Pawleys Island question

I posted several things on a forum for Pawleys Island and didn%26#39;t get any responses so I%26#39;m asking here.

I%26#39;m interested in checking out and spending some time in the Pawleys Island area such as sight seeing, shopping, spending some time on the beach etc. We%26#39;re already planning on eating at Bummz Beach and Yacht Club in the Litchfield Beach area.

What is in that area and what is it like? Is there a place to go to the beach? Can you drive there? Are their any aligators to see? Is it more tropical looking than the developed areas north of there?

Any help you can give as an overview and what to see and do would be greatly appreciated. We have been down to Myrtle Beach many times but have never visited this area.

Thanks again for all of your help

Ron

Saxonburg, PA

Pawleys Island question

If you%26#39;ve ever driven down the Garden City beach ';peninsula,'; Pawley%26#39;s Island looks a lot like that...almost all beach homes, very uncommercialized, what little there is would be at the north end.

At the south end is a parking area where the back bay meets the ocean...very rustic %26amp; natural, especially on the other side of the back bay...lots of great driftwood. Great unspoiled ocen beach as well.

Pawleys Island question

The Pawleys Isle area is know as ';shabby arrogant';...and this title really shows itself when you cross over the causeway to the actual island...there are a number of beachfront homes (true lowcountry homes) that are VERY old...this area is a great area to walk and read a number of the signs in front of these old homes telling you of the history. The point (the south end of the island) is a great beach! Somewhat rugged (depending on the surf), but a great place to collect some pretty cool shells. And yes, you can drive there.

You can also cross over another causeway to get to Litchfiled Beach...I prefer the beach at Pawleys over Litchfield, but both are nice. Great little restaurant there on Litchfiled Beach called Austins On the Beach (used to be Calypso)...looks out over the ocean (inside Litchfield Inn).

A great place to see Alligators (and this isnt a guarantee, but there are a number there!) is Huntington Beach State Park. There is a huge marshy area there with a causeway, so as you drive or walk over, you can see quite a bit of the marsh wildlife! The park also has a wonderful interpretive center and does offer various seminars.

Pawleys and Ltichfield are areas that are both experiencing growth, but it is controlled growth, not like the MB and NMB area. They (community councils) have shot down numerous big-box stores and large resort projects to protect the image of the area....so yes, its not as developed, but I dont really consider it to be ';tropical'; looking...more lowcountry, or southern...kinda like ';Gone with the Wind'; feel....large oaks with the spanish moss, and some palms...lots of flowers...very peaceful.

I would deffinately make a trip to Brookgreen Gardens...great place to take the family! Alot to do there....(www.brookgreen.org). The Hammock Shoppes and the other little shopping place right across the street (I know it has a name, but its not coming to mind...where Island Deli -- great little place is) are great places to pick up some unique items to the area...and some great places to eat! Franks, The Hook, Pawleys Island Tavern (use locals call it the PIT), Litchfiled Beach Fish House, Gator Krawls, just to name a few! I%26#39;ll tell you --- you wont go hungry while your staying there! YUM!

You are just a short drive to Georgetown, which has a wonderful waterfront...a great little trip on a boat for the kids would be the Jolly Rover ----and again, alot of history and great places to eat and shop!

You might find this website helpful:

www.discoverpawleysisland.com

I think there is one on Litchfield Beach too...

Enjoy!

:)

Other than the seaoats is there anything else that you%26#39;re not allowed to take? How is the shelling? Are there any alligators in the area? How does the area compare to ';The Point'; at the end of S. Waccamaw Drive in Garden City?

Ron

Saxonburg, PA

Seaoats are somewhat protected...they hold the dunes in place along the oceanfront. The tops (heads) are what will reseed for the next years growth. Sea Turtles are also very protected...so if you would happen on a next or new hatchlings...they are wonderful to watch, but dont tamper with their progress back to the ocean. All the nests will be marked with like a construction tape, and if you are caught tampering with a nest, its a pretty hefty fine. Cant think of anything else....plenty of shells and sharks teeth for the taking!

As for gators...like I said...try Huntington Beach, and yes, there is a decent population there. They dont come out and look for people tho%26#39;...so dont let that worry you.

As for comparing Garden City Point and Pawleys ....very similar, but alot less building in Pawleys...less lights, so Pawleys is a better place to star gaze! And since its the last of the little islands in the area, you tend to get a pretty good collection of shells build up on that beach.

:)

Magicat and MBConcierge,

Thank you so much for all of your help and insight.

Is there a fee for Huntington Beach? I thought I remembered there being a charge to go there, or is the state park seperate from the beach? If there is a charge how much is it, and is it worth it?

Thanks

Ron

Saxonburg, PA

You are more than welcome! Yes there is a minimal charge to get into the park...but most of the seminars are free. Yes --- it is well worth it!

HOURS

Admissions: $5/adult; $3.25/ S.C. Senior; $3/youth age 6-15; Free for children 5 and younger.

Office Hours: 9am-4:30pm

Days and Hours of Operation: Sat-Th 6am-6pm; Fri 6am-8pm (hours are extended to 10pm daily during Daylight Savings Time)

You might want to check out their website:

southcarolinaparks.com/park-finder/…1020.aspx

Enjoy!

:)

Huntington Beach SP is also home to ';Atalaya,'; the summer home of Anna Hyatt Huntington. It is a 55-room mansion that contains the sculpture studio where she created many of the sculptures that adorn Brookgreen Gardens across the street from the SP. Guided tours are available.

You could do both the Gardens and the SP in one long day, but passes to Brookgreen Gardens are good for seven days, so you could return as often as you like. Adult passes are $12. but look for $1. off coupons. They also have lectures, special programs and wildlife/history tours, so check the schedule for these. The current emphasis at Brookgreen is telling the story of the slaves who lived and worked there in the early 17th century. A new interpretive area that shows exactly where the ricefields and living quarters were was just dedicated this past spring.

Re seashells -

You may take away FOSSIL shells. (That is, shells that do not contain living animals.) The best time to find these is at low tide, and early in the morning, before lots of other shell-seekers have been on the beach

Removing the living animals depletes the population. Even if it is clear that the animal inside has died, don%26#39;t take an inhabited shell. These dead creatures on the beach provide food for the birds.

You will see varying sizes of whelks. You have to look inside the whelks (which resemble small conchs) to see if the whelk itself or a hermit crab is in there.

Living sand dollars and starfish are often found in shallow water and on the beach. Because these animals just lie there, you might think that they are fossils. If the sand dollar is dark in color and has a rough underside, it is either alive or recently deceased, so do not take it. Similarly, if the starfish is still flexible, do not take it.

If you DO take a shell inhabited by a living or dead animal (and, even with care, you may do so by mistake), you will regret it. The smell even from such small amounts of decaying matter is overwhelming and very hard to get rid of if your house or car. People who take these inhabited shells usually toss them out, which is a waste.

lip chap