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South Carolina is a great place to live if you’re looking for a beach town! South Carolina has many coastal towns, so there is something for everyone, depending on what you are looking for! Some of the coastal cities in South Carolina attract more tourists than others, and some of the beach towns are more affordable than others.
If you’re looking for a place to go boating, fishing, crabbing, shrimping, catching oysters, surfing, sun bathing, or looking for a city near the beach with great bars and restaurants, then South Carolina has a beach town for you! Read my list below of the best beach towns and coastal cities in South Carolina.
Here is my list of the best beach towns in South Carolina:
- Charleston
- Kiawah Island
- Seabrook Island
- Isle of Palms
- Wild Dunes
- Folly Beach
- Sullivan’s Island
- Edisto Beach
- Myrtle Beach
- Fripp Island
- Hilton Head Island
1. Charleston
First of all, there are no large beaches on the Charleston Peninsula, but Charleston is surrounded by water. It is located along the Atlantic Ocean, the Intracoastal waterway, and Charleston harbor and is surrounded by large Rivers (Ashley River, Cooper River, Wando River, etc.) and tidal creeks. Charleston is a great location to live, with several large beaches within driving distance.
Charleston is a great coastal city in South Carolina if you enjoy big-city life. Beaches surrounding Charleston include Sullivan’s Island beach and Isle of Palms to the Northeast. Folly Beach, Kiawah Island (Kiawah Beachwalker Park), and Seabrook Island (no public beach on Seabrook Island) to the southwest. Many smaller beaches are located along the rivers and tidal creeks surrounding Charleston.
Charleston is an amazing place to live if you’re looking for a coastal city in South Carolina with amazing food and a vast history and culture. If you’re not sure if Charleston, SC, is the right area for you, read my pros and cons of living in Charleston, the 17 best places to live near Charleston, and my 100 things to do in Charleston.
2. Kiawah Island
Estimated Drive Time to Downtown Charleston: 45-55 Minutes– Depending on Traffic and Location
Kiawah Island is a barrier island with a resort-style gated community covering about 11 miles. It is located approximately 25 miles southwest of Charleston and is a popular resort-style beach community in South Carolina. Dr. Beach has ranked Kiawah as one of the top 10 Beaches in America, and if you visit Kiawah, you will see why. Kiawah is a gated community and is a great place to live, own a vacation home, or retire.
Kiawah offers a variety of club memberships, including a membership to The SandCastle for homeowners. Sandcastle offers an exercise facility, meeting rooms, and oceanfront pools for members. Other Kiawah Island memberships available for some of the residents include the Governor’s Club and the Private Kiawah Island Club.
Kiawah Island has multiple fantastic golf courses and hosted the 2021 PGA Championship at the Ocean Course, designed by Pete Dye. The island offers around 30 miles of biking and hiking trails, approximately 10 miles of oceanfront property, and various club amenities.
Kiawah Island is a luxurious community with many amenities, but these amenities come at a cost, including HOA and membership fees. Real Estate on Kiawah Island is typically more expensive than most nearby areas.
Kiawah Island Golf Courses
- Turtle Point Golf Course
- Cassique Golf Club
- Oak Point
- Osprey Point Golf Course
- The Ocean Course
- Cougar Point Golf Course at Kiawah Island
Kiawah Island Homes for Sale
3. Seabrook Island
Seabrook Island is a barrier island covering about 7 square miles, and is located within Charleston County, bordered by Johns Island and Kiawah Island. Seabrook Island is a gated, resort style, beach and golf community located approximately 45 minutes (25 miles) from Charleston’s Downtown area. Seabrook Island is smaller than Kiawah Island, making it a good option for people who want to live in a resort-style community with fewer residents.
Seabrook Island offers many amenities, including a swimming pool at the SIPOA Lake House, tennis courts, an equestrian center, oceanfront pools, great dining, 2 golf courses, a fitness center with aquatics, a boat/kayak launch, and more! Like Kiawah Island, living on Seabrook Island comes at a cost; you can expect to pay HOA, membership, and regime fees.
