South Carolina Coast
 

My husband and I are traveling to the Wilmington area (southern North Carolina) for a wedding on July 5. We plan to leave on July 6 heading south to Charleston, where we plan to spend a couple of days.

The estimated drive is about 3 and a half hours, so we're thinking of stopping in a town mid-way to see a bit more of SC. Does anyone have any suggestions? Georgetown? Pawley's Island? Or would it be better just to head straight to Charleston? Hotel suggestions are also very welcome.

Is the traffic bound to be frighteningly bad on the SC coast on Sunday the 6th, right after July 4?

Thanks for your help.

Yes, the traffic will be bad--it's the end of a holiday weekend. That said, you can drive around Myrtle Beach (use the bypass). There is a monastery that makes a nice stopping off point (http://www.mepkinabbey.org/home.htm). Do you have reservations in Charleston yet? Most folks will suggest Andrew Pinckney (stayed there twice) or Anchorage.

TrvlMaven is right about the traffic in & around Myrtle Beach being as bad as it ever gets here.

But, you can easily avoid all of it. Take Hwy 17 South from Wilmington, then 9 North for a short time after you pass through Little River to get to Hwy 31 (the bypass TrvlMaven spoke of--but don't confuse it with Hwy 17 bypass which is no longer a bypass).

Take Hwy 31 south past MB either to its endpoint at Hwy 544 near Surfside beach (take the second exit & just keep going straight on 544 to get to Hwy 17 again, turn right heading south & follow it all the way to Charleston).

Alternatively, if you really want to avoid MB area traffic, do we what sometimes do heading to Charleston: Take Hwy 701 South to Georgetown and then reconnect to Hwy 17. To do this, you would still exit off Hwy 31 at its endpoint, but take the FIRST exit onto 544 heading toward Conway. Follow that all the way to the 501 bypass North exit, heading to Conway, and then follow the signs to get to 701 South (to Georgetown)--it's a little tricky, but you'll basically make two right turns at intersections. 701 truly bypasses all MB area traffic. The drive from Georgetown to Charleston on 17 is very easy (well, you'll hit traffic in Mt. Pleasant just north of Charleston, but no avoiding that). Stop in at McClellanville off Hwy 17 if you want a nice break--if you can make lunch at T.W. Graham's there, even better.

Lived in charleston. And now live in myrtle beach. Stopping by brookgreen gardens would be nice. Its in pawleys,maybe a little before. In charleston my favorite hotel was always planters inn. I have stayed in a lot and I just love that one. Its awesome. Tgere is a great lunch rest. Downtown you have to eat lunch at. I forget the name but it was owed by a old colored lady who lived to be like 102 years old or something. Its downtown on a corner across from a small white bank. They serve real southern food. Ask anyone they will be able to tell you where it is. I would just pass threw georgetown. It smells.haha. don't eat a tommy condons in charleston its over rated. There is so many other nice places. Good luck. I just got married also. People say things change. They do. It just gets better! I love it!

Ii know now.the lunch place is justins kitchen. And look for snob rest. Shem creek rest in mount pleasent is very nice and stop and mount pleasent on your way in to charlesto to look at the old colored ladys making sweet grass baskets. There pricey but they can make you a flower or braclet for cheap and it make a great gift or suviner

Brookgreen Gardens just south of Murrell's Inlet is worth a stop--several hours to do it justice.
A shorter sort of "drive by" thing to do would be to just drive around Georgetown's historic district--it dates from the Revolutionary War and has some lovely old homes. If it is lunch time have a bite to eat at one of the waterfront restaurants there.

The idea to bypass MB on Route 31 and 544 is a good one.
I think that trying to do the 701 suggestion could get you into a LOT of traffic on 501 getting to Conway that could be really awful on that day. We have gotten stuck in that traffic on a holiday!! It isn't good.