I was here in December 2025 visiting friends. We went to this wonderful park. It was very clean with clear paths to the beach. The have a water station to rinse your feet after playing in the sand. The park has a entrance fee, but I'm not sure what it was since my friends had an annual park pass. Parking was plentiful There is a nice gift shop to which you need to walk through to get to the pier. I found some cute souvenirs as touristy prices. The pier has a gigantic chair for photo opts! read more

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Came here for my classes' field trip! What a beautiful day it turned out to be, the entry price wasn't bad at all- it was $20 for my two littles and me. The park was clean and easy to navigate. The beach is absolutely stunning! I love that there were pavilions close to the beach as well as a park! The shower house was clean and easy to access. It's nice to be able to go home clean from the sand. The day we went the beach wasn't crowded, the sand was nice and soft especially when walking barefoot. This is a must visit spot! read more

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Had a good time at Huntington Beach State Park. Grounds are well maintained, the beach is right there so enjoy some time with feet in the sand. Got a close view of an alligator as well. Only drawback is Atalaya Castle. Definitely expected more there and it wasn't worth the extra charge in my opinion. Good time otherwise though. read more

Huntington Beach State Park - Gator - Parks Near Me - Murrells Inlet, South Carolina

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This is only a review of the north beach. In early August, I arrived around 13:00, and it was low tide. There was a wide stretch of sand. The water was warm. The weather was great. If you walk about a mile north, there is a jetty. The beach felt very clean because there were no kelp or shells strewn around. I didn't see many trash cans, but it seems like people here respect nature well. To enter the park, you pay admission per person. Adults are $8. There are plenty of parking lots around. At the north parking lot, there was a bathroom and water refill station. There was even a covered area with picnic tables. I wish I had more time here. They offer daily activities/tours. I would be interested to see and learn more about alligators! read more

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Absolutely gorgeous piece of land near Murrell's Inlet, and a heaven for bird watchers. Birds are just everywhere, all different sizes and colors. There are alligators and turtles too, but I've only seen the latter, which is mostly okay by me, though I'd love to see one... far away... sleeping, ideally all the way across the marsh. The park feels like several different spots, since you get beach, marsh, woods, and maritime forest all in one!! Check out Atalaya Castle to tour the Huntington's winter retreat, and the Nature Center for a glimpse of wha creatures are featured in the park! read more

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Huntington Beach State Park is between Murrells Inlet and Litchfield Beach. They have numerous hiking trails, campsites, and plenty of RV parking. There is a fee to get in but it's reasonable based on your age. The beach is nice and I get the feeling that the sand was trucked in because it's more like sand that you would find along the gulf coast in Florida; much lighter and softer than what you'd typically find in South Carolina. The park store is quite nice with souvenirs, maps, and camping essentials. Definitely worth a visit if you're in the Myrtle Beach area. read more

This state park is GORGEOUS!! I could not believe the flora just driving in looking for the beach area! You need to pay or have a state park pass to enter but we had a pass. We drove over a bridge like over a marsh with photographers on piers and decks waiting for the right moment to catch that beautiful bird or maybe a gator! We found the beach parking near a fun children's playground and public restrooms. The path to the beach was clearly marked and easy to travel. Signage about potential animals was clearly visible. The beach!!! Soft sand, a warm breeze and "All I need are some tasty waves, a cool buzz, and I'm fine," (Jeff Spicolli, Fast Times at Ridgemont High.) worth a little distance from downtown Myrtle Beach, SC to enjoy this spot. It got busy too! No lifeguards but dog-friendly. Chefs kiss. read more

Huntington Beach State Park - Parks Near Me - Murrells Inlet, South Carolina

Great dog friendly state park , lots of wildlife and beautiful beach. The park itself is a 30 minute drive from my home but definitely worth it. The beach is very quiet, dog friendly and the wildlife is amazing. You'll see all sorts of birds, gators just sunning themselves and the occasional crab scampering around. The park has a great old castle and a gift shop for souvenirs. read more

Huntington Beach State Park - Parks Near Me - Murrells Inlet, South Carolina

Note: This is a review about the Atalaya Arts and Craft Festival and the gift shop, will update if I ever go to the beach or camping here. Went here on Saturday September 27th 2025 with my parents and a few friends to attend the Atalaya Arts and Craft Festival that was happening that weekend. Beautiful drive in to the state park. There is $8.00 admission, or one can purchase a park pass to get in for free. We parked near the south campground entrance, and used the restroom in the building that was called the gift shop. Restrooms were single stall, but clean. In the gift shop, they also had the check in area for their campground. We checked out the gift shop in which had ice cream, clothes, and souvenirs! Small, and we didn't purchase anything. Went to the front desk and the woman gave us some great information regarding the passes and the campground, and recommended that we check it out. We hope to purchase a pass eventually and visit the campground. We then walked to the Atalaya Arts and Craft Festival, which was on their grounds. There were signs pointing the ways to go. beautiful festival with music, and art. Although some feedback is to have pop culture art or something-- I often wonder how teens/children survive down here without all the pop culture art. Anyways, we also were able to explore some of the castle rooms and its grounds. Overall, would love to come again sometime! read more

