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Myrtle Beach

The centre of a sixty-mile stretch of South Carolina coast called the Grand Strand, with more than eighty golf courses behind it.

Updated 20 October 2026

Typebeach resort

WhereSouth Carolina

Nearest cityMyrtle Beach, in the city; Charleston about 155 km

Best seasonApril to October

Time to allowA full day

Getting thereUS 17 along the coast; regional airport

EntryBeach free; attractions charged

The Grand Strand runs about sixty miles of near-continuous beach from Little River down to Georgetown, and Myrtle Beach is its centre - a resort of high-rise hotels along the sand with a boardwalk, a 61-metre observation wheel and the usual arcade strip. What sets the area apart economically is golf: more than eighty courses within the Strand, on the flat sandy ground behind the dunes, which with the beaches draw over twenty million visitors a year. Broadway at the Beach and Barefoot Landing are the big retail and entertainment complexes. May brings Bike Week, a motorcycle rally held since 1940, which fills the coast road.

Highlights

A sixty-mile strand - near-continuous beach, Myrtle at the centre.
More than eighty golf courses - behind the dunes.
A boardwalk and observation wheel - the resort centre.
Large entertainment complexes - Broadway at the Beach and Barefoot Landing.

When to go

April to October; shoulder months are quieter and cheaper. A full day.

Practical notes

It is heavily developed and commercial - this is a mass resort, not a quiet coast. Summer traffic on US 17 is very slow. Rally weekends fill everything. Hurricane season affects late summer.

Nearby

Brookgreen Gardens is south; Pawleys Island is between.

What to pack for Myrtle Beach

Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.

Every-trip essentialsDocuments + digital copies · Universal travel adapter…Beach & swimmingReef-safe sunscreen · Quick-dry towel…Cycling & bike touringPadded shorts · Helmet…Desert & strong sunLoose, light, long clothing · A wide-brim hat + sunglasses…City & sightseeingComfortable walking shoes · A slim anti-theft daypack…

Reef-safe sunscreen - High SPF that will not bleach the coral you are swimming over. Find on Amazon
Padded shorts - The one thing that makes a full day in the saddle bearable. Find on Amazon
Loose, light, long clothing - Covering up beats bare skin in the desert - and locals dress this way for a reason. Find on Amazon
Comfortable walking shoes - Sightseeing means kilometres of pavement and cobbles daily. Find on Amazon

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All packing kits

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Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.