Kiawah Beachwalker Park

Paid $25.00 to park. Nice boardwalk to bathrooms/changing rooms. Pretty drive to get to the beach also. We enjoyed this beach. Weekends, go early or in the early evening otherwise lot may be full of cars already.

Great spot to enjoy a quiet beach! Federally protected dunes and rare birds make this a true gem. Grateful to have found it. Nice showers and changing rooms too!

A great place to go to spend a day at the beach. A lot of beach to walk on.

We were greeted by a very polite lady at the parking booth who explained us what is what and where to go. We had a great sunset walk to the end of the beach where we saw some dolphins. Beach offers easy access with spacious parking and amazing and clean facilities. Worth 5 bucks.

There are tons of beaches around Charleston, but this may be one of my favorites. Yes, you do need to pay to park, but the amenities are very nice. There are lifeguards and condition warnings, there are quality bathrooms and changing areas. The beach itself may not be the biggest, but it is in good repair and has a lot of places that you can walk to. I would not count this location out!

The place is just absolutely stunning. No other beach in the area can simply compare! The dolphins are so friendly and the pretzels at the snack bar are better than Philadelphia’s pretzels 🥨

This is my chill mode beach. Usually, it isn't busy, and you're able to walk the beach. The scenery is different from any of the other beaches around. There are not a lot of shells to collect, but not here for that. Well maintained beach, restrooms were immaculate, changing area, rinse off area, rental place open throughout the day, nice walkout area, and Dog friendly, (have to be on a leash) You will not be disappointed if you try it!

Such a fantastic place to visit. The beach was great. What stands out here is the dressing rooms. You can in essence take a shower and fully change in a comfortable setting. Best public Beach experience you can have in south carolina.

Beautiful beaches! About 1 1/2 mile walk to the point and you can see all of the birds that gather there. Only $5 to park, but I'm not sure if that's the off season rate. They are developing a lot of the beachfront, so not sure if it will have the same allure in a few years.

Our favorite local beach. We love to take our dog to walk the beach or throw the ball around. Parking is plentiful (in the off season).

The staff and the park are always peaceful and nice. The beach typically is a lot less crowded than other Charleston beaches because it costs money, but it's worth the sunset or sunrise walks. This is one of my favorite parks to visit and walk. I have a park pass so I visit a few times a year. In busier months the park has a food station and it always has bathrooms and showers.

Only public access to the beaches at kiawah. Makes the Charleston county parks Gold pass completely with it. Great for dogs during the off season when you can go off leash, but make sure you follow the rules because you will get ticketed otherwise. Lot closes at 8pm, but if you're in before then, you can leave at any time through the automated gate.

the view is amazing the water glistening and the soft beach it's just all very amazing i really recommend !

It's a decent drive out to Kiawah, but you'll find you're not the only one making it. The roads are wreathed with twisted trees and filled with unskilled drivers. The beach houses a small parking lot, which is advertised to fill during the summer and probably does quite easily. The price to park varies seasonally and is never zero. Much of the rest of the island is private, gated communities, and it seems overdeveloped to me, including the loud construction work that was going into putting up some high-rises next to where the boardwalk gets you to the beach. But let's say you get there. The beach offers dark, muddy sand typical of SC. It was one of the better sand dollar locations I've seen. A windy creek bounds the beach, and attempting to walk up the creekside is not going to work; I almost lost a shoe in the thick mud before giving up. Supposedly the dolphins do some pretty cool jumping out of the water to hunt, but you might need a boat to find them. There are beaches closer to Charleston, and there are nicer wild ones, but as is generally true of barrier islands, it is a splendid place to be if you can make it happen.

Hard to review nature, but here we go. Was in the mood to visit another beach, and this looked like a winner. We drove over here and got free admission/parking (normally $5) because my brother has a Charleston county parks pass. There's a nice boardwalk leading to the shore and a fair amount of people enjoying the outdoors. Some folks were even biking around. Loved the firm composition of the sand and the interspersing tidal pools, made it easy for our walk. We spotted many seashells and a few sand dollars, as well as a few shark teeth! Very neat. There are bathrooms and showers near the entrance which is nice.