What a beautiful find! The sign to enter the beach park is literally hidden on one side of the road and tucked away behind the forest. Although there is a fee for parking, it was very much worth it, even for a visit of just about an hour. After paying, you can go to one of the few area options to picnic, walk, or check out the beach. I headed north and there was plenty of space on the beach. The area was clean and even in late October the water was comfortable to swim in. Great experience and you might have an alligator sighting on your drive in! read more

Huntington Beach State Park - Parks Near Me - Murrells Inlet, South Carolina

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It is one of the nicest Parks in SC specially the South Campground with a very close to almost all sites path to the beach. It is a short walk to a pretty beach where you can go with Fido as long as he is on a leash. Contrary to what other reviewer said, there are gators and you can see them the minute you come to the park after you drive through the gate and get to Terrapin Rd with the water on both sides. Minus two stars simply because I believe there is no control over who comes in or goes out. Check out is at Noon and check in is at 2 so they have two hours to determine who is out on time and who is abusing their stay. We found out that the people that previously stayed in our spot had left 24 hours earlier so when we arrived here at noon we could have been cleared to enter even long before we arrived. But the Ranger doesn't arrive until 1pm and it was past 2pm when they did finally realized that the two autos that were parked in our site did not belong to the people that left early (they were already in Virginia) but belonged to 8 teenagers that had checked in earlier but chose a different site than the one they were assigned. That is why I say there is no control. The maximum number of people in one site is SIX so why did they allowed 8 to freely roam around and choose the site of their liking, they don't care who they are inconveniencing, they just want to have fun and I don't blame them but to the people that run this place because rates are higher than other State Parks. They should have known there was someone parked illegally but Ranger gets here at 1pm and in one hour or less it would be impossible to check all sites. The teenagers left at 6pm because they couldn't figure out how to set up their tent and I wasn't about to help them after they had me waiting for over two and a half hours. I take one star for the Ranger not realizing right away that the tags on the two autos had a different spot number than the one it was assigned to us, they could have been located earlier read more

Huntington Beach State Park - Gators - Parks Near Me - Murrells Inlet, South Carolina

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What a re-introduction to the beach! Came recommended by the staff at the time share where we were staying instead of the small beach that their shuttle serviced. Lots and lots of available beach, both long and deep. Waves were "family friendly." Easy walk from parking lot to beach, picnic pavilions, restrooms and soda/ice cream shop. And while some might find the lack of shells disappointing, I found the large amounts of shells - mostly broken - on the northern beach strips to be a walking hazard. Ask the little boy who was screaming bloody murder when his parents had to pull a seashell out of his foot. Did not see anything live in the water except the occasional seaweed, and didn't see motorized craft nearby. Unfortunately did not have time to stop at the alligator sanctuary for viewing on the way out. :( Did a lot of walking up and down the beach to soak up the fresh air. Would totally go back just for this beach. read more

We saw alot of gators! Nice views of the marsh! They did do an alge treatment recently so alot of orange stuff in the ocean. But overall recommend. Go here if in South Carolina. read more

Huntington Beach State Park - Parks Near Me - Murrells Inlet, South Carolina

We love camping here! Campers, bird watchers, and outdoor enthusiasts will all love it. The beach is easy to access from both north and south campgrounds. There is so much to do here- tour Atalaya historical castle, bird watch, walk the nature trails, and visit the beach. We love biking or walking down past the nature center then walking to the jetty. North side campground has more spacious spots but only a few full hookup spots. South side is newer and all full hookup, with barely a walk to the beach access. We have enjoyed both. Campground store is well stocked with essentials and a great selection of souvenirs. If you like to go out for dinner, Murrells Inlet has lots of great option and several of them right on the creek. read more

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We love looking for the alligators and riding through the roads. Our grandson loves the play area and the ice cream.

