Let me be upfront with you: the Grand Strand is not subtle. Sixty miles of continuous South Carolina coastline, anchored by Myrtle Beach at the center, and it leans into its identity as the Carolina coast’s entertainment capital with absolutely zero apology. There are amusement parks. There is mini golf everywhere. There is a boardwalk and a Ferris wheel and more restaurants than you could visit in a month. And if that sounds like your kind of beach vacation, or more importantly, if you have kids who would lose their minds at the sheer number of things to do, then the Grand Strand is going to deliver exactly what you’re looking for, and then some.
But here’s what people miss when they write the Grand Strand off as too commercial: it’s bigger and more varied than Myrtle Beach alone. Cherry Grove at the northern end is quiet and residential with a great fishing pier and a completely different energy from the strip. Surfside Beach earns its Family Beach nickname with a calmer, less commercial stretch that families with young kids especially love. And Murrells Inlet at the southern end is worth visiting purely for the MarshWalk, a half mile waterfront boardwalk lined with seafood restaurants serving some of the freshest catch on the coast, with almost none of the chaos of Myrtle Beach proper. The Grand Strand contains multitudes. You just have to know where to look.
Summer never really ends on the Grand Strand, and this September proves it. The Beach Boys roll into North Myrtle Beach with their “Sounds of Summer” tour, and Mike Love himself takes the stage. If you’ve spent any beach trip singing along to “Kokomo” with the windows down, this show belongs on your calendar. Here’s … Read more
Pete Dye built this course to punish the overconfident. This July, it hosts a championship worthy of that reputation. The Championship Open arrives at Barefoot Resort & Golf’s Dye Course on July 10-11, bringing competitive golf to one of the Grand Strand‘s most demanding layouts. Whether you’re playing or spectating, North Myrtle Beach rolls out … Read more
Myrtle Beach is one of the most popular vacation spots on the East Coast and for good reason. The Grand Strand stretches 60 glorious miles, the seafood is fresh, and the entertainment is relentless. But between resort fees, parking meters, and that one go-kart track your kids will absolutely not let you skip, the real price tag can balloon fast. Here’s what’s actually waiting for your wallet.
You came to the Grand Strand for the sunshine, the seafood, and a solid excuse to wear flip-flops every day. Nobody told you about the wildlife. Here’s the thing about Myrtle Beach, it sits smack in the middle of a genuinely wild coastal ecosystem, and the locals aren’t just seagulls and ghost crabs. South Carolina shares its coastline with alligators, sharks, snakes, and a rotating cast of creatures that would send most people’s group chat into a spiral. So before your travel buddy sends you a panic-inducing headline, let’s get the real story straight.
Choosing where to stay in Myrtle Beach is honestly half the battle. Book the wrong spot and you’ll find yourself staring at a flickering neon sign outside a budget motel, wondering where your vacation went wrong. Book the right one and you’ll spend your mornings watching dolphins from your balcony, living your absolute best life. The Grand Strand stretches 60 miles of coastline, and not all of it delivers the same experience. Here’s the honest breakdown you actually need before you hit “reserve.”
Myrtle Beach is one of those places that never technically closes. The boardwalk keeps spinning. The mini golf courses stay lit. The all-you-can-eat seafood buffets remain open for business year-round. But here’s the thing: when you show up matters enormously. Go at the wrong time and you’ll be fighting for a patch of sand, sweating through your sunscreen, and paying resort prices that make your eyes water.
Let’s get one thing straight: Myrtle Beach has a reputation. And honestly? Some of it is earned. But before you cancel your beach trip and spend your vacation staring at your ceiling, hear me out. Millions of people visit this stretch of South Carolina coastline every single year, and most of them make it home … Read more
Cherry Grove Beach in North Myrtle Beach, SC: home to the iconic 985-foot Cherry Grove Pier, wide uncrowded beaches, canal-side vacation rentals, and the best Southern seafood on the Grand Strand. Your complete family vacation guide.
Myrtle Beach offers miles of sand, family attractions, and plenty of seafood. Yet some of the Grand Strand’s best experiences lie beyond the city limits. A short drive opens the door to charming beach towns, historic waterfronts, nature preserves, and fantastic dining spots.
Whether you want a quieter beach, a scenic rental home, or fresh coastal cuisine, these day trips add variety to your vacation. Best of all, most destinations sit within two hours of Myrtle Beach.
Here are the best day trips from Myrtle Beach for beach lovers, foodies, and travelers seeking a memorable coastal adventure.
You don’t need to spend a fortune to sleep well, swim in a great pool, and wake up to Atlantic Ocean air. The 60-mile stretch of South Carolina coastline that runs from Little River down to Pawleys Island has more than 400 hotels and resorts. A lot of them charge a premium. But scattered among them, some right on the oceanfront, sit genuinely solid budget properties that deliver way more than their prices suggest.