Where the Stars Meet the Sea: Cherry Grove Beach's Celestial Magic

This Quiet South Carolina Beach Town Offers Some of the East Coast's Most Breathtaking Stargazing

There's something profoundly humbling about standing at the edge of the ocean under a canopy of stars so thick you could get lost counting them. It's the kind of moment that reminds you how beautifully small we are—and how magnificently vast the world remains for those willing to look up.

Welcome to Cherry Grove Beach, South Carolina, where the Atlantic whispers ancient secrets and the night sky performs nightly miracles that no streaming service could ever compete with.

Tucked at the northern tip of Myrtle Beach, this unassuming coastal gem has mastered the art of staying wonderfully, gloriously off the radar. While its flashier neighbors light up the night with neon and noise, Cherry Grove dims its streetlights and lets the universe take center stage. The result? Some of the darkest skies along the developed East Coast, where the Milky Way doesn't just appear—it absolutely dominates.

When Heaven Touches Earth

You'll discover that the magic hour here isn't just sunset (though those are spectacular). It's that sacred window between 10 PM and 2 AM when the beach empties, the lights fade, and suddenly you're standing in a cathedral with a billion-star ceiling. Bring a blanket, leave your phone in your pocket, and prepare to remember what awe feels like.

The best stargazing happens during the new moon phase, when even the moon steps aside to let the stars shine. Check the lunar calendar before you book, and you'll be rewarded with views that make you understand why ancient navigators trusted these lights to guide them home. You might even spot the International Space Station streaking across the horizon—a reminder that humans have always been dreamers reaching for something beyond ourselves.



Local astronomer and beach regular Tom Hendricks puts it perfectly: "People come here stressed, heads down, scrolling their phones. Then they look up at this sky, and you can literally see their shoulders drop. It's like the universe is giving them permission to breathe again."

The Beach That Time Remembered to Forget

Cherry Grove moves at a different pace. This is a place where the biggest decision you'll make all day is whether to watch the sunrise from the fishing pier or from your balcony with coffee in hand. (Pro tip: The pier wins every time. There's something about watching dolphins surf the morning waves while the sun paints the sky in impossible colors that recalibrates your entire soul.)

The town stretches along a pristine ribbon of sand that seems to go on forever, wide and wild and wonderfully undeveloped. No high-rises blocking the view. No boardwalk hustle. Just you, the ocean, and all the space your heart needs to expand again.



Walk north along the beach and you'll reach the Cherry Grove Pier, a 985-foot wooden landmark that's been standing guard since 1953. It's seen hurricanes and heartbreaks, marriage proposals and milestone birthdays. The pier has this gentle, patient energy—like a wise grandmother who's seen everything and judges nothing. Grab a fishing rod (rentals available right there) or just lean against the rail and watch the pelicans dive-bomb for dinner with the precision of tiny feathered fighter jets.

Soul Food for the Stargazer

When you're not communing with the cosmos, Cherry Grove offers the kind of low-key culinary experiences that satisfy both body and soul. The Sea Captain's House serves up Lowcountry cuisine with ocean views that make every meal feel like a celebration. Their she-crab soup is legendary—creamy, rich, and somehow tastes like the Carolina coast distilled into a bowl.

For breakfast, the locals swear by Croissants Bistro and Bakery, where the French toast could convert a cynic and the coffee is strong enough to prepare you for a full day of serious beach lounging. The atmosphere is warm and welcoming, the kind of place where strangers become friends over shared baskets of pastries.



And if you're craving that classic beach town fish camp experience, head to Crab Catchers. It's unpretentious, family-friendly, and their calabash-style seafood platters are exactly what you came to the coast for—golden, crispy, and gone before you know it.

Adventures Beyond the Stars

While stargazing might be Cherry Grove's claim to celestial fame, the daytime offers its own collection of soul-stirring moments. Rent a kayak and paddle through the salt marshes of the Cherry Grove Inlet, where herons stand like statues and the cordgrass rustles secrets in the breeze. It's meditation disguised as recreation.

The nearby Waties Island is accessible only by boat—a pristine barrier island where sea turtles nest and the only footprints in the sand might be your own. Book a tour with a local guide, or if you're feeling adventurous (and you are, aren't you?), rent a small watercraft and explore this untouched paradise yourself.



For history lovers, a short drive takes you to Brookgreen Gardens, where 9,000 acres of Lowcountry landscape have been transformed into an outdoor sculpture museum and wildlife preserve. It's the kind of place that reminds you that humans, at their best, can create beauty that honors rather than dominates nature.

Where to Rest Your Stargazing Soul

Cherry Grove offers lodging that ranges from classic beach cottages to modern oceanfront condos, but the real treasure is finding a place with an unobstructed view of both sunrise and stars. Many of the vacation rentals here feature expansive decks perfect for morning coffee and midnight stargazing sessions.

The Avista Resort sits right on the beach and offers the kind of amenities that make you feel pampered without the stuffiness of resort culture. Their oceanfront rooms deliver exactly what you came for—floor-to-ceiling views of forever.



For a more intimate experience, look into the smaller beach houses and cottages that line the shore. There's something magical about having your own piece of the beach, your own slice of sky, your own quiet corner of the world to remember who you are beneath all the roles you play back home.

The Invitation Written in Starlight

Cherry Grove Beach isn't trying to be anything other than what it is—a gentle, genuine place where the natural world still runs the show. It's not for everyone, and honestly, that's part of its charm. This is for the souls who understand that sometimes the greatest luxury isn't what you add to your life, but what you subtract.



Come here when you need to remember that the universe is vast and you are loved. Come when you need to reconnect—with your partner, your dreams, or simply yourself. Come when you're ready to trade the glow of screens for the glow of stars, the noise of notifications for the rhythm of waves.

Bring someone you love, or come solo and fall in love with solitude again. Either way, you'll leave different than you arrived. That's not poetic exaggeration—that's the promise of a place that understands the healing power of darkness, the redemptive quality of silence, and the transformative magic of looking up.

The stars are waiting. They've been there all along, patient and eternal, ready to remind you of every dream you've ever had and every adventure still waiting to unfold.

Cherry Grove Beach remembers what we often forget: sometimes you have to turn off all the lights to see clearly.

When to Go: April through October for warm weather, but serious stargazers prefer November through March when the skies are darkest and clearest.

Getting There: Myrtle Beach International Airport is 20 minutes away, making Cherry Grove surprisingly accessible for such a peaceful escape.

Pack This: A good blanket for beach stargazing, a star chart app (but promise you'll look with your eyes more than your screen), and an open heart ready to be amazed all over again.