Once again, Pawleys Island tops poll to name Best Beach in South Carolina
Votes have been cast and tallied, and for the third year in a row, Pawleys Island has been named the “Best Beach in South Carolina” by a USA Today/10Best poll!
Pawleys, the oldest seaside resort in America, bested 16 other Palmetto State contenders in a 2026 USA Today 10 Best Readers’ Choice travel awards to name the “Best Beach in South Carolina.” USA Today has named the best beaches in South Carolina, North Carolina, Florida, Texas, California, New Jersey, and Michigan.
(Photo by Chris Rogers/Georgetown County Chamber of Commerce)
Voting for the 2026 contest took place from April 20 to May 18. Results were announced at noon on May 27.
“I couldn’t be more excited about this news,” said Mark A. Stevens, director of tourism development for the Georgetown County Chamber of Commerce. “Pawleys Island winning first place for the Best Beach in South Carolina – again – is amazing!
“Clearly the Pawleys Island beach is beloved by residents and vacationers. Our beaches are adored for their pristine shores and mild crowds, and we wouldn’t have it any other way.”
In addition to Pawleys Island taking the top spot for the second year in a row, two other Hammock Coast contenders also remained favorites, as well, and even improved their 2024 poll standings. This year, Huntington Beach State Park came in at No. 4 and Litchfield Beach at No. 6. In 2024, they were number 5 and 4, respectively.
Beth Stedman, the Chamber’s president and CEO, said the impact from this great honor, in consecutive years, is well-earned.
“The natural beauty of Pawleys Island and its history bring visitors here throughout the year and they return again and again,” Stedman said. “The majesty of Pawleys Island sets it apart from many other coastal beaches.”
Stedman emphasized how important tourism is to Georgetown County.
“The state estimates that tourism is the biggest economic driver in our area, which has an annual impact of more than $300 million for Georgetown County,” Stedman said. “Being recognized again this year by USA Today speaks volumes for our efforts to promote sustainable, family-friendly, nature-centric tourism here on the Hammock Coast.”
Pawleys Island dominated for much of the contest, only occasionally dropping below No.1 on the contest’s leaderboard before rising back up to the top spot, where it ended up in the final tally. Competition was fierce with vacationers weighing in enthusiastically for Palmetto State favorites.
Pawleys Island Mayor Brian Henry and owner of the historic Sea View Inn on Pawleys said he was excited to hear that the island has earned the title of “Best Beach in South Carolina” for the second consecutive year.
“The beach on Pawleys Island has been welcoming families for many generations,” Henry said. “It is pristine, uncrowded, and a throwback to an earlier time. There’s nothing finer than a day spent on our beach!”
The first USA Today/10Best contest to name the Best Beach in South Carolina was in 2018. In that poll, Pawleys Island, Litchfield and Huntington placed in the Top 10. Pawleys placed in 3rd, while Litchfield Beach placed in 8th and Huntington Beach State Park placed in 9th.
The judges
The judges for USA Today who selected the 17 beaches to compete for the honor of “Best Beach in South Carolina” were Jamie Davis Smith, Marla Cimini, and Catherine Smith.
Smith is a travel writer who has visited over 50 countries, many of them with her children in tow. She loves visiting everything from theme parks to ancient ruins and packs strictly carry-on-only.
Cimini is an award-winning writer with a passion for travel, music, surfing and culinary adventures. An avid globetrotter and guidebook writer, she has covered topics such as the Hawaiian islands (including food trends and luxury beachfront resorts), as well as European getaways and global destinations. Her articles have appeared in many publications worldwide. Her travel website is: www.marlacimini.com
Smith, the expert and award-eligibility coordinator for the USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards, has a special interest in health and wellness, family travel, women’s solo travel and off-the-beaten-path adventures. Catherine is the founder of Her Bags Were Packed where she focuses on helping women release emotional baggage through solo travel and self-discovery.
The USA Today/10 Best Readers’ Choice travel awards offer the public an opportunity to set trends for a variety of tourism- and business-related interests. For example, current contests include Most Walkable City to Visit, Best Fishing Lodge, Best White-Water Rafting Tour, among many others.
The public often finds locations on South Carolina’s Hammock Coast included in USA Today/10Best contests. Huntington Beach State Park and Brookgreen Gardens have been nominated in several categories over the years. Murrells Inlet placed sixth earlier this year in a contest to name the Top 10 Best Small Towns in the South.
In 2018, Georgetown topped the list for Best Coastal Small Town. Georgetown was nominated again in subsequent years and placed as high as No. 2 in some years.
And just before the Best Beaches poll, Caledonia Golf and Fish Club in Pawleys Island earned a a fourth-place spot in America’s Best Public Golf Course poll from USA Today/10Best.
“It’s really special that we have two top winners here on the Hammock Coast – Georgetown as Best Coastal Small Town and now, once again, Pawleys Island, as Best Beach in South Carolina,” Stedman said.
About Pawleys Island
Pawleys Island has welcomed vacationers to its shores since the 1700s. Originally, those visitors were families escaping the humidity and mosquitoes on inland plantations, but, today, those visitors come from around the world to enjoy Pawleys’ laidback beach vibes. In 2022, Garden & Gun Magazine put Pawleys Island at No. 2 in a contest to name the Best Beach Town in the South. And, in 2023, Condé Nast Traveler named Pawleys as one of America’s Best Beach Towns.
— By Clayton Stairs, tourism manager for the Georgetown County Chamber of Commerce