South of the commercial chaos of Myrtle Beach, travelers in search of serene tranquility have long appreciated Pawleys Island. The rope hammocks for which the island is best known aptly symbolize this generally relaxed, weatherworn community, where a few traditional tin-roofed shacks mix with ever-increasing numbers of multi-million-dollar mock-antebellum mansions. It’s mostly private, apart from the plush environs of Litchfield Plantation ($160 and up; 843/869-1410), a 600-acre resort on the grounds of a colonial-era plantation. The poet and novelist James Dickey, author of Deliverance, liked it so much he lived here for his last 25 years, and is buried in the small Pawleys Island cemetery.
An even more extensive and intimate (and affordable) taste of the old-fashioned Lowcountry life is available just down the road from Pawleys Island. Spreading along the north bank of the Pee Dee River, a mile north of Georgetown on US-17, Hobcaw Barony is a 17,500-acre estate that was once the winter home of 1920s financier and New Deal–era statesman Bernard Baruch and his daughter, Belle. The extensive, mostly undeveloped grounds are home to two university research centers specializing in coastal ecology, and the main homes and plantation buildings have been kept in original condition, complete with one of very few surviving slave streets. Along with preserving these historic quarters and the regional history they represent, the nonprofit educational foundation that runs Hobcaw Barony offers half-day tours to school groups and individuals (Tues.–Fri.; $15; 843/546-4623). Tours start at the visitors center and museum (Mon.–Fri.; free) along US-17.
