Weekend itinerary
Walk the MarshWalk at low tide when the salt flats open up, eat where the shrimp boats dock, and save one slow morning for nothing but the water.
By Cal Mercer — a Second Star Guide itinerary
Tidal creeks and working boats define Murrells Inlet; Huntington Beach and Brookgreen expand the weekend beyond the restaurant boardwalk.
Best length
2 nights
Two nights cover a MarshWalk dinner, one beach-and-garden day, and a short Sunday outing. Add a third night for a full offshore charter.
Stay
Hampton Inn Murrells Inlet/Myrtle Beach Area
The closest conventional hotel in this shortlist to Murrells Inlet dining and the MarshWalk.
Main activity
the MarshWalk, Huntington Beach State Park, and Brookgreen Gardens
Friday belongs to the MarshWalk, Saturday to Huntington Beach and Brookgreen, and Sunday to one short water outing or lunch.
Weekend route
MarshWalk, beach, and gardens
Friday stays on the inlet. Saturday crosses US-17 between Huntington Beach State Park and Brookgreen Gardens. Sunday goes to the water only when departure time allows.
Friday
Check in, reach the boardwalk while the marsh still has daylight, compare the restaurant decks, and keep a second rail-side lap for sunset or live music.
4:00 PM
Compare the two stays and check in at the one that suits your plans.
Recommended stay
The closest conventional hotel in this shortlist to Murrells Inlet dining and the MarshWalk.
Check availability
Another stay
A Murrells Inlet lodge at 4600 US 17 Business with deluxe studios, adjoining two-bedroom suites, and an on-site restaurant, Costa Coastal Kitchen & Bar.
Compare this stay
6:30 PM
A polished MarshWalk choice for sushi, seafood, a raw bar, and an elevated inlet view.
Saturday
Birding, Atlantic sand, and Atalaya Castle make Huntington Beach State Park more than a beach stop. Across US-17, Brookgreen Gardens offers outdoor sculpture beneath live oaks. Pair them for the contrast, giving the larger share of the day to the place that interests you most.
8:30 AM
A longstanding MarshWalk seafood room with hush puppies, she-crab soup, fried platters, and a waterfront deck.
10:00 AM
Use the cooler morning for the park causeway, beach, and Atalaya Castle. Give Brookgreen the afternoon for sculpture gardens, live oaks, and its Lowcountry history exhibits.
4:30 PM
The beach and sculpture gardens both involve walking. Change shoes and refill water after the outings, then return from the US-17 corridor to Murrells Inlet for dinner. Plan Brookgreen entry around its current admission and closing times, not this late-afternoon pause.
7:00 PM
The strongest fit for a quieter, more polished Lowcountry dinner south of the busiest MarshWalk decks.
Sunday
A four-hour inshore trip makes fishing the main outing of the final morning, rather than something to squeeze in before lunch. Choose it only when the captain's check-in and expected return fit your departure. Non-anglers can paddle a tidal creek, revisit the MarshWalk in daylight, or leave after lunch.
9:00 AM
Confirm charter return time before booking. Otherwise use Morse Park Landing, a short creek paddle, or a quiet boardwalk walk before the restaurant decks fill.
11:00 AM
Use Russell's or Lee's for traditional seafood, Hot Fish Club for a fuller lunch, or a MarshWalk deck when the water view matters more than a fast exit.
Make the weekend your own
Huntington Beach and Brookgreen Gardens bring two different pleasures to Saturday: Atlantic sand and birding at the park, outdoor sculpture beneath live oaks at the gardens. Their position across US-17 makes them a natural pairing, but it is not a reason to give each an identical slice of the day.
If the beach is the draw, make sand, the causeway, and birding the main outing; decide whether Atalaya and Brookgreen still fit the time you want to spend there. If sculpture is the draw, keep the park visit shorter and give Brookgreen the larger share. Check current admission and closing times before settling the order, rather than treating the timeline as a promise of late entry.
For a fuller visit to either place, choose one for Saturday and save the other for another day. Friday already gives the MarshWalk its own evening, leaving Saturday for the beach or gardens.