Myrtle Beach, SC Road Trips

The namesake of Myrtle Beach is, of course, the beach. During the high season the beach can be crowded and parking scarce. Staying at a beachfront hotel or within walking distance can make for a more pleasant visit. For those on a budget, however, don't fret - the beach is still public, although you may have to fight for a spot during the day. Never underestimate the beauty of the shoreline at sunrise, when the sands are basically abandoned, the temperature modest, and the seashells from the night before have yet to be picked. 1 Broadway at the Beach, 1325 Celebrity Cir, ☏ +1 843 444 3200. A huge cluster of bars, nightlife, shops, a movie theater, an aquarium, and even a zip line. It's crowded, although worth a visit. (updated Jul 2015) 2 Barefoot Landing, along the Intracoastal Waterway at the intersection of 48th Avenue South and Route 17. Lots of shops, eateries, steakhouses and a brewery, a reptile park, and the Alabama Theatre and House of Blues, which offer live entertainment nightly. Kid favorites are the carousel and fish feeding along with weekly fireworks. Visitors are greeted upon arrival and receive a shopping bag that includes a discount card and list of participating merchants and a complimentary meal voucher. Schedule your arrival date with them at least one week in advance. 3 Ripley's Aquarium of Myrtle Beach, 1110 Celebrity Circle, toll-free: +1 843-916-0888. Daily 9AM-7PM. Large aquarium including a ray touchtank, stingrays, and sharks. $45 adult, $33 child (Dec 2021).

1 The Pavilion Park, 1171 Celebrity Circle, ☏ +1 843-779-2967, [email protected]. M-Th 4-8PM, F M-11PM, Sa noon-11PM, Su noon-8PM. Amusement park. New rides and nostalgia rides. $1.75 single ticket, $38.50 all day pass (Dec 2021). 2 Family Kingdom Amusement Park, 300 S Ocean Blvd (By Car or By bus, Coast RTA, By taxi), ☏ +1 843 626-3447. All day ride wristband $32.95 (Dec 2021), Ride tickets $1.15 ea (3-5 tickets per ride), $9 parking. Water Park (closed as of Dec 2021 due to Covid-19) ̩ $9.95 if added to a ride pass, or $19.95 alone. 3 Myrtle Waves Water Park, 3000 Mr. Joe White Ave, ☏ +1 843-913-9250, [email protected]. (updated May 2020), 4 Skywheel. - located in Myrtle Beach 5 Island Adventure Watersports, 5843 Dick Pond Rd, ☏ +1 843-650-7003. They operate on the intracoastal waterway out of Osprey Marina. Offers half-day, full-day and multi-day wakeboarding camps as well as hourly lessons, cruises and half day & full day captained boat rentals. 6 Myrtle Beach State Park, 4401 S Kings Hwy, ☏ +1 843-238-5325, [email protected]. One of the few underdeveloped natural areas to be found along the Grand Strand. Boasts a mile of beachfront and includes a large campground, a fishing pier and nature trails that lead through a maritime forest. There is a nature center with exhibits on local marine, bird, and plant life. There is Wi-Fi availability for park guests at the campground store and pier, pets are allowed in most outdoor areas year round, and there are tours and programs for visitors.

Burky's Grill, 3901 North Kings Hwy, ☏ +1 843 626-2888. 1950s style diner. Extreme Pizza Myrtle Beach, 1310 Celebrity Circle, ☏ +1 843-808-9747. Brick oven pizza. Athen's Pizza, 5419 Dick Pond Rd, ☏ +1 843 650-0044. Fiesta Mexicana, 410 70th Ave N, ☏ +1 843-497-2781. Standard quality Mexican food with a lively environment. $10-18 person. (updated Aug 2016) Mexico Lindo, 2801 N Kings Hwy, ☏ +1 843-626-4566. Mexican food. 1 Blueberry's Grill Myrtle Beach, 7931 N Kings Hwy, Unit #140, ☏ +1 843-945-4588. Open daily, 6:30AM–3PM. Grill restaurant that serves breakfast and lunch, as well as brunch cocktails. (updated Sep 2025) Mr. Fish Seafood Market & Grill, 6307 N. Kings Hwy Suite B, ☏ +1 843-492-0374. Daily 10AM-8PM. A marvelous seafood restaurant that is noted for its shrimp and grits and also makes excellent soups. There's also a sushi bar inside. And if you want to take some seafood home, Mr. Fish also runs a seafood market. $20-$30. AARIV Indian Cuisine, 3711 Hwy 17 S, ☏ +1 843-663-3355. 11:30AM-9PM. Tikka masala and similar Indian classics. 8th Ave Tiki Bar & Grill, 708 North Ocean Blvd. Better than average bar food with Mediterranean influence. Extensive beer list. Available outdoor seating with a view of the beach. (updated Aug 2016) SeaBlue, 503 Hwy 17 N, ☏ +1 843 249-8800. Seafood restaurant and steakhouse noted for its shrimp and grits, kobe beef, and scallops. Sea Captain's House, 3002 N. Ocean Blvd, ☏ +1 843 448-8082. Seafood in a 1930s cottage overlooking the beach. Soho Cafe, 406 21st Ave N, ☏ +1 843 443-9441.

