Southern Summer Beach Vacations

by JG Walker

If you're ready to get back to your summer vacation traditions this year, check out these four great oceanfront destinations that may just be a little off your beaten path. Whether you’re planning a family gathering in a big beach house or a more personal getaway with your favorite traveling partner, you’ll find these Southern shores to be ideal for enjoying the best of this season’s sun and surf.

North Carolina’s Brunswick Islands

Located between Wilmington and Myrtle Beach, the Brunswick Islands of North Carolina feature 45 miles of uncrowded oceanfront on five beautiful barrier islands. Each has its distinctive character, but all are perfect destinations for good old-fashioned seaside relaxation.

The town of Southport has a picturesque waterfront downtown with locally owned shops, galleries, and restaurants.

It’s also the gateway to Bald Head Island, a unique retreat that’s only accessible by ferry or private boat. Take a self-guided tour by bike or golf cart and climb to the top of Old Baldy, the island’s iconic lighthouse.

The Oak Island Lighthouse on Caswell Beach offers even more panoramic views of the coast. Oak Island is also where you’ll find the first two of the five Brunswick Islands fishing piers that extend for the length of three football fields out above the ocean. Bring your gear, or rent rods and reels for a delightful day of deep-water fishing.

Holden Beach is a family- and pet-friendly vacation host with a wide oceanfront for shell collecting, bike paths that traverse the entire island, and outfitters for everything from paddleboards to jet skis.

Southern Living magazine named Ocean Isle Beach the South’s “Best Tiny Town.” Master the waves at the Carolina School of Surf, visit the Museum of Coastal Carolina, and enjoy free live music every Friday night during the summer. The Swamp Park near Ocean Isle is one of the area’s unique eco-destinations, where you can take a 2.5-hour zipline tour or a 50-minute boat adventure through the coastal wilderness.

The southernmost of Brunswick’s barrier islands is Sunset Beach, where you can cast a line from the area’s longest fishing pier, catch a show at the Ingram Planetarium, and spend an entire day exploring the Bird Island Nature Preserve. Just across the bridge is the town of Calabash, the renowned “Seafood Capital of the World” that features restaurants where fresh local delicacies are always on the menu. Nearby are many of the region’s

30+ championship golf courses, including the Arnold Palmer-designed gem at Rivers Edge.

While there are some national chain hotels and golf villas available for visitors on the mainland, the featured accommodations on the Brunswick Islands are the cozy local inns and big private beach houses where the oceanfront is at your doorstep.

NCBrunswick.com

South Carolina’s Hammock Coast

From Garden City to Georgetown, the Hammock Coast of South Carolina offers the best beaches and most unique attractions on the southern shores of the Grand Strand.

Murrells Inlet features dozens of casual-dining restaurants that serve up fresh local seafood and other Lowcountry-style cuisine. Many overlook the signature Murrells Inlet

MarshWalk, the perfect promenade for an after-dinner stroll.

Among the must-see attractions on the Hammock Coast is Brookgreen Gardens, which is celebrating its 90th anniversary in 2022 with special events and exhibits. The 9,000-acre National Historic Landmark is home to America’s largest outdoor sculpture gardens and literally thousands of works by more than 400 artists, plus the Lowcountry Zoo and pontoon-boat tours on the Waccamaw River.

The entrance to Huntington Beach State Park is just across the road, which features seaside campsites, hiking trails through the maritime forest, a new Nature Center, and tours of Atalaya Castle. The three miles of undeveloped Huntington seashore and the four miles of adjoining Litchfield Beach create one of the most natural and scenic oceanfronts on the Carolina coast.

In addition to the high-rise condos with sweeping ocean views at Litchfield Golf & Beach Resort, many Hammock Coast visitors stay at private seaside homes along Litchfield

Beach and historic Pawleys Island. The latter features its four-mile oceanfront and cozy waterfront inns at a destination that’s been welcoming vacationers since the 1800s.

Highway 17 is the area’s main thoroughfare and offers national-brand hotel accommodations, as well as family-friendly restaurants like Hanser House and Captain John’s. There are also a number of unique retail stores, including the Original Hammock Shop that gives the region its name.

Championship golf is another major draw on the Hammock Coast, featuring 12 outstanding courses like the top-rated Caledonia Golf & Fish Club. Additional activities for outdoor lovers include tours of the 16,000acre Hobcaw Barony nature preserve and the Tom Yawkey Wildlife Center, which covers 31 square miles on three islands at the mouth of Winyah Bay. Be sure to also include a day trip to the historic port of Georgetown in your vacation itinerary, which features waterfront shops and restaurants along its HarborWalk, plus The Rice Museum and other attractions.

HammockCoastSC.com

Georgia’s Tybee Island

Tybee Island is Savannah’s beach town, located just 20 minutes east of Georgia’s famous port city. That proximity gives Tybee visitors a convenient option for day trips to enjoy all of the cultural attractions in Savannah. Still, many find plenty of activities to keep them busy on this popular island destination.

The North Beach on Tybee Island features historic attractions, including Fort Pulaski, Fort Screven, and the Tybee Island Museum. The iconic Tybee Island Lighthouse is just a short walk from the museum, where you can climb 178 steps to the top for breathtaking 360-degree views. North Beach is also home to movies and live shows at the Tybee Post Theater, plus boutique shops and galleries, bedand-breakfast inns, casual-dining restaurants, and sweet treats at The Sugar Shack.

Tybee’s Mid Beach area is where you’ll find several of the island’s most popular seafood restaurants. Also located there are seaside resort accommodations that feature oceanfront dining among their many vacation amenities. Tybrisa Street is the heart of the island’s nightlife district in neighboring South Beach, with sports bars and musical entertainment.

Full-service resort hotels and cozy inns are also found on South Beach and the Tybee Island Pier and Pavilion for daytime fishing and old-fashioned evening amusements.

Back River Beach features dockside restaurants that serve up seafood delicacies fresh from the local waters. At the Back River marinas, you can charter a boat for deep-sea or inshore fishing excursions, rent a kayak or jet ski to explore the wetland waterways, or get close to nature with a dolphin tour. And for the ultimate natural experience during your Tybee Island vacation, be sure to take a boat across the estuary to Little Tybee. This uninhabited barrier island features miles of absolutely pristine beaches covered with seashells and hiking trails through the maritime forests where birds and wildlife are abundant.

In its February 2022 edition, Travel + Leisure magazine named Tybee Island among the “15 Best Weekend Beach Getaways in the U.S.” But with so much to do on and around the island, plus all that nearby Savannah has to offer, you’ll probably want to stay at least a full week to enjoy Tybee’s perfect mix of excitement and serenity.

VisitTybee.com