By With roughly 60 miles of sand along the Grand Strand, Myrtle Beach packs in far more than a place to lay your towel. Between high-flying observation wheels, a world-class aquarium, dinner-and-jousting spectacles, championship golf, and quiet maritime forests just down the coast, the hardest part of any trip here is fitting everything in. Here are 20 must-do activities to anchor your Myrtle Beach itinerary, from the famous to the underrated.
Beach, Boardwalk, and Classic Myrtle Beach
1. Stroll the Myrtle Beach Boardwalk and Promenade
The 1.2-mile oceanfront boardwalk runs along downtown between the 14th Avenue Pier and Second Avenue Pier, and it is open 24 hours a day, year-round, for free. Expect arcades, ice cream, live buskers, and unbeatable people-watching. It is the social heart of the beach and the best place to start your trip.
2. Ride the SkyWheel Myrtle Beach
Towering 187 feet over the boardwalk, the SkyWheel carries you in climate-controlled glass gondolas for sweeping views of the coastline. It is especially worth timing for sunset.
Address: 1110 N. Ocean Blvd., Myrtle Beach, SC 29577. Phone: 843-839-9200. Hours: generally daily from 11 a.m. (closing times vary by season). Standard wheel tickets start around $20.99; verify current pricing before you go.
3. Claim a spot on the sand
The simplest pleasure here is also the best. The wide public beaches are free, and the Grand Strand’s gentle Atlantic surf is ideal for swimming, boogie boarding, and shelling at low tide. Pack a chair and umbrella, or rent them from a beachfront vendor.
4. Fish or watch the sunrise from a pier
The area’s wooden fishing piers, including the Second Avenue Pier and the 14th Avenue Pier downtown, are great for casting a line or simply walking out over the water at dawn. Most charge a small walk-on fee and rent rods on site.
Family Attractions and Entertainment
5. Explore Ripley’s Aquarium of Myrtle Beach
One of the city’s signature indoor attractions, Ripley’s Aquarium features a 330-foot underwater tunnel, a touch tank with rays and horseshoe crabs, and thousands of marine animals. It is a reliable rainy-day pick.
Address: 1110 Celebrity Circle, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577 (inside Broadway at the Beach). Open daily; check current hours and ticket prices online, which recently started around $39.99 for adults.
6. Spend a day at Broadway at the Beach
This sprawling waterfront complex is the entertainment core of Myrtle Beach, with more than 100 shops, restaurants, and attractions wrapped around a 23-acre lake. WonderWorks, the Hollywood Wax Museum, mini golf, and nightly summer fireworks all live here. Browse the full directory at the official Broadway at the Beach site.
7. Ride the coasters at Family Kingdom Amusement Park
An old-school, oceanfront amusement park, Family Kingdom is home to the wooden Swamp Fox roller coaster and dozens of rides right on the sand. It typically operates from early April through early October, with weekend-only hours in the shoulder seasons and daily hours in summer.
Address: 300 S. Ocean Blvd., Myrtle Beach, SC 29577. Confirm the current calendar and hours before visiting, since they change by season.
8. Cool off at a water park
When the heat peaks, the area’s water parks deliver lazy rivers, tube slides, and splash zones for all ages. They generally open for the warm-weather season only, so check operating dates online before you plan a visit.
9. Catch a Pelicans game
The Myrtle Beach Pelicans, a Minor League Baseball team, play a fun, affordable summer schedule at their downtown ballpark. It is a laid-back evening of hot dogs, between-innings games, and post-game fireworks on select nights.
10. Tour the Hollywood Wax Museum and WonderWorks
Inside the Broadway at the Beach area, WonderWorks offers an upside-down building full of hands-on science exhibits, a ropes course, and laser tag, while the Hollywood Wax Museum lets you pose with lifelike celebrity figures. Both are good indoor options for mixed-age groups.
Dinner Shows and Nightlife
11. See a dinner-theater spectacular
Myrtle Beach is famous for its dinner shows. Pirates Voyage Dinner & Show stages mermaids, divers, and a full-rigged ship battle, while Medieval Times serves a feast alongside knights jousting on horseback. Both are immersive evenings that kids and adults enjoy. Reservations are strongly recommended in peak season.
12. Take in a live music theater
Long-running venues like The Carolina Opry and the nearby Alabama Theatre present variety shows, tribute concerts, and seasonal Christmas spectaculars. These polished productions are a Grand Strand tradition and a great rainy-evening backup.
13. Watch the summer fireworks
During the warm months, free fireworks light up the sky on a rotating schedule, including shows at Barefoot Landing and Broadway at the Beach on set weeknights and over the boardwalk midweek. Confirm the current schedule with Visit Myrtle Beach when you arrive.
Shopping and Day Trips
14. Browse Barefoot Landing
Set on the Intracoastal Waterway in North Myrtle Beach, Barefoot Landing combines more than 100 shops and restaurants with a boardwalk over the marsh and the Alligator Adventure wildlife park. It is a relaxed half-day of strolling, snacking, and shopping.
15. Hunt for deals at the outlets
The Tanger Outlets give bargain hunters two large centers along the Grand Strand, with brand-name stores and frequent sales. They are a popular fallback on a cloudy day or for travelers who love a deal.
16. Take a dolphin cruise or deep-sea fishing trip
From marinas in Murrells Inlet and along the waterway, you can book dolphin-watching cruises, sunset sails, and half-day or full-day deep-sea fishing charters. Operators run year-round, with the widest selection of trips in spring through fall.
Golf and the Outdoors
17. Play the Grand Strand golf scene
Myrtle Beach is one of America’s great golf destinations, with roughly 80 courses across the region, from championship layouts to creative miniature-golf courses on nearly every corner. Whether you want a serious round or a putt-putt night with the family, the options are endless. Start your planning at Visit Myrtle Beach’s golf guide.
18. Wander Brookgreen Gardens
Just south in Murrells Inlet, Brookgreen Gardens is a National Historic Landmark blending one of the country’s largest collections of American figurative sculpture with sprawling botanical gardens and a low-country zoo. Plan on several hours to do it justice.
Address: 1931 Brookgreen Drive, Murrells Inlet, SC 29576. Phone: 843-235-6000. Hours: daily, 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. (closed Christmas Day). Admission runs about $25 for adults, $14 for children ages 4 to 12, and is good for seven consecutive days.
19. Escape to Huntington Beach State Park
Across the highway from Brookgreen, Huntington Beach State Park is one of the best birding spots on the East Coast, with a quiet beach, salt-marsh boardwalks, and the Moorish-style 1930s mansion Atalaya. It is a peaceful contrast to the bustle of the main Strand.
Address: 16148 Ocean Highway, Murrells Inlet, SC 29576. Hours: daily, generally 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. (extended in summer). Admission is about $8 for adults, $4 for youth ages 6 to 15, and free for children 5 and under. Atalaya entry is a small additional fee.
20. Walk the MarshWalk in Murrells Inlet
Cap your trip at the half-mile Murrells Inlet MarshWalk, a wooden boardwalk lined with seafood restaurants and live-music bars overlooking the salt marsh. Come hungry, order fresh local shrimp, and stay for the sunset over the water.
Plan Your Visit
Summer is peak season, with the warmest water and the fullest entertainment calendar, but it also brings the biggest crowds and highest hotel rates. For a quieter trip with pleasant weather, target late spring or early fall, when many attractions still run full schedules. Because hours, prices, and seasonal operating dates change frequently, confirm details directly with each attraction and check the official Visit Myrtle Beach site, and for trips down the coast, the Discover South Carolina tourism board, before you finalize your plans.