One of the best beaches we have here in South Carolina, but it is getting encroached by developers making ugly condominiums. Despite that and how it takes away from part of the experience, still worth the trip. A tip though, is to get on the waiting list using the Q less app. Remember, there are sea turtles nesting at our beaches, so fill in your holes and remove all your trash and belongings. There are plenty of receptacles. Have a great trip!

The most dog friendly beach I have ever been to. No leash requirements for off season. There is a dog wash/dog water area on the board walk. Ever 1/4 mile or so dog bags and trash cans are available. There is a leave one/take one dog toy area. Only $5 to park in February. Loved it!

This is a beautiful beach and one of the few publicly accessible spots to go to the beach on Kiawah Island! Parking is $10 on weekdays and $15 on weekends/holidays. They have a really great system for managing cars. First of all, if you're coming in on Kiawah Island Parkway, there's a sign to indicate if the parking lot is full. If it's full, don't be discouraged! They can take your name and put you on a waiting list for the next available parking spot. You can text for continuous status updates. To kill time you can go hang out at the Freshfield shopping center or one of the local nature areas. It's a really convenient system, making it easy to plan your beach day! Or you can avoid the wait by getting there right when they open at 9am. Also, the limited parking means it never gets too crowded on the beach. Once you actually get into the beach, you'll find it was worth the wait! The boardwalk, restrooms, and changing area are clean and well-maintained. There's a snack bar that also sells some beach essentials. You can rent chairs and umbrellas on the beach if you like, or bring your own. The beach is guarded, which should be a big plus for anyone with small children. They do allow dogs. The beach is clean and pristine. There's no rocks or seaweed, although some jellyfish were washing up on the sand. We came here twice and had a great experience both times. Highly recommend!

Kiawah's Beachwalker Park is one of the beaches in the Charleston County Parks system. We have visited all of the beaches in the county park system, and they are all nice - although some are more crowded than others. This beach wasn't very crowded, and we enjoyed our time. Kiawah Beachwalker Park was nice. It was low tide, and there was about 150 yards of beach down to the water. The water was pretty clear. Walking in the water, we saw several sting rays and a large redfish. There is a nice bath house with bathrooms and showers. I give this beach an 8/10 rating.

Its the gateway to Kiawah Beach. Ample parking Restrooms A beautiful and newly remodeled boardwalk entrance Miles and miles of sand and ocean Kiawah is one of the most beautiful beaches in the area and this park is the a great place to start your journey. From walking the dog to a family outing to a sunset, Beachwalker Park is the perfect place to start. Also, you are less than 2 miles from Freshfields where you can get food, wine, gas, snacks and more.

My favorite time to come here is the winter- in fact I actually avoid it in the summer because of the parking issues ("it's too crowded so no one goes there anymore") BUT in the winter 'off season' this place is magical. The parking lot has a $5 charge that is on the honor system and if you have a Membership with Charleston County Parks (like I do) there is no charge. I used to keep my membership card in my pocket but no one has ever asked me for it. There are picnic areas around the parking lot abs then when we walk to the beach there re bathrooms and showers that are super clean and outdoor showers and place to rinse your feet and your dog. It is all super well maintained. They also have a large soda/snack machine. But of course the prize is the amazing 10 miles of beach that is deep and beautiful at any tide or weather!

Fantastic and easy access to the beach. Always clean and well maintained. It has everything you need for your day at the beach.

Won't be back after driving an hour to be turned away. Ruined my day and didn't know this was possible . I'll be going to Sullivans island from now on

Love this beach. Fills up fast but enjoyable soft sand and lifeguards make me feel a bit safer.

