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South Carolina · the United States
The most sought-after beach town in South Carolina, in the center of the Grand Strand, with a seaside boardwalk and Ferris wheel, amusement and water parks, and to the south, the Brookgreen Gardens.
In the photo: Dunes and coastline at Myrtle Beach State Park
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
Get to know the place
Myrtle Beach sits in the middle of the Grand Strand, a stretch of about 100 km of light-sand beaches on South Carolina’s northern coast, between the border with North Carolina and Winyah Bay. Since the mid-20th century it has been one of the East Coast’s most popular family vacation destinations, with oceanfront hotels, golf courses and performance venues.
The downtown waterfront has a wooden boardwalk with the SkyWheel Ferris wheel, the Family Kingdom amusement park on the beach since the 1960s, and the Myrtle Waves water park a few blocks away. Ocean Boulevard runs along the shore with shops and restaurants, and the town concentrates miniature golf courses and other family attractions.
Nature appears in the state parks. Myrtle Beach State Park, south of downtown, preserves a coastal forest by the sea. Further south in Murrells Inlet, Brookgreen Gardens displays American sculpture in gardens on former rice plantations, and Huntington Beach State Park has dunes, marshes with alligators and the winter home Atalaya.
The coast lies within the Atlantic hurricane season area, from June to November.
This destination brings together 1 city: Myrtle Beach.
One destination, many paths
Start with one city or combine several in your itinerary.
Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau / geoBoundaries (public domain). Adapted by Cidade Turismo.
✈ Myrtle Beach International Airport (MYR) · 5 km to Myrtle Beach
Myrtle Beach Airport (MYR) is adjacent to the city and receives flights from various U.S. cities; Charlotte (CLT) is about 280 km away. There is no train service. To get around the Grand Strand, a car is the most practical option. Entry requirements depend on your nationality: confirm them before you travel.
The local experience
A roughly 2 km wooden boardwalk along the downtown waterfront, with plazas, piers and the SkyWheel Ferris wheel, which has enclosed gondolas with views of the beach and the sea.
A 1966 seaside amusement park with the wooden Swamp Fox roller coaster, Ferris wheels, kiddie rides, and a water park across the avenue.
The largest water park in South Carolina, in Myrtle Beach, with slides, a wave pool, a lazy river, and shallow areas for children, open in summer.
A 1930s state park south of downtown with an undeveloped beachfront, a fishing pier, and one of the last coastal forests of the Grand Strand.
Sculpture gardens in Murrells Inlet, created in 1931 on former rice plantations, with more than a thousand American sculptures, century-old oaks, and a small zoo of regional animals.
State park in Murrells Inlet with a beach, dunes, salt marshes where alligators and birds are often seen, and the Moorish-style winter home Atalaya.
Before you go
A little planning leaves more time to enjoy the journey.
From May to September, when the water is warmer and all parks are open; June through August are the busiest months. April, May, September and October usually have pleasant days and fewer crowds. The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June to November. In winter the beach is quiet and several parks close.
The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.
Three to five days allow a mix of beach time, the boardwalk, one park and Brookgreen Gardens. Families with children often stay a week.
Oceanfront hotels line Ocean Boulevard; the central section near the boardwalk is the busiest, and the north and south ends of town are quieter. Neighboring North Myrtle Beach and Surfside Beach have vacation rentals and smaller hotels.
Take your trash with you, follow the signs and support local businesses. In natural areas, follow the visiting guidelines.
Get your questions answered
Three to five days for beach, boardwalk, an amusement park and the gardens to the south. Many families spend a week.
It helps a lot: attractions and beaches stretch along the Grand Strand, and public transport is limited. Downtown and the boardwalk are walkable.
May to September for beach weather and water parks. May and September are usually less crowded; hurricanes, when they occur, are more common between August and October.
Go to the beach, visit the Family Kingdom amusement park, the Myrtle Waves water park, the boardwalk Ferris wheel and the state parks with trails and a pier.
Yes, by car in about two and a half hours via US-17, a route that passes through Georgetown and the Murrells Inlet gardens.
