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 clearest water in South Carolina, 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.
TripAdvisor/Rutha2s
In fact, most South Carolinians don't realize that Kiawah Island even has a public beach!
Or that the beach is as wide as it is and filled with soft, white sand.
TripAdvisor/Bob19512014
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.
TripAdvisor/David C
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.
Google Maps/Lisa Whitlow
Parking fees vary by day and by season, but currently range from $5-$20 per vehicle, per day. You'll find more info in the hours and fees section of the Kiawah Beachwalker Park webpage.
The park is located on a narrow strip of Kiawah island and has both beach and backwater access.
TripAdvisor/Fred M
TripAdvisor/Fred M
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 into your plans before the end of the season?
TripAdvisor/Teri S

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. Restrooms 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 page for Kiawah Beachwalker Park on the Charleston County Parks website.

Need more reasons to make the trek all the way out to Kiawah? This public beach was ranked one of the ten best beaches in the country, which would naturally make it the best beach in South Carolina!

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Beaches and Dining In South Carolina

AnneMarie | October 29, 2022

What are some of the other best beaches in South Carolina?

If you’re looking for a beach with tons of attractions and things to do, Myrtle Beach is your place. If you’d like to be located within a reasonable distance of Myrtle Beach’s attractions but enjoy nice, lesser crowded beaches, Cherry Grove Beach or Surfside Beach are great options. If you’d like to be near Charleston, the best beach close by is going to be the Isle of Palms or Sullivan’s Island, known as the destination for kite boarders. And then Hilton Head Island has been called one of the top ten family-friendly beaches in the United States.

Where are some hidden beaches in South Carolina?

For beaches that are little-known, try Litchfield Beach on Pawley’s Island, which is known for its pristine white sand, Driessen Beach at Driessen Beach Park on Hilton Head Island, or Edisto Beach on Edisto Island is widely overlooked, yet, full of fun adventure. These are just a couple of the hidden beaches in the state. Check out our South Carolina Hidden Beaches Road Trip for six other options.

What are the most highly rated restaurants in South Carolina?

This can change from year to year, but Halls Chophouse in Charleston consistently ranks highly as a restaurant and earned the #3 spot on TripAdvisor's 2022 Top 25 restaurants in the U.S. list. It’s a fine-dining steak restaurant with seafood menu options as well. Peninsula Grill, also in Charleston, ranked #14 on that same list, which is no surprise with it having a world-famous cake on its menu that was the focus of a Throwdown! with Bobby Flay episode. Although one of the things Charleston is known for is its amazing cuisine, there are many excellent restaurants in other parts of the state, some of which include Thoroughbred's Chophouse & Seafood Grille in Myrtle Beach, with charming themed dining rooms, Alodia's, Columbia’s #1 Italian restaurant, and Soby’s in Greenville, which serves American cuisine.

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Featured Addresses
Kiawah Beachwalker Park, 8 Beachwalker Dr, Kiawah Island, SC 29455, USA