Spartanburg, SC sits in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains and has plenty of fun things to do with your friends and family. But sometimes y’all need to take a break from the mountains and plan a beach trip. Thankfully, there are some popular beach destinations under a 4-hour drive from Spartanburg.
Here are the 10 best beaches near Spartanburg, SC that you can visit for a day trip or weekend roadtrip!
South Carolina Beaches Closest to Spartanburg
The five beaches closest to Spartanburg are all located in South Carolina and average a 3-hour and 57-minute drive (226.5 miles). Beaches located in the Charleston area (Folly, Isle of Palms) are the overall closest, averaging just over a 3.5-hour drive from Spartanburg.
Here are the five closest SC beach areas to Spartanburg listed from closest to furthest.
1. Folly Beach, SC
Folly Beach, SC is the closest beach to Spartanburg at 212 miles, which takes about 3 hours and 35-minute to drive.
About: Folly Beach is a laid-back spot that offers one of the most popular surf spots on the east coast. Surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean and Folly River, visitors can enjoy an array of beach activities from surfing, kayaking, and boating.
There are plenty of eclectic shops in downtown Folly to explore, as well as some amazing local food options! After a long day at the beach, you could walk over to Chico Feo for some fusion tacos, a cold drink, and live music on the patio.
Another Reason to Visit: In addition to being the closest ocean beach to Spartanburg, Folly Beach is an excellent choice if you plan to visit Charleston because it is only a 21-minute drive away (11.5 miles).
Drive Time from Spartanburg, SC: 3 hours and 35 minutes
Distance from Spartanburg, SC: 212 miles
Visitors’ Website for Folly Beach
Vacation Rentals at Folly Beach
2. Isle of Palms, SC
The Isle of Palms, SC is the second closest beach to Spartanburg at a 215-drive that takes roughly 3 hours and 45 minutes to travel.
About: The Isle of Palms is 18 miles from downtown Charleston and offers 50 beach access paths to visitors. On the island, the Wild Dunes Resort has a golf course that can be played by the public.
- Arts, shopping, and dining nearby in Mt. Pleasant and downtown Charleston
For the Trip: Don’t forget to bring plenty of sunscreen and a sturdy beach umbrella like this one that’s wind-resistant up to 34 miles per hour. (Yes, I’ve had cheap umbrellas get carried away by strong gusts of wind while at SC beaches).
Drive Time from Spartanburg, SC: 3 hours and 45 minutes
Distance from Spartanburg, SC: 215 miles
3. Edisto Beach, SC
Edisto Beach is 224 miles from Spartanburg, SC, which takes 4 hours to drive. Because Edisto Beach is less developed than other coastal communities in SC, it’s the perfect spot for a more laid-back trip.
About: The Town of Edisto Beach provides 37 public access points to the beach along Palmetto Boulevard.
Another adventure you should consider after the beach is visiting a 1,255-acre state park that borders the town. It provides both camping and hiking trails. (You can’t beat the views of the marsh and Southern Lowcountry feel here!)
Drive Time from Spartanburg, SC: 4 hours
Distance from Spartanburg, SC: 224 miles
Vacation Rentals at Edisto Beach
4. Hilton Head Island, SC
Hilton Head Island is 241 miles from Spartanburg, SC, which is just over a 4-hour drive. This is one of the most popular beach towns in the Palmetto State. Every year, between 2 and 3 million folks visit Hilton Head Island, SC.
About: If you want a bustling beach town, Hilton Head Island is worth visiting! Hilton Head is known for its pristine beaches, championship golf courses, and great shopping options.
And if you want to try something a little different, try taking a camper to one of Hilton Head’s best RV parks for your beach vacation!
Drive Time from Spartanburg, SC: 4 hours and 5 minutes
Distance from Spartanburg, SC: 241 miles
Visitors’ Website for Hilton Head
Vacation Rentals at Hilton Head Island
5. Myrtle Beach, SC
Myrtle Beach is a 225-mile drive from Spartanburg, SC, which takes just under 4.5 hours of driving. If you make the trip, you’ll discover why Myrtle Beach is South Carolina’s most popular beach town.
About: Myrtle Beach has 19 million visitors every year! It has a much bigger and busier feel than the SC beaches listed above.
There are three main beaches:
- Myrtle
- North Myrtle
- Surfside
It’s also great for families with younger children since there are so many family-friendly attractions here. This spot is full of ocean activities like jet ski rentals, banana boat trips, and parasailing.
Other popular activities to check out include things like:
- Relaxing spa treatments at these resorts
- Indoor water parks
- Going on a deep sea charter fishing expedition in Murrells Inlet, SC (a 30-minute drive from Myrtle Beach)
- Visiting a haunted house for a fun Halloween experience
Drive Time from Spartanburg, SC: 4 hours and 20 minutes
Distance from Spartanburg, SC: 241 miles
Visitors Website for Myrtle Beach
Vacation Rentals at Myrtle Beach
Georgia Beaches Closest to Spartanburg
There are two Georgia beaches that average a 5-hour drive from Spartanburg, SC: Tybee Island and St. Simons Island. Though slightly longer drives than the SC beach options, they are great beach towns!
6. Tybee Island, GA
Tybee Island is the closest Georgia beach to Spartanburg, SC at 263 miles, which is a 4.5-hour drive.
About: Tybee Island is known as “Savannah’s Beach” due to its proximity to the historic downtown of Savannah.
