Experience the magic of Myrtle Beach

Let’s take a moment to appreciate the main attraction. The Grand Strand is 60 miles of wide, uninterrupted, golden sand stretching from Winyah Bay in the south to Little River in the north. Marked by its iconic boardwalk, piers, and a SkyWheel that offers views from 200 feet above the beach, Myrtle Beach sits at the heart of this spectacular coastline. Romantic spots for couples, safe swimming for kids, and all the family facilities you could need make this boulevard of sand one of the best beaches on the Atlantic Coast, and that’s why visitors have arrived in droves for more than 100 years. When you add all its other oceanside attractions, Myrtle Beach is a no-brainer for any Deep South or Southeastern USA trip.

Besides the blue of the ocean and the gold of the sand sits the lush green of Myrtle and Huntington Beach State Parks. These maritime forests offer easy exploration on hiking trails between lakes, marshes, picnic spots, and fishing piers. Overnight stays are no problem with hundreds of campsites and lodges. Birders have over 200 species to search for, while animals from alligators to minks can also be spotted among the foliage. Huntington even has a castle, Atalaya, which is the 1930s home of Archer and Anna Huntington, who helped establish the park and the neighbouring Brookgreen Gardens. Speaking of which, Brookgreen is a 9,000-acre botanical and sculpture garden with 250-year-old live oak trees, a butterfly garden, and the Lowcountry Zoo. Many of the exhibits were creations of Anna Huntington herself, one of the first female sculptors in the USA and the first to have work installed in New York City. When the Christmas season comes, the park is illuminated with spectacular displays, making it the perfect place to stroll, whichever season you visit.

Between the Atlantic and the Intracoastal Waterway, a network of rivers and canals run parallel to the coast - there are plenty of ways to get on the water at Myrtle Beach. Drift gently through the landscape in a kayak or paddleboard, learn to surf in the ocean swell, make waves on a jet ski, or parasail high over the shore. Try your hand at fishing from the pier, on the lake, in the river, or by ocean-going charter boat. Prefer to watch sea life than catch it? Dolphin, eco-tours and orca-spotting cruises sail throughout the year.

Whether you’re a fairway pro or a maverick putter, you’ll find a home in Myrtle Beach. With around 90 established 18-hole courses and over 30 mini-golf sites, it’s easy to see why Myrtle Beach is considered the golf - and mini-golf - capital of the world. Seasoned adults, enthusiastic kids, and everyone in between will be spoilt for choice when it comes to teeing off and driving for a hole-in-one. More than 200 days of sunshine each year means rain rarely stops play, but on those rare occasions conditions are less than perfect, there’s always a clubhouse, café, or bar nearby. Be sure to check out the newly opened Tiger Woods-backed PopStroke at Broadway at the Beach, a professionally designed putting green paradise.

Over 2,000 restaurants, from family diners to sea-view bistros, serve every imaginable cuisine in Myrtle Beach, but it’s fresh seafood and southern feel-good dishes that the area is known for. Myrtle Beach delicacies all visitors should try include fried cornmeal balls known as hushpuppies, the traditional Lowcountry dish of shrimp and grits, and creamy she-crab soup. Celebrated every October just 30 miles inland at the Loris Bog-Off, the hearty rice dish of chicken bog is about as local as they come. Prefer the fruits of the ocean? Try a classic seafood steam pot right by the sand. From generous American breakfasts and satisfying soul food suppers to candy-garnished milkshakes, you’ll never go hungry in Myrtle Beach.

Hundreds of hotels line the Grand Strand, the city streets, and the spectacular countryside, so there’s a perfect stay for everyone. Towards the north of the city, Marriott Myrtle Beach Resort & Spa at Grande Dunes offers the ideal combination of romantic luxury for couples and child-friendly activities for families in its sprawling beachside resort. Close by, Hilton Myrtle Beach Resort comes complete with ocean views, poolside bars, and its own waterpark. Further south, Dunes Village Resort has room for every group in oceanside suites and condos with up to four bedrooms, while Hilton Grand Vacations Club Ocean 22 Myrtle Beach is a complete beach residence right at the heart of the action. Many hotels offer free golf or waterpark access, check with our Travel Specialists to find the right holiday home for you.

The beauty of beach holidays in a resort city is that entertainment is always on hand. When you’re done with the sand, sea, parks, golf courses, and restaurants, Myrtle Beach has plenty more on offer. Wander through the magical indoor amusements of the WonderWorks upside-down house. Marvel at the secrets of the ocean in Ripley’s Aquarium. Or travel to a different world to enjoy experience dinners at Pirates Voyage and Medieval Times. Catch a show at one of the area’s many live theatres, such as the famous Carolina Opry or Alabama Theatre. Feel like chancing your luck at the tables? Take a Little River casino cruise on the Big “M”.

While the peak times to visit Myrtle Beach fall in the warmer months from March to August, the mild temperatures and warm waters make this Atlantic Coast city popular year-round. When planning your arrival, it’s always worth checking the Myrtle Beach calendar to make sure you’re getting the best from your time. Deep South dining is celebrated in April at the Food Truck Festival, the Autumn’s Beach ‘n Chili Fest, and Little River ShrimpFest in October. Sports fans can catch college football at Myrtle Beach Bowl in December, see Herculean efforts at the World’s Strongest Man in May, and enjoy baseball with the Myrtle Beach Pelicans from April to September. Ballad lovers and line dancers tap toes each June at the Carolina Country Music Fest, while Brookgreen Gardens is never more enchanting than during December’s Nights of a Thousand Candles.

Few seaside features are more typically American than a boardwalk, and Myrtle Beach has one of the best. Built in 2010, renovated in 2022, and running 1.2 miles from Second Avenue Pier to Pier 14, Myrtle Beach Boardwalk is filled with carnival amusements, beachfront restaurants, and seaside shopping. It’s also home to the 187-foot Myrtle Beach SkyWheel, the Twist ‘n’ Shout wild mouse rollercoaster, and The Slingshot, which sends riders shooting into the sky at 100mph. You don’t need to send your adrenaline sky high to enjoy “America’s Boardwalk”; a sunset stroll with an ice cream in one hand and your lover’s in the other is just as thrilling.