Berkshire Forest

Berkshire Forest is a 600+ acre master-planned community on River Oaks Drive in the Carolina Forest area of Myrtle Beach, developed primarily by Pulte Homes (with Centex) beginning in 2004. Unlike many communities in the database, Berkshire Forest is not age-restricted — it's a family-friendly neighborhood that also attracts retirees and vacation-home buyers looking for resort-style amenities without a 55+ deed restriction. The community is organized into five distinct neighborhoods: Cambridge (3-4 bedroom single-family homes, ~1,100-3,600 sq ft, the most affordable section), Sutton Place, Crestwood (3-bedroom homes from 1,400-1,750 sq ft), the gated Amherst section (larger estate and lakefront homes, including Pulte's Nantucket and Dunwoody Way plans), and Hawthorne Park (townhomes and lower-maintenance living). Nearby Heatherstone and Windsor Park offer condominiums starting in the low $200s. Home sizes range from around 980 sq ft up to 3,840 sq ft, with popular Pulte floor plans including the Abbeyville, Martin Ray, Castle Rock, Nantucket, Compton, and Dunwoody Way. Homes range from the low $200s for condos and townhomes up to around $850K for the largest lakefront estates in Amherst. The heart of the community is Silver Lake, a 32-acre lake with a sandy beach, pier, fishing dock, boat dock, and non-motorized boating (kayaking, paddleboats). The 6,500-square-foot Residents' Club overlooks the lake and includes a fitness center, library, community kitchen, and multi-purpose rooms. There are two amenity centers at opposite ends of the community. The primary center features a resort-style pool with one of the longest lazy rivers on the Grand Strand, a lap pool, a children's splash pad with dump bucket, and a hot tub. The Village Parkway Amenity Center on the east side adds a zero-entry pool, multiple pickleball courts, open-air cabana with shaded seating, and a fire pit. Outdoor recreation includes tennis courts, bocce ball, basketball, a horseshoe pit, playground, dog parks, nature and walking/biking trails, and picnic/grilling areas. A standout perk is private access to an oceanfront beach club cabana at the Atlantic Resort in the heart of Myrtle Beach — a rare amenity for a Carolina Forest neighborhood. A full-time lifestyle director organizes events including yoga, holiday parties, live music by the pool, Food Truck Fridays, and golf outings. Berkshire Forest is an established natural gas community with low HOA dues ($100-$200/month) that cover amenity access, grounds maintenance, and trash. The location is central to everything Carolina Forest offers: approximately 5-8 miles (15 minutes) to Myrtle Beach, 8 miles to Myrtle Beach International Airport, about 3 miles to the nearest Publix, and 10 minutes to Coastal Grand Mall and Tanger Outlets. The community sits within the award-winning Carolina Forest school district (River Oaks Elementary, Ocean Bay Middle, Carolina Forest High), making it especially popular with families and multigenerational buyers, though its amenities and walkable social scene make it equally attractive to retirees who want an active lifestyle without age restrictions.