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Search By Area MapLittle River, SC
Geographic Features
Little River, South Carolina is a medium sized town located along the Intracoastal Waterway and is part of the Grand Strand region. It is well known for its fresh seafood, annual blue crab festival, centuries-old oak trees, and two Las Vegas style casino boats.
Local beaches provide plentiful opportunities to engage favorite water sports like jet skiing, surfing, and parasailing. Little River's parks and gardens offer the perfect setting for family picnics, relaxing walks, and riding mountain bikes. The Intracoastal Waterway is the ideal for boating or kayaking around the green marshlands.
Little River is home to great golf courses and with more than 100 nearby, locals play a lot of golf. The magnificent weather means everyone can utilize the abundant number of world-class golf courses year round.
Fishing in the river and ocean is a time-honored tradition. Bring home dinner by catching sea bass, snapper, grouper, mackerel, and flounder.
Only 20 miles north of the hive-like Myrtle Beach, residents and visitors cherish the slower paced life that has continued in this historic village. When locals feel the need for bright lights a short drive takes them to excellent live music, shows, and nightclubs in Myrtle Beach.
Price Range
Little River has a median house price of $213,229. This is higher relative to South Carolina but close to average for the nation. Most of the homes were built between 1970 and 1994 and have 3 bedrooms. There are some apartment complexes and town homes.
- $1,993,000+ 0%
- $1,495,001-$1,993,000 0%
- $997,001-$1,495,000 0%
- $797,001-$997,000 1%
- $598,001-$797,000 3%
- $398,001-$598,000 8%
- $200,001-$398,000 43%
- $100,001-$200,000 35%
- $0-$100,000 11%
Area History and Culture
Little River is the oldest village in Horry County. In the early 18th century fishermen and farmers settled along a stream they called Little River. Their livelihoods came from the sea and area pine forests, which provided lumber and navel stores. Many of these products were shipped out of the inlet to northern markets. Legend speculates that William Kidd and Blackbeard frequented the region, looting ships transporting goods.
The Civil War halted the lumber industry but increased the local salt market, crucial for Confederate forces and was eventually destroyed by Union troops.
In 1906, Thomas Philip Hammer leased land on the north side of Little River Neck for the Hammer Lumber Company. At its height the company employed fifty men who were transported to work by barges and gas boats and earned the kingly sum of $1 per day. By 1920 the pine forests had largely been depleted and the mill had to shut down operations.
The Intracoastal Waterway was completed during the 1930's making it increasingly easy to travel the coast by boat. The region around Little River has been steadily increasing in popularity as a vacation destination, becoming known as the Grand Strand. Today Little River is known for attracting golfers, fishermen, families, and those looking to board the only casino boat in South Carolina.
Daily Life
Living in Little River offers residences a relaxing coastal way of life. It becomes more crowded during the summer months, but maintains its signature small town charm. Even with the high influx of tourists, traffic is rarely a problem in Little River. Many people don't even drive to work; they ride their bikes or take a short taxi ride to the city center.
Locals revel in the large and varying array of activities offered in Little River. Pristine beaches provide plentiful opportunities to participate in popular water sports including boating, kayaking, jet skiing, fishing, surfing, and parasailing. The area's various parks and gardens provide a lush backdrop for family picnics, energizing walks, and riding mountain bikes. Little River is home to great golf courses and with more than 100 nearby, locals play a lot of golf. The Intracoastal Waterway is the perfect place for boating or kayaking around the green marshlands.
Residents sleep well at night knowing that there are low crime rates in Little River. Area schools rank high in terms of reading and math scores compared to other schools in South Carolina.
Living in this area means there is truly exceptional fresh seafood. Many of the waterfront restaurants tantalize the senses with expertly prepared local shrimp and fish.
Golf
Little River is home to great golf courses and with more than 100 nearby, golfers flock here to play excellent golf. Courses have been designed by some of the most prestigious names in course architecture and challenge and gratify amateurs and pros alike.
Cypress Bay has 6,502 yards of golf from the longest tees for a par of 72. It has a course rating of 71.2 and it has a slope rating of 122. It opened in 1972 and was designed by Russell F. Breedon, the Cypress Bay golf course opened in 1972.
Glen Dornoch is nestled among spectacular live oaks and marshland with splendid views of the Intracoastal Waterway. The three finishing holes are said to be among the areas best.
Harbour View Par 3 provides golfing fun for the whole family. Their driving range is rated one of the top 50 in America and boasts large turf hitting areas as well as the largest number of practice mats in the area. Their par 3 course has meticulously maintained fairways and manicured greens. Tribal Island is a fun miniature golf courses with 36 multilevel putting greens scattered through caves and palm trees. There is even a Volcano fire eruption show.
Recreation and Sports
Little River is near some truly beautiful beaches perfect for enjoying the sunshine. The white sand shores beckon visitors to build a sand castle, hunt for shells, and play games of beach volleyball. Surfing, fishing, and boating are all popular area sports. Try inshore and deep-sea fishing to catch sea bass, snapper, grouper, mackerel, and flounder. You can row a canoe or kayak along the Intracoastal Waterway and look for the endangered loggerhead sea turtles.
