Murrells Inlet Lifestyle Guide: Creekwalks, Seafood and Coastal Living

Murrells Inlet is a small coastal community in Georgetown County with a population of 9,740 across 7.32 square miles, according to U.S. Census QuickFacts, more intimate and residential than a larger resort market. The local setting is built around the inlet, tidal creeks, and salt marshes, coastal wetlands that NOAA notes play an important role supporting fisheries, reducing erosion, and filtering runoff.

If Murrells Inlet has a social heart, it's the MarshWalk, a half-mile wooden boardwalk along a natural saltwater estuary in the historic fishing village, with eight restaurants serving everything from burgers to sushi to fresh-caught seafood, most offering live music nightly. The South Carolina Department of Environmental Services describes the Murrells Inlet section of Shellfish Management Area 04 as a high-traffic area for fishing, boating, kayaking, and both commercial and recreational harvesting, though shellfish harvesting can temporarily close after rainfall until water quality testing clears it, a real part of living in this kind of coastal environment.

State resources identify multiple nearby marinas, including Wacca Wache Marina with a boat ramp and dry stack storage, Captain Dick's Marina with charter and head boats, and Marlin Quay and Voyager View marinas. Huntington Beach State Park sits just 3 miles south on Highway 17, 2,500 acres with three miles of undeveloped beach and more than 300 recorded bird species, dogs allowed year-round on the south end. Brookgreen Gardens, between Murrells Inlet and Pawleys Island, adds a National Historic Landmark cultural element to the area. If Murrells Inlet's pace sounds like what you're after, get in touch and we can talk through what's available.