the coast must have looked prior to the development. Rolling sand dunes covered with sea oats and other vegetation flank one of the widest and most beautiful beaches along the Strand. It’s a great place to view native wildlife, such as alligators and dozens of species of birds, and it’s also a super spot for shell hunting.

Huntington Beach exists in this near-natural state thanks to the foresight of Archer and Anna Huntington, creators of Brookgreen Gardens. Their winter home, Atalaya, is the centerpiece of the park.

Brookgreen Gardens, just across Highway 17, is well known for the world’s largest outdoor collection of American Figurative Sculpture, set among more than 2,000 species of native and nonnative plants. With native wildlife, historical and cultural exhibits, and tours and excursions, Brookgreen is worthy of several days’ visits.

Litchfield Beach’s natural beauty has been enhanced by careful development and landscaping and is the perfect alternative for those seeking a quiet getaway.

With name recognition built primarily on rope hammocks, Pawleys Island has much more to offer than a gentle swing in the breeze. This little barrier island, once the summer home for area rice planters, wears the phrase “arrogantly shabby” like a badge of honor. Several homes and inns on the island date to the 1800’s.

The South Strand is also the site of some spectacular golf courses including Wachesaw, True Blue and Caledonia, all built on and named for former plantations.

Take a drive south and discover all the South Strand has to offer!