The first tourists came to Myrtle Beach in 1901, although the town wasn’t called that at the time. The name came six years later, a tribute to the wax myrtles that grew wild along the sun-drenched South Carolina shore. By the 1920s the foundations of the city’s inaugural resort were rising, and the demand for places to stay, play, and bask in Myrtle Beach’s oceanfront charm would grow exponentially over the next century. Which is to say, there are countless reasons to visit today, but these are some of the very best, can’t-miss activities to add to your Myrtle Beach itinerary.
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On the water with Sea Scream Dolphin Cruise.
Exhilaration off the Grand Strand
Why you should go: There’s a water adventure for every speed in Myrtle Beach. To enjoy the rush of a Jet Ski from the comfort of a boat, rent a three-seater Seakart from Seakart Adventure in Murrells Inlet. Or pair a Jet Ski excursion with a dolphin tour—getting an unforgettable look at these playful marine mammals in their natural habitat—through Myrtle Beach Watersports. For a more relaxing experience, Express Watersports specializes in scenic catamaran sails. Whether you’re sipping a mimosa on a morning cruise or settling in for a glorious sunset, their trips along the inlet promise a laid-back, scenery-soaked escape on the water.
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Exploring the MarshWalk in Murrells Inlet.
A seafood lover’s oasis
Why you should go: It’s quite a thing to take the title of Seafood Capital of South Carolina, a state with no shortage of abundant seafood. So bring an empty stomach to Myrtle Beach, especially to the Murrells Inlet MarshWalk. This half-mile boardwalk along the Intracoastal Highway hosts live music every night and presents a smorgasbord for fish lovers. Visitors can easily stroll between venues like Bubba’s Love Shak, Dead Dog Saloon, Wahoo’s, Creek Ratz, and Tuna Shack to hear original tunes and take in the view of the saltwater estuary and its labyrinth of golden marsh grass. Pro tip: Book a scenic cruise on the Explorer so that after you’ve had your fill, you can depart from the stunningly beautiful pedestrian boardwalk and sail off into the sunset.
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The Carolina Country Music Fest celebrates its tenth anniversary this June.
Don’t forget to pack your cowboy boots
Why you should go: Don’t be misled by the laid-back surf vibe. While the Myrtle Beach area boasts endless stretches of peaceful shoreline, it’s also a hot spot for scores of country music fans. And there are few bigger gatherings of them than the Carolina Country Music Fest, a four-day bonanza that draws some 20,000 attendees and some of the biggest names in the industry—artists like Jelly Roll, Lainey Wilson, and the Beach Boys—every June. This year marks the tenth anniversary of that epic beach party, which takes place just steps from the ocean on the Myrtle Beach Boardwalk. But even after curtain call, there’s still plenty of live music to enjoy across the Grand Strand, whether at the House of Blues, the Carolina Opry Theater, or Tin Roof, to name a few.
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A beach ride with Inlet Point Plantation stables.
Adventure on an undeveloped island and the open sea
Why you should go: For all its Boardwalk diversions, Myrtle Beach still holds havens of unspoiled natural beauty, and one of them is the undeveloped barrier island of Waties, located just off the coast of North Myrtle Beach. Accessible by kayak or paddleboard, it’s the perfect place to escape the beach-town bustle and get back to nature with a stroll or an oceanfront horseback ride. To facilitate your outing, Inlet Point Plantation stables and Great Escapes Kayak Expeditions offer guided tours of the roughly three-mile-long isle.
Fill up on Atlantic views and fresh catch with the help of one of the area’s many fantastic charter outfits. Pick your timeframe—a full day or only a few hours—and your captain will have you casting for bonito, tuna, bluefish, Spanish mackerel, and even barracuda in no time. Pro tip: The quiet fishing town of Little River, South Carolina, offers some of the best charters in the area. Of course, if you’d rather watch than reel, you’ll find plentiful options for dolphin-spotting trips and sunset cruises.
