How to Spend New Year's Eve on Pawleys Island

Sometimes a slower-paced New Year's Eve is just the ticket! If traffic and crowds are not your ideas of a great way to ring in the New Year, South Carolina's charming coastal communities make an excellent alternative.

We've got some wonderfully relaxed ways to celebrate.

Two events at Brookgreen Gardens continue through Jan. 2. Included with a daytime Garden admission, Treasured Holiday Memories celebrates tradition – trains, trees, toys, and treasured memories of holiday seasons past. Expect more trains than ever this year - both indoors and out. Christmas trees, period ornaments, and vintage toys present the Victorian era through the 1980s. Trains by Lionel, American Flyer, and Bachmann will chug through landscapes designed and built by department staff.  

From 4 to 9 p.m. on Dec. 31, Nights of a Thousand Candles continues. See Brookgreen Gardens come to life amid the soft glow of more than 2,800 hand-lit candles and countless sparkling lights. Hear the sounds of holiday music, carolers singing, and celebrate the season with family and friends! From 4 p.m. - 9 p.m., walk the garden pathways with a warm cup of cider, cocoa, or wine.

Reserve a table for a pre-celebration dinner at a local restaurant, such as Chive Blossom, Pawleys Island Tavern, or Frank's Outback. In addition to a delicious meal and creative cocktails, soak in a warm ambiance.  

Or toast the New Year with champagne on the deck of your fabulous beach rental. Our partner Groceries Ahead can stock your fridge (and pantry) before you even arrive for the New Year's holiday. Order the good stuff when it comes to bubbly. Top off the celebration with a kiss at midnight.

Then start the New Year with a morning walk or run along the beach. Just walk out the door at an oceanfront property like our five-bedroom Lucky Bag home. A one-bedroom villa like Bridgewater 120 in Litchfield Beach resort makes a perfect spot for couples with an ocean view and boardwalk to the Atlantic. Some hardy souls even take a Polar Bear plunge to welcome the new year. How about it?