Huntington Beach State Park, along Hwy. 17, 3 miles south of Murrells Inlet, across from Brookgreen Gardens (tel. 843/237-4440; www.southcarolinaparks.com), offers one of the best beaches along the Grand Strand. Entrance is $5 for adults, $3.25 for seniors, $3 for children 6 to 15, and free for children 5 and under. The 2,500-acre park has a wide, firm beach, which is slightly orange. Anna Hyatt Huntington and her husband, Archer, the creators of Brookgreen Gardens, once owned this coastal wilderness. The park is the site of their Iberian-style castle, Atalaya. In the park are 137 campsites, along with picnic shelters, a boardwalk, terrific birding, bike rentals, and toilets. Swimming in specially marked sections is excellent, as is fishing from the jetty at the north side of the beach, or crabbing along the boardwalk. Campsites are rented on a first-come, first-served basis, at a cost of $21 to $28 per day (price depends on sites with electricity and water). The park is open April to September daily 6am to 10pm, and Saturday to Thursday 6am to 6pm and Friday 6am to 8pm in off season.
Caledonia Golf & Fish Club, King River Road, Pawleys Island (tel. 800/483-6800 or 843/237-3675), opened in 1993. Tees are marked by replicas of native waterfowl that inhabit the old rice fields. The centerpiece of the course is a clubhouse, a replica of a 1700s colonial plantation house. Architect Mike Strantz, a former assistant to Tom Fazio, took care to highlight the natural beauty of the area: huge, centuries-old live oaks; pristine natural lakes; scenic views of the old rice fields; and glimpses of native wildlife. Greens fees are $110 to $175.
