The 7 Most Charming River Towns In South Carolina
There’s no shortage of charming river towns in South Carolina that incorporate the state’s trademark Southern hospitality with natural beauty and historic character, perfect for a weekend getaway or a slow-paced detour. These seven towns are nestled along the banks of meandering rivers that wind slowly through lowcountry marshes, pine forests, or cypress swamps, offering plenty of opportunities to kayak, wander historic streets, browse local art, or savor seafood at shacks serving the best of Southern soul food. So let’s go downstream to South Carolina’s river towns, where the rivers meet the sea.
Conway
Conway is one of the oldest towns in the Palmetto State, established in 1732. Sometimes called the “Gateway to Myrtle Beach,” the historic river town is only 15 miles from downtown Myrtle Beach, and the perfect break from the sand, surf, and the sun, where visitors can explore the town’s well-preserved architecture or spend time strolling on the Riverwalk along the beautiful Waccamaw River. Stop in at the Horry County Museum and L.W. Paul Living History Farm, where you can see a variety of freshwater fish found in the rivers around Conway in a 4,400-gallon aquarium and a natural history exhibit of taxidermied animals from the area, like the American Alligator, American Black Bear, birds of prey, and snakes. The added benefit is that admission is free.
The Visitor Center is housed in a building that once served as Conway’s post office, and provides an eclectic assortment of maps to help you navigate the river town’s quaint streets. There’s a map of 39 historic buildings, 17 of which are listed on the National Register of Historic Places; another map takes you on a tour of Conway’s beautiful live oak trees, including the creepy Hanging Oak, where public executions were held until 1908, and the eponymous Mary Beaty Oak, named after the woman who prevented it from being cut down for a railroad; if kids are in tow, grab a Critter Map, which maps out the locations of bronze animals like Timmy the Turtle and Maggie the Squirrel hidden in historic locations around town.
Cheraw
Another town long recognized for its antebellum historic district is Cheraw, located approximately 85 miles northeast of the state capital, Columbia. The perfect day trip for history buffs, particularly American Civil War enthusiasts, the district features over 50 antebellum buildings, including elegant homes, churches, and public buildings like circa 1770 Old St. David’s Church, the 1820 Cheraw Lyceum (now the Cheraw Museum), and the Merchants Bank (now First Citizens) a former gold depository for the Confederate States of America, and was one of the last banks to honor Confederate currency.
Cheraw sits on the banks of the Pee Dee River, which begins in the quirky town of Blowing Rock and ends at Winyah Bay in Georgetown. One of the 10 longest rivers in South Carolina, it was named for the Pee Dee Indians. Another unusual site worth visiting in the picturesque river town is Ingram’s River Artifacts Room, a collection of Civil War ordnance found in the Pee Dee River, hidden in a law office behind the one-time opera house (now Cheraw Town Hall).
Bluffton
One of South Carolina’s fastest-growing cities, Bluffton, sits on the shores of the picturesque May River with its moss-draped trees and tidal waters. Explore the town’s proximity to the water’s edge by booking a river excursion to see the bottlenose dolphins in their natural habitat, a breathtaking sunset over the river, or treat yourself to a private tour to look for shark teeth and shells on a sandbar with May River Excursions.
Art lovers will enjoy exploring the galleries in Old Town Bluffton, such as the Red Piano Art Gallery, which celebrates 50 years of arts in the Lowcountry, and La Petite Gallerie, featuring the work of local artists. If you’re in search of southern retail therapy, check out Birdie James clothing, the old-timey Bluffton General Store, Cassandra’s Kitchen for kitchen essentials, and the Burnt Church Distillery for a bottle of cheekily-named Confession Bourbon or Sin Eater Cinnamon Whiskey.
Georgetown
Another river town with a beautiful Harborwalk that invites you to take advantage of its location at the confluence of the Great Pee Dee, Waccamaw, Black, and Sampit Rivers, Georgetown features more than 250 historic 200-year-old homes, many of which are on the National Register of Historic Places, plantations, and an abundance of Southern hospitality. With five fantastic museums to choose from in Georgetown, it’s hard to decide whether to spend the day discovering the Rice Museum, whose collection of diaoramas, maps, and artifacts are housed in the Old Market Building and Town Clock, the Gullah Museum with its displays on the Gullah language and culture, or the South Carolina Maritime Museum on Georgetown’s historic waterfront.
