The Secret Tropical Beach In South Carolina Where The Water Is A Mesmerizing Blue
The beaches along the 187 miles of South Carolina coastline all offer up individual characteristics to love. Whether you’re seeking a campground on the beach, a fun pier to enjoy some fishing, or in this case, a tropical beach with the bluest water around, you’re going to find it here in the Palmetto State.
One of our favorite blue-water beaches is little known simply because it's located on an island that is considered to be exclusive.
Kiawah Island has some of the whitest sand on the entire South Carolina coast. It also has some of the bluest waters too. The location of Kiawah's Beachwalker Park is on the South end of the island, where the coastline is recessed a bit allowing for those murkish waters to the north to sweep right on by — slightly off the coast.
As a result, the sand stays a more pristine white and the waters are less filled with sediment churned up from underneath the surface.
Perhaps part of the misconception of South Carolina's lost blue water beach stems from a belief that you have to be a guest on Kiawah Island to access all of the beaches. But nothing could be further from the truth. There are no gates in which to pass through to get onto Kiawah Island, so no pass is required.
And the only requirement to use the public beach at Beachwalker County Park is to get there before the parking lot fills up, and pay the daily parking fee.
The back side is an ideal spot for picnicking and for launching a kayak. You'll be pleasantly surprised to learn the tidal waters in the Kiawah River on the backside of the park are also a dreamy blue!
So how about it? Now that you know about this 'lost' and little-known Charleston County Park and the extra blue water will you be able to fit it in to your plans before the end of the season?
Kiawah Beachwalker Park is open year-round. However beach rentals and lifeguards may be seasonal. The hours vary by season and are: January – April 10:00 a.m. – Sunset; May – Labor Day 9:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.; September – December 10:00 a.m. – Sunset. Restroom and changing facilities are provided. There is no entry fee for the park, however a daily parking fee is charged, and once the lot is completely filled you may be ticketed or towed if you park outside the authorized parking spots. Learn more on the official website for Charleston County Parks.
Robin Jarvis is a travel writer and editor for OnlyInYourState.com with a bachelor's degree in Journalism. Her love for travel has taken her to many parts of the world. She's lived in the Carolinas for nearly three decades and currently resides in Charleston. When she's not working, she loves to cook with friends and check out new adventures. General questions and FAM tours: rjarvis@onlyinyourstate.com.
