Exploring Atalaya Castle’s Timeless Charm

A Journey through History, Nature, and Coastal Heritage

- Dr Marianne Furtado de Nazareth

In this first-person account, Dr Marianne Furtado de Nazareth describes her visit to Atalaya Castle in Huntington Beach State Park, South Carolina, during a family trip.

Drawn by her interest in history and sustainability, she reflects on the castle's striking terracotta architecture and its unique blend of Spanish and Moorish styles. Exploring the expansive structure, she highlights its thoughtful design, central courtyard lined with Sabal Palmetto palms, and features adapted to the region’s climate. She also recounts the legacy of Archer and Anna Huntington, whose vision combined art, ecology, and social responsibility. The visit is enriched by the park’s natural beauty, wildlife, and historical significance, making it both an educational and immersive experience. The US has a number of State Parks, which I enjoy visiting with family, on my annual visits there. The Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado, Yosemite National Park in California and the Badlands in South Colorado are some of the many parks I have visited. Most of these Parks in the US of late focus on sustainable living and sustainable practices, which is the focus of my writing as a Science and Environment journalist. Lucky the US is such a huge country, so every one of these parks are sprawling over enormous acreage. State parks are protected areas managed at a sub-national level to preserve natural beauty, historic sites, or provide recreational opportunities. These areas, often smaller than national parks, offer hiking, camping, and fishing to visitors at a nominal and affordable price.

“Since we are going to Myrtle Beach, let's go see Atalaya Castle, which is in the Huntington State Park,” said my son Andrew, who enjoys visiting historical places like me. “It’s a historic hidden gem in Murrells Inlet, South Carolina.”