Destinations › Beaches and Islands › Which Beach
Pick a South Carolina beach by what matters to you: free parking (3 beaches), a natural state park beach (4), or a beach near Charleston, Myrtle Beach or Hilton Head. Dogs: 19 allow them part of the day, with summer limits. Filter the table, then open the town guide for parking and rules.
Pick by What Matters
Free Parking 3
Towns that list free beach parking.
State Park Beaches 4
Natural beaches with park admission, trails and campgrounds.
Near Charleston 6
Charleston County beaches, from Isle of Palms to Kiawah.
Myrtle Beach Area 8
Horry and Georgetown County, North Myrtle Beach to Pawleys.
Hilton Head and Beaufort 5
Edisto, Hunting Island and Hilton Head Island.
Lifeguards Listed 12
Guarded in season, as published.
Every Beach, Side by Side
| Beach | Parking | Dogs | Kind | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Myrtle Beach (city beach, incl. Cherry Grove, Ocean Drive, Crescent Beach, Windy Hill) North Myrtle Beach | See rules | Allowed, with limits | Town beach | Nothing may be left on the beach 7 pm to 8 am. May 15 to Labor Day only umbrellas allowed as shade (tents, cabanas not allowed). Surfing/skimming limited to designated areas 10 am-4 pm in that season. |
| Myrtle Beach (city beach, oceanfront and Boardwalk) Myrtle Beach | Paid | Allowed, with limits | Town beach | Free-parking exceptions: valid handicap placard, Purple Heart, DAV, Medal of Honor plates, resident decals. |
| Myrtle Beach State Park Myrtle Beach | Paid | Allowed, with limits | State park | Park has a fishing pier; no S.C. fishing license needed on the pier but daily fishing fee applies. Bikes not allowed on the beach 10am-5pm May 1 through Labor Day. |
| Surfside Beach (town beach) Surfside Beach | Paid | Allowed, with limits | Town beach | Surfside Pier (fishing pier) info: 843-913-6360. |
| Garden City Beach (Unincorporated Horry County) Garden City | Free | Allowed, with limits | County park | Free year-round parking at oceanfront accesses is county-run (Parks and Recreation). |
| Pawleys Island (town beach) Pawleys Island | Free | Allowed, with limits | Town beach | Motorized vehicles including golf carts and e-bikes banned on beach; camping and overnight sleeping prohibited. Trash receptacles and dog-waste bags at public accesses. |
| Litchfield Beach (unincorporated Georgetown County accesses) Litchfield Beach | See rules | Allowed, with limits | County park | Rules apply on public beaches in unincorporated Georgetown County; incorporated and private areas may differ. No vehicles on beaches or dunes; no sleeping on beach midnight to sunrise. |
| Huntington Beach State Park Murrells Inlet | Paid | Allowed, with limits | State park | Atalaya (Anna and Archer Huntington's former winter home) is on the park; Nature Center Marsh Boardwalk closed for construction at time of reading; Oyster Shell Landing and North End Road may close for King Tide 10/24/26-11/2/26. Surf and jetty fishing need a valid S.C. fishing license. |
| Isle of Palms (city beach) Isle of Palms | Paid | Allowed, with limits | Town beach | "Fireworks and open fires are strictly prohibited." |
| Isle of Palms County Park Isle of Palms | Paid | Allowed, with limits | County park | Free handicapped parking at the county park noted on city page. |
| Sullivan's Island (town beach) Sullivan's Island | See rules | Allowed, with limits | Town beach | Thomson Park at Breach Inlet: swimming not allowed due to strong currents (search excerpt of town site). |
| Folly Beach (city beach) Folly Beach | See rules | Allowed, with limits | Town beach | Folly Beach Pier: 1,049 feet long, 25 feet wide, 22 feet above sea level; walking is free; fishing pass $7 adults, $4 kids 12 and under/seniors 60+/active military (pier page, follybeach.com, 2026 season). Pier hours April-October 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. |
| Folly Beach County Park (west end) Folly Beach | Paid | Allowed, with limits | County park | Park is at the west end of the island. |
| Kiawah Beachwalker Park Kiawah Island | Paid | Allowed, with limits | County park | Only public beach access on Kiawah Island (county park at the west end). |
| Edisto Beach (town beach) Edisto Beach | See rules | Allowed, with limits | Town beach | Glass containers prohibited on the beach. |
| Edisto Beach State Park Edisto Island | Paid | Allowed, with limits | State park | Beach and campground park; ADA golf cart access temporarily unavailable at time of reading. |
| Hunting Island State Park Hunting Island (Near Beaufort) | Paid | Allowed, with limits | State park | Only publicly accessible lighthouse in South Carolina (page says 167 steps to the top); one fishing pier; Nature Center 9 a.m.-4 p.m. daily. Bridge to Little Hunting Island/Boneyard Beach temporarily closed due to high tides at time of reading. |
| Coligny Beach Park, Hilton Head Island Hilton Head Island | Free | Allowed, with limits | Town beach | Town also runs a Coligny Beach Parking Shuttle (page linked, not read). |
| Hilton Head Island town beach parks (Driessen, Folly Field, Islanders, Alder Lane, Burkes, Fish Haul) Hilton Head Island | Paid | Allowed, with limits | Town beach | Burkes Beach Access is at Chaplin Community Park, the town's only dog park per a search excerpt. |
Exact rates, seasons and dog hours are in the full beach table.
FAQ
Which South Carolina beach is best with a dog?
Pick by the hours you will be there. Most beaches keep dogs off the sand in the middle of the day from May through Labor Day or September and allow them early and late; the exact window differs by town, so check the full beach table.
Which beach has free parking near Charleston?
Coligny Beach Park, Hilton Head Island.
Cite this page: It's South Carolina, “Which South Carolina Beach Should I Pick?”, itssouthcarolina.com/destinations/beaches-and-islands/which-beach/ (updated ). By the It's South Carolina editorial team. Free to quote with attribution and a link to this page; data and tables are licensed CC BY 4.0.