Thanks to year-round sunshine and warm, long summers, you can bet most of the activities and attractions here will take place outdoors. Spend a day at the 312-acre Myrtle Beach State Park, open since the 1930s. With nearly a mile of Grand Strand beach to explore, you can hike the nature trails, go fishing, picnic with family or friends, and, of course, swim in the stunning Atlantic Ocean waters. Entry to the park is $5 to $8 per adult, and $4 per child over the age of five.
Another Grand Strand beach in the area is at Huntington Beach State Park, a coastal preserve which is home to alligators, sea turtles, birds, and other creatures. But here, the main attraction for some will be Atalaya, a Moorish-style castle, which was the winter home of the Huntington family in the 1930s. While Huntington Beach State Park is priced the same as Myrtle Beach State Park, Atalaya has a separate admission cost of $2 per person.
For over a decade, the Myrtle Beach Boardwalk and Promenade has been the place to hang out. The 1.2-mile-long boardwalk overlooks the ocean and is filled with year-round fun in the form of beachfront shops, eateries, immaculate beach, and the legendary SkyWheel Myrtle Beach, which is 187 feet tall and has 42 glass-enclosed (and temperature controlled!) gondolas for riders to experience. Don’t forget your camera—you’ll want to capture gorgeous coastline views from above, especially during sunset.
Named one of the Top 10 Gardens by TripAdvisor, Brookgreen Gardens includes a low-country zoo, a botanical garden, and a sculpture garden. Just 30 minutes south of Myrtle Beach (on the route to Charleston), Brookgreen’s mission and purpose is to collect, exhibit, and preserve American figurative sculpture, plants of the Southeast, and animals of the Southeast. It is one of the best and only museums of its type in the world and worth a visit if you’re in the area and have transportation.
Beached out? Head to the Franklin G. Burroughs-Simeon B. Chapin Art Museum, the only art museum on the Grand Strand. Closed on Mondays, this museum offers free admission to the public every day since 2003 and is just steps from the beach. Located in a vintage cottage surrounded by live oaks, this museum is home to 11 galleries, a reception space, revolving exhibits, and all mediums—from sculpture and photo to textiles, video, ceramics, and more. If you’re staying in the area for a while, you might even choose to sign up for pottery classes at the museum through the Lineta Pritchard Pottery Studio.
Spill the Tee
There are more than 100 golf courses in Myrtle Beach, which is the reason many know it as the "Golf Capital of the World." Whether you’re a pro or it’s your first time, this is the perfect place to try your hand at something new or finally perfect that backswing. From championship and celebrity-designed courses, to family-friendly mini golf, there’s something for everyone on the driving range.
