Pawleys Island named Best Beach in South Carolina, again; 2 other Hammock Coast beaches make top 4

Pawleys Island named Best Beach in South Carolina, again; 2 other Hammock Coast beaches make top 4

For the second consecutive year, Pawleys Island been named the “Best Beach in South Carolina” by a USA Today/10Best poll, and two other Hammock Coast beaches also made the top four!

Pawleys, the oldest seaside resort in America, bested 16 other Palmetto State contenders in a 2025 Best Readers’ Choice travel awards to name the “Best Beach in South Carolina.” It was part of a series of efforts to name the best beaches in South Carolina, North Carolina, Florida, Texas, California, New Jersey, and Michigan and to provide a Top 10 list for each state.

In addition to Pawleys Island taking the top spot for the second year in a row, two other Hammock Coast contenders also remained favorites, as well, and even improved their 2024 poll standings. This year, Litchfield Beach came in at No. 3 and Huntington Beach State Park at No. 4. In 2024, they were number 4 and 5, respectively.

Voting for the 2025 contest took place from April 21 through May 19. Results were announced at noon on May 28.

“I couldn’t be more excited about this news,” said Mark A. Stevens, director of tourism development for the Georgetown County Chamber of Commerce. “Pawleys Island topping the list for the Best Beach in South Carolina – once again – is wonderful, and with Litchfield Beach and Huntington Beach State Park also finishing in the Top 4, well, that just makes it even sweeter.

“Clearly the Hammock Coast’s beaches are beloved by residents and vacationers. Our beaches are adored for their pristine shores and mild crowds, and we wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Beth Stedman, the Chamber’s president and CEO, said the impact from this great honor, in consecutive years, is well-earned.

“The natural beauty of our area and its history bring visitors here throughout the year and they return again and again,” Stedman said. “The majesty of our area, with tens of thousands of acres preserved and protected, sets it apart from many other coastal regions.”

Stedman emphasized how important tourism is to Georgetown County.

“The state estimates that tourism is the biggest economic driver in our area, which has an annual impact of more than $300 million for Georgetown County,”
Stedman said. “Being recognized again this year by USA Today speaks volumes for our efforts to promote sustainable, family-friendly, nature-centric tourism here on the Hammock Coast.”

Pawleys Island dominated for much of the contest, only occasionally dropping below No.1 on the contest’s leaderboard before rising back up to the top spot, where it ended up in the final tally. Competition was fierce with vacationers weighing in enthusiastically for Palmetto State favorites.

Pawleys Island Mayor Brian Henry and owner of the historic Sea View Inn on Pawleys said he was excited to hear that the island has earned the title of “Best Beach in South Carolina” for the second year in a row.

“The beach on Pawleys Island has been welcoming families for many generations,” Henry said. “It is pristine, uncrowded, and a throwback to an earlier time. There’s nothing finer than a day spent on our beach!”

The first USA Today/10Best contest to name the Best Beach in South Carolina was in 2018. In that pool, Pawleys Island, Litchfield and Huntington placed in the Top 10. Pawleys placed in 3rd, while Litchfield Beach placed in 8th and Huntington Beach State Park placed in 9th.

The judges

The judges for USA Today who selected the 17 beaches to compete for the honor of “Best Beach in South Carolina” were Jamie Davis Smith, Marla Cimini, and Catherine Smith.

Smith is a travel writer who has visited over 50 countries, many of them with her children in tow. She loves visiting everything from theme parks to ancient ruins and packs strictly carry-on-only. Smith can be reached at jamiesmithwrites@gmail.com.

Cimini is an award-winning writer with a passion for travel, music, surfing and culinary adventures. An avid globetrotter and guidebook writer, she has covered topics such as the Hawaiian islands (including food trends and luxury beachfront resorts), as well as European getaways and global destinations. Her articles have appeared in many publications worldwide. Her travel website is: www.marlacimini.com

Smith, the expert and award-eligibility coordinator for the USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards, has a special interest in health and wellness, family travel, women’s solo travel and off-the-beaten-path adventures. Catherine is the founder of Her Bags Were Packed where she focuses on helping women release emotional baggage through solo travel and self-discovery.

The USA Today/10 Best Readers’ Choice travel awards offer the public an opportunity to set trends for a variety of tourism- and business-related interests. For example, current contests include Most Walkable City to Visit, Best Fishing Lodge, Best White-Water Rafting Tour, among many others.

The public often finds locations on South Carolina’s Hammock Coast included in USA Today/10Best contests. Huntington Beach State Park and Brookgreen Gardens have been nominated in several categories over the years. Murrells Inlet placed sixth earlier this year in a contest to name the Top 10 Best Small Towns in the South.

In 2018, Georgetown topped the list for Best Coastal Small Town. Georgetown was nominated again in subsequent years and placed as high as No. 2 in some years.

And just before the Best Beaches poll, Caledonia Golf and Fish Club in Pawleys Island earned a a fourth-place spot in America’s Best Public Golf Course poll from USA Today/10Best.

“It’s really special that we have two top winners here on the Hammock Coast – Georgetown and now Pawleys Island,” Stedman said.

About the Hammock Coast

The Hammock Coast is made up of six distinct areas, including the beach communities of southern Garden City, Huntington Beach, Litchfield Beach and Pawleys Island. In addition to those beach communities on what is known as the Waccamaw Neck, the Hammock Coast also includes the historic city of Georgetown and the beach community of Debordieu Colony, just north of Georgetown, as well as the historic town of Andrews, about 17 miles inland.

Pawleys Island has welcomed vacationers to its shores since the 1700s. Originally, those visitors were families escaping the humidity and mosquitoes on inland plantations, but, today, those visitors come from around the world to enjoy Pawleys’ laidback beach vibes. In 2022, Garden & Gun Magazine put Pawleys Island at No. 2 in a contest to name the Best Beach Town in the South. And, in 2023, Condé Nast Traveler named Pawleys as one of America’s Best Beach Towns.

Likewise, Litchfield Beach, just north of Pawleys, welcomes visitors from far and wide to its pristine shores. Tripadvisor once named it one of the 10 best beaches in America, based on consistent five-star reviews.

Huntington Beach is the pristine beach connected to Huntington Beach State Park, which Southern Living recently named one of the best state parks in South Carolina.

— By Clayton Stairs, tourism manager for the Georgetown County Chamber of Commerce