Best Beaches For Families In Myrtle Beach

Home - Family Travel - Best Beaches For Families In Myrtle Beach

Myrtle Beach and the wider Grand Strand stretch for roughly 60 miles of soft Atlantic sand, and not every stretch of it is created equal when you are traveling with kids. The best family beaches here pair gentle entry, lifeguards or calm conditions, restrooms and shade nearby, and a pier or playground to break up the day. Below are the spots Carolina families return to year after year, with the practical details you need to plan a smooth trip.

Surfside Beach: The Original “Family Beach”

If you want the most kid-centered stretch of the Grand Strand, start in Surfside Beach. Incorporated in 1964, this small town just south of Myrtle Beach has carried the nickname “The Family Beach” for decades, and it earned the title honestly: roughly two miles of clean, relatively uncrowded sand, dozens of public beach access points, and a laid-back pace that suits families with young children.

Surfside also made history in 2016 as the first autism-friendly travel destination in the United States. The locally based Champion Autism Network has trained businesses, restaurants, and lodging across town to welcome families with members on the autism spectrum, offering quiet spaces, quicker service, and special beach wheelchairs available on request. Even if autism is not part of your trip, the result is a town that simply does family travel well.

The heart of town is the Surfside Beach Pier at the intersection of Surfside Drive and Ocean Boulevard, rebuilt in recent years with a walkable deck, fishing, ice cream, and casual dining within a few steps of the sand.

Plan Your Visit

  • Where: Surfside Beach, SC 29575, just south of Myrtle Beach off U.S. Highway 17
  • Beach access: Numerous public access points with parking; many include wheelchair matting and beach wheelchair availability
  • Good to know: The compact downtown means restrooms, food, and the pier are all close together, which is a real advantage with little ones
  • More info: Visit Surfside Beach official site

Myrtle Beach State Park: Calm Water and a Maritime Forest

For families who want the convenience of Myrtle Beach proper without the crush of the boardwalk crowds, Myrtle Beach State Park is the answer. Opened in 1936 as South Carolina’s very first state park, it preserves about a mile of undeveloped beach backed by a shady maritime forest, a rarity in heavily developed Horry County.

What makes it especially good for kids: there are two playgrounds (one behind the north beach parking lot and one near the activity center), picnic shelters and grills for an easy lunch, a fishing pier, and a nature center where children can learn about the local ecosystem. The forest also means you can duck into the shade on the hottest afternoons, and the gentler, less commercial shoreline is a favorite for shelling and quiet sunrise walks.

Plan Your Visit

  • Address: 4401 South Kings Highway, Myrtle Beach, SC 29575
  • Phone: 843-238-5325
  • Hours: Daily 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. (March through November); daily 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. (December through February)
  • Admission: $8 adults, $5 South Carolina seniors (65+), $4 children ages 6 to 15, free for ages 5 and under (fees are subject to change, so confirm before you go)
  • Nature center: Open Tuesday through Sunday, 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
  • More info: South Carolina State Parks: Myrtle Beach State Park

Huntington Beach State Park: Beach Plus Wildlife and a Castle

A short drive south in Murrells Inlet, Huntington Beach State Park is arguably the most well-rounded family day on the entire Grand Strand. The wide, undeveloped beach has large oceanfront parking lots just steps from the sand, but the real draw is everything else packed into one park.

Kids can scan the freshwater lagoon along the causeway for alligators (often easy to spot), watch for some of the more than 300 bird species recorded here, and during the warmer months join ranger-led nature programs. Then there is Atalaya, the Moorish-style 1930s winter home of sculptor Anna Hyatt Huntington and her husband Archer, a National Historic Landmark that feels like exploring a small castle. It is a genuinely memorable stop that turns a beach day into something bigger. The park is also one of the best shelling beaches in the area.

Plan Your Visit

  • Address: 16148 Ocean Highway, Murrells Inlet, SC 29576
  • Phone: 843-237-4440
  • Hours: Daily 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., extended to 9 p.m. during daylight saving time
  • Admission: $8 adults, $5 South Carolina seniors, $4 youth ages 6 to 15, free for ages 5 and under; Atalaya admission is $2 per person ages 6 and up
  • Atalaya hours: Daily 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., extended to 5 p.m. during daylight saving time (may close for special events)
  • More info: South Carolina State Parks: Huntington Beach State Park

North Myrtle Beach: Wide Sand and Classic Piers

At the northern end of the Grand Strand, North Myrtle Beach spans roughly nine miles of coastline across the communities of Cherry Grove, Ocean Drive, Crescent Beach, and Windy Hill. The beaches here tend to feel a little wider and more residential than central Myrtle Beach, which many families prefer.

The standout for kids is the Cherry Grove Pier, a 985-foot pier first built in the 1950s and rebuilt after Hurricane Hugo. It features a two-story observation deck that is a hit with children who want to watch the anglers, spot dolphins, or just take in the long ocean views. The Cherry Grove area is also laced with tidal creeks and marsh, perfect for low-tide crabbing and exploring with a bucket and net.

Plan Your Visit

Garden City Beach: The Crabbing and Pier Favorite

Just eight miles south of Myrtle Beach, Garden City Beach is a longtime family favorite that sits on a narrow spit between the ocean and the marsh. That geography makes it one of the best places on the Strand to teach kids to crab and fish, with the salt marsh on one side and the surf on the other.

The 668-foot Pier at Garden City anchors the scene with an arcade, live music, and casual food, and it is free to walk. It is livelier than the quiet state parks, so it suits families with older kids and teens who want a bit of energy with their beach day.

Plan Your Visit

How to Choose the Right Beach for Your Family

A reliable rule of thumb on the Grand Strand: the more developed and central the beach, the busier and more amenity-heavy it will be, while the state parks and northern communities offer calmer, more natural settings. Use this quick guide:

  • Youngest kids and easy logistics: Surfside Beach, where the pier, restrooms, and food are all within steps of the sand
  • Shade, playgrounds, and a nature break: Myrtle Beach State Park
  • A full day of beach plus wildlife and history: Huntington Beach State Park
  • Wide, less crowded sand and a classic pier: North Myrtle Beach and Cherry Grove
  • Crabbing, fishing, and a lively pier: Garden City Beach

A Few Practical Tips Before You Go

Summer is peak season, so arrive at the state parks early on weekends and holidays, since their oceanfront lots and even the parks themselves can reach capacity and close to new arrivals. Pack a pop-up shade tent, reef-safe sunscreen, and water shoes, and check the local forecast for rip current warnings before letting kids in the water. For the most current beach access rules, lifeguard locations, and seasonal event schedules across the entire Grand Strand, the official tourism boards are the best resource: Visit Myrtle Beach and Discover South Carolina. A little planning around tides and crowds turns a good beach day into a great one.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *