Myrtle Beach