After learning about the third-oldest town in the Palmetto State, stroll along the Harborwalk and indulge in spicy prawns at the River Room, waterfront cocktails like a Swamp Fox or a Green Iguana at family-friendly Buzz’s Roost, or Hushpuppy Shrimp at Between the Antlers, where George Washington was rumored to drink rum in 1791 when it was a federal wharf.
McClellanville
Approximately 38 miles northeast of Charleston, the popular port city known for its cobblestone streets, colorful antebellum homes, and Southern charm, McClellanville is a pretty fishing village sitting on Jeremy Creek, a tidal inlet that flows into the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway. It is an outdoor lover’s paradise at the edge of the Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge, one of the largest national wildlife refuges in the United States, and home to dolphins, bald eagles, sea turtles, wood storks, and more. Enjoy birdwatching, photography, and boating in the refuge, or contact local outfitter Coastal Expeditions for a guided eco-tour through the sanctuary, including a Boneyard Beach Sunrise Expedition, where you can tour the estuary, go birding for over 300 bird species, see alligators, wild boars, and bottlenose dolphins and wander 16 miles of trails on the remote 5,000-acre barrier island known as Bull’s Island.
No visit to McClellanville is complete without a stop at T.W. Graham & Co., a beloved Lowcountry local seafood shack renowned for its shrimp and grits, crawfish tails, blue crab, and crunchy grouper “fingers.” Afterwards, pop across the street for ice-cold cocktails at the Bent Rod.
Beaufort
Beaufort is located on Port Royal Island, one of the largest Sea Islands, surrounded on either side by the Broad River and the Coosaw River. It is one of only a few U.S. towns whose entire downtown is designated as a historic district by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. If history is your jam, then stop by the Beaufort Visitor Center for a guide and set off on a self-guided tour along streets framed in Spanish moss-draped live oaks, visiting key sites like the ruins of Prince William’s Parish Church (today known as the Old Sheldon Church), the Hunting Island Lighthouse, the only lighthouse in South Carolina where you can climb up its 167 steps to the top, the Beaufort Arsenal, and the first school for formerly enslaved people in the U.S., the Penn Center.
Beaufort and Port Royal are top destinations for beach lovers, so be sure to schedule in some time to go beach combing, shelling, picnicking, or swimming at the 5,000-acre Hunting Island State Park or the Sands Beach. Head out kayaking on an eco-tour with Beaufort Kayak Tours, or if you’re a landlubber, rent a bike from Lowcountry Bicycles and follow the 10-mile Spanish Moss Trail that winds through town, coastal areas, and salt marshes.
Edisto Beach
Unlike busier beach destinations like Myrtle Beach, Folly Beach, and Hilton Head Island, Edisto Beach on Edisto Island is a more laid-back, family-friendly spot, perfect for spending time communing with nature. Set where the 206-mile Edisto River meets the Atlantic Ocean, Edisto Beach is bordered by one of the longest free-flowing blackwater rivers in North America, and a perfect basecamp to charter an inshore fishing trip from Charleston Fishing Co. where your guides will take you to an artificial reef teeming with nearshore species like black seabass, sharks, Spanish mackerel, tarpon, and more.
Edisto Beach also offers some of the best paddling in South Carolina. The 350,000-acre Ashepoo-Combahee-Edisto (ACE) Basin System, representing one of the largest undeveloped wetland ecosystems remaining on the Atlantic Coast, is ideal for nature lovers, birdwatchers, and dolphin enthusiasts eager to explore the natural beauty of the island. Guided tours, like a 90-minute ACE Basin dolphin and history tour, or a 2.5-hour excursion to nearby untouched Otter Island, are available from Edisto Watersports and Tackle.
Beautiful River Towns in the Palmetto State
Make the summer of 2025 the time to discover the most charming river towns in South Carolina, each offering a unique mix of natural beauty, rich history, and Southern warmth. In Conway, stroll the Waccamaw Riverwalk and let the kids hunt for bronze critters hidden in the historic district. Georgetown, where four rivers meet, combines museum-hopping with waterfront dining along its scenic Harborwalk. Outdoor enthusiasts flock to McClellanville for fresh seafood and access to the Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge, while Beaufort enchants visitors with its historic downtown, lighthouses, and kayaking through salt marshes. For a slower pace, Edisto Beach offers serene beauty at the meeting point of the Atlantic Ocean and the Edisto River, with opportunities for kayaking, fishing, and eco-tours through the untouched ACE Basin.
