South Carolina City 1 of the Deadliest Tourism Cities for Pedestrians

Is this true? A recent study came out to state that South Carolina is home to one of the deadliest tourism cities for pedestrians. What does this mean you say? It states that one South Carolina city has a high rate of car crashes including pedestrians.

Myrtle Beach is one of the most popular tourist cities in the state. People vacation to Myrtle Beach for many reasons including the beach, food scene, and the attractions that allow people to enjoy. But, unfortunately, a recent report is showing that it is also a very dangerous tourist destination. Myrtle Beach has a very high rate of car crashes involving pedestrian deaths among all of the hot spot vacation destinations.

A Florida-based injury law firm found that Myrtle Beach is the city with the second most crashes resulting in pedestrian fatalities. The report compared the total number of crashes with pedestrian deaths and the population of each destination to find the results.

Although the report focuses on tourist destinations, there is no guarantee that it is only tourists getting hit. These fatalities can happen to locals as well, but because the cities are heavy with tourists, especially those walking around it is something to consider. Myrtle Beach has a permanent population of less than 40,000 people, but there are thousands more than that there at a time majority being tourists visiting.

What other cities are on the list? There are a few that you can think of such as Baltimore, Miami, and of course... New Orleans. Check out the full list here and see what other popular cities are quite dangerous for walking tourists.

Whether you prefer the beach or a lake it's hard not to love being by the water as the weather gets warmer. And here in North Carolina, we have numerous beaches, and lakes that offer water lovers a haven to spend their time. And of course, the best is subjective. Not every beach town or lake offers the same experiences. And personal preference varies as to what the most important offerings of these spots. But when Southern Living makes their pick for the best waterfront town in North Carolina, I take their opinion seriously.

After all who knows the South better than the experts at and the readers of Southern Living? Readers of Southern Living actually voted on this list as part of the publication's South's Best Awards. One of the categories voted on was the reader's favorite waterfront town in the South. In total fifteen towns were recognized one in each of the "southern" states. Here's how the voting process worked according to Southern Living. "An online survey was conducted by third-party agency Proof Insights among Southern Living consumers, asking them to rate their favorite places across the South for the South's Best Awards 2024. The survey was fielded from July 12 to August 23, 2023, and had over 20,000 respondents."

And what they chose as the best waterfront town in North Carolina is certainly a local favorite not just in this survey. In fact, my biggest complaint about this town is simply that it's too crowded to find parking if you aren't staying there. And it's a beach that many people commute to both locals and tourists. Do you know which waterfront town in North Carolina I'm talking about? Keep reading to find out. And also learn about the best waterfront towns in some neighboring states as well. This includes towns in South Carolina, Virginia, Georgia, Tennessee, and Florida. Who knows maybe your new favorite vacation destination is about to be discovered. They are all a reasonable drive for a quick or long weekend getaway. Interested in the full Southern Living list? You can read that here.

Locals, UNC Wilmington students, and visitors all adore Wrightsville Beach. It's less than 10 minutes from Wilmington making it one of the most accessible beach towns the state has to offer. Wrightsville is a favorite of surfers and is an ideal spot for a number of outdoor activities. The walkable town (again the parking is not so great) is home to beach boutiques and surf shops as well as fantastic restaurants. A favorite of mine (and countless others) is Dockside which is located right on the water.

The argument could have been made for numerous South Carolina towns. But ultimately the winner is the resort town of Hilton Head Island. Located in the South Carolina Lowcountry Hilton Head Island is a laid-back coastal paradise full of resorts, nature, pristine beaches, and some notable restaurants. Did you even visit Hilton Head if you haven't paid The Salty Dog a visit?

Since Tennesee is landlocked you knew this wasn't going to be a beachfront town. But would Gatlinburg be your first guess? It wouldn't have been mine. But turns out Gatlinburg is located on the Pigeon River and rafting as well as other activities are popular amongst tourists. Gatlinburg is certainly a tourist hotspot, nestled in the Great Smoky Mountains. There is certainly no shortage of things to do here!

St. Simons Island one of Georgia's barrier islands known as the Golden Isles is the state's best waterfront town. Here you'll find island streets bordered by Spanish moss-draped live oaks. Visitors love the beaches (obviously) as well as museums, golf courses, shops, and restaurants. Choose to stay in a quaint inn or luxurious resort. There are no bad decisions here.

With other states having slightly more "under the radar" spots as their best waterfront town I was a little surprised Virginia Beach was named. Now let me preface that with I've never visited so I do not have an opinion on the town or city in this case. I just know it's much larger than other destinations on this list. Virginia Beach is a popular tourist hotspot on the Virginia coast. There every season is "beach season" and there is no shortage of things do from activities, to places to say, miles of beach to visit, or restaurants to check out.

I've paid a quick visit to the nation's oldest city located right on the Atlantic Ocean. It boasts 450 years of history, brick-lined streets, historical sites, and restaurants, all in a waterfront location. The city is gorgeous and full of historic building which I adore. Learn more about visiting St. Augustine here.