City: Myrtle Beach, SC

Category: Parks & Recreation

Telephone: (843) 237-4440

Description: Huntington Beach State Park, worth a visit even if you see nothing else on the Strand, offers the best-preserved beach on the Grand Strand and one of the best we have seen anywhere in the world. Observe the diverse coastal environment at the freshwater lagoon, salt marsh, nature trail, and along the wide, beautiful beach. The 2,500-acre park is also the site of the imposing Spanish-style castle Atalaya, the former winter home and studio of American sculptress Anna Hyatt Huntington. Mrs. Huntington and her husband, Archer, were the visionary founders of Brookgreen Gardens. Seasonal tours of Atalaya are available. Park facilities include about 135 camping sites, picnic areas with shelters, a boardwalk, and a general store. Activities such as surf fishing, swimming, and crabbing are encouraged, and the park offers one of the finest bird-watching sites on the East Coast. Nature programs and playground equipment are available for the young and young at heart. Atalaya Arts and Crafts Festival, a prestigious juried arts and crafts show, attracts thousands of visitors to the park every fall (see the Annual Events chapter for details).Park hours are 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily from Apr through Sept and 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily from Oct through Mar. Office hours are 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Mon through Fri and 11 a.m. to noon on Sat and Sun year-round. Admission to the park is $5 for adults, $3 for kids age 12 or younger, and free for children younger than age 5.