Mountain biking is popular with both locals and visitors. Speed through one of the challenging single tracks at the Vereen Memorial Garden and enjoy the dense forest and marsh views.
Golf, tennis, and horseback riding are popular past times. The magnificent weather means everyone can utilize the abundant number of world-class golf courses year round.
Just a short drive south to Myrtle Beach will afford additional activities such as watching a Myrtle Beach Pelicans baseball games. They are a Carolina League baseball team and an Atlanta Braves farm franchise.
The Myrtle Beach Speedway showcases NASCAR-sanctioned stock car racing. This .538 mile, semi-banked, asphalt-paved oval track has been the training ground for some of NASCAR's popular stars like Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Night Life
Little River is well known for its Las Vegas style casino gambling boats, the only boats in the state. Every year thousands of visitors hop on board and travel into international waters to turn on the slot machines and gaming tables. These boats are constantly under threat of being shut down by the state or local government, yet everyone seems to have a great time participating in the Las Vegas style gambling.
Little River is also celebrated for its fresh regional seafood and features a variety of restaurants to satisfy everyone's palate. Both Crab Catchers and Captain Juel's are excellent eateries located right along the waterfront. Parsons Table and Brentwood Restaurant are great choices for fine dining.
Three pour House, Snooky's, and Finn McCool's Irish Pub are the three bars in town. They are great for grabbing your favorite cold beer, glass of wine, or cocktail.
Many families love making their own dinner using either their own freshly caught seafood or purchasing it from the market. Barbequing and picnicking on the nearby beaches are a terrific way to spend the evening.
For those looking for brighter lights, the celebrated nightlife of Myrtle Beach is only a 20-minute drive away. Whether you're interested in dancing at nightclubs, singing karaoke, watching live concerts, or learning the shag, there is a perfect venue for everyone.
Festivals and Events
The annual Blue Crab Festival returns to Little River each May. Patrons take pleasure in tasting lots of blue crab prepared in a variety of ways. The event is kicked off with a 5K run and goes on to features live music, arts and crafts, and activities for kids. Check out the Antique, Classic and Custom Car and Motorcycle Show. There's something for everyone at the Blue Crab Festival.
The Little River Oktoberfest features great beer, German style food, live music and entertainment for young and old alike.
Enjoy music at Little River Shrimp and Jazz Fest. Stroll the historic waterfront and sample the area's best shrimp and seafood delights while enjoying a drink. The event even features Little River's most unique arts and crafts.
Little River's Christmas Market is the perfect place to purchase unique locally made presents for your family and friends.
Check out the area's most spectacular watercrafts at the Intracoastal Waterway Boat Parade. Festivities start in Little River and end in North Myrtle Beach.
North Myrtle Beach hosts the Irish Italian Internal Festival, celebrating different cultures each September. Approximately 20,000 people come out to unwind with two stages of live entertainment, art and craft vendors, street performers, and a local restaurant food competition. Festival goers can even try to win the spaghetti sauce competition.
Parks
Little River offers residents use of many fine parks and gardens. North Strand Park features 7 miles of hiking trails and 8 miles of single-track mountain biking trails that wind through beautiful native forests. There are also two picnic shelters complete with grills, public restrooms, and even a great playground.
Frink's Public Park is located off of Little River Neck Road. It honors the Frink family, who were early settlers in the area. Nicholas Frink received a land grant in 1734 was the first of the family to settle in the area. His son Jabesh fought and was wounded in the Revolutionary War. Their descendants still live in the area.
Vereen Memorial Garden is a 114-acre tract of woodlands and salt marsh. It is a small portion of the original plantation that has been in the Vereen family since the early 1800s. In 1972 Jack Vereen gave the property to the Horry County Historical Commission. The gardens include the historic Vereen Family Cemetery with Revolutionary War graves and remnants of the Old Kings Highway, an unpaved road traveled by President George Washington during his 1791 tour. Walkers and runners will love the miles of windy, densely shaded trails that meander among pine trees and salt water marsh grasses. Many of flora and fauna are rare and unique to the Carolina coast.
Schools
Little River public schools are part of the Horry County School District, which is rated 96.5% higher than other South Carolina schools and 2.3% higher than the national average. This district has a total of $35,218 students and average 15 children per classroom and 11.3 students per teacher. Horry County spends $4995 per student compared to the national average of $5,678.
Horry County School District's recent honors include:
- Met 92% of Adequate Yearly Progress objectives under No Child Left Behind.
- 47% percent more district students participated in AP courses and took AP exams in 2009.
- The District's performance on the Palmetto Assessment of State Standards (PASS) is higher than the state in 23 out of 24 tests. The percentage of students scoring at the Exemplary level exceeded the state average in all subjects at all grade levels.
Neighborhoods
There is only one neighborhood in Little River.