This is a beautiful, clean park. There is an entrance fee, $8 for adults. The trails are not very long, but they are clean and beautiful and full of wildlife. There are observation decks scattered throughout the park and plenty of picnic tables, parking spaces, and clean restrooms. One of the trails leads to the prestine beach. There is also a nature center on the property. The gentleman who was working at the center was very friendly and knowledgeable. We were very happy that we stopped in. This park seems like it would be a birder's paradise. We saw cranes, herons, white pelicans, eagles, and more. Would love to come back on a day that isn't so cold and windy - I bet we'd see even more amazing wildlife. read more

Wow! This is a wonderful place. Loved the marshes and nature center. Going on the marsh walk is very peaceful and relaxing. There is a well maintained campground on each end of the park. Atalaya, a Spanish moorish type building uncommon to the area. Very unique. The beach is beautiful with white sand and public access. Coming back from the beach you will find very nicely maintained bathrooms and changing rooms. They have several outside showers with multiple showers at different levels for feet, hosing off Sandy children and adults. This is a beautiful park. read more

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Such a beautiful park! It's been years since we visited this park, and a little different this time visiting with a toddler. We went around 9 a.m. on a Tuesday in March, and only saw about 4 other people in the Atalaya Castle. The grounds within the castle are very nicely maintained, and it's a cool spot to walk through for the extra $2. The staff were super friendly and gave my son a sticker! After the castle we stopped over at the playground for a little bit, and had it all to ourselves for about 15 minutes before the park started to get a little busy. The playground was well maintained and our son had a blast. In addition to the play structure with multiple slides and climbing areas, it included 2 swings, 2 bucket swings, and an accessible swing. We also walked the short pathway behind the castle to the beach and hung out for a little while. Very nice flat beach area! We did not have time for any of the short trails or boardwalks on this visit but highly recommend them from a previous visit. I was very happy to see that any of the staff we interacted with at both the entrance taking our money and at the castle were all wearing masks. The park has a lot of signs up about social distancing and wearing masks. read more

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This is a beautiful park that feels private because of the lower number of visitors. There is a small entry fee - well worth it for the lack of crowding, especially during covid. Wish we'd brought bicycles as there's plenty of bike and walking trails, along with boardwalks over the swamps. We didn't see any alligators, but certainly crabs and birds along the boardwalk - so peaceful and serene. There's also a gift shop and an interesting and informative educational center. The Atalaya Castle is located within this park, however an additional entry fee kept us from touring inside. Looked beautiful though. If we were locals, we'd buy the annual pass and visit often. read more

Huntington Beach State Park - Atalaya Castle entrance - Parks Near Me - Murrells Inlet, South Carolina

[Coronavirus review] This section of beach and neighboring land has a ton to offer. Inland, some boardwalks and trails are not huge but big enough to give you plenty of a sense of the wildlife. I saw none of the alligators signs warned of but plenty of crabs and birds. The beach was excellent, with a wide range of seaweed and various animals washed onshore, warm swimmable water, and a lot more space to breathe than in Myrtle Beach. My stay was ended a bit earlier by some rather apocalyptic-looking rainclouds that made for nice pictures as they rolled in, but tons of campers were toughing it out as I left. If what you want is something that's both easy to drive to and get around but also offers a nice wildlife experience, this is well worth the entrance fee. read more

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I have service dog. He was on leash. An elderly man came out of the gift shop, into foyer in front of the gift shop and tickets to see home of Mrs. Huntington. The man had been talking to an elderly couple for at least 5 minutes. We were waiting to buy 2 ,2 dollar tickets before being RUDELY TOLD MY SERVICE DOG WAS CUTE. And he can't go into the place, instead of being rude, I let him go, BUT TO BE CLEAR, HE CAN NOT STOP MY SERVICE ANIMAL FROM GOING ANYWHERE. He was rude, definitely obnoxious and wasn't doing his job. There were at least 10 other people like us waiting on him to stop gossiping with his friends and sell us tickets. I will be calling Park Rangers. I want to make something VERY CLEAR. Not emotional support pet, A MEDICAL NECESSARY FOR ME. I have seizures. He is to be with me by air, sea, and by land. There are ZERO RESTRICTIONS FEDERALLY WHERE HE CAN GO WITH ME. Also, was it really necessary to harass the 60 year old lady from Kentucky who was drinking water from her glass water bottle on the beach? Would a warning not have been enough? There was at least 20 SC RESIDENTS WHO WERE ALL ABSOLUTELY EMBARRASSED BY HOW THEY WERE SPOKEN TO AND TREATED BY THE SHERIFF ON THE BEACH. Another fabulous idea- stop driving your ATV's so damn close to the people laying on the beach, the next thing we are going to hear about is child ran over by overly aggressive sheriff officers on ATV's . They go too fast, they weave in between the people. Great idea- GET OFF THE MACHINE AND GO WALK AND TALK TO THE VISITORS INSTEAD OF BEING A JERK. I have been going there over 50 years. I have camped there, we have had amazing experiences there. I'm very unhappy with the new way of treating their guests. read more