Excellent time spent here this morning. The boardwalk area, fitting rooms, outdoor showers, and bathrooms were maintained so nicely. They have a very affordable snack bar, and there's also an opportunity to rent chairs/umbrellas if you need! The sand is so soft compared to other local beaches, and the beach was practically empty when we were there! The water is shallow pretty far out, so you can go out quite a distance and still feel safe. $10 was a small price to pay for our experience here. I would choose this beach over any other beach in the area! 100% would return. We don't have kids, but I think it would be a very family-friendly beach for those with little ones.

We made a quick visit here in the off season in the middle of March. It was a cool and windy day, so we didn't stay long, but we wanted to have a look at the beach. There was a very nice wood boardwalk for getting out to the beach. This was so much easier than hiking through sand. We stopped here with our little dog, nice to see a pet friendly beach. Your furry friend needs to stay on his leash though. The beach itself is pretty. There is some harder sand here and I even saw someone ride by on a bike. Parking was free, but I believe they charge in the peak seasons. I was happy to see they have actual bathrooms here, I'm still scarred from the port-a-potties that I grew up with when summering on Cape Cod. On the way out I spotted a dog washing area, which is pretty convenient. There are also showers for humans as well.

Beachwalker Park is one of the quieter beaches in the Charleston area. It is the only beach in SC I've been to where I consistently see dolphins. This is a great spot if you're looking to relax, especially during the fall and winter months. If you're looking for seashells, I would probably pick a different beach, because there are not very many to be found from my experience. I'd also warn that the bathrooms are kind of dirty and dingy and the parking is somewhat limited. But, overall, it's a beautiful beach with a very tranquil vibe.

We came out here for the first time on a gloomy day. There were very few cars here so parking was easy ($10). I love that they have a snack bar, restrooms and showers plus a hose to get all the sand off before leaving. The walk out to the beach is nice. I like how they have the zone in which lifeguards will be watching clearly marked by flags. The lifeguards also looked well prepared with equipment. The beach was nice, water was perfect. I will definitely be back here and will likely purchase a county parks pass ($60-70 a yr).

Beachwalker park is one of our favorite beach parks in the local area. We've been coming here for several years and will continue to as its one of the family friendly beaches here in the Lowcountry, at least in our opinion. Parking: Even during the highest peak season, we usually manage to get a spot in their parking lot. TIP: If their parking lot as full, simply get in line and wait for a spot versus parking a quarter mile away up the road. Waiting a few minutes is well worth it. Beach: surprisingly clean. There are trash cans throughout the beach and its usually pretty clean. TIP: if you want an isolated spot and away from the crowd, simply walk a little ways either to the left or right of the congested area right when you get out to the beach from the walkway. You will find endless spots to setup your umbrella and chairs. The park is surrounded by protected land so there are perhaps over a mile of seclusion from the park area. Facility: they offer all the basic necessities including showers, changing areas or booths, bathrooms, picnic areas and even a cafe where they serve food and snacks. We have never ordered anything from there but from what I recall they have simple foods including hot dogs and other snack foods. Dog friendly: your best friend Lucky can come too. They have a dog showing area where you can wash off your furry friend off before you get them in the car. If you haven't visited Kiawah Island, check them out next time

It's hard to give any beach less than 5 stars. There was ample parking and restrooms which were fairly well kept. The ocean views are spectacular and it was pretty deserted when we where there around 3:00 pm on a Saturday.

Kiawah has a public beach which is part of the Country Park system. You can buy a yearly pass for 70 dollars. Totally worth it! If you head towards Seabrook and Kiawah you turn before the guard gate. It has umbrellas (15 dollars each) and chairs for rent and the vibe is very family oriented. This is one of my favorite beaches in a Charleston. Perfect breeze along the coast!

Excellent location for public access to the beach. We've been here about 3 times and were introduced by friends and locals. The parking is $10 on week days and $15 on weekends, if they have a wait you can put your number on a list and you'll get a text message. Perfect timing to go get lunch and bring it back or eat at the restaurant. Clean facilities, showers, bathrooms etc.

