Riders cross over the dunes onto Waites Island at Inlet Point Plantation. Photography by Beach Dreamers Photography.
Beach photography for families at Inlet Point Plantation. Photography by Beach Dreamers Photography.
Visitors to the greater Grand Strand area looking to do something off the beaten sand this summer but still wanting to enjoy the beach from atop a horse need look no further than Inlet Point Plantation in Little River. Unlike the local municipalities who must limit horseback riding to the off-season, Inlet Point Plantation allows guests to ride on the beach year round on their private island! In 2008’s Equus Caballus “Life’s a Beach” issue, Inlet Point Plantation was named as one of the Top Ten Horse-Friendly Beaches in the Southeast!
Guests can select the hour long waterway trail ride which winds through their pecan grove along a path of their 4,000-acre plantation (mostly in its wilderness state) to the IntraCoastal Waterway; the two-hour beach/wooded trail ride, which is available in the off season meanders through the plantation over Dunn Sound to the 1,200-acre private Waites Island for a spectacular riding experience on the solitude of the beach and enjoying the breathtaking views of the Atlantic Ocean. During the summer, guests enjoy the one-hour beach ONLY ride. Children ages 7 and older are able to enjoy the one-hour rides while children ages 10 and older can enjoy the two-hour rides. Hand-held pony rides are available for children under the age of 10. Group discounts and “bring your own horse” opportunities are also available. Helmets are available for everyone. Photo packages are available of your riding experience as a keepsake from Beach Dreams Photography.
Inlet Point Plantation also features sunset/moonlight rides and special occasion/private rides, perfect for weddings, honeymoons or proposals.
Beach family photos are available by scheduling a session with the Beach Dreams photographer. The advantage of this session is there are no other tourists to fight behind you and no tall resort hotels in the background, only the Atlantic Ocean or private sand dunes. Incredible keepsakes for your family vacation to the Myrtle Beach area. Ponies are also available to be in these family photos as well.
Brimming with history, Inlet Point Plantation was once the home of Fort Randall, a confederate fort from 1861 to 1863. The open fields at the entrance to the stables was originally cleared by the 9,000 confederate soldiers, as the tree line along the IntraCoastal Waterway served as a barrier from coming enemy ships. Famous residents include Billy the Kid and even Blackbeard is rumored have used the island as a safe haven. Waites Island is 1,380 acres, located on the state line north of Cherry Grove Beach, SC and south of Sunset Beach, North Carolina. On the plantation itself, Indian burial grounds and archeological finds date back to 600 BC.
Rides are available Monday through Sunday 8 a.m. until Sunset March through the end of the summer season. After summer, call for specific times and availability. For reservations, call 843.249.2989. For additional information, visit www.inletpointplantation.com or email InletStable@gmail.com. For directions or GPS information: 5800 Highway 236, North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582.