![]() ![]() This protected park extends out from the Cherry Grove marsh, where you’ll also find a fishing pier and boat ramp for ocean and inlet access. In this small beach city, get your bearings with a stroll along walking paths and elevated boardwalks of the untamed Heritage Shores Nature Preserve, featuring native plants and wildlife. More than 70 golf courses dot the area, while neighboring North Myrtle Beach has family-friendly hotels for soaking up nature and off-the-beaten-path finds nearby in Myrtle Beach State Park. Synonymous with sprawling resorts and a buzzy dining scene, Myrtle Beach is very much the pulsating heart of South Carolina’s 60-mile-plus stretch of sand-known as the Grand Strand for good reason. You’ll begin in North Myrtle Beach and nearby Pawleys Island and then continue south to explore Georgetown, Colleton, Charleston, and Beaufort counties. Whether you’re driving in or flying in, this itinerary can be done moving north to south, or as a circuit with a 3.5-hour drive at the start or end. On this five-day expedition into the genuine culture, flavors, and natural beauty of the coast, you’ll find small communities with deep regional roots linked by the historic Coastal Highway U.S. Moving beyond the iconic Myrtle Beach, South Carolina’s lesser-known coastal gems are easily found if you know where to look. Sandy beaches, tidal marshes, and pine forests make for an experience where salty air and evergreen scents mingle. What begins with a vast stretch known as the Grand Strand meanders down toward a cluster of barrier islands strung like a necklace offshore in the Lowcountry. These projects address damage to natural resources and wildlife from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, but the restored barrier islands also provide added coastal resilience and protect important estuary habitats.The landscape along South Carolina’s coastal region is one of the most scenic and distinctive in the U.S. Thousands of acres of barrier islands and marshland have been restored or enhanced as part of Gulf Spill Restoration projects. NOAA supports natural and nature-based infrastructure projects that restore and protect barrier islands and the benefits they provide to coastal communities and ecosystems. The effects of climate change, including rapid sea level rise and extreme weather events, can cause or worsen barrier island erosion. Damming and dredging projects can significantly affect the amount of sand and sediment available to fortify barrier islands. Erosion can be caused by human activities such as ship traffic, hard levees, and infrastructure projects, even those far upriver. Unfortunately, barrier islands are disappearing at an alarming rate. This generally means smaller storm surge and less flooding on the coast. ![]() Beach dunes and grasses on barrier islands absorb wave energy before the wave hits the mainland. These islands are critical to protecting coastal communities and ecosystems from extreme weather. The rocky cliffs and shifting tectonic plates off the West Coast, along with other features of the terrain and tides, prevent barrier islands from forming there. ![]() Barrier island chains tend to form near river deltas and in areas with low tectonic activity and relatively flat coastal terrain. Gulf and East coasts, such as the Outer Banks off North Carolina. Many barrier islands are found off the U.S. These areas are important habitat for seabirds, fish and shellfish, and nesting sea turtles. ![]() Beaches and sand dune systems form on the side of the island facing the ocean the side facing the shore often contains marshes, tidal flats, and maritime forests. They are generally separated from the mainland by tidal creeks, bays, and lagoons. As wind and waves shift according to weather patterns and local geographic features, these islands constantly move, erode, and grow. Barrier islands form as waves repeatedly deposit sediment parallel to the shoreline. ![]()
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