Myrtle Beach State Park is one of the few places on the Carolina coast where you can experience the maritime forest habitat.
The park is open year around from 6AM to 10PM (until 8PM in winter).

Admission is $5 adults, $3.25 SC seniors, $3 children age 6-15 and free for children 5 and younger.

Check the website for directions, maps, details on cabin rental, camping, pet policies and for programs and events.

Interesting facts
Myrtle Beach was the first South Carolina State Park (opened in 1936).

The park’s maritime forest has been declared a Heritage Trust Site. Its unique wildlife includes nesting loggerhead sea turtles, bald eagles, least terns and various tropical migrant birds.

Things to do at Myrtle Beach State Park

Walk through the maritime forest. There are two easygoing and well marked trails, Sculpted Oak and Yaupon, each less then a mile round trip. Interpretative signs point out different oak varieties, yaupon holly, red cedar, wax myrtle etc.

Lookout for wildlife. Here are some tracks I ran into…although no sightings of any big mammal.

Most likely encounters are by the Pond where you may see wooden ducks and migratory birds, small reptiles and amphibians. When I visited the pond was completely dry. I wonder where did the alligators go?…

Learn about the maritime forest eco-system at the Nature Center, open Tuesday to Saturday, 2-4PM. Inside there are saltwater aquariums, live reptiles and interactive natural history displays to help visitors understand the significance of the park.

Enjoy the outdoor wildlife habitat outside the Nature Center complete with bird feeder, bird houses, butterfly garden, bird baths and nature sculptures.

Relax at the beach. Swim, surf, collect shells, watch for bottle-nosed dolphins or fish from the shore.

The fishing pier is currently closed for renovations.

Popularity: 7% [?]