Metal Detecting at Garden City Beach
Horry / Georgetown County · Grand Strand · County beach (unincorporated)
Last verified:
The rules
Garden City Beach is unincorporated and metal detecting is permitted, with no detecting ban on either side of the county line. Digging is limited to holes no deeper than two feet that must be filled before leaving - Horry County's beach code (Ch. 5) on the north end, and Georgetown County's Beach Regulations (Ch. 5.5) on the Garden City Point / Murrells Inlet end, which also restrict digging tools to children's toys or hand tools about 12 inches or less. Stay off the dunes.
Permit: Not required
📞 Call ahead: 843-915-7953 (Horry County Beach Patrol) (confirm the current rule before you go)
Why detect here
Busy unincorporated oceanfront running to the Garden City Pier and the point at the mouth of Murrells Inlet - summer crowds mean plentiful coins and jewelry.
Beach detecting here? You want a saltwater-capable machine and a long-handled sand scoop. The Nokta Legend 2 is the best value that handles wet salt sand. See the Nokta Legend 2 →
More spots nearby: Grand Strand (Myrtle Beach) · See the full South Carolina metal detecting laws · federal rules · which detector to buy
Source: Georgetown County Beach Regulations (Code Ch. 5.5) + Horry County Code Ch. 5 (Beaches). Verify against the managing authority before detecting.