On stage at the Carolina Opry
Grab your ticket to these premier venues
Why you should go: As the sun sets over Myrtle Beach, the city comes alive with some of the best live entertainment in South Carolina. The two-thousand-seat Carolina Opry has dazzled audiences with spectacular concerts and Broadway tours since 1986; the beloved institution is gearing up for its fortieth-anniversary season next year. Meanwhile, the iconic Alabama Theatre stages original productions, including extravagant variety shows. And for a touch of vintage Vegas charm, the Greg Rowles Legacy Theatre offers a nostalgic showroom experience, where family-friendly performances and timeless hits from decades past are sure to have you singing along.
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Crafting a handmade hammock at the Original Hammock Shop on Pawleys Island.
Don’t leave empty-handed
Why you should go: Every vacation needs a keepsake, so why not make it something truly one-of-kind from a local maker? Conway Glass, for example, creates custom ornaments and other blown-glass treasures; contact them to view their studio, commission a work of art, or if you’re feeling crafty yourself, attend a workshop. Stop by Village Surf Shoppe in Garden City Beach to see their handiwork in action in the form of surfboards made on site. (Tip: If you want a custom board of your own, you’ll need to reach out four to six weeks in advance.) Finally, bring Myrtle Beach’s relaxed vibe home with a hammock from the Original Hammock Shop on Pawleys Island, where weavers have been fashioning the iconic nets since 1938.
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Scenic beauty meets strategic play
Why you should go: Home to more than eighty golf courses, from sweeping oceanfront fairways to intricately designed layouts crafted to challenge, Myrtle Beach offers an option for every handicap. A fan of Arnold Palmer’s masterful touch? You’ll find four of the seven-time major champion’s signature courses in this golfing mecca. Prefer the classic designs of Robert Trent Jones Sr.? Book a tee time at the Dunes Golf and Beach Club, a timeless gem that hosts the PGA Tour’s OneFlight Myrtle Beach Classic and offers a chance to walk the same greens as the pros. And when you’re ready to blow off steam, take a spin around Mt. Atlanticus, a miniature golf course rated among the nation’s best.
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Exploring the 1.2 mile-long Oceanfront Boardwalk and Promenade.
Gaze at the city from above
Why you should go: Called the “grandest attraction in the Grand Strand,” the SkyWheel is a two-hundred-foot observation wheel (think epic ferris wheel) overlooking the glittering Atlantic and the bright lights of the Boardwalk. Settle in for four revolutions in a private gondola, and depending on your timing, book a special sunrise spin featuring coffee and pastries, or make it dinner and a sunset show with the Fly & Dine package, which comes with a $25 voucher to LandShark Bar & Grill.
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Shagging on the beach.
Ready to boogie walk?
Why you should go: We can thank the African American community of the late 1930s and the popularity of “beach music” in the ’40s for South Carolina’s state dance. Humorist Lewis Grizzard famously described shag as “doing the jitterbug on Valium.” One might also describe it as a laid-back style of swing suited to spilling out onto sandy shores. And no visit to Myrtle Beach is complete without seeing it performed live. Fat Harold’s Beach Club regularly hosts enthusiasts of the “one-and-two-and-rockback,” and you can also learn to pivot, belly roll, and boogie walk yourself at the Spanish Galleon.
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A lunch spread at the Sea Captain’s House.
Get hooked on fresh seafood and Southern hospitality
Why you should go: You can’t appreciate Myrtle Beach until you’ve sampled its one-of-a-kind culinary scene. Take Sea Captain’s House. The 1930-built structure was originally a vacation home, then a nine-bedroom guesthouse, and finally a full-service restaurant serving the Lowcountry’s trademark dishes: she-crab soup, fried oysters, Carolina catch of the day. But while the menu is certainly a draw, perhaps an even bigger sell is the ocean view. Diners can watch the tide over crab cakes Benedict for breakfast, a shrimp po’boy for lunch, or pecan-crusted grouper at dinner.
Find another sensory dining experience at Hook & Barrel, where the seafood tower is nothing short of an oceanic treasure trove. Featuring vibrant ceviche, fresh mussels, raw oysters, and South Carolina shrimp adorned with delicate, edible flowers, it’s a centerpiece as stunning as it is sumptuous. Chef Heidi Vukov opened the sustainable seafood spot in 2017, and the menu dazzles all around, from perfectly pan-seared whole fish to the dramatically displayed bourbon bacon.