Seabrook Island Homes for Sale
4. Isle of Palms
Isle of Palms is a city on a barrier island that neighbors Sullivan’s Island and Mount Pleasant and is only approx. 15 miles from Downtown Charleston. The City of Isle of Palms is open to the public, with a large gated community called Wild Dunes, located on the island. Isle of Palms is a nice beach town located near Charleston, SC. It has many great places to eat, a public beach at Isle of Palms County Park, and multiple public beach access locations along the island. Isle of Palms is not far from amenities in Mount Pleasant and is within a reasonable driving distance to the Charleston Peninsula.
Similar to Folly Beach, located on the other side of Charleston, Isle of Palms attracts a lot of tourists. If you’re looking for a quiet beach town, this may not be the place for you. However, Wild Dunes is a private and gated resort-style community located within Isle of Palms if you’re looking for a more secluded area.
Isle of Palms- Homes for Sale
5. Wild Dunes
Wild Dunes is a resort-style, gated community on the Isle of Palms. Wild Dunes/Isle of Palms is an excellent area for people looking for a secluded beach town near Mount Pleasant and Sullivan’s Island. Wild Dunes is a private community covering approximately 1600 square acres on the northeastern end of Isle of Palms.
Wild Dunes offers 2 golf courses/country club, tennis courts, a pool, oceanfront real estate, and multiple beach access locations. The Wild Dunes Links Golf Course, designed by Tom Fazio, has been ranked as one of the Country’s best golf courses by top100golfcourses.com. Wild Dunes also offers the Harbor Golf Course, a Spa, miles of hiking and bike trails, a fitness center, and great dining options.
Wild Dunes Homes for Sale
6. Folly Beach
Folly Beach is in Charleston County, South Carolina, and is one of the closest beaches to downtown Charleston, at approximately 11.5 miles away. It is not gated and is a popular tourist destination. Folly Beach offers many souvenir shops, Surf Shops, public beach access locations, bars, and places to eat.
Folly Beach gets crowded during the tourist season. It is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the area, and if you’re looking for a quiet beach town, this may not be the location for you. However, it is a beautiful location that is not too far from downtown Charleston.
Folly Beach also offers a less crowded beach on the island’s west side, at Folly Beach County Park (there is a fee to enter the County park). You can also drive to the east side of the island and view the Morris Island Light House. There is no fee to enter Folly Beach, but there are some locations where you may need to pay for parking.
Pets: Dogs are not allowed on the Folly Beach Pier. Dogs are allowed on the beach year round, but are not allowed on the beach from 10am-6pm May 1st-Dec. 30th.
Folly Beach- Homes for Sale
7. Sullivan’s Island
Sullivan’s Island is a beautiful beach town near Charleston, and is only about 9.5 miles away from downtown Charleston. It has some of the area’s most expensive real estate for sale in South Carolina. Sullivan’s Island is not a gated community; it is open to the public and is the location of the historically significant Fort Moultrie. Writer Edgar Allen Poe was stationed at Fort Moultrie from 1827 to 1828, and it was also the site of Revolutionary War and Civil War battles.
Kiawah Beachwalker Park is my favorite public beach near Charleston, but Sullivan’s Island is a close second. There are multiple locations to access the beach on Sullivan’s Island, but my favorite is near Fort Moultrie. The beach on Sullivan’s Island seems to attract fewer people than Folly Beach and Kiawah, but it is a great location to visit for a relaxing day on the beach. There is no fee to enter the beach on Sullivan’s Island.
Pets: A Pet Permit is required (as of March 2025, Permits are $25 for residents of Sullivan’s Island, and $50 for all others) to bring your dog to the beach on Sullivan’s Island, which you can purchase at Town Hall. To get the permit, you will also need to provide proof of rabies vaccination (collar tag is not valid proof). Dogs Are Not allowed on the beach May 1st- October 31st from 10am-6pm, but are allowed on a leash from 6pm-5am during these dates. You may also let your dog run off-leash at certain times.
