Hammock Coast Birding Festival

Registration will open in early fall for the 4th Annual Hammock Coast Birding Festival, an all-inclusive festival that has received rave reviews from past attendees.

Birders have flocked to South Carolina’s Hammock Coast for years to enjoy our unique coastal area that is home throughout the year to more than 300 species of birds. Southern Living noted that the area is the best birding site on the East Coast, and experts at Clemson University have claimed that the region offers the best birding opportunities in South Carolina.

When it comes to an overall birding experience, there’s nothing like the Hammock Coast with its miles of pristine beaches, marshes and rivers, as well as tens of thousands of acres of protected forests, all teeming with birds. That’s why we’ve teamed up with five of our premier birding locations for our event. Our area also has locations where the increasingly rare Red-cockaded Woodpecker can be found, as well as other birds, such as the Swallow-tailed Kite, Roseate Spoonbill, and an impressive list of rarities. Nestled between Charleston and Myrtle Beach, the Hammock Coast has long been a draw for vacationers seeking a more laid-back and nature-centric vacation, and birds seek out our area, too — either as an all-year-long home or a stopover on their trips north and south.

Our festival will offer tours and access to Black River Cypress Preserve, Brookgreen Gardens, Hobcaw Barony, Huntington Beach State Park, and the Tom Yawkey Wildlife Center. Those five areas combined offer more than 50,000 acres of protected land where birds of all kinds live and thrive.

The festival will also feature Emmy-winner Dr. Patrick McMillan as the keynote speaker. Other speakers and events will be added and announced soon.

Two delicious evening meals are part of the festival.

Registration for the 2026 South Carolina’s Hammock Coast Birding Festival will open in early fall of 2025. Registration is limited, so early registration is recommended!

Go to our site and sign-up for email notifications! Cost for the 2026 festival has not been set but will be announced soon. In 2025, the cost was $350 per person with a $299 rate for early-bird registrants.

Welcome and Packet Pick-up will be held Wednesday, Feb. 4. Welcome bag includes a long-sleeve festival T-shirt, an art print, and more. Festival tours, lectures, events, etc. will be held Thursday, Feb. 5, through Sunday, Feb. 8.

Experience birding at its best during the 4th annual Hammock Coast Birding Festival.

Visit our website for updates.