Myrtle Beach State Park, five miles southwest of downtown, protects an area of maritime forest along a one-mile stretch of sand. Boardwalks provide access to the beach, which has restrooms, outdoor showers and changing facilities. The park's campground, approximately 300 yards from the beach, offers sites for tents, trailers and RVs with water and electrical hookups. Restrooms, hot showers and laundry facilities are centrally located. The park ranger station sells limited groceries, camping supplies and firewood. The Myrtle Beach pier offers fishing opportunities and ocean views.
Twenty miles southwest of Myrtle Beach, in Murrells Inlet, is Huntington Beach State Park, part of the former estate of Archer and Anna Hyatt Huntington. The Huntingtons left the property to the state along with their Moorish-style winter home, Atalaya, which can be visited on guided tours. The park includes a wide expanse of pristine beach, a swimming area with lifeguards, a lake and hiking trails that offer opportunities for bird-watching and wildlife viewing. The campground at Huntington Beach features sites for tents, trailers and RVs with central restrooms, hot showers and dump stations. Select sites have water, electrical and sewer hookups.
Lake Waccamaw State Park is 60 miles northeast of Myrtle Beach near Waccamaw, North Carolina. The park is on the shore of Lake Waccamaw, a tea-colored lake home to several species of fish found nowhere else, such as the Waccamaw darter and the Waccamaw silverside. Activities at the park include boating, fishing and picnicking, as well as hiking on four trails and two boardwalks. The park has four primitive group camping areas with picnic tables, fire circles and pit toilets. Campsites do not have drinking water.
In South Carolina's sandhills region, 63 miles northwest of Myrtle Beach in Dillon, Little Pee Dee State Park offers opportunities for anglers, boaters and hikers. Visitors can explore the Little Pee Dee River swamp, fish for bass and catfish on Lake Norton, or enjoy a picnic at one of several scenic spots. For hikers, the park features Beaver Pond Nature Trail, a 1.3-mile circular hike to a beaver pond. Paddling enthusiasts can bring their own canoes or kayaks or rent them at the park. Little Pee Dee campground has a tent area with individual water spigots and an RV and trailer area with water and electrical hookups.