Just beautiful! Beach is very clean and just picturesque! The dolphins and other wildlife in during low tide makes this park very special.

Best beach! Dolphins seen from our beach chairs. Walking for miles. Wide soft sand and hard stretches

Lovely area of beach plus clean bathrooms, chair rentals and a snack shack. Lifeguard helps keep an eye on the kiddies. Get there early because it fills up fast.

Best beach in the area to go to! They have a dog washing station, clean bathrooms, convenient store. Only down side- without a Charleston county park pass costs $15

It's a nice park with boardwalk to the beach. The sand is nice, soft. In this time of season, not many people there out on the beach. Few people are walking their dogs, and play the fetch game with the dog. Thats quite entertaining!

Great beach when you don't want a lot of crowd. Water is warm and tides are decent. Not too strong. Plenty of sand area to choose a spot to enjoy the day.

Kiawah Island is a very exclusive tennis and golf destination, half an hour west of Charleston. Every home on Kiawah is gated and all the beaches are private but one. Beachwalker Park is a very clean and classy public beach. There are no buildings anywhere near the beach. No houses, no condos, no high-rise hotels, no restaurants, no retail shops, and no neon signs. There's nothing but oak trees draped with Spanish moss near the beach. Bicycles are allowed on the beach. Just a quiet, uncrowded beach that's the antithesis of the other beach in SC. No, I'm not referring to the beach on Hilton Head Island, SC. I'm referring to the beach with the ferris wheel, high-rise hotels, loud nightclubs, and kitschy souvenirs.

Nice beach with restrooms and a snack bar, $10 parking if you don't have a season pass. A bit of a haul out there from West Ash, but we sometimes go to avoid traffic and the crowds. Might have to get that pass, as $10 a pop adds up very quickly just for soaking up some rays! Sign usually says "Lot Full", but check it out anyway, they usually have spots open anyway.

Clean beach. Parking was $5/vehicle. Worth it! We like the fact that they have faucets to clean your stuff before getting back in your car. Plus! It's a dog friendly beach!! They even have a station with posts to hold your dog's leash so you can hose the sand off your dogs. Perfect!

Located on Kiawah Island, Beachwalker Park offers 11 miles of unspoiled beach. Kiawah is only 21 miles from historic Charleston and offers a variety of hotels and B and B's. Canoe through marsh-lined creeks and waterways. You will see a lot of wild life here. The tennis here is ranked among the top tennis resorts in the U.S. There are special children's programs and day camps. People who go tend to be families with young children and those who like to play golf. I have heard they have surf spots but I didn't see any. Dining was southern style from what I saw. It is best for families or older couples who like to golf. It made number 8 on the list of Dr. Beaches list of best beaches.

Definitely one of the better public beaches I've been to. Make sure to get there early. They only allow so many cars in, and you can't park just anywhere and walk in. I didn't get to see any dolphins strand feeding which was sad, but the water was great and the beach wasn't over crowded.

Beachwalker park has ample parking, bathrooms, showers, and a small vending stand in the summer. The boardwalk is well-maintained. You can often see dolphins strand-feeding near the 'river' by the parking lot. The beach itself is very clean here. During the winter, parking is free.

Fantastic beach that is not very busy and during low tide is enormous. The amenities are a short walk off the beach and make it easy to spend all day there.

Beautiful stretch of beach, with firm sand to "beachwalk" on. $10 parking lot that gets you access to the beach. There is a boardwalk entrance with restrooms and outdoor shower/changing area. We did not spot dolphins this trip, however there were plenty of fish jumping out of the water.

