Summer road trips: Here's how to get to the most remote beaches in South Carolina
South Carolina’s beaches are definitely no secret. Tourists travel hundreds of miles to enjoy the Palmetto State’s sandy shores.
They come to Myrtle Beach for the spectacle, to the Charleston beaches for quieter excitement and to Hilton Head Island because, well, it’s Hilton Head Island.
Palmetto State natives gravitate to the lesser known pockets in those areas, but even Cherry Grove, Edisto and Folly beaches are popular enough to be crowded during the summer months.
But some of South Carolina's secluded beaches remain; some call them hidden or secret beaches — probably because most of them are more difficult to reach. The majority of them are only accessible by boat or kayak.
Find a way to get to the spots, and you’re rewarded with an experience far different from walking the coastline at Myrtle Beach, Isle of Palms, or Hilton Head. Here are a few of those “secret” beaches in South Carolina — all a day trip away from Columbia.
Boneyard Beach on Bulls Island
(138 miles; 2 hours, 15 minutes, plus a 30-minute ferry ride.)
It sounds creepy, but Boneyard Beach is often described as “hauntingly beautiful.”
This beach, located on Bulls Island, is only accessible by ferry or private boat. Bulls Island is a 5,000-acre maritime forest with fresh and brackish water impoundments and a beach area.
The 6.5-square-mile uninhabited island remains virtually untouched and is home to countless wildlife and endangered species and seven miles of untouched beach.
Boneyard Beach is about a 1.5-mile walk from the ferry, along a Sabal palmetto-lined pathway. It’s named for the downed sun- and salt-bleached oak, cedar and pine trees strewn about, the remains of a water-stranded forest. Their white color make them look like bones.
The beach is also known for having a lot of shells.
Visit www.bullsislandferry.com for information on the different ways you can get to and experience Boneyard Beach and Bulls Island. Ferry admission is $40 ($20 for ages 12 and younger).
Garris Landing, 498 Bulls Island Road, Awendaw. www.discoversouthcarolina.com. www.onlyinyourstate.com.
Lighthouse Inlet
(132 miles; 2 hours, 18 minutes, plus a 10-minute hike.)
While Folly Beach is perhaps one of the most popular oceanside destinations for South Carolinians, many don’t know about the secret beach on Folly at the end of East Ashley Avenue.
Many tout this spot as the best place to watch a sunrise. It’s about a 10-minute hike to the secluded beach, which offers a view of the Morris Island Lighthouse (more about that next).
The Charleston County Parks and Recreation Commission manages the area and imposes strict rules for the site. Dogs and metal detectors are prohibited, and visitors may not swim, camp, explore dunes or wooded areas, hunt, or cause any disturbance to natural or cultural resources.
To get there? Go to Folly Beach, turn left on East Ashley Avenue and follow it to the end.
Lighthouse Inlet Heritage Preserve, 1750 E. Ashley Ave., Folly Beach. www.ccprc.com.
Morris Island
(119-128 miles; 1 hour, 54 minutes, to 2 hours, 8 minutes, plus travel time to the island.)
While Morris Island is perhaps best known for its historic 19th-century lighthouse, the 840-acre uninhabited island at the mouth of Charleston Harbor also has a beautiful beach, accessible only by boat or kayak tours.
The beach is scattered with sea treasures like shells and sand dollars, but make sure shells are uninhabited and sand dollars deceased before removing them. (It's illegal to remove live specimen from South Carolina's beaches.)
Save the Light Inc. purchased the lighthouse in 1999 for $75,000, transferred ownership to the S.C. Department of Natural Resources and has since spearheaded fundraising efforts for ongoing stabilization, erosion control and restoration efforts.
Morris Island tours include:
▪ Adventure Harbor Tours, 56 Ashley Point Drive, Charleston. Since the tour guide is located across the Charleston Harbor from Morris Island, this tour includes a 20-minute boat ride. adventureharbortours.com.
▪ Charleston Outdoor Adventures, 1871 Bowens Island Road, Charleston. The two-and-a-half-hour tour is based on the tides. www.charlestonoutdooradventures.com.
▪ Harborview Charters, 56 Ashley Point Drive, Charleston. This three-hour tour gives you about two hours to hunt for shark teeth and shells on the shores. You'll also learn about Morris Island's historical significance. www.harborviewcharters.com.
Waites Island
(166-170 miles; 2 hours, 43 minutes, to 2 hours, 48 minutes, plus boating time to island.)
This unspoiled 3-square-mile barrier island, reachable by kayak, is just north of North Myrtle Beach. Inaccessible by car, the shoreline is virtually deserted.
During the summer, you can see loggerhead sea turtles and bottlenose dolphins as well as osprey, ducks, marsh hens, oyster, bald eagles, blue herons. It is a peaceful ride through the saltwater marsh with beautiful landscaping around.
Several outfitters offer kayak trips to Waites beach from nearby Cherry Grove Beach, and other kinds of tours also are available.
▪ Inlet Point Plantation, 5800 S.C. 236, North Myrtle Beach. Take horseback riding tours along the shoreline. www.inletpointplantation.com.
▪ Great Escape Kayak Expeditions, meeting at Cherry Grove Beach (exact location provided at booking). These three-hour tours include time to swim in the ocean or chill on the beach. greatescapekayak.com.
▪ J&L Kayaks, 5295 Heritage Drive, North Myrtle Beach. J & L Kayaks touts its tour as a great one for beginners looking for less time paddling and more time swimming and exploring. That said, you'll paddle about 45 minutes one way. www.jandlkayaking.com.
Capers Island
(144 miles, 4 hours, 7 minutes)
A boat or kayak will take you to this state heritage preserve located 15 miles north of Charleston at the southwestern end of the Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge.
The island lies about 3 miles from the mainland and is approximately 3 miles in length. It encompasses 850 acres of maritime uplands, 214 acres of beachfront, 1,090 acres of salt marsh, and more than 100 acres of brackish water impoundments.
Along with a pristine beach, the island has an abundance of birds and wildlife, including the endangered brown pelican commonly seen along the beach.
Similar to Bulls Island, Capers has a Bone-yard Beach, named for old tree skeletons and stumps left by eroding shoreline and bleached by the sun. Visitors can stroll in and out of these 3 miles of weathered trees.
Barrier Island Eco-Tours, 50 41st Ave., Isle of Palms; nature-tours.com/capers-island.
About this series
This is the sixth in a series about road trips within South Carolina. Throughout the summer, GoColumbia will explore some of the state's lesser-known attractions. Travel distances and times are calculated from the S.C. State House. Previous installments:
▪ Places every South Carolinian should visit at least once.
▪ A ghost tour of South Carolina that will scare you silly.
▪ Lesser known historic sites.
▪ Places to explore nature, from weird formations to hidden waterfalls.
▪ Island attractions you might not know about.
Do you know of some “undiscovered” spots in South Carolina that could make for a fun day trip? Please share! Tweet any suggestions you have to @gocolumbiasc.
This story was originally published June 25, 2018 at 1:02 PM with the headline "Summer road trips: Here's how to get to the most remote beaches in South Carolina."