Things to do nearHuntington Beach State Park

Huntington Beach State Park occupies a narrow barrier island between the Atlantic Ocean and Murrells Inlet, a stretch of the South Carolina coast that was once the private retreat of sculptor Anna Hyatt Huntington and her husband Archer. The couple donated the land to the state in the mid-twentieth century, preserving it from the resort development that transformed much of the surrounding Grand Strand. At the center of the park stands Atalaya, their handbuilt winter residence, a sprawling Moorish-influenced structure of hand-formed brick arranged around an open central courtyard. The castle hosts an annual arts and crafts festival each fall that draws regional artists and large crowds to the otherwise tranquil grounds.

Beyond the historic structures, the park encompasses roughly three miles of wide, gently sloping beach backed by dunes stabilized by sea oats and beach grass. A freshwater lagoon near the park entrance creates a rare ecological transition zone where alligators bask on mudflats just steps from nesting shorebirds, making the area a recognized birding hotspot along the Atlantic Flyway.

The campground sits within walking distance of the beach, offering a quieter alternative to the resort lodging concentrated further north along the strand. Huntington Beach State Park rewards visitors who slow down, look closely, and take time with both its layered human history and its remarkably intact coastal ecosystem.