A long-settled peninsula between the Waccamaw River and the Atlantic Ocean, this majestic strip of land is home to DeBordieu, Pawleys Island, Litchfield and Murrells Inlet. Slightly inland you’ll find unspoiled natural beauty, black-water rivers and tidal creeks, where visitors are always welcome.
This diverse land along the South Carolina coast encompasses five rivers joining to meet the Atlantic Ocean at Winyah Bay. The county incorporates a historic seaport, miles of interwoven black-water rivers and saltwater creeks, vast pine forests, cypress swamps, and centuries-old rice plantations.
DeBordieu is a year-round retreat, wherein you can create family traditions. Area festivals, attractions, shops and much, much more are available throughout the year.
For those who seek solitude, the winter months provide the perfect getaway as the days are breezy, the nights are cool and strolls along the beach find only seagulls for company. In the spring, a journey throughout the area finds blooming azaleas set among former rice plantations, magnificent sculpture gardens and historic homes. In the fall, waterfowl are commonplace as they fly across the sky inspiring onlookers from land and leisurely boat cruises. For nature lovers, wildlife viewing areas throughout the county are well marked. In addition to a host of guided nature tours you can also see Mother Nature at work by taking a sunrise jaunt along the Murrells Inlet’s Marshwalk or a sunset stroll along Georgetown’s Harborwalk.
A short drive to the north, Myrtle Beach offers shopping, theatres, and amusement parks; and to the south is the lovely, historic city of Charleston where history is not simply a thing of the past. You can tour 300 year old homes, walk along the Battery and see where the Civil War began.
Today, many visitors come for the history and a glimpse of a by-gone rice culture. Others find solace as they unwind with their families among the native live oaks and ocean dunes, whether they’re swinging in a rope hammock on a cottage porch or swinging a golf club on a championship course. From the sandy beaches, championship golf and nature-based activities to history and culture and world-class dining and shopping, we have it all!
The local area has long been a popular destination. Situated at the confluence of five major rivers and the Atlantic Ocean, the area’s rich natural resources provided abundant food and shelter for Native Americans.
The area also attracted early European explorers. Following an ill-fated Spanish settlement in 1526, the British settled ‘George Towne’ in the 1700’s. During the American Revolution in the late 1760’s, one of the County’s native sons, General Francis Marion, the ‘Swamp Fox’, tormented British troops holding George Towne.
Following the Revolution, Georgetown County became the leading rice producer in the New World. Its many black-water rivers once flooded and nurtured the fields that made the commercial production of rice possible in the early 1800’s.
Explore your heritage. Come, hear the words and listen to the stories. Stay and experience the places, the traditions and the feelings that have transcended time in Georgetown County.