Things to Do in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina: 15 Top Picks

Myrtle Beach earns its reputation as a family vacation staple for one simple reason. It packs beach days, amusement parks, golf courses, and boardwalk nightlife into a single stretch of coastline, so nobody in the group runs out of options. The hard part is not finding things to do in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. It is narrowing down which of them deserve a spot on a short trip.

This guide breaks attractions down by type, from oceanfront basics to day trips outside the main strip, so you can build an itinerary around what your group actually wants instead of scrolling through a generic list of attractions.

Start With the Beach Itself

It sounds obvious, but the beach in Myrtle Beach is genuinely different from a lot of East Coast alternatives. The Grand Strand stretches roughly 60 miles, and the sand near the main city is wide, flat, and soft enough that low tide leaves huge stretches of walkable shoreline. Mornings tend to be calm and good for jogging or shelling, while afternoons bring bigger crowds and more energy near the pier.

Myrtle Beach State Park, just south of the main tourist district, is worth the short drive if you want a quieter shoreline. It combines beach access with maritime forest trails, so you can pair a swim with a short hike without leaving the park.

Walk the Myrtle Beach Boardwalk

The oceanfront Boardwalk runs about a mile and a half through the heart of downtown, connecting shops, restaurants, and street performers along the water. It is free to walk, which makes it one of the easiest things to do in Myrtle Beach on a tight budget or a day when the weather does not fully cooperate.

The Myrtle Beach SkyWheel anchors the north end of the Boardwalk. At 187 feet tall, the enclosed gondolas give a clear view up and down the coast, and it runs after dark for anyone who wants sunset or nighttime lights over the water. Ripley’s Believe It or Not is a few blocks away if you want an indoor stop mixed into the walk.

Broadway at the Beach for Dining and Entertainment

Broadway at the Beach is a 350-acre complex built around a man-made lake, and it functions as the entertainment hub for the whole area once the sun goes down. Expect a mix of seafood restaurants, chain dining, live music venues, and specialty shops packed into walkable blocks.

Ripley’s Aquarium sits inside this complex and is one of the better rainy-day options in Myrtle Beach, with a shark tank tunnel that lets you walk directly underneath the water. WonderWorks, with its upside-down building exterior, adds another indoor option nearby for hands-on science exhibits.

Golf Courses Along the Grand Strand

Myrtle Beach carries a real reputation among golfers, with well over 80 courses spread across the Grand Strand. Designs from names like Pete Dye, Jack Nicklaus, and Greg Norman sit alongside more affordable public courses, so the area works for both serious golf trips and a casual round mixed into a beach vacation.

If a full 18 holes is not the plan, the area also has a heavy concentration of mini golf courses built around pirate ships, jungle themes, and waterfalls, which tend to be a hit with kids who are not ready for the real thing yet.

Amusement and Water Parks

Family Kingdom Amusement Park sits directly on the oceanfront and mixes classic rides, including a wooden roller coaster, with an adjoining water park for hot afternoons. It is one of the few oceanfront amusement parks left on the East Coast, which gives it an old-school boardwalk feel that newer inland parks do not replicate.

Myrtle Waves, the largest water park in South Carolina, is a separate stop worth budgeting a half day for. Between wave pools, lazy rivers, and a lineup of slides ranging from mellow to steep, it holds up as a full-day activity on its own rather than a quick add-on.

Get on the Water

Beyond the beach, the Intracoastal Waterway and nearby marshes open up a different side of the area. Dolphin watching cruises run out of several marinas and are a reliable way to see wildlife without booking a full fishing charter. Parasailing and jet ski rentals are widely available along the main tourist corridor for anyone wanting a faster pace.

Deep sea fishing charters depart regularly from Murrells Inlet, just south of Myrtle Beach, and tend to target grouper, snapper, and king mackerel depending on the season. For a slower option, kayak tours through the marsh creeks near Cherry Grove give a close look at the coastal ecosystem without much physical demand.

Brookgreen Gardens and Huntington Beach State Park

These two sit across the road from each other about 20 minutes south of Myrtle Beach, and pairing them into one day trip is one of the better moves for anyone who wants a break from the boardwalk scene. Brookgreen Gardens combines sculpture gardens, a wildlife preserve, and one of the largest collections of outdoor American sculpture anywhere in the country. “If Myrtle Beach is one stop on a larger driving vacation, this USA road trip guide covers routes, budgeting and planning the drive itself

Huntington Beach State Park, directly across the highway, offers a quieter stretch of undeveloped beach along with a historic Moorish-style castle called Atalaya. Birdwatchers in particular tend to linger here, since the park’s marsh boardwalks are known for alligator and heron sightings.

Live Entertainment and Theaters

The Grand Strand has a dense cluster of dinner theaters and live music venues that stay busy year-round. Pirates Voyage and the Carolina Opry are among the longest-running shows in the area, mixing stunt work, comedy, and live music into a format built around families.

For something more low-key, several oceanfront bars along the Boardwalk run live beach music several nights a week, particularly in the summer months, without requiring a ticket or reservation.

Best Time to Visit for These Attractions

Late spring through early fall covers most of the outdoor and water-based activities on this list, since water parks and beach conditions are weather dependent. June through August brings the biggest crowds and highest hotel rates, while May and September offer warm water with noticeably thinner lines at major attractions.

Golf pricing runs in the opposite direction. Winter months bring the lowest greens fees of the year, since course traffic drops off while the weather stays mild enough to play. Anyone building a trip primarily around golf should look at the January through March window instead of peak summer.

FAQ’S

1: What is Myrtle Beach best known for?

Myrtle Beach is best known for its wide oceanfront beaches, the Boardwalk and SkyWheel, and its concentration of golf courses along the Grand Strand.

2: Are there indoor things to do in Myrtle Beach?

Yes. Ripley’s Aquarium, WonderWorks, Hollywood Wax Museum, and several dinner theaters all give you a full activity without depending on the weather.

3: How many days do you need in Myrtle Beach?

Four to five days covers the beach, one amusement or water park, a round of golf or mini golf, and a day trip to Brookgreen Gardens without feeling rushed. A weekend works fine if you pick two or three priorities from this list instead of trying to fit everything in.