Briarcliffe Acres, SC

Tucked quietly between Myrtle Beach and North Myrtle Beach, Briarcliffe Acres is a secluded coastal community where nature and privacy take center stage. Bordered by Highway 17 on one side and the Atlantic Ocean on the other, this small enclave of roughly 500 residents has preserved its peaceful, wooded atmosphere since its founding in the late 1940s. Founder Kenneth Ellsworth envisioned a quiet neighborhood filled with greenery and spacious properties, and the first houses went up shortly after. Neighbors quickly bonded over protecting their quiet slice of the coast, ultimately incorporating as an independent town in 1973.

You can still feel that original vision the moment you turn onto the town's winding, tree-lined streets. Around two hundred custom homes sit on generous lots shaded by towering pines and live oaks, with neighborhood roads leading down to a private oceanfront beach cabana for residents. Daily life moves at a relaxed pace, filled with golf cart rides, shaded walks, and easy ocean access. Even with its own local governance and strong tree-preservation rules, Briarcliffe Acres sits minutes from everyday conveniences, excellent dining, and shopping at Barefoot Landing. It gives homeowners a rare blend of private coastal living right alongside the Grand Strand.