Things to do in Myrtle Beach, SC

Let's face it, few would visit Myrtle Beach if it were called "Myrtleville." It's the beach that brings millions of visitors to the Grand Strand every year, but there's plenty of room for them to stretch out over the 60-mile stretch of coastline. With white sand beaches and relatively calm ocean waters make for a perfect playground for kids of all ages to swim, surf, sunbath and build sandcastles. One of the great things about Myrtle Beach is its abundance of public beach accesses. Unlike many beach resorts where the oceanfront is privately owned, Myrtle Beach provides beach access on virtually every block that provide wooden walkways, restroom facilities and spray showers so you don't have to take too much beach home with you.

No trip to the coast is complete without a taste of the local cash crop, and Myrtle Beach's happens to be under the sea. Surrounded by the fishing villages of Murrells Inlet, Little River and Calabash, N.C., the Grand Strand has an abundance of fresh seafood and restaurants that serve it. Whether it's all-you-can-eat buffets, rustic oyster bars, fine dining or hole-in-the-wall seafood shacks, your taste buds can get their fish fix in Myrtle Beach. Prefer food from dry...  

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Let's face it, few would visit Myrtle Beach if it were called "Myrtleville." It's the beach that brings millions of visitors to the Grand Strand every year, but there's plenty of room for them to stretch out over the 60-mile stretch of coastline. With white sand beaches and relatively calm ocean waters make for a perfect playground for kids of all ages to swim, surf, sunbath and build sandcastles. One of the great things about Myrtle Beach is its abundance of public beach accesses. Unlike many beach resorts where the oceanfront is privately owned, Myrtle Beach provides beach access on virtually every block that provide wooden walkways, restroom facilities and spray showers so you don't have to take too much beach home with you.

No trip to the coast is complete without a taste of the local cash crop, and Myrtle Beach's happens to be under the sea. Surrounded by the fishing villages of Murrells Inlet, Little River and Calabash, N.C., the Grand Strand has an abundance of fresh seafood and restaurants that serve it. Whether it's all-you-can-eat buffets, rustic oyster bars, fine dining or hole-in-the-wall seafood shacks, your taste buds can get their fish fix in Myrtle Beach. Prefer food from dry land? The Grand Strand is home to more than 1,000 eateries, including the famed Restaurant Row, to satisfy everyone's appetite.

The Grand Strand features more than 100 courses that reflect both the importance of the sport and the scenic beauty of the area. Beginning with Pine Lakes International Golf Club, which opened in 1927, developers found fertile land and growing demand for more courses, constructing championship layouts from the Lowcountry in Pawleys Island, including the prestigious Caledonia Fish & Golf Club and True Blue Plantation, up beyond the North Carolina border, like River Hills Golf Club and Oyster Bay Plantation. In between are more than 2,000 holes where golfers flock year-round to chase the little white ball.

Everyone can feel like a kid at Myrtle Beach's many attractions, especially for those into water sports. From amusement parks like Family Kingdom and Broadway at the Beach's Pavilion Nostalgia Park, to water-inspired thrills such as Myrtle Waves, there's plenty of fun to be found. Parasailing, boogie-boarding and jet-skiing are other popular activities, and fishing piers and charter boats make fishing more than a pastime. While "real" golf is Myrtle Beach's top sport, putt-putt courses also line the Strand. From April through September visitors can catch a Myrtle Beach Pelicans' baseball game for fun at the ol' ballpark and free fireworks shows can be spotted in the skies up and down the coast.

When the town's founding fathers first bought the land east of the Intracoastal Waterway, the game plan called for harvesting trees, not tourism. In fact, the Myrtle Beach Farms Company initially didn't want to buy the oceanfront property because it was too swampy and of little value.

One century later, Myrtle Beach is one of the top vacation destinations in the U.S., drawing more than 13 million visitors each year. The city's reputation as the "Redneck Riviera" is fading away with the addition of each high-rise resort, championship golf course and four-star restaurant.

But there's no mistaking the city's cultural roots. After Hurricane Hazel destroyed the early beachfront structures in 1954, modern-day Myrtle Beach sprang to life in the 1960s to the soundtrack of beach music. Shag dancing became a regional fad and teens flocked to Myrtle Beach to dance by the ocean on sawdust floors.

The Myrtle Beach boom continued, with those teens eventually becoming parents and the Grand Strand becoming more about families. Golf exploded in the area in 1980s and '90s, with the Grand Strand reaching more than 100 courses. Like the visitors who came to Myrtle Beach, the town itself started to grow more sophisticated.

Today there's a...  Read more »

When the town's founding fathers first bought the land east of the Intracoastal Waterway, the game plan called for harvesting trees, not tourism. In fact, the Myrtle Beach Farms Company initially didn't want to buy the oceanfront property because it was too swampy and of little value.

One century later, Myrtle Beach is one of the top vacation destinations in the U.S., drawing more than 13 million visitors each year. The city's reputation as the "Redneck Riviera" is fading away with the addition of each high-rise resort, championship golf course and four-star restaurant.

But there's no mistaking the city's cultural roots. After Hurricane Hazel destroyed the early beachfront structures in 1954, modern-day Myrtle Beach sprang to life in the 1960s to the soundtrack of beach music. Shag dancing became a regional fad and teens flocked to Myrtle Beach to dance by the ocean on sawdust floors.

The Myrtle Beach boom continued, with those teens eventually becoming parents and the Grand Strand becoming more about families. Golf exploded in the area in 1980s and '90s, with the Grand Strand reaching more than 100 courses. Like the visitors who came to Myrtle Beach, the town itself started to grow more sophisticated.

Today there's a merger between old and new Myrtle Beach. The dance clubs and beaches remain relatively unchanged, while upscale resorts, shopping and spas have replaced some of the older mom and pop shops. The visitors to Myrtle Beach have changed but there reasons for coming are mostly the same - to enjoy life at the beach.