Tybee is only a 20-minute drive from historic Savannah’s downtown, where you can find plenty to do for the whole family:
- Amazing restaurants
- 9 rooftop bars
- Breakfast and Brunch Spots
- 20 golf championship golf courses in and around the area for the golf enthusiast
Beach Areas: Tybee Island has five main beach areas:
- North Beach
- Mid Beach
- South Beach
- Back River Beach
- Little Tybee Beach
Reasons to Visit: If you want to explore great restaurants or the arts in a historic downtown after visiting the beach, I recommend Tybee because it’s so close to Savannah. Also, it is Georgia’s closest beach to Spartanburg.
Visitors’ Website for Tybee Island
Drive Time from Spartanburg, SC: 4 hours and 30 minutes
Distance from Spartanburg, SC: 263 miles
Vacation Rentals at Tybee Island
7. St. Simons Island, GA
St. Simons Island is 321 miles from Spartanburg, SC, which is a 5-hour and 10-minute drive.
About: St. Simons Island is the largest of four barrier islands between Jacksonville, FL and Savannah, GA. Known as the Golden Isles, these four barrier islands are:
- St. Simons Island
- Jekyll Island
- Sea Island
- Little St. Simons Island
Beaches: There are four main beaches on St. Simons: Gould’s Inlet, East Beach, Massengale Park, and Coast Guard Station Beach.
Linked is a more detailed guide on the 4 most popular beaches at St. Simons Island and all kinds of things to do on St. Simons.
Drive Time from Spartanburg, SC: 5 hours and 10 minutes
Distance from Spartanburg, SC: 321 miles
Visitors’ Website for St. Simons & The Golden Isles
Vacation Rentals at St. Simons Island
North Carolina Beaches Closest to Spartanburg
There are two North Carolina beaches that average a 4.5-hour drive from downtown Spartanburg, SC: Oak Island Beach and Carolina Beach (307 miles).
8. Oak Island Beach, NC
Oak Island is the closest North Carolina beach to Greenville, SC at 304 miles, which is a 4-hour and 50-minute drive away.
About: Oak Island is a barrier island located in North Carolina. You’ll find 10 miles of beachfront property here and over 100 public beach access points. Per their website, this town offers the “simple luxuries of a tourists’ escape, with the nostalgic comfort of hometown familiarity.”
In addition to the beaches, you’ll find plenty to do here like:
- shopping at local boutique stores
- two fishing piers
- two dog parks
- the Oak Island Lighthouse
- boating, paddleboarding, and kayaking adventures
For those kayaking adventures, if you want to bring your own, here are some top picks from Amazon worth checking out too.
- Top inflatable kayak for 1-person: Intex Excursion Pro Kayak Series
- Top inflatable 2-person kayak: Intex Explorer K2 Kayak
- Best Budget & Sit-on-Top Kayak: Pelican Sentinel Sit-on-Top Kayak
Drive Time from Spartanburg, SC: 4 hours and 50 minutes
Distance from Spartanburg, SC: 304 miles
Visitors’ Website for Oak Island Beach
Vacation Rentals at Oak Island Beach
9. Carolina Beach, NC
Carolina Beach is 309 miles from Greenville, SC, which is a 5-hour drive.
Drive Time from Spartanburg, SC: 5 hours
Distance from Spartanburg, SC: 309 miles
Vacation Rentals at Carolina Beach
Florida Beaches Closest to Spartanburg
Florida beaches are the furthest drive-time from Spartanburg when compared to South Carolina, Georgia, and North Carolina beaches. The closest Florida beach to Spartanburg, SC is Amelia Island, which is a 5-hour and 40-minute drive (365 miles).
Visiting Florida beaches will definitely need to be at least a weekend road trip to account for the drive time.
10. Amelia Island, FL
Amelia Island is the closest Florida beach to Spartanburg, SC at 365 miles, which is a 5.5+ hour drive.
About: Amelia Island has 13 miles of white sandy beaches and 40+ public beach access points to explore! (List of public beach access points with directions here).
With a warm climate, Amelia Island’s waters average a warm 82o Fahrenheit during summertime. There are fun activities for the whole family, such as:
- Skate park
- Surfing
- Oceanfront mini golf
- Exploring the historic downtown
Drive Time from Spartanburg, SC: 5 hours and 40 minutes
Distance from Spartanburg, SC: 365 miles
Visitors’ Website for Amelia Island, FL
Vacation Rentals at Amelia Island
Conclusion
As you’ve seen, there are 10 beaches near Spartanburg, SC in 4 states. These are some of the most popular beaches in the Southeastern United States and all offer something slightly different. The shortest drives will be to beaches in South Carolina and the furthest in Florida.
Other fun things to do in and around Spartanburg, SC to check out
- 28 Best Things to Do in Spartanburg, SC: Fun Activities
- Waterfalls in Spartanburg, SC: 17 Best Waterfalls Hikes & Views
- Day Trips from Spartanburg, SC: 15 Best Roadtrips in a 2-hour Drive
My Favorite Tools for Planning a Trip
Hotels
Booking.com. They have great deals and free cancellation usually.
Vacation Rentals
VRBO. I have been both a guest and renter for VRBO. 20+ experiences over the years. All great.
Experiences
Viator. I’m newer to this, but it’s a great spot to get ideas or discounted tickets.
