Are you planning a family trip to Myrtle Beach? Good, I am sure you will love it. I went and explored it several years ago in September. I found out there are lots of fun things to do in Myrtle Beach with kids. In October of this year, I returned in partnership with Visit Myrtle Beach. I absolutely love everything about Myrtle Beach from the beach itself to the great food to the attractions. This time I brought my family with me so we scoped out some really fun Myrtle Beach Attractions And Entertainment that are perfect for families and I will share those with you here today. Here are twenty of the best things to do in Myrtle Beach to make your vacation one to remember!
20 Things To Do In Myrtle Beach SC
Myrtle Beach, located in South Carolina, is a popular destination known for its beautiful beaches, entertainment options, and diverse activities. Here are some fun things you can do in Myrtle Beach area that will be fun for the entire family.
1. Beach and Pool Time
OK. So this one is a no-brainer. You have to visit the beach! Myrtle Beach is famous for its wide, sandy shores. There is nothing as relaxing as walking on the beach and picking up shells. Furthermore, I loved swimming in the warm water. It was so invigorating and so refreshing!
On my first trip, I went in September and it is really a great time to visit Myrtle Beach because the crowds have all died down and the ocean is still warm. I stayed at the Crown Jewel Beach House in Garden City Beach so I was able to take a short stroll from the house to the beach- so convenient and no worries about parking.
On my second trip, I went in October and I stayed at the Island Vista Resort and it was truly an ideal family beach hotel. The hotel itself was perfect for families because they offer one-bedroom suites up to four-bedroom suites, (most with full kitchens, washers/dryers, and large in-room dining tables to make it a seamless home away from home for your family) and all rooms offer large oceanfront balconies!
But what’s more is they offer outdoor pools and jacuzzi with amazing beach views and indoor pools, hot tub, and lazy river so you are guaranteed lots of fun no matter the weather! These are the type of Myrtle Beach accommodations that will leave your whole family completely happy. In fact, with such sweet digs, you may have to pull them away to get them to go out and explore the rest of the fun things to do in Myrtle Beach with kids!
Don’t forget to catch a beach sunrise and or sunset while you are there!
2. Stroll Along The Marshwalk
The MarshWalk is Murrells Inlet’s version of the Boardwalk. It is quaint area peppered with waterfront dining and live music options. We stopped in to Bubba’s Love Shak for a cocktail and I was amazed to find a great band playing live music on a Tuesday night at about 9:00pm. Turns out they have live music every evening! That is my kind of place!
3. Visit Brookgreen Gardens
Check out America’s largest outdoor sculpture garden, Brookgreen Gardens, where admission is valid for seven consecutive days because there is just so much to see!
4. Take A Guide Kayak EcoTour
Stephanie (from Mommy Musings) and I took a Blackriver Outdoors guided kayak ecotour in Huntington Beach State Park. We kayaked along Myrtle Beach’s salt marsh and Drunken Jack Island, reputed to hold the treasures of Blackbeard, and it was so much fun. First of all, you get to kayak. Second of all, the scenery is beautiful. Third of all, the tour was really informative and interesting in in such a natural conversation manner- not a boring lecture. I would go again anytime! The water was actual salt water (not just brackish) and very clear. We saw lots of types of birds and learned about the history of the area and some fun ecological facts I didn’t know before. There was a slight breeze and it was so quiet. Even though I was busy rowing, I found it really relaxing. It is a must do in Myrtle Beach!
5. Visit Alligator Adventures
I know that I would normally not have gone to Alligator Adventures because I would have thought to myself, “Growing up in Louisiana, I have seen plenty of alligators.” However, I am so glad I went. I loved it. Alligator Adventures is known as one of the largest reptile facilities in the world, but it has so much more than just gators. But I do have to say that the gators are pretty awesome! From tons of tiny alligators, to live feedings of 15-foot alligators, to albino gators, they are very impressive. We got our photo taken with a live gator and he was so much fun to handle, so soft! Kids of all ages will enjoy the wildlife encounters.
I also loved getting to see the absolutely huge tortoises, a Eurasian owl, lemurs, macaws, kangaroos, serval, warhog, emus and more. Alligator Adventures is another must do thing in Myrtle Beach!
6. Ride The Skywheel
Enjoy views of the Atlantic Ocean, beach, and the Myrtle Beach Boardwalk area from one of the Skywheel gondolas (which are totally enclosed and safe for the whole family). With more than 1 million LED lights, just looking at the Skywheel is fun! The observation wheel overlooks the Atlantic Ocean and offers 42 glass-enclosed, climate-controlled gondolas that seat up to six people. Don’t worry, they spin you around a few times so that you have plenty of chances to snap photos. After the fun ride, we took a stroll on the boardwalk and almost everyone indulged in some tasty soft serve ice cream.
7. Visit Horry County Museum
The Horry County Museum was actually very worthwhile. The entrance holds a fresh water aquarium so you can see the local river ecology in an aquarium that was built by Animal Planet’s “Tanked” team (you can catch the episode for more info on it.) The goal of the museum is to preserve and show Myrtle Beach’s history as well as it’s natural history and prehistoric elements so you will see everything from Civil War relics, to animal exhibits, to farm exhibits, to Native American exhibits. They even have a huge auditorium with free programs on the weekends. I think it would be a fun and educational trip for the whole family.
8. Free Glass Blowing Demonstrations At Conway Glass
Conway Glass owners and artists Ed and Barbara Streeter made a Christmas ornament that was used on a White House Christmas tree. Buy some of their beautiful glass works or take advantage of free glass blowing demonstrations.
