Oct 17-19 | Hosted by the Grand Strand Chapter
SCNPS Statewide Symposium 2025
SCNPS Statewide Symposium 2025
The 2025 SCNPS Statewide Symposium will be hosted by the Grand Strand Chapter on October 17-19 in Murrells Inlet and will bring together members from across the state.
The 2025 symposium will be open to SCNPS members (from any chapter) only. If you are not already a member, please join us today!
Updates regarding the event will be added to this page in the coming months. We plan to announce more details later this summer – subscribe to get notified by email when the full agenda is announced and when tickets go on sale!
Get Symposium UpdatesOriginal Artwork by Maeve Snyder.
Gentians
This year’s theme will be Gentians. In South Carolina, the family Gentianaceae spans a wide range of habitats from the mountains to the coast. Within the Grand Strand region, gentians can be found among riverbanks, salt marshes, and longleaf pine savannas. We are excited to celebrate the unique ecology of these plants and to highlight the conservation issues they face.
This watercolor art by Maeve Snyder was commissioned exclusively for the symposium and the original will be available for sale at the silent auction.
The symposium will feature several events throughout the weekend, including many opportunities to connect and collaborate with other SCNPS members!
Friday, October 17
- 7-9 p.m. Plant Prom (an evening social) at Atalaya Castle
Saturday, October 18
- 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Annual SCNPS Statewide Business Meeting, Speaker Presentations, Concurrent Field Trips and Workshops, Silent Auction, and Keynote Presentation
Sunday, October 19
- 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Speaker Presentations, Field Trips, and Workshops
The majority of events will be in Murrells Inlet at Brookgreen Gardens and Huntington Beach State Park, with several additional field trips throughout the region. More information will be shared here soon. Please note that this schedule is subject to change; please check back for updates later this summer.
2025 Symposium Map
Accommodations
The Grand Strand region is a major tourist destination and there are thousands of potential options for accommodations to suit any budget (though they book fast!). General tourism guidance can be found at HammockCoastSC.com and VisitMyrtleBeach.com.
The majority of events for the weekend will be held in Murrells Inlet at Brookgreen Gardens and Huntington Beach State Park. If you want to stay nearby, when searching for accommodations, we recommend searching in the 29576 zip code.
We have secured a hotel room block for SCNPS members at The Oceanfront Litchfield Inn! Book by September 16, 2025 to get these rates. The room block is available Thursday to Sunday for those who want to extend their stay in the area.
-Ocean Front King Rooms – $207
-Resort View King Rooms – $215
Book online at https://www.litchfieldinn.com/reservations/#/room and enter Group Code – SCNPS2025 or call Reservation Number 1-888-734-8228 to book.
If you are considering an accommodation and would like advice about it before booking, please email grandstrand@scnps.org with any questions.
Click on each section below to expand for more info.
- The Oceanfront Litchfield Inn – hotel room block available for SCNPS Members!
Ocean Front King Rooms – $207
Resort View King Rooms – $215
Book by September 16, 2025.
Room block available Thursday to Sunday for those who want to extend their stay in the area.
Book online at https://www.litchfieldinn.com/reservations/#/room and enter Group Code – SCNPS2025 or call Reservation Number 1-888-734-8228 to book.
- Hampton Inn Pawleys Island
- Murrells Inlet Willow Lodge
- You can also search your preferred booking platform (hotels.com, expedia, booking.com, trivago, kayak, etc.) or favorite hotel chain for hotels near Murrells Inlet (29576 zip code).
- airbnb.com
- vrbo.com
- There are also many vacation rental management companies throughout the Grand Strand that you can book from directly; we recommend doing an internet search for vacation rentals near Murrells Inlet (29576).
- Myrtle Beach State Park has tent and RV spots situated in a beautiful maritime forest with easy access to the beach.
- Huntington Beach State Park campsites usually book up many months in advance and finding a spot may be unlikely.
- Ocean Lakes Campground
- Lakewood Camping Resort
- PirateLand Family Camping Resort
- Myrtle Beach KOA Resort
- There are many other private campground options located within driving distance; feel free to email us if you have any questions.
Statewide Symposium 2025 Merch
Merch
Check out our Statewide Symposium 2025 Merch! We’ve got commemorative swag: classic tees, classic sweatshirts, relaxed women’s v-neck tees, art posters, stainless steel water bottles, greeting cards, spiral notebooks and more!
Plus, we’ve got gentian-inspired gifts: reusable fold-up shopping bags, reusable cloth napkins, greeting cards, spiral notebooks, puzzles, and garden flags!
Order now – the last day to purchase commemorative merch is October 31, 2025!
Pine barren gentian (Gentiana autumnalis). Credit: Maeve Snyder.
Accessibility
The Grand Strand chapter is committed to providing accessible and affordable options to all members. We have tried to keep costs as low as possible for attendees. If the symposium expense is a barrier for you, please contact us to discuss options. Alternatively, if you are able to contribute more or would like to sponsor another attendee, please consider making a donation to the Grand Strand chapter to support our work.
Please reach out to grandstrand@scnps.org with any questions or accommodation needs.