Review for Birdwatching!!! What a great place ! I go for bird watching & photography! I've learned that later in the day, closer to sunset is the best time to go. There is all kind of water fowl, turtles, gators & other small wildlife. It's so peaceful & beautiful. I've gotten some of my best shots right there as you enter- but you hv to continue to the parking lot which is close. The entrance fee is per person as you go to park. On the other side of the main causeway is another great place, where I recently saw bird nesting , turtles & other larger gators. It also has camping, Dolphin excursion- it's a great park, I highly recommend spending time there! read more

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hiking trails need to be marked Better and benches for seniors that trails are not senior friendly. They need to be more friendly for senior c read more

Sometimes you need a break from the beach. I know- I know- that feeling doesn't come around often, but when it does you will want to come spend the day at Huntington Beach State park. If you enjoy observing wildlife or being surrounded by nature, this is the perfect spot for you. At this state park, you will have the opportunity to see a variety of birds. You could also spend the afternoon fishing or on a nature walk. If you want a different beach scene than your current scene, you could spend the day at the public beach here. My only advice is to bring a nice camera so you can capture some wonderful moments in nature. Amenities: there are plenty of public restrooms available. There is also a station to wash the sand off before getting back into your car. read more

Huntington Beach State Park - Parks Near Me - Murrells Inlet, South Carolina

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So much to do with family! Enjoyed the beach the most, next to the beach is an ice cream shop and restroom facilities/outdoor shower. The new online parking system is off the hook! We'll be back next year. read more

This is another South Carolina State Park gem! You're entranced from the moment you drive in- the land bridge to the main park after the entrance is surrounded on both sides by wetlands with majestic, unique birds, and signs warning of alligators. Upon reaching the main parking lot, the raised, very clean and modern facilities are close to the parking and the beach via the boardwalk is only a few hundred feet away over the sand dunes. Plenty of outdoor showers. The sand was my favorite yet, so fine and colored with a hint of gold, much like the experience. As was the usual case I took a swim, and par usual was the only one swimming (this was a theme since St. Augustin). Are people afraid of the ocean or something? Man are they missing out! Baptized in heavenly glory that is the cool fresh ocean water, I saw my first starfish walking back to my towel, and admired it before laying down to do some Jean Claude Van Damme stretches while drying off in the sun. It was a perfect day, so perfect that I passed out on the beach for a good 45 minutes! Luckily I fell asleep a little before 4pm and was wrapped up in the towel, so didn't burn. I've never been not capable of a nap, but felt cradled by the sands of Mother Earths beach and was tired after eating at Lamars Fish and Chips in Georgetown, which helped induce an energy crash, and happened to be the most tasteless and unseasoned fried fish (flounder) I've ever had in my life (but I won't writing a review, negative or otherwise because the ladies were so nice there). Anywho I awoke at 4:35 and realized Atayla Castle closed at 5, so sprinted to the outdoor showers in a panic, changed and ran to the castle arriving at 4:45 and was told they were closing up, but the nice lady allowed me to run through quick if I left by 4:50, so I jogged around taking pics, and it turned out to be all he time needed. read more

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So nice and peaceful. definitely recommend going early (we went at 7am) and staying until 12-2. but coming back at 6-7. it's a beautiful place. bring a camera, you could get some awesome shots here. also, don't be alarmed when alligators take a nap in the row read more

Huntington Beach State Park - also, don't be alarmed when alligators cross the road and take a nap - Parks Near Me - Murrells Inlet, South Carolina

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It's nice on so many levels. The beach, picnic area, restrooms are all well above average. Atalaya castle is so historic and offers a great tour. Even the little store is much better than one might expect. If you go to the park for nature's wildlife you've gone to the right place. Bird watching, turtle nesting, alligators, the ocean, etc., are all part of the experience. We haven't camped there but have driven through their camping area and it looks nice as well. While there is a lot of well maintained parking area the park can fill up and be hard to get into during high tourist season. Even the park rangers and store personnel are friendly and informative. The remaining Huntington family, wherever they may be, should be very proud of this legacy and that of the amazing Brookgreen Gardens which is right across Hwy 17. I feel blessed to live within 5 miles of these two awesome places. read more

Beautifully maintained with abundant vegetation. Easily walked ( if you're fit) with the plentiful trails. Nature Center has nice displays, some with live specimens. Nice staff. read more

