SC has 2 of the best beach destinations on the East Coast, ranking shows. What makes them great

The summer season is in full swing, which generally means an uptick in vacationers in coastal areas, especially in the Southeast.

With this in mind, Trips to Discover recently released their rankings for the 17 best vacation destinations on the nation’s East Coast. Two of these coastal locales can be found in different areas on each end of South Carolina’s coast.

The two regions featured in the Palmetto State that made the list include the Lowcountry and Pee Dee.

One of these two locations, which can be found in Beaufort County, is Hilton Head Island.

Hilton Head is known by many for its scenic bike paths, historic live oak trees accompanied by Spanish moss, the Harbour Town Lighthouse, beautiful beaches, acclaimed world-class golf courses, as well as its pickleball and tennis courts.

The island and the other featured destinations in South Carolina welcomes millions of tourists each year.

In relation, Hilton Head Island has 2.5 million visitors a year and fewer than 40,000 year-round residents, according to 6 Iron Clad, a luxury beach house rental on the island.

“Hilton Head Island offers 23 championship golf courses and 12 miles of beaches, all of which are public. Spend your days soaking up the sun and the sand at Coligny Beach Park or Driessen Beach Park,” Trips to Discover states.

“There are plenty of other activities, including miles of trails for hiking, kayaking spots and places to watch for wildlife, like Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge. It’s home to everything from over 250 bird species to red foxes, white-tailed deer, bobcats and alligators.”

The second South Carolina destination that was ranked as one of the best on the East Coast is Myrtle Beach.

“Set along the Grand Stand in South Carolina, Myrtle Beach makes for an especially family-friendly vacation, offering something for just about everyone,” the travel site detailed.

“Enjoy the beautiful beachfront along with a wealth of attractions, including multiple amusement parks and excursions on the water, like Blackbeard’s Pirate Cruise. The oceanfront boardwalk offers live entertainment on summer nights, including a weekly firework display along with stilt walkers, bagpipers, jugglers, and the like. There are plenty of recreational activities on the Atlantic and the Intercoastal Waterway, from diving and sailing to paddle boarding.”

For those who wish to golf and have already frequented many of the courses on Hilton Head Island and around South Carolina, Myrtle Beach reportedly has approximately 90 quality courses for you to discover, many of which have been designed by golf legends, and is sometimes referred to as the golf capital of the world, Visit Myrtle beach’s website states.

Myrtle Beach also has its iconic 1.2-mile boardwalk that features a 187-foot tall SkyWheel, which ranks as the highest on the East Coast, as well as numerous options for shopping, live entertainment, restaurants and a whopping 60 miles of beaches.

As for the remainder of accolade winning destinations, Trips to Discover ranked the following destinations as the top 17 best vacation destinations on the East Coast.

• Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts

• Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

• Bar Harbor, Maine

• Portsmouth, New Hampshire

• Block Island, Rhode Island

• Washington, D.C.

• St. Augustine, Florida

• Provincetown, Cape Cod

• Ocean City, Maryland

• New York City, New York

• Boston, Massachusetts

• Carova Beach - Outer Banks, North Carolina

• Asheville, North Carolina

• Watkins Glen and the Finger Lakes, New York

• Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

• Great Smoky Mountains National Park - Tennessee/North Carolina

• Brattleboro, Vermont