Pawleys Island, SC

Chef Adam Kirby's flagship is the kind of place locals book for birthdays and anniversaries — eclectic lunch and dinner menus that pull from Asian, Mediterranean, and Southern larders without losing coherence. The Monster Bistro Burger at lunch has a cult following, and the dinner seafood changes with the catch. Worth the reservation wait.

A Pawleys Island institution dating to the 1930s building — two venues under one roof: the formal inside room for white-tablecloth dinners, and the casually festive Outback patio strung with lights under live oaks. Globally inspired menus with consistently fresh local seafood. One of the best spots on the whole Grand Strand for a special occasion.

Contemporary Southern comfort food done right — local sourcing, inventive daily specials, and a brunch that draws people from as far as Myrtle Beach. The sandwich called 'The Comfy' is exactly that. Light-filled space in Island Shops that feels casual enough for post-beach without being sloppy.

Set in a rustic building on the north causeway, Chive Blossom blends Southern classics with Mediterranean, French, and Asian touches in a way that feels intentional rather than eclectic. Trina's she-crab soup and the fried green tomato Napoleon have long-standing reputations. A genuinely lovely lunch or dinner spot that doesn't try too hard.

An English pub experience with a Lowcountry accent — house-brewed ales on tap, elevated comfort food, and a lakeside setting that makes it hard to leave. Karaoke and trivia nights keep the energy up, and the second Murrells Inlet location sits right on the MarshWalk. One of the most fun bars in the area that also happens to serve genuinely good food.

Family-owned since 2014 and run by two brothers who actually cook, Gios turns out the kind of Italian food that tastes like someone's grandmother is in the kitchen. The lasagna is the real deal and the tiramisu is house-made. The marinara sauce is widely considered among the best in South Carolina — a bold claim that the regulars don't dispute.

A Murrells Inlet legend since 1948 — recipes handed down through multiple generations of the same family, a loyal local following, and recognition from Southern Living Magazine. This is the seafood you came to the Lowcountry for: fresh, unpretentious, and cooked by people who've been doing it for decades. Get the calabash-style fried shrimp.

A Murrells Inlet MarshWalk fixture since 1979, Drunken Jack's sits right on the water with panoramic marsh views and a menu built around the freshest catch. Chargrilled seafood, specialty cocktails, and a waterfront atmosphere that turns golden at sunset. One of the most scenic waterfront dining experiences on the entire Hammock Coast.

Self-described as 'arrogantly shabby,' the Tavern has been a local gathering spot for decades — a funky fishing-village bar with live blues on weekends, the legendary Island Country Club triple-decker sandwich, and the kind of unpretentious vibe that draws both vacationers and year-rounders. Don't expect fancy; do expect character.

A family-owned spot in North Litchfield Beach that punches above its strip-mall exterior — generous portions of locally sourced seafood and steaks, house-made soups and sauces, and a crowd that returns every vacation. It's the kind of reliable neighborhood restaurant that tourists are lucky to stumble into and locals consider their own.

A two-mile out-and-back boardwalk trail through Huntington Beach State Park that crosses spartina marshes, coastal forest, and arrives at a saltwater pond with elevated observation platforms. The birdwatching here is legitimately exceptional — this is one of the top birding sites in South Carolina, drawing serious birders from the whole eastern seaboard during migration.

An 18.6-mile paved multi-use trail running from Pawleys Island north through Litchfield and Murrells Inlet to Garden City — flat, shaded in sections, and one of the best recreational paths on the Hammock Coast. Connects beach access points, restaurants, and parks without a car. Popular with cyclists, walkers, and inline skaters of every ability level.

A 3-mile loop through the state park that takes in freshwater lagoons, maritime forest, and dune swales — entirely different ecosystem than the beach but running parallel to it. Alligators are common in the lagoons, so keep kids and pets close. The Maxwell Observation Deck midway gives elevated views of the entire marsh system.

Four miles of barrier island beach accessible from multiple public access points on the historic island — a walk on a natural-state Atlantic beach with no high-rises blocking the horizon. The southern tip of the island is a particularly secluded stretch that feels miles from the road.

The MarshWalk restaurants collectively host live music almost every night of the summer — blues, beach music, country, and original artists at Creek Ratz, Wicked Tuna, Dead Dog Saloon, and Drunken Jack's. It's one of the most consistently lively evening scenes on the South Carolina coast, and you don't need a reservation to enjoy the music from the boardwalk.

Throughout the year Brookgreen hosts special evening events — Halloween Nights of Brookgreen, holiday lights installations, outdoor concerts, and the annual Atalaya Arts Festival in the fall. The sculpture garden by twilight is genuinely stunning, and the family programming around holidays is among the best in the region.

Several outfitters on the MarshWalk and adjacent docks run boat tours through the Murrells Inlet estuary — dolphin watching, bird and wildlife spotting, sunset cruises, and fishing charters. The inlet's shallow protected waters make it one of the best places on the SC coast to reliably see bottlenose dolphins feeding in the marsh.

A 16,000-acre Lowcountry research reserve just south of Georgetown that was once the playground of the Baruch family — Franklin Roosevelt and Winston Churchill both recuperated here. Guided tours cover the mansion, the enslaved communities' village Friendfield, the tidal rice fields, and 300+ species of birds. One of the most historically layered and ecologically rich places on the SC coast.

Beyond the beach and trails, Huntington Beach offers surf fishing along some of the most productive shoreline on the Grand Strand, plus a boat launch into the adjacent Murrells Inlet for kayaks and canoes. Families rent gear and spend full days between the beach, the jetty, and the lagoon-edge picnic areas. One of the better all-day outdoor destinations on the coast.

A 9,100-acre National Historic Landmark that defies a single category — world-class outdoor sculpture garden, a working wildlife zoo, botanical gardens, and a 300-acre nature preserve with former rice plantations. Anna Hyatt Huntington's monumental bronze works are scattered through rooms of manicured gardens, and the pontoon boat tours through old rice fields and alligator habitat are genuinely spectacular. One of the top cultural destinations in the entire Southeast.

Three miles of pristine South Carolina coastline — uncrowded even in summer by Grand Strand standards, backed by salt marshes that hold the best birdwatching in the state (osprey, herons, bald eagles, painted buntings). The 1930s Moorish-revival Atalaya Castle on the grounds adds a surreal architectural exclamation point. Considered by many naturalists the crown jewel of the SC state park system.

A half-mile elevated wooden boardwalk along a natural saltwater estuary — the social and culinary heart of the 'Seafood Capital of South Carolina.' A string of waterfront restaurants, live music most nights, charter boats heading out at dawn, and a marsh that turns pink-orange at sunset. It's the one evening experience in the area that locals recommend to everyone they know visiting.

The shopping anchor of Pawleys Island — 25 shops under ancient live oaks draped in Spanish moss, anchored by the Original Hammock Shop where the Pawleys Island rope hammock has been handmade since 1889. Artisan crafts, jewelry, local art, and enough restaurant options to make it a half-day stop. Feels genuinely local rather than touristy.

One of the oldest summer resort islands on the East Coast — four miles of narrow barrier island with no chain stores, no traffic lights, and a commitment to looking almost exactly as it did 100 years ago. Historic beach cottages on stilts, shell-strewn tidal creeks, and some of the uncrowded Atlantic coastline in South Carolina. The vibe is quiet, intentional, and protective of its own character.