Charleston County needs to shove back the Town of Kiawah. The general public may get access to the beach, sort of, but we are certainly not welcome by the snotty Town of Kiawah whose main goal is to push us out and become private like Seabrook. The Charleston County Park does not have any off leash area during season. We have been shoved 1.5 miles down the beach by Town of Kiawah. And do not think that was gracious for the public, it is really for guests at the resort. So if you go to Beachwalker Park, pay 10.00 , then expect the Town of Kiawah to be up your rear waiting to treat you like the outsider you are.

Sometimes when I visit my friend that lives on Johns Island we will come out to Beachwalker Park to hit up the beach and get some sun. It's nice that there is a parking lot and you don't have to search and fight for a spot to park. The beach is beautiful here and well maintained. One thing special about this trip was that only a day or two after our visit this time one of the local news outlets showed a video of a black tip shark in the shallows on the shore. Makes you think twice about going into the water. Nothing you can do about it - the risk you take anytime you go in the water.

About 24 miles from central Charleston (40 minutes in leisurely drive) this charming beach is well worth the trip!!! Today was my first visit but not my last! The island is divided into two sections the ritzy resort straight ahead and the park to the right, we swiped right. There are beautiful trees an alligator viewing pond quite exciting on the way! Then there is a $10 parking fee, lots of shaded picnic tables, adequate bathroom facilities, a small snack stand, and then the board walk which leads to a beautiful beach for miles and miles!!! The waves were crashing, kids were laughing, we were fun in the sunning! Umbrellas and chairs are available for rent! It was windy today not sure if it is like that every day but it was still SUPER GOOD!!!

This is a lovely beach. There is a boardwalk to get to the beach and I kept expecting to see a stray snake or gator. Kinda creepy but beautiful. The beach is pristine and not crowded. Rent an umbrella and take a book. It's a relaxing place. Parking is free with a handicap sticker.

Great beach. I only go on the weekdays, because parking can be a challenge on the weekends. More of a family beach.

Peaceful beach! There was $ 10 parking, bathrooms, showers , great access to the beach. I def would come back. Oh another good thing to know is if you need to leave and come back same day you can with your parking receipt. The people were friendly. Don't forget your beach chairs!

I would rate this place 5 stars because it is my absolute favorite beach in the Charleston area, but I am SO disappointed because it is not open for sunrise. Sunrise on the ocean is the absolute best time for this place to be open. It is mind boggling to me that they would not be open for sunrise?? People spend all year to save for vacations to places to go watch the sunrise on the ocean. Please don't forget the magic of the ocean for many and consider opening it for sunrise (maybe atleast for those with gold passes, etc, but preferably for all). We are excited to be moving to John's Island soon, but when I found out this place isn't open for sunrise it made me wonder if we made the wrong decision, unfortunately. I'd love to have somewhere close to take our family who visit to watch the sunrise on the ocean, and I love to watch the sunrise every morning. It doesn't look like there are many public access points to the beach without a longer drive. :( Our world needs to spend more time in nature, so please consider this!

I'm not a huge fan of large crowds and difficulty finding parking, so this is my favorite public beach in the area. Beach is clean, bathrooms close to beach and parking and the snack bar is a huge plus if needed.

My favorite beach ever. Aside from July and August this place is quiet and amazing. Lots of wildlife..we have seen deer and bobcats in addition the normal sea life. It provides such an interesting and amazing habitat. My children are no longer impressed by dolphins, horseshoe crabs, pelicans, etc

Beautiful beach. Sand is compact and we have brought our sons stroller for long beach walks. Snack stand, showers, bathrooms are available. $10 unless you have a county park pass. Get in early on the weekend to get parking and a great spot on the beach.

Everybody knows that the beach is amazing, so the review is about all the rest. Unless you arrive at the gate by 8.30, you won't be able to access the parking (and therefore the beach) before 2-3 pm. Very unfriendly employees who were not willing to provide explaination and even less to try to describe the situation to tourists that came on purpose for visiting this area. The island is a very elitist place only for those who rent/own a house there. I am sorry, no southern hospitality for Kiawah Beach!!

Beautiful beach. Clean and not crowded like the other local beaches.