Unspoiled beauty and a Moorish castle: Huntington Beach State Park on SC Grand Strand

The artist Michelangelo said, “The marble not yet carved can hold the form of every thought the greatest artist has.”

There is a place in the Lowcountry open to the public where the landscape feels fresh and free of development. Thoughts can wander, hours can be wasted and, at the end of the day, it will seem as if you have accomplished a lifetime of work.

You can be as an artist exploring the clay of an unmade sculpture, lost in thought as you explore miles of beach or observe egrets in the marsh while low-tide oysters spit little rainbows of seawater in happy concert. Did you know that oysters do that? If not, walk along a boardwalk at Huntington Beach State Park when the sea has drained the pluff mud kingdom surrounding it in its twice-daily schedule and you will see them popping bits of water into the afternoon light.

South Carolina has hundreds of miles of shoreline, but most of it is accessible only in small bits of development. The beach is shadowed by high-porched houses or sunset-blocking hotels, but one place is free and clear of all this. Huntington Beach State Park near Georgetown rests on the lower edge of the Grand Strand, and when you visit this park and its three-mile sweep of beach, you will not have to guess why the Carolina strand is “grand” indeed.

Clocking in at almost exactly three hours from the Beaufort area, Huntington Beach State Park makes for a long but satisfying day trip or an excellent weekend getaway.

This 2,500-acre state park is a jewel of the coast, making up a link in a chain of beach and island parks from Hunting Island to Edisto Island up to Myrtle Beach. The park boasts 173 tent and RV campsites that are attractively set between the shade of the maritime forest and the breezy sand dunes where at night the thunder and whisper of the sea lulls visitors to sleep.

Two nature trails will take a hiker along a freshwater marsh where night herons peer between reeds and alligators roar and splash in the shallows while another path cruises the sandy live oak woods within reach of the ocean. Beach access in several places provides day-use fun for people and even pets since Huntington Beach State Park is another dog-friendly destination that welcomes canine adventurers. Boardwalks take you through the life-giving salt marsh and bookends a walk on the wide, sandy beach.

Plus, you can visit a mansion once graced by a famous artist.

Huntington Beach State Park was once the summer home of sculptor Anna Huntington and her husband Archer Huntington, a wealthy industrialist. Anna was diagnosed with tuberculosis in 1927 and she and Archer sought a better climate. They purchased the land and began construction of a large summer home.

For three years, using local labor, a rambling, 30-room concrete and tabby mansion was built. It was designed by Archer Huntington.

Christened “Atalaya,” the house reflected Spanish and Moorish influences with arches, elaborate ironwork and palm-lined walkways. Breeze-sited windows caught the salty air and open spaces played light upon the sculpting work of Anna the artist. Anna Huntington was a celebrated artist who created sweeping designs, many incorporating human and animal subjects. Her portrait of Andrew Jackson as a young boy on horseback graces Andrew Jackson State Park today.

Land close to Huntington Beach State Park was set aside by Archer Huntington to become Brookgreen Gardens, where Anna’s work continued and is celebrated today as a public attraction. Huntington Beach State Park was acquired by the state of South Carolina by lease in 1960 and soon was a thriving park. Anna died in 1973 and in 1984 Atalaya was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

When you visit Huntington Beach State Park today, you can explore the spacious but very accessible natural features of the park and also spend time in Atalaya Castle. The house is open daily for tours, or simply to allow you to wander the rooms where light and shadow play and outside the sea calls you to take off your shoes and walk the shore one more time before heading home. My family and I recently visited Huntington Beach State Park and enjoyed hours of walking the beach, the nature trails and exploring Atalaya castle.

Huntington Beach State Park is a picture of un-worked art in the form of a natural and undeveloped haven for nature. It is hoped your own inner artist will be inspired by a visit, for it is certain your memory will be molded with the gift of its beauty.

Getting there

Huntington Beach State Park is located on U.S. 17 at 16148 Ocean Highway, Murrells Inlet, SC. It is eight miles north of Georgetown and three hours from the Beaufort area. The drive along the coastal highway is part of the enjoyment of a day spent at Huntington Beach State Park.

To get there, simply drive north on U.S. 17 through Charleston to Georgetown. Turn right onto Church Street (Business 17) and follow signs toward Myrtle Beach. Huntington Beach State Park is open year-round and the park office is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

Day-use admission to the park is $5 for adults, $3.25 for seniors, $3 for youth and free for children 5 and younger.

A large picnic and playground area with a short walk to the beach makes for a great place to spend the day. Atalaya Castle is open daily and is preserved through the work of the park and a nonprofit.

Admission to the home is $2 per person and well worth the cost to help in the upkeep of this historic site.

For more information, visit https://southcarolinaparks.com/huntington-beach or call 843-237-4443.

This story was originally published December 5, 2019 at 9:00 AM.