Can you describe the beaches around Charleston for me? (Myrtle Beach: renting, condos)

[andi25]

I want to know everything! How is the sand? White? How is the water? blue? green? cold? comfortable? Are there restaurants or bars on the beach that you can walk up to? What do you like to do when you go to the beach? What is the best charleston beach in your opinion? I'm moving to Charleston in June. What beach is best for residents to go to as far as parking? I am going to be living in Mt. PLeasant. I'm so excited!

[beachme]

I also live in Mt P and I prefer Isle of Palms or Sullivans Island. You can park at the public parking on IOP or in the residential areas. I have been to beached all over. The sand is just normal (not the dirty kind in NJ). There aren't many shells or sea stuff so it is pretty clean. The water is not blue or green like South Florida, I guess it's a darker green/brown. It warms up in the summer and is very nice in June-September.

[OleTomCat]

Our sand is actually sand colored....

The water is close to the same color due to our active currents.

We have a bit a of a rip current problem at times.

The bars and resturants are on IOP (Isle Of Palms), there are a couple on Sullivan's Island but they are not on the beach but about two blocks inland.

As a former sailor I have actually been on beaches all over the world and SC's beaches are average.

Myrtle Beach about 2hrs north is very touristy, Folly Beach about 45mins south is the 'Locals' beach.

Hope this all helps.

[fqtravlr]

Further South of Folly Beach is Kiawah Island. It has perhaps the most pristine beach in the Charleston area. Just south of that is Seabrook Island, which is mostly private access. On down the coast you come to Edisto Beach. It's beach has been a long time haven for sharks tooth hunters and seashell collectors. The southern end of the island has recently undergone a beach renourishment procedure, where the sand offshore is pumped back on the land to build up what erosion has taken. This is still settling out, so it was a bit rugged when I was out there last summer. Nice place to get away though, with a state park campground right on the beach.

[wildwoodflower]

does seabrook have any public access? where can you park to see the beach there?

[ohioaninsc]

Originally Posted by wildwoodflower

does seabrook have any public access? where can you park to see the beach there?

No public access for Seabrook...only way you can get out there is if you are a property owner or our a guest of a club member, or are renting one of the vacation villas...before my grandparents moved to their retirement community at Seaside Farms in Mt P, they lived on Seabrook on Marshgate Dr. Anyway, I loved to go there b/c the beach had so few people on it...you could literally have about a 200 yard stretch of beach to yourself even in the summer.

[ohioaninsc]

As for the beaches, Isle of Palms is the only one that has beachfront bars that you can walk right into off the beach...The Windjammer is the best one imo, during the day, you can walk in w/ nothing but your bathing suit on, and as long as you have your money and ID (unless, the bartenders know you like they do me), you will get served. It's absolutely great.

Sullivans Island has a nice beach and it isn't as crowded as IOP.
Folly Beach is the most crowded, it's the only one w/ any hotels right on the beach (IOP has condos but not big hotels). It also has the best surf in the area...it seems waves are normally a half foot to a foot bigger there, though I've never understood why b/c the wind is the same all along the coast. Kiawah like others have said is the most pristine in the metro area. It's the longest beach (nearly 10 miles), has 1 beautiful resort hotel on it, but not much else except for some beautiful mansions and of course the Ocean Course (it kicks my butt anytime I attempt to play it, but it is a blast anyway). You can get there by going to the County Park.
If you like nature, Capers Island north of the area is great...it has all kinds of drift wood and trees sticking right out of the sand...no one lives there, you can only camp there I believe.
Anyone know anyone that lives out on or owns property on Dewees Island. I know that there are only like 100 homesites out there, and is only reachable by boat, and no cars...very exclusive and very natural I'm guessing. Wonder what that beach is like.

[mrpeatie]

The beach on Dewees is beautiful; however at the south end you are stuck staring accross the inlet at about a half mile of IOP condos that look like crap. IOP got the better end of the deal in terms of the neighbor providing a decent view. It is also a sustainable community. It is great and more suited to people who like seclusion but there is a very definite price of admission.

[wildwoodflower]

how far is the beach on dewes? is there public access? probably not, but i bet it is beautiful.

i saw a company giving eco tours on capers island. is there anyway to visit capers island not for a tour?

[Luvsdabeach]

If you have or know someone that has a boat you can get to Capers. I've heard in the summer lots of people go there on the weekend.