Thousands of families visit the Carolina coast each year, each family cherishing their own favorite feature of our beautiful state. We’ve got the best shopping, dining, surfing, fishing, amusement parks & countless other ways to play. It’s no wonder these same families make the return trip year after year. We’d like to share with you two of our favorite places to play & relax: Brookgreen Gardens, and Huntington Beach State Park. These natural beauties have indulged families for years who want a little nature, a little art and a whole lot of fun!

BROOKGREEN GARDENS
Just 15 minutes south of Garden City, this 9,200 acre preserve is the only accredited zoo on the Carolina coast. Founded in 1931 by Archer & Anne Hyatt Huntington, the gardens boast the spectrum of diverse flora & fauna found in the Carolinas. Also contained on the lush grounds are scores of sculptures ~ some as small as a few inches, while others top over 20 feet in height! $12 will get you an adult pass that is good for a full week (children 5 & under are free), and yearly memberships are only $60!

Brookgreen Gardens is more than a beautiful place to relax & enjoy nature; this multi-purpose venue hosts many events throughout the year, including this month’s Sculpture Exhibition (The Wild West in Historic & Contemporary Art) and participation in The Pawleys Island Festival of Music & Art. The events change with the seasons, and all are suitable for all ages. Visit Brookgreen Gardens online to see a full calendar of events, and find out how you can treat your family to the best of the Carolina coast’s natural beauty.

HUNTINGTON BEACH STATE PARK
Located just a few miles from Brookgreen Gardens, this majestic 2,500 acre park has long been a favorite destination for families & nature enthusiasts alike. A variety of landscapes ~ salted marshes, freshwater lagoons & 3 miles of dune-protected beaches ~ can be found at Huntington Beach State Park. Over 100 dedicated camping spots (many with running water & some with electricity) are available for overnight stays, and you may want to do just that!

Visitors to the park have the opportunity to explore Atalaya, a spanish-style castle that was once winter home to the sculptor Anne Hyatt Huntington. Tours of the castle run year ’round, as do guided trips through the park itself. Boating, fishing & birding are popular ways to enjoy the area ~ in fact, the park boasts over 300 species of birds, and has long been an east coast destination for amateur ornithologists. September 25th-27th is the 35th annual Atalaya Arts & Crafts Festival, which draws crowds each year for food, fun & art at the beautiful moorish castle grounds. What better way to enjoy an afternoon (or weekend) with the family?

These are just two examples of what our community has to offer by way of natural beauty. Part of what makes the Grand Strand, well, ”Grand” is the care we’ve taken to preserve the area we inhabit. So after you’ve exhausted our amusement parks, fabulous restaurants, outstanding shopping outlets & all the rest we have to offer, make sure to visit these natural getaways and give your family the true Carolina Coast experience!