Pawleys Island named Best Beach in South Carolina for third year in a row
June 3, 2026
Two other Hammock Coast beaches make the Top 10 list in national online contest by USA Today/10 Best
Pawleys Island has, for the third consecutive year, been named the Best Beach in South Carolina in a national poll conducted by USA Today/10
Best.
The annual competition to name the best beaches in South Carolina, North Carolina, Florida, Texas, California and Puerto Rico draws a massive online presence, and once
again, in the South Carolina competition, Pawleys Island came in at No. 1. Pawleys competed against 16 other Palmetto State beaches to earn a three-peat for the
title of Best Beach In South Carolina, winning in 2024, 2025 and, once again, in 2026.
Known as the gem of South Carolina’s Hammock Coast®, Pawleys Island has been welcoming visitors since the 1700s and is known as one of the oldest seaside resorts in
America. 
Two other Hammock Coast beaches – Huntington Beach State Park and Litchfield Beach also made the Top 10 final list. Huntington finished at No. 4 and Litchfield earned the sixth-place spot.
“We are so proud that three of our pristine, beautiful beaches here on the Hammock Coast are once again ranking as some of the best in South Carolina,” said Mark A. Stevens, director of tourism development for the Georgetown County Chamber of Commerce. “And we are so proud of Pawleys Island to continue its winning ways as the No. 1 beach in South Carolina — as voted on by the public. That’s a real honor.”
South Carolina’s Hammock Coast is the official, registered trademark tourism moniker for Georgetown County and was adopted by County Council in 2010. The brand now has a national following and promotes the beach communities of southern Garden City, Murrells Inlet, Litchfield, Pawleys Island and DeBordieu Colony, as well as historic
Georgetown and Andrews, under one tourism umbrella.
In the Best Beach in South Carolina contest, the public voted from April 20 until noon on May 18 with the final results announced by USA Today/10 Best a little over two
weeks later.
The wins cemented three of Georgetown County’s most popular beaches as top choices for South Carolina beaches.
In announcing Pawleys as the No. 1 beach in South Carolina, the venerable USA Today wrote,”Situated on South Carolina’s Hammock Coast, beach access abounds across the
shores of Pawleys Island, a tiny town located on the eastern edge of Georgetown County. While the community is home to just over 100 residents, the population swells in the
warm months, when beachgoers arrive to enjoy sunbathing, swimming, and surfing.”
The USA TODAY/10Best Readers’ Choice Awards highlight top-notch attractions and businesses, providing readers with trusted recommendations. An expert panel of judges – made up of award-winning writers and authors such as Jamie Davis Smith and Marla Cimini – was selected to narrow the choices for the contest to 17 South Carolina beaches.
For more information about Pawleys Island, visit OnlyPawleys.com. For more information about all the beaches and communities of the Hammock Coast, visit
HammockCoastSC.com. Or call the Georgetown County Chamber of Commerce at 843-546-8436 for more information. If you’d like to receive a free Hammock Coast Visitors
guide, go to HammockCoastSC to fill out a form to have a copy mailed to you or download a digital copy.
