Although the island claims to be “the oldest seaside resort in America,” there certainly aren’t any traces of resort life. Pawleys Island is home to one of the most undeveloped public beaches in the state and is known for its “arrogantly shabby” style. Life on the island is slow and relaxed, and locals work hard to keep it that way.

Austin Bond, who contributed the beautiful photo above, describes the scene for us: “Every Tuesday I lead a Prayer Breakfast for high and middle school students before school in Pawleys Island for our church’s youth ministry. When the sun rises before 6:45 AM (since that is when the breakfast starts), I try to watch it! It has rained a lot over the last week so it was so nice to see a beautiful sunrise after so much rain … and the high clouds made the morning even more beautiful!”

Dawne Dunton, who captured the shot above, describes the scene like this: “A morning sunrise at the beach is something I love to do know matter what time of the year. Sunrises are different every day. I may miss a few here and there, but the best ones are always the ones I do see. This is my favorite place to see them.”

If you love the Springmaid Pier, you can purchase Dawne’s photos on her website.

The park was developed in the mid 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps as part of President Roosevelt’s New Deal program. It was the first state park opened to the public in South Carolina.

In addition to the fishing pier pictured above, the park also includes campgrounds, hiking trails, and an interactive nature center. Learn more about features of the park here.

Popular with generations of fishermen, the two-story observation deck at the end of the 985-foot pier also attracts those who just want to enjoy the sweeping view that includes ocean, beach, and sky. Learn more about fishing at the pier by visiting the Cherry Grove Pier’s website.

This shot, taken from beneath the pier, takes in the vista from a different angle – one familiar to anyone who has sought out the shade on a hot day at the beach.

SCIWAY thanks Kevin Travis of Sumter, who shared this picture taken around sunset on New Year’s Eve, 2010.

The pier has a tackle shop as well as an arcade and a small cafe. It is an old-fashioned, laid back place. At the end is a covered shelter where you can have a drink and listen to music on weekends. There is no fee to walk out on the pier, but you do have to buy a ticket to fish.

Garden City Beach is an unincorporated community located partially in Horry County and partially in Georgetown County. Since it’s only eight miles south of Myrtle Beach, it’s a popular day trip for many vacationing families.

Learn more about the Garden City Pier at their official site. The pier is located at 110 South Waccamaw Drive, and the telephone number is 843-651-9700.

Many special thanks to Nicole Roloff for submitting the picture above.

The Tugaloo River is a popular recreation area in the Upstate where people enjoy water-skiing, boating, sailing, and fishing. A short river that borders the Georgia-South Carolina state line, it is fed by the Tallulah River and the Chattooga River and ends as an arm of Lake Hartwell. After it flows out of Hartwell Dam, it is then called the Savannah River.

Special thanks to Shannon Young who took this picture October 2009.

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Austin Bond, who contributed the stunning sunrise shot above, describes the scene: “During high school and college I loved taking scenic photographs of sunsets. I’m really not a morning person but I thought it might be neat to experience a sunrise and capture it on film. I photographed a few sunrises while spending a week at the beach and this was my favorite one. I was impressed with how beautiful a sunrise over the Atlantic Ocean was. Of course, after taking a few photographs I crawled back in bed (I was on vacation you know).”

The first pier was built in 1931, along with a pavilion, boardwalk, and the Oceanfront Hotel. In those days, you could catch an afternoon or evening concert featuring such big-band giants as Glenn Miller, Guy Lombardo, and Tommy Dorsey. It was also the scene of several beauty contests, one of which was judged by the legendary George Gershwin, who summered on Folly in 1934.

That pier burned in 1957 but a new one soon replaced it – surrounded by a 1,700-foot boardwalk and a modern hotel. Called “Oceanfront Plaza,” the area also featured a skating rink, a bowling alley, and a small amusement park complete with a Ferris wheel, a roller coaster, and a merry-go-round.

Like its predecessor, the new pier attracted plenty of famous musicians, including The Tams, The Temptations, Maurice Williams and The Zodiacs, The Catalinas, Doug Clark and The Hot Nuts, Jerry Lee Lewis, and even the inimitable Otis Redding. Throughout the ’60s and ’70s, young people flocked to the pier to dance the night away. Its giant windows offered wonderful breezes, and you could catch your breath, talk to friends, or share a drink with your date while staring out over the ocean.

Sadly, the pier burned again in 1977 and there were rumors of arson. Folly did not have a pier for the next 18 years.

In an entirely different vein, the current pier revolves around fishing. At 25 feet wide, it stands 23 feet above sea level. At the foot of the pier, you can also find a sit-down restaurant, an upscale gift shop, rod and tackle rentals and sales, a lower patio space available for rent, beach access, and showers.

The Charleston County Park & Recreation Department hosts monthly fishing tournaments June through September, and the Big Kahuna tournament is held in August each year. In a nod to Folly’s past, it also hosts Moonlight Mixers once or twice a month during the summer. Learn more about the Edwin S. Taylor Fishing Pier here.