Huntington Beach State Park

Huntington Beach State Park is a wonderful Grand Strand destination that only has one thing missing. The crowds you will find in Myrtle Beach. If your happy to leave that behind and are up for a little adventure when you visit the Grand Strand, you should check out this great park. Here I will lay out some of the details of what you can expect to find at this park so you can think about planning a visit.

Access
The park is located off of state highway 17, south of Myrtle Beach and not far from Georgetown, South Carolina. There is a per person entry fee ($5 adults, $3 children) and a $1 fee for being able to walk through Ayatala.

Camping
There is a large campground with over 100 campsites. You can find a spot for everything from your tent to your large RV. There is all of what you would expect in a modern campground: electric and water at your site, hot showers and bathrooms in a few central locations. Sites are less than $30 a night (with tax). The campground is just on behind the beachfront dunes so you can walk to the beach and be at the ocean's edge by walking for just a few minutes.

Atalaya
The park is named after the Huntington's, a married couple that originally owned the property that Huntington Beach State Park occupies. The property was purchased in 1930 and they quickly built an interesting home just off of the beach. This served as their winter home, when the Huntington's would come from New York to pass their time quietly in the warmer climes of South Carolina. Today the home is an interesting curiosity that you can visit and walk through when you visit the state park.

The Beach
The Grand Strand beach is just as beautiful at Huntington Beach as it is in Myrtle Beach. There is a large parking lot at the main beach access point to the beach. You will also find a large building next to the beach that provides a place to change, bathrooms and a place to buy some cold drinks and snacks.

Wildlife Viewing
The park has a reputation as one of the east coast's premier birding locations. There are a variety of habitats within the park and plenty of places to see some of the animals that use and live in each type. Different viewing platforms you can visit overlook a large salt marsh, a freshwater pond and a brackish water pond. Walking paths, nature trails and walking the beach are also great ways to see the park and its flora and fauna. Alligators are found in the park and are often out and about in places where they can readily be seen.