Pawleys Island ranks high on ‘Best South Carolina Beaches’ list

As many people have already discovered, Pawleys Island is a unique and beautiful place that urges visitors to return year after year.

And once again, Pawleys Island has ranked high on a list of vacation destinations, this time placing No. 2 in the U.S. News & World Report’s list of the “Best South Carolina Beaches”.

In a recent article by Alissa Grisler, she states that South Carolina has more than 2,870 miles of tidal coastline filled with some of the best beaches on the East Coast.

“From renowned Kiawah Island to charming Hilton Head Island, travelers may find it hard to settle on just one beach destination for their next vacation,” Grisler wrote. “To help, U.S. News considered natural beauty, cleanliness, nearby amenities and expert and traveler sentiment to determine the best South Carolina beaches.”

Making the No. 2 spot on the venerable magazine’s list, Grisler accurately describes Pawleys Island as the oldest seaside resort on the East Coast and that it is still largely non-commercialized.

“The area is remote in feel, offering up a short list of things to enjoy aside from its white sand beach (with nearly 10 access points) and Pawleys Island Creek,” Grisler wrote. “If you’re into nature, though, this is your haven.”

The magazine also notes that Brookgreen Gardens, the famed 9,000-plus acre wildlife preserve and botanical sculpture garden in Murrells inlet, is just a short drive away. And that golfers will want to reserve a tee time on the mainland at Pawleys Plantation Golf & Country Club, a short drive south from the historic island of Pawleys Island.

Other beaches on the list were: Hilton Head (No. 1), Seabrook Island (No. 3), Kiawah Island (No. 4), Isle of Palms (No. 5), Hunting Island State Park (No. 6), Sullivans Island (No. 7), Cherry Grove (No.8), Folly Beach (No. 9), Garden City (No. 10), Edisto Beach (No. 11), and Bulls Island (No. 12).

“We are ecstatic about Pawleys Island ranking No. 2 on this list from a national publication,” said Mark A. Stevens, director of tourism development for the Georgetown County Chamber of Commerce. “From its pristine beach to the scenic marsh of its creek, Pawleys Island is a very special place for visitors and residents alike.”

More about Pawleys Island

Also in 2024, Pawleys Island was named “South Carolina’s Best Beach” by USA Today and 10 Best. That doesn’t come as a huge surprise to the families who have been visiting the barrier island for generations. A coastal area that allows people to step back in time, Pawleys Island exemplifies the laidback, carefree lifestyle of South Carolina’s Hammock Coast®, the tourism moniker for all of Georgetown County.

There are no stop lights on Pawleys. No neon. No rush hour. Heck, there’s not even a gas station or even a grocery store on the three-mile-long barrier island. But there is a one-of-a-kind enchanting experience that you’ll find nowhere else. Pawleys Island has been attracting vacationers since the 1700s when plantation owners would move their families, livestock and workers over to the island from the mainland to escape mosquitoes during summer months.

Accommodations

Pawleys Island welcomes vacationers from all around the world with multiple vacation homes to rent and enjoy as their very own beachfront oasis. For a real step back in time, visitors often seek accommodations from the island’s only commercial properties – The Pelican Inn and The Sea View Inn. The Pelican Inn, a beachfront hotel built in the 1840s, offers the perfect place to recharge and unwind with Southern hospitality, Lowcountry cuisine and unmatched authenticity. The Sea View Inn, a 20-room bed-and-breakfast built in 1937, offers three meals a day in a charming, rustic and laid-back atmosphere that guests return to annually. And, if romance is in the air, couples are enchanted by the historic Pawleys Island Chapel, where history and romance blossom throughout the year.

Shopping, Dining & Things To Do

Night life often consists of dining out on at the restaurants on Pawleys mainland, just a short drive away, and long conversations on screened porches. For those who want to do a little shopping, it’s off to the mainland, and no trip is complete without a visit to the the Island Shops and the other shopping hamlets that dot the Pawleys area. Be sure to visit The Original Hammock Shop, located in the Hammock Shops Village, and take home a handmade rope hammock.  If award-winning golf is more your scene, then you’ve found the perfect spot! Within a few miles of one another in the Pawleys Island community, enthusiasts will find a dozen of the nation’s most awarded golf courses by top publications like Golf Digest and Golf Magazine.

Accolades for Pawleys’ Beach

Named to National Geographic’s list of Best Beach Towns, Pawleys Island is renowned for its beautiful, pristine beach. And the accolades don’t stop there. Southern Living magazine touts Pawleys as one of its top recommended beaches, and one of the most beautiful places on the South Carolina coast. Pawleys was runner-up in a Garden & Gun magazine contest to name the Best Southern Beach Town in 2021, and in 2020, TrafficAddictsLife.com named Pawleys one of the best beaches in the world! 

Of course, locals have long known that Pawleys Island offers  peace, relaxation and fun in abundance. Visitors enjoy sunbathing, surfing, biking and collecting shells on the beach, crabbing off a dock, or canoeing and kayaking through the salt marsh creek. Fishing is available both in the surf and from two marsh bridges, or by boat, launched from three of the island’s boat ramps.

By Clayton Stairs / tourism manager for the Georgetown County Chamber of Commerce