Pawleys Island is the opposite of Ocean Boulevard and, for many South Carolinians, the ideal beach. It sits at the southernmost end of the Grand Strand, about 25 miles south of downtown Myrtle Beach, a four-mile barrier island reached by causeways across the salt marsh, and it has stubbornly refused to modernize. There are no high-rises, no grocery stores, no gas stations and no hotels apart from two old inns; instead, the island is lined with weathered cypress cottages and understated beach houses, and its proudly relaxed character has earned it the nickname "arrogantly shabby." It is also one of the oldest seaside resorts on the East Coast. In the 1700s, planters from the rice plantations along the Waccamaw River brought their families here in summer to escape the heat and mosquitoes of the swamps, and a dozen residences dating from the late 1700s to the mid-1800s survive in the island's historic district. Pawleys gave the world the rope hammock, created here in the late 1800s to catch the sea breeze, and you can buy an original on the mainland side of the causeway. The appeal is simple: long, uncrowded beach walks, crabbing and fishing in the creeks, paddling the marsh, cycling the quiet roads and hunting for the island's own seashell. Visit as a day trip from Myrtle Beach, or rent a cottage for a week of doing very little.
Understand the island's rules before you go. It is overwhelmingly residential, so parking and beach access are limited and spread along the island road; respect private property and use public access points. The island's two inns are institutions: the Sea View Inn, a 20-room beachfront inn operating since 1937, with homemade meals served daily, and the Pelican Inn, an eight-room bed and breakfast in one of the island's original 1840s houses, overlooking the marsh with its own boardwalk to the beach. Both offer a taste of the old Pawleys rhythm, porches, rocking chairs and hammocks included.
How to spend a day: drive or cycle the length of the island, walk the historic district to see the old cottages, spend the middle of the day on the beach, and crab or fish from the creek side in the afternoon. Kayaking and canoeing through the marsh are popular, and the 26-mile Waccamaw Neck Bikeway links Pawleys with Litchfield Beach and the Murrells Inlet area for longer rides. On the mainland side of the causeway you will find the hammock shops, restaurants, golf courses and services the island itself lacks.
Pawleys is lovely in every season, but especially in fall and spring, when the water is still pleasant, crowds are thin and the marsh light is at its best. In November many rental houses sit empty and the island feels almost private. Combine it with Brookgreen Gardens and Huntington Beach State Park, ten to fifteen minutes north, and finish with dinner on the Murrells Inlet MarshWalk for a complete south-strand day.
What to expect
The experience
A small, residential barrier island with historic cypress cottages, two old inns, quiet beaches, creeks for crabbing and marsh paddling, and hammock shops on the mainland side.
Best time
Spring and fall for mild water and empty beaches; early mornings in summer.
How long
Half a day as a day trip; a week to live the island pace.
Tips
Parking and access are limited, so arrive early in summer and use public access points. Bring crabbing gear or a bike. Buy your hammock on the mainland side of the causeway.
Quick picks
- Best for
- Travelers who want an old-fashioned, low-key beach.
- Families
- Good for crabbing, bikes and calm beach days; rent a house for longer stays.
- Couples
- A slow day of beach walks, porch time and a marsh sunset.
- Pair with
- Brookgreen Gardens, Huntington Beach State Park and the Murrells Inlet MarshWalk.
- Time needed
- Half a day or longer.
Good questions
How far is Pawleys Island from Myrtle Beach?+
About 25 miles south of downtown Myrtle Beach at the southern end of the Grand Strand, usually a 35 to 45 minute drive.
Why is Pawleys called "arrogantly shabby"?+
Because it has deliberately stayed low-key: weathered cottages, no high-rises, no chain stores and no hotels apart from two old inns.
Where do Pawleys Island hammocks come from?+
The rope hammock was created on the island in the late 1800s to catch the sea breeze. Originals are sold on the mainland side of the causeway.
Where can I stay on the island?+
In rental cottages and houses, or at the island's two inns, the beachfront Sea View Inn and the Pelican Inn bed and breakfast.
What is there to do?+
Beach walks, shelling, crabbing, fishing, cycling and paddling through the salt marsh, plus a historic district of old cottages.
