Welcome To Pawleys Island

Pawleys Island, South Carolina, located 70 miles north of Charleston and 25 miles south of Myrtle Beach, is known as one of the oldest summer resorts on the East Coast.

The families of rice planters who owned plantations on the nearby rivers first settled Pawleys Island in the early 1700s. The planters knew that it was unhealthy for their families to remain on the rivers during the summer and that the seashore was much healthier. Even though they didn’t know about malaria in the 1700s, they knew enough to get away! They moved their families, horses, cows, bedding, provisions and furniture to Pawleys in May of each year, where they remained until the first frost in November!

From this leisurely existence has developed the charm of Pawleys that still remains. Also still remaining are 12 residences in the historic district, which date from the late 1700s to the mid 1800s. Pawleys continues to be known for its shoeless, carefree, laid-back life style, which includes crabbing in the adjacent creeks, fishing, the stories of ghosts, the rope hammocks and the unspoiled, unsophisticated, casual, delightful stretch of wide beach and sand dunes.

Pawleys Island is a barrier island less than 4 miles long and mostly 1 house wide, separated from the mainland by a beautiful salt marsh and accessible by two short causeways. Generations of visitors have returned with the feeling that “their blood pressure goes down when they cross the causeway.”

The beach is peaceful and pristine, and renowned for its surf. Within five miles of the island there are approximately ten first-rate golf courses and a large tennis complex. Fishing is available both in the surf and from our two marsh bridges. On the island are three fine launch boat ramps. Pawleys is a family beach where you can enjoy crabbing off a crab dock, shelling, biking and canoeing or kayaking. The ambiance is laid back. Our town speed limit is 25 mph, making it as safe as possible for the many users of the road. During high tide explore the salt marsh with your own kayak or rent one. Swimming, fishing and sunning are the main activities of the day. Night life consists of dining out, long conversations on screened porches, shopping in a mainland boutique or strolling the beach.

Your blood pressure goes down when you cross the causeway...

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