9. Stop By The Ultimate Gullah Store
This unique shop offers chance to peek into Gullah culture and pick up some gifts that support the preservation of that culture such as some of the finest handmade sweetgrass baskets.
10. Eat Local
OK, you know you need to try all the good seafood and local eats while you are in Myrtle Beach! There are plenty of good places to eat and here is a list of the best restaruants in Myrtle Beach to get you started. Also, don’t forget to try a South Carolina Bog if you can!
Chicken Bog
Find yourself some chicken bog while you are in Myrtle Beach. It is a Lowcountry tradition you won’t want to miss. I had the pleasure of sampling some chicken bog made by Bryan Hopkns who last years annual Loris Bog-Off Festival! Boy was it good and he fixed it up with some other down home favorites- dried lima beans with ham hock and a delicious slaw. He sure knows how to put his own spin on things. As he said, “It is a real simple complicated dish to cook.” Easy ingredients but a lot of time and love go into the making.
11. Evening Captain Hook’s Adventure Mini Golf (@myrtlebeachfamilygolf)
The Neverland-inspired courses delight mini golfers with various holes depicting Peter Pan, the Darling Family, and of course Captain Hook. You can take one course to travel into the Skull Rockspot or the other to see Tinkerbell and pass through a pirate ship!
So many cute fun props and all kinds of fun challenging trick shots. Captain Hook’s Adventure Golf is open till 10 pm so you can can enjoy some night time Myrtle Beach Attractions And Entertainment with your family.
12. Shopping
Explore the shopping opportunities in Myrtle Beach, from unique boutiques to outlet malls. Popular shopping destinations include Tanger Outlets and Coastal Grand Mall.
13. Myrtle Beach State Park (@scstateparks)
This popular, 312-acre park includes a nature center inhabited with snakes, turtles and marine animals, as well as a backyard wildlife habitat featuring a captivating butterfly garden and birdhouses. My kids got to hold a sea urchin from the tanks! There are lots of scheduled nature ranger talks and we loved our tour of Myrtle Beach State Park with Ranger Ann.
We learned a lot about the local wildlife and we got to see so many species of fish being caught right on the pier as well as pull up some crab traps. My kids loved getting to hold all the ocean hermit crabs and learn about how they switch shells. Kids can also earn badges while they are there!
14. Golf
Myrtle Beach is often referred to as the “Golf Capital of the World.” With numerous golf courses catering to all skill levels, it’s a great destination for golf enthusiasts or older kids who want to learn.
15. Rockin’ Jump (@rockinjumpmyrtlebeach, @rockinjumpmbch)
Rockin’ Jump is an indoor trampoline park where guests of any age can soar in open jump arenas, dive into pools of soft foam cubes, play trampoline dodgeball, do flips and somersaults, race through parkour courses, and battle it out over a foam pit. My kids had a fantastic time and it was a great work out for them too! It is so nice to see kids engaged in active play these days. It is also a great way to stay out
16. Helicopter Tours
Experience Myrtle Beach from a different perspective by taking a helicopter tour. Enjoy breathtaking views of the coastline and landmarks from the air.
17. Pirates Voyage’s (@piratesvoyage)
This was truly fantastic and should be top of your Myrtle Beach Attractions And Entertainment list for the whole family. I mean there are pirates and boats, and singing, swinging, swimming, diving, climbing, bouncing, dancing, flipping, and even sea lions!!
I knew my son would love Pirate’s Voyage but so did my daughter and so did I. Really a super fun dinner theatre-style show with an interactive battle between pirate crews while you feast on a four-course meal with unlimited beverages.
18. Family Kingdom Amusement Park
Bring the family to the Family Kingdom Amusement Park, a classic seaside amusement park with rides, roller coasters, and a water park.
19. Explore the Myrtle Beach Boardwalk (@mb_boardwalk)
The 1.2-mile-long Myrtle Beach Boardwalk is packed with family-friendly gift shops, restaurants, soft serve ice cream shops, and arcades. While you can get great views from the promenade you can also ride the SkyWheel (see above) for stunning views.
Other things worth seeing/doing on the Myrtle Beach Boardwalk:
- Enjoy the Plaza Arcade
- Shop for souvenirs at the iconic Gay Dolphin Gift Cove
This will take way more time than you think! This place is huge and full of really cool fun gifts. My son picked up some beach toys and my daughter got these great sea turtle earrings to remember her trip by. I loved the sea shells and the t-shirts. - Check out Ripley’s Believe It Or Not
We did this in the Gatlinburg and it was so interesting! My son really wanted to do it in Myrtle Beach but we couldn’t squeeze it in on our short trip.
20. Fishing
Myrtle Beach offers various fishing opportunities, whether you prefer pier fishing, deep-sea fishing excursions, or fishing from the shore.
Conclusion
With its combination of natural beauty, entertainment options, and recreational activities, Myrtle Beach has something to offer for visitors of all ages and interests. When you are done with this list of 10 things to do in Myrtle Beach, SC, just start back at #1 and alternate between #1 and #10. You can’t go wrong! Have fun y’all! What are your favorite things to do in Myrtle Beach with kids?
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Annie Stowe says
I love that last photo. The beach was AMAZING!!! The view from the myrtle beach skywheel was so nice. The mini golf courses were fun too. It was so nice meeting you on this trip, Scarlet and enjoying all the fun attractions! There were definitely plenty of things to do with younger children.