Sullivan's Island Beach
Sullivan's Island, SC
Sullivan's Island runs about three miles outside Charleston, a quieter, more residential alternative to Folly or Isle of Palms with no shops or hotels right on the beach itself. Numbered street-end stations provide access along most of the island, with the swimmable middle stretch bookended by two very different spots at either end.
No boardwalk, no high-rises, and real neighborhood streets right up to the sand keep this one of the most local feeling beaches near Charleston, though the dog permit and hourly rules catch a lot of visitors off guard.
How we score beachesStation 18 has handrails and is one of the easiest stations for anyone who needs a more stable path to the sand. Stations 21 and 26 are also set up for accessibility.
Free parking is available in the right-of-way along most residential streets near the beach, as long as all four tires stay off the pavement. There are no paid lots on the island.
Most numbered stations are sand paths over a low dune. Stations 18, 21, and 26 have added handrails and a more stable surface for anyone who needs it.
Dogs need a town-issued permit to visit the island at all, including the beach. From May through September they're allowed on the beach only from 6pm to 10am, off leash early morning; the rest of the year the off-leash window runs 5am to noon.
Charleston summers push water into the low 80s by August, comfortable but humid, right through hurricane season, which runs into November. Locals tend to prefer the shoulder months for the same warm water without the thick air.
This isn't one entrance, it's a stretch with a few. Here's where locals actually meet up.
Fort Moultrie Beach (Station 12)
The quiet southwest end of the island beside the historic fort, with downtown Charleston and the Ravenel Bridge visible across the harbor. Swimming isn't allowed here because of strong currents at the harbor entrance.
Parking: A small paved lot right at Station 12 is free and rarely full.
Local tip: Come for the sunset and the harbor view, not a swim. It's the best photo spot on the island and the least crowded.
Get directions →Thomson Park (Breach Inlet)
The northeast tip of the island at Breach Inlet, popular for surf fishing, sunbathing, and dolphin watching rather than swimming, which is banned here due to a dangerous current between Sullivan's Island and Isle of Palms.
Parking: Free street parking runs along the avenue near the park.
Local tip: Watch the current at the inlet from the shore only. It's strong enough that even wading is discouraged.
Get directions →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.