I hesitate giving a review and especially one with five-stars. I appreciate the solitude (even on a busy weekend). It's such a beautiful park with scenery changes, abundant wildlife, and long, sandy beaches. Please stay away and let me have it all to myself. Damn. I might have ruined a good thing. read more

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So nice. Saw wild life. Not too crowded. The park and beach were clean and peaceful. There were clean bathrooms and the staff was friendly and helpful. read more

Great state park. Clean bathrooms and safe beach. Starfish on the beach and a lot of nature viewing. Highly recommend over the fast pace of Myrtle Beach. Great place for families of all ages. read more

Huntington Beach State Park - Clean beach. - Parks Near Me - Murrells Inlet, South Carolina

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Had a great time going for the day with family. If you are a outdoor nature person would definitely recommend.

Our family went here as a part of our Myrtle Beach vacation. It's a short drive away from the busy part of town and we'll worth the drive and small admission fee. We saw a ton of wildlife and the alligators and crabs were one of the highlights of our vacation for the kids. The facilities and Nature Center were both very nice and clean as well. Nature center has an exhibit that you can touch a stingray. read more

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Absolutely beautiful! My son got married at the castle. The whole place is amazing. Beach is gorgeous

had the best time at HBSP this week!! went on the best birding tour with the most wonderful Richard! read more

Huntington Beach State Park - Parks Near Me - Murrells Inlet, South Carolina

If you are from out of town, I highly recommend you consider staying in the Murrell's Inlet area of Myrtle Beach as opposed to downtown. There is much less traffic, the beaches are nicer and the parking is less expensive (or even free). We chose Huntington Beach State Park because we camp, and were not disappointed. The grounds are not that large in terms of a State Park, but it still offers an outstanding beach and several nice nature hikes as well as a boardwalk out into the salt marsh. The staff was super helpful and friendly, and there is a general store that has most everything that you would need for a day at the beach. Whether you are staying here overnight or just looking for a nice family-style beach, I would recommend Huntington Beach SP. There are lifeguards, but I did not see any umbrella rentals. We tried a number of beaches in the area, and Huntington was the best by far. Since it's a state park, there is an annual beach restoration process where they dredge up fresh sand from off shore and resurface the beach. The grasses are also a protected area, and they are really beautiful. This is the best beach for young families, older couples or people looking for a place to camp near the beach. If you have teenagers, they might miss a pool or the nightlife / activities of downtown. read more

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This is my favorite beach to visit! It's not touristy and extremely dog friendly. We make an annual trip from Nashville to visit this beautiful beach! read more

Huntington Beach State Park - Bandit at the beach - Parks Near Me - Murrells Inlet, South Carolina

We enjoy this campground so much more than Myrtle Beach state park. It is very quiet, no airport disturbances. Very few full service (sewer) hookups, reservations should be made well in advance. Sites with sewage have little to no shade. Sites with just electric and water are shaded and good amounts of distance between sites. read more

Huntington Beach State Park - Many shaded sites - Parks Near Me - Murrells Inlet, South Carolina

Stayed at one of the resorts near the area and one of the benefits we got was a pass to visit the Huntington Beach State Park. We were told it was a quiet beach and not as crowded as the beaches in Myrtle Beach and they were so true. The pass is just there to show that you can be at that park (there is no entrance gate with someone checking these passes). Entrance to the park is off of Rt. 17 (look for a sign directing you to the park), however, once you are off Rt. 17, you are basically on your own as to where to go from there before you even get to the beach. We went down a road off of Rt. 17, crossed over a bridge of water and then had to decide whether to turn right, left or go straight into a parking area. We made a last minute guess and just made a right, which eventually took us by the gift shop area. In front of the gift shop is a big parking lot and the 2 buildings next to this lot have both restrooms and changing rooms. Walking to the beach is pretty simple (they do have a sign showing a layout of the area - I was not able to check it out, but I saw it at the other end of the parking lot. It is good to wear beach shoes as there is not a lot of walkway laid out before your feet hits the hot sand. I enjoyed the water and loved that the beach was not crowded at all. In the distance of the waters you can see folks parasailing and jet skiing (not sure where they started from). Also as you go on the beach from your vehicle, there is a flag flying high, so that you can mark where on the beach you have entered from - this is very helpful, if you decided to mark your spot further down on the beach. There is a side note. If you plan to visit this beach on a very hot day, like we did, it is best to bring your own beach umbrella or tent to protect you from the hot sun rays. I didn't see anyone renting beach umbrella's on the beach (confirmed this with a lifeguard), but if you are not prepared, you can always purchase one at the gift shop at a cost of $29.99. We will definitely visit this place again...just be a bit more prepared next time and do some more exploring. read more

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