1 Atlas Tap House, 1004 Chester St, ☏ +1 843-945-9122. M-F 4PM-2 AM, Sa Su 11AM-2AM. This reformed house is a favorite haunt of local hipsters, surfers, and beer lovers. Great drinks. Fair food. It sits business laden side streets downtown. Easy to miss if you're not looking for it. (updated Aug 2016)

Diplomat Motel, 608 North Ocean Blvd, ☏ +1 843 839-9860. The Sandbar Hotel Myrtle Beach, Trademark Collection by Wyndham, 1804 S Ocean Blvd,, ☏ +1 843-448-1461. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. Crown Reef Resort And WaterPark, 2918 S Ocean Blvd. (updated Mar 2018) 1 David's Landing, 2708 S Ocean Blvd. (updated Nov 2021) Dunes Village Resort, 5200 North Ocean Blvd. Has a very large indoor water park complex featuring an array of water attractions, including a more than 250-ft-long river ride, adult sized indoor waterslides, a massive swimming pool with water volleyball and basketball, a variety of hot tubs, and a kiddies' pool with games and slides. Oceanfront studios, 1-, 2-, 3-, and 4-bedroom condominiums. Grande Cayman Resort, 7200 North Ocean Blvd. Numerous pools, sauna, exercise equipment, and game room. Two choices for dining as well as Starbucks on site. A wide variety of rooming options are available, including oceanfront rooms, suites and 3-bedroom condominiums. All units are equipped with free high-speed wireless internet access. Myrtle Beach Resort, 5905 S. Kings Hwy. A 33-acre, gated complex just south of the city limits offering a variety of condominiums including efficiencies, studios and 1-3 bedrooms. Available views include direct ocean front, ocean view (side of ocean front building) and park view. In addition to the beach, guests can enjoy a water park with lazy river, an ocean front cabana bar, 6 pools (1 beach front, 2 indoors), lighted tennis courts, saunas, jacuzzis and exercise rooms. Ocean Reef Resort, 7100 North Ocean Blvd.

1 Myrtle Beach International Airport (MYR IATA), 1100 Jetport Road. Most guests arriving from either the west coast or overseas fly into a major hub, such as Atlanta or Charlotte before connecting to their final destination in Myrtle Beach. The busiest routes to MYR are from Atlanta (Delta) and Charlotte (American), with several flights each day. Spirit Airlines offers regular flights from New York (LaGuardia) and Boston, among other destinations. American Airlines and United Airlines each have one daily flight from their hubs in Dallas and Newark respectively. There are summer seasonal flights from Toronto on Porter Airlines. Taxi from the airport to the resort area costs about $15. Grand Strand Regional Airport (in North Myrtle Beach). Serves the area and is used mostly by private or chartered flights. Myrtle Beach sits at the intersection of US 17, which runs along the coast of the Carolinas, and US 501, which travels inland. From Interstate 95 South, take US 501 south for 66 miles. There is no direct rail service to Myrtle Beach. The closest passenger stations are in Dillon, North Charleston, Florence and Kingstree, which are served by Amtrak's Silver Service and Palmetto trains. Florence, SC is the closest station but it is about 70 miles away from Myrtle Beach, so the best option is to arrange a limousine, or a shuttle or bus service for the final hour or two ride to the beach.

One aspect of Myrtle Beach that is less-than hospitable are its roads. A tourist may find the style of driving in Myrtle Beach to be aggressive, reckless and hard to manage. Myrtle Beach has one of the highest accident rates in the state, due in part to its impatient drivers and oddly-placed roads. If you must drive, plan ahead - if you are going a short distance (under five miles), then take one of the main roads that runs adjacent to the beach. If you are going a longer distance, try to take one of the interstate roads that branches further out - these are generally clear of traffic, and thus are much more bearable than the city roads. There are several car rental companies located in Myrtle Beach, including Alamo Rent-a-Car, National Car Rental, Avis Rent-a-Car, and Budget Car Rental. Coast RTA is the bus system for the Myrtle Beach area. Routes run along major thoroughfares and to and from neighboring towns. Service hours are quite limited. Schedules are available at all Myrtle Beach Area Conventions and Visitors Bureau offices. Fares are $1.50 adults, $1.25 students, $0.75 children. Another alternative for those without cars are charter buses. Coach buses are cost-effective for large groups of people who want to relax and enjoy personal service, and travel locally as well as out of state. Reservations for charter buses are best made a few weeks in advance and prices are determined by the location of the destination. There are several private cab services in the area which can run up to $50 for a trip across the Grand Strand.