Huntington Beach State Park

🌿 5 stars — A Hidden Gem Full of Soul and Sky

Huntington Beach State Park is an absolute treasure. From moody skies rolling over pristine white sands to unexpected finds like a “shell tree” offering silent wishes in the dunes — every turn feels like nature telling a story.

The beach is stunning and never too crowded, with soft sand and miles of quiet. Even on a stormy day, it’s hauntingly beautiful — the kind of place that makes you pause and breathe.

I especially loved the preserved Atalaya Castle — the turquoise window bars and palm shadows gave it a dreamy, almost surreal vibe.

Trails are well-kept, wildlife is abundant (I spotted a waterbird drying its wings by the marsh like it was striking a pose), and the blend of beach, forest, and art history is unlike anywhere else.

Bring water, take your time, and let this place work its quiet magic. It’s more than a park — it’s a soulful slice of coastal Carolina.

Very natural, clean, dog friendly, you cam see a lot different kind of birds and also alligator. The fee to enter the park is NULL per person not per car and varies on your age. We only visit the north end of the park. It such a beautiful beach. I saw a few of fisherman but it is not crowded.

The state park has some great tidal marshes where alligators enjoy the high tide. There are dozens of species of birds to see. Turtles and lizards are prevalent too. Of course this is all just on the way to the beach, which is one of SCs better, cleaner, less crowded beaches. We had a marvellous afternoon

Beautiful park! The beach access was a short walk from the parking lot and perfect to catch some waves. The restrooms were very clean and large enough to get changed in. The boys enjoyed the playground by the beach and then we walked over to the Atalaya house. So pretty and a very neat experience. We then headed over to the marsh area and got to see several gators! Worth the trip.

A great beach experience. They really cover all the needs of beach day. Outside showers for feet and for the body. They made a nice new cement walkway leading from the park area out to the sand (replaced the older wooden walkway). It’s always been easy to find a spot that is not a far walk from the pathway. The waves are usually gentle enough that it’s safe for small children to enjoy the shallow surf area. The bathrooms are the best beach bathrooms I’ve ever seen, very useful for kids who need to go to the bathroom at any time. Playground is well kept and fairly new. The ice cream place by the playground, Spoonbills, was shockingly well priced (I fully expected 2x what it was just for the “premium” of being on the beach) and very delicious. Several shelters are present near the playground and useful if a storm rolls by to have some shelter. Our only con experience is that a few times the parking lot is half or mostly reserved for special events/site rentals regardless of how many people are actually attending an event. Leading to half the lot being packed and half being fairly empty.