United States
Pawleys Island
A narrow barrier island where weathered beach houses line four miles of undeveloped Atlantic coastline.
Pawleys Island stretches like a sliver of driftwood between creek and ocean, its sandy roads threading past century-old cottages that seem to lean into the salt air. The island maintains an unhurried cadence where golf carts outnumber cars and the day's biggest decision involves which end of the beach to walk. Everything here feels deliberately unpretentious—weathered cedar shingles, rope swings over tidal creeks, and a landscape shaped more by storms than development.
What draws people here
- —Four miles of wide, uncrowded beach backed by dunes and maritime forest
- —Historic summer cottages with deep porches and weathered shingle siding
- —Tidal creeks winding through salt marsh perfect for kayaking and fishing
- —A car-free beach culture where golf carts are the primary transportation
Island character
beaches•nature•small town
Island rhythm
morning
Coffee on screened porches as shrimp boats head out beyond the breakers
afternoon
Beach walks and creek-side fishing while afternoon thunderstorms build offshore
night
Porch conversations and the sound of waves rolling across the wide, flat beach
Best ways to experience Pawleys Island
- 01Walk the full length of the beach from the north jetty to the south causeway
- 02Drive golf cart paths between the oceanfront cottages and creek-side homes
- 03Paddle kayaks through the tidal creeks and salt marsh channels
- 04Cycle the quiet residential streets between beach and marsh