Isle of Palms Beach
Isle of Palms, SC
Twenty minutes from downtown Charleston, Isle of Palms is a wide barrier island beach where the sand stays soft and the water is usually calmer than Folly's down the coast. The county park at the south end has the most amenities, while the residential streets further up the island lead to quieter, mostly local stretches.
Calmer water than Folly and a real local stretch north of the county park make this a regular for Charleston area families, though the good parking disappears fast once the sun is out.
How we score beachesSkip the county park entirely on a summer weekend and park along Ocean Boulevard between 10th and 14th, where the meters run cheaper and the beach is exactly as good.
The county park on 14th Avenue charges by the season, up to $20 on summer weekends, while metered street parking on Ocean Boulevard nearby runs cheaper. Both fill early on a sunny Saturday.
The county park has a paved path and boardwalk down to the sand near the pavilion. Street-end accesses elsewhere on the island are mostly sand paths through low dunes.
Leashed dogs are allowed throughout Isle of Palms, including the county park, and owners are expected to clean up after them.
Water warms into the low 80s by August, comfortable enough that locals often wait for September to swim without the crowds. Hurricane season runs through November, worth watching the forecast for a late summer visit.
More Atlantic Coast beaches
Coast Guard Beach
Eastham, MA · Atlantic Coast
A National Seashore beach backed by grassy dunes and a tidal marsh, with clean Atlantic surf and one of the Cape's most scenic approaches on foot from the parking area.
Surfside Beach
Nantucket, MA · Atlantic Coast
Open Atlantic swell and a wide sandy shoreline about three miles from Nantucket town, popular with locals for its bodysurfing waves and quieter, less commercial feel.
Jones Beach State Park
Wantagh, NY · Atlantic Coast
A classic Long Island beach with six and a half miles of shoreline, a landmark water tower, boardwalk, and a large outdoor amphitheater that hosts concerts through the summer.