Sun and sand are critical components of life in Myrtle Beach. The popular resort town lies at the heart of the Grand Strand, a 60-mile stretch of coastline along the Atlantic Ocean. More than 14 million visitors come to Myrtle Beach each year to experience picturesque beaches, golf courses, luxury oceanfront resorts, and family-friendly amusement parks and attractions.

Beaches

• Oceanfront boardwalk: The city’s 1.2-mile wooden boardwalk runs parallel to the beach. At its center, the 200-foot Myrtle Beach SkyWheel—the tallest ferris wheel in the eastern US—boasts some of the best views in town.
• Go fishing: Apache Pier has an especially large fishing area as well as its own bait and tackle shop where you can rent gear.
• Waterfront dining: A few miles south of town, Murrells Inlet is home to a cluster of waterfront seafood joints, including local favorites Wahoo’s Fish House and Drunken Jack’s.
• Escape peak-season crowds at Myrtle Beach State Park, which encompasses a 1-mile stretch of undeveloped beachfront and a small fishing pier.

Golfing

• Seaside golf capital of the world: There are more than 100 courses in the Grand Strand.
• Best oceanfront course: Dunes Golf Course. The photo-worthy terrain ranges from beachfront and saltwater marshes to maritime forests.
• Most challenging course: Long Bay. Jack Nicklaus designed this 18-hole track to be especially demanding, with lots of man-made mounds and 137 slopes from championship tees.
• Mini golf: There are more than 50 places to play putt-putt in the area; courses are adorned with everything from pirate ships to erupting volcanoes.

Kid-Friendly Fun

• Water parks: Popular ones include Myrtle Waves—20 acres of slides, raft rides, and wave pools—and Wild Water & Wheels, which boasts 24 slides and a go-kart zone.
• Ripley’s Aquarium: Walk through an immersive reef where sharks, giant stingrays, and sawfish swim overhead.
• Family Kingdom: A 2,400-foot wooden roller coaster is the anchor attraction at this oceanfront amusement park.
• WonderWorks: An interactive children’s museum with more than 100 hands-on exhibits, including an anti-gravity tunnel and a ropes course

Where to Stay

• For families: Compass Cove Resort has an outdoor waterpark and a kids’ club with daily activities that include tie-dyeing t-shirts and competing in rubber duck races.
• For golfers: The AAA Four Diamond–rated Marina Inn at Grande Dunes offers direct access to the bermuda grass fairways of the 18-hole Grande Dunes Resort Club.
• For ocean views: Bay View Resort is steps from both the beach and the boardwalk.
• For privacy: Dunes Beach Homes. Situated 25 miles south in Pawleys Island and Lichfield, these stand-alone rental homes overlook a stretch of secluded beachfront.