Sullivan’s Island Homes for Sale
8. Edisto Beach
Edisto Beach is located in Colleton County, South Carolina, and is about 48 miles from downtown Charleston. It is a good option for people who would like to live near the beach at a more affordable price than other beaches closer to Charleston. Edisto Beach is a small town located at the south end of Edisto Island, with nice restaurants, a campground, and multiple public beach access locations. Edisto Island is less populated than other islands closer to Charleston (Johns Island, James Island), and may be a good option for you if you’re looking for a rural area to live in South Carolina.
The Botany Bay Plantation Heritage Preserve and Wildlife management area is a fun place to visit on Edisto Island, near Edisto Beach. Botany Bay is a 3,363 acre Wildlife Management Area (WMA) located in Charleston County, and has historic plantations, a nice beach area, and is open for hunting certain times of the year.
Edisto Beach Homes for Sale
Edisto Beach is the last beach town on this list that is within a close driving distance to Charleston (about 1 hour). The next 3 beach towns are farther away.
9. Myrtle Beach
Myrtle Beach is another Coastal City in the State, about 95 miles from Charleston, and is another place to consider if you’re looking to live near the Beach. Myrtle Beach is a popular tourist location and has approximately a 60-mile stretch of beach nearby, known as the “Grand Strand.” Myrtle Beach is a popular vacation resort-style city in South Carolina and offers a beachfront boardwalk, golf courses, mini-golf, restaurants, and fun things to do with the family.
Myrtle Beach is also the location of the Family Kingdom Amusement Park, which has one of the tallest Ferris wheels in the country. If you’re looking for a City to live on the beach, with a lot of stuff to do, then Myrtle Beach might be the right area for you.
10. Fripp Island
Fripp Island is a barrier island located in Beaufort County, South Carolina, about 93 miles from Charleston. Fripp Island is in a more secluded area than many of the other coastal cities on this list, and is bordered by Huntington Island State Park. Fripp Island is the home of Ocean Creek Golf Course, and has great restaurants to eat there. Fripp Island is a popular tourist destination, but is will likely be less crowded than the beaches near Charleston. Fripp Island is about a 35-minute drive from Beaufort, SC or Port Royal, which are not big cities.
11. Hilton Head Island
Hilton Head Island is a barrier island in Beaufort County, South Carolina, and is located about 98 miles from Charleston. Hilton Head Island is located near the South Carolina and Georgia border, and is about 20 miles away from Savanah, GA. Hilton Head is a resort town, and is a popular tourist destination. Hilton Head Island has a rich history, including Native American History, European History, and Civil War History. Hilton Head became an important base for the Union’s blockades during the Civil War.
There are a lot of things to do in Hilton Head, including: Golf, beaches, boating, fishing, many great places to eat, and much more. Hilton Head is also located close to the Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport, making it a good location to live if you do a lot of traveling.
Conclusion
Thank you for ready my list of the best beach towns in South Carolina. Please contact me with any questions about the best places to live in coastal South Carolina, the cheapest beach towns in South Carolina, South Carolina Coastal Towns, Coastal Towns near Charleston, SC, or Oceanfront Communities in Charleston!
Discover the allure of Charleston’s beach towns as you navigate through the idyllic coastal communities. From the family-friendly ambiance of Isle of Palms to the laid-back atmosphere of Folly Beach, each town boasts its distinctive attractions and activities. Bask in the sun on pristine beaches, indulge in delectable seafood at waterfront eateries, or explore quaint shops and boutiques – a diverse array of experiences awaits.
These beach towns cater to both adventure enthusiasts and those seeking serenity. Iconic lighthouses, scenic boardwalks, and historic landmarks punctuate the coastline, enhancing the coastal charm. Immerse yourself in the rich history and lively culture of the Lowcountry, where every cobblestone street and historic edifice weaves a narrative that seamlessly blends the past with the present.
Pack your flip-flops and sunscreen, and get ready to uncover the sun-drenched paradise that unfolds in Charleston, SC’s beach towns. Whether you’re drawn to history, beachside relaxation, or the allure of southern charm, this coastal destination promises an experience tailored to your desires.