Huntington Beach State Park

Huntington Beach State Park is located along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean near Myrtle Beach in South Carolina.

The park was originally the property of industrialist and philanthropist Archer M. Huntington and his wife, the sculptor Anna Hyatt Huntington. In 1960 it was leased to the state of South Carolina for use as a state park. It is one of 4 state parks in South Carolina that has beaches on the Atlantic Ocean. The others include Hunting Island State Park, Myrtle Beach State Park, and Edisto Beach State Park.

Huntington Beach State Park is generally regarded as the crown jewel in the South Carolina state park system. More than a million people visit each year.

Site Review:

The sites at Huntington Beach State Park are divided into 2 campground sections: The North Loop and the South Loop.

North Loop:

This is where the full hook-up sites are located. Unfortunately, the sites are very close together with little, if any, privacy between them. The parking pads are cement and all have easy access to the beach.

South Loop:

The sites in the south loop have more space and there is more variety. Some sites are very private. Some sites are quite large. Other sites are open and have less privacy. All of the sites in the South Loop have water and electric hookups but no sewer. Each site comes with a picnic table and a fire ring. Wood is available for purchase.

There are restrooms with flush toilets and free hot showers in both campground loops. There is a sanitation dump station located as you exit the South Loop campground. It is level and easy to access with multiple dump drains to facilitate numerous users at once. This helps to avoid the congestion that happens on those exit days when many campers are leaving at the same time- Sunday mornings usually.

We had site #26 in the South Loop campground when we stayed at Huntington Beach State Park.

Activities:

Huntington Beach:

The beach is the main activity at Huntington Beach State Park. It is pristine and rarely crowded. The beach is long with lots of space to spread out. The beach sand is fine with very little ocean debris, except for the occasional seashell, and is perfect for an ocean beach walk. This is the Atlantic Ocean and the water can get rough. There are no lifeguards and the flags located at various spots along the beach are the only indicator as to the safety of the water for swimming. There are various beach access paths (there are at least 10) with names like “starfish” and “stingray” etc. They have animated pictures to help folks and children keep track of where they are along the beach.

There is a centrally located playground and a large parking lot with easy beach access across from the Visitor Center and gift shop.

Pets at Huntington Beach:

Huntington Beach State Park is pet-friendly in some areas. Keep in mind that all dogs must remain on a leash no longer than six feet at all times. Please clean up after your pet. Leashed pups are welcome in the park year-round and at the south end of the beach. Dogs are prohibited in buildings, including Atalaya and on the north end of the beach. The north end extends from the beach access at the north parking lot to the jetty.

Biking:

You can bike on the roads and the paved trails throughout the park.

The Causeway

The Causeway is a focal interest point that separates the marsh. It is the road you must use to access the park after turning into the entrance from the highway. You can bike this as well. Chances are very good that you will spot an alligator. A bike down Atalaya Rd. which divides Mullet Pond and Mallard Pond (located opposite Atalaya Castle) provides another very good opportunity to see wildlife, including alligators.

Waccamaw Neck Bikeway

The park is connected to a bike trail called the Waccamaw Neck Bikeway. This flat paved trail parallels US 17 from Murrells Inlet to Sandy Island Road and cuts through  Huntington Beach State Park near the entrance.  Turn right from the entrance to travel towards Murells Inlet. It is a level, picturesque easy ride. As you approach the town limit, the trail becomes just a lined-off section of the road. If you go left from the park entrance and by using sections of the trail as well as roads with Share the Road signs, you can ride from Murrell’s Inlet to Pawley’s Island. A good portion of the trail when you go this way winds through the forested side of a very busy highway. I wouldn’t call this a fitness ride because there is no opportunity to pick up any speed because of all the blind turns.

The park does not offer bike rentals, however, there are local companies that provide this service.  For more information about this trail visit the Bike the Neck website.

Nature Center:

There is a nature center with exhibits and touch displays. Outside there is a boardwalk where you can venture further into the Marsh. Unfortunately when we were there portions of it had been damaged.

Hiking:

Huntington Beach State Park has some multipurpose trails that are marked off for hiking and biking. At all times be mindful that alligators live here.

Atalaya Castle:

A unique feature at Huntington Beach State Park is Atalaya Castle, often known simply as Atalaya, it was the winter home of Anna Hyatt Huntington and Archer M. Huntington. For a small fee, you can tour inside.

Things to Know:

1. The consumption of alcohol is prohibited at South Carolina state parks.
2. The city of Myrtle Beach is located about 15 minutes away. There you will find all manner of activities to supplement your visit.
3. There are a total of 173 campsites- 107 standard campsites with water and electricity and 66 full-hookup sites with water, sewer and electric. This is a busy park and reservations are necessary.

IMO:

Huntington Beach State Park is nice. The three miles of pristine beach is hard to beat. Campsite prices vary widely at South Carolina state parks. A campsite at a typical park for a weekend in August would be around $42 USD a night. At Edisto Beach State Park where you have 2 campground locations- the campground closest to the beach would run you around $ 80 USD and the campground in the more forested section away from the beach would be  $57.50 USD per night. At Huntington Beach, the cost is around $ 75 USD a night and $ 110 USD a night for the sites with full hookups.

It’s all about location though. The beach is nicer here than at Edisto and the proximity to Myrtle Beach with all the amenities offered there makes this a nice park to stay if visiting the area. I would recommend Huntington Beach State Park as an RV Place to Go.