Huntington Beach State Park, SC: Things To Do
Don’t miss Huntington Beach State Park, a beautiful coastal preserve with a charming past. From birdwatching to Moorish architecture, this park never disappoints.
Huntington Beach State Park is located in Murrells Inlet on the South Carolina coast. The park is only about 20 minutes south of Myrtle Beach, so it makes a great day trip if you are staying in the area.
In this post, I will tell you the best things to do at Huntington Beach – and I will share some pro tips.
Huntington Beach State Park: Quick Facts
- Where: Murrells Inlet, South Carolina, off Highway 17
- Entry Cost: $8 for adults (16+), $4 for youth (6-15)
- Pet Friendly: yes! (dogs are allowed on the south end of the beach)
- Website: southcarolinaparks.com/huntington-beach
Huntington Beach began as the winter home of Anna Hyatt Huntington, a renowned sculptor, and her philanthropist husband, Archer Huntington. Anna suffered from tuberculosis, so the warmer climate in the south was good for her.
The couple wanted to help preserve the South Carolina coast’s natural beauty, so they bought up land on both sides of Highway 17. Today, the state park and Brookgreen Gardens remain as their legacy.
After spending two happy days exploring the park, I am very grateful they took the time to save it from exploitation. We were day visitors, but note that camping is available at Huntington Beach, as well.
PRO TIP #1: Think carefully about what time you want to visit the park. If you want to explore the coastal marshes, then make sure you visit at low tide. Some trails and boardwalks are not accessible during high tide.
PRO TIP #2: If you are staying at Myrtle Beach State Park, like we were, then you can enter Huntington Beach for free. Just show the ranger your Myrtle Beach parking permit and you are good to go.
Things to do at Huntington Beach State Park
This park is special for its natural beauty and its cultural past. Here are some of my favorite activities! You will want to consult the park map, since signage within the park is not the best.
First of all, let’s get an idea of the lay of the land. Once you enter the park, you drive over a causeway. To your right is a freshwater pond, Mullet Pond. To your left are saltwater marshes fed by Oaks Creek.
Once you get off the causeway, you have two options. You can turn right to visit the south beach, the Atalaya, the Kerrigan Nature Trail, and the gift shop. Or you can turn left to explore the saltwater marshes, the Sandpiper Pond Nature Trail, the north beach, and the nature center.
And now I will tell you more about all these options! Note that during high tide, you likely will not be able to turn left, so some of the park is inaccessible.
1. Visit the Atalaya
After purchasing their new coastal property, Anna and Archer Huntington began building a winter home: the Atalaya. Now the building is a National Historic Site and is open for tours and special events.
The Atalaya, constructed in the early 1930s, is modeled after the Moorish castles in southern Spain. Rooms and passageways surround a large central courtyard where palm trees and flowers bloom.
Atalaya means “watchtower” in Spanish, and indeed a small watchtower rises at the center of the courtyard. You can’t climb the tower, but you can explore the living rooms, studios, and old stone passageways to your heart’s content. There are even kennels where Anna used to keep the bears and leopards that she sculpted!
There is a fee of $2 to enter the Atalaya – definitely worth it! You can attend one of the guided tours or simply wander around on your own. My family and I chose the latter option and we had a lot of fun. They give you a map and there are interpretive signs throughout the residence.
PRO TIP: Guided tours happen at most once a day. Typically on weekdays there is a tour from 2 to 3 and on Saturdays from 12 to 1, but you should definitely check the official park schedule.
2. Stroll on the beach
Huntington Beach State Park includes 3 miles of beautiful white beach, part of the Grand Strand. There are two access points, depending on what your goal is.
The South Beach Access is in the parking lot near the Atalaya. If you have dogs with you, then this is the beach for you. The North Beach Access point is near the end of the Sandpiper Pond Nature Trail (see below) and it leads to the north beach, which is a bird sanctuary. No dogs are allowed.
3. Hike the Sandpiper Pond Nature Trail
The Sandpiper Pond Nature Trail is a 2-mile (round trip) path through the woods along Sandpiper Pond. You can park near the Nature Center to start, or you can go up to the north beach parking lot to do the trail in reverse.
The trail is both easy and enjoyable. You can admire the coastal forest – with some beautifully contorted trees – and gaze out at Sandpiper Pond. The path is ideal for people of all ages . . . and it’s a favorite among birders!
NOTE: During high tide, the Sandpiper Pond Nature Trail cannot be accessed. So make sure you time your visit well!
4. Explore the saltwater marshes
My favorite part of the state park was the system of boardwalks that crisscrossed over the salt marshes. There is a particularly nice boardwalk that begins right behind the Nature Center.
When the tide is low, you can walk out over the salt marshes and learn about the unique ecosystem. The boardwalk features informative signage that explains what you are looking at. You learn about the spartina grass, the oyster beds (temporarily exposed by the low tide), and more.
Birds love the saltwater marshes, too. A few roseate spoonbills graced us with their presence, which was very exciting for me, since I have always wanted to see roseate spoonbills!
NOTE: This system of boardwalks is not on the park map and does not have an official name. Perhaps this is because it is routinely underwater during high tide. In any case, it is easy to find it: park near the nature center and then head around toward the marshes.
5. Go birdwatching
Huntington Beach State Park is known for being one of the best birding sites in the southeast. I’m only a casual birder myself, but my brother is an expert (getting a degree and everything) and he loves this park.
Great places for birds are the Sandpiper Pond Nature Trail and the many boardwalks over the saltwater marshes. When we were hiking we spotted so many birders hidden in the shrubbery. If you want to walk a bit more, then another great place is the jetty (1.2 miles up the north beach).
Don’t miss the Huntington Beach State Park bird checklist. This handy sheet, created by the Waccamaw Audubon Society, tells you the likelihood of seeing the 353 species spotted in the last 50 years.
And check the event calendar because the park hosts Coastal Birding walks on Wednesdays at 10 for most of the year. Children are welcome.
6. Look for alligators
There are lots of alligators at Huntington Beach State Park, and the best place to see them is apparently Mullet Pond. (This is the body of water that is on your right when you drive on the causeway.)
We took the .3-mile Kerrigan Nature Trail to an observation deck overlooking Mullet Pond. It was cool, but alas – no alligators. Granted we were there in January, so the odds were not in our favor.
If you are visiting the park in June, July, or August then you can join a special alligator walk led by park staff. The event occurs several days a week from 10 to 11; check the program of events for exact dates and times.
7. Go kayaking in the marshes
Kayakers of all experience levels are welcome to come explore the coastal marshes with guides form Black River Outdoors. You get a 2-hour guided tour of the saltmarshes – awesome, right?
Tours occur on Tuesday mornings throughout much of the year. You have to book this experience in advance and it costs $40 per person. You can read all the details here.
I wasn’t able to do this myself, but I love kayaking and I loved the saltwater marshes, so it sounds like a lovely experience to me.
8. Visit the Nature Center and meet the reptiles
I have mentioned the Nature Center in passing a few times now. If you want to learn more about the park and its wildlife, then head inside and look at the displays. Children (and adults) will enjoy seeing the living turtles, alligators, etc.
For much of the year, the Nature Center hosts weekly family-friendly events. You can come and meet the naturalists and the live education animals. Check the event calendar for Turtles’ Time Out, Spineless Wonders, and Snakes & Reptiles.
Plan Your Visit to Huntington Beach State Park
Huntington Beach State Park receives the most visitors between May and September, so you may find it quite busy if you visit at that time. We were there in January and it was still beautiful . . . and much calmer.
Many of the programs only run from March to October, so that is something to take into account. But we had so much fun exploring on our own in January, so it all depends on what your style is.
The biggest seasonal event that you should be aware of is the Atalaya Arts & Crafts Festival. It occurs every September and brings together arts, crafts, food, and music in a fun weekend.
Attractions Near Huntington Beach State Park
There is so much to do along the Grand Strand, so I have picked a few things to highlight here.
- Across Highway 17 from Huntington Beach State Park lies Brookgreen Gardens. Half botanical garden, half sculpture park . . . what more can you ask for? Visit Brookgreen to see some of Anna Hyatt Huntington’s sculptures. I haven’t had a chance to visit myself yet, but it is at the top of my list for when I am back in the area.
- Head 20 minutes north to explore Myrtle Beach State Park. I have written a whole post about the park, which you can read here!
- Go ghost-hunting in nearby Pawleys Island. Head to All Saints Church to visit the grave of Alice Flagg, South Carolina’s most famous ghost. I have a full post on Alice coming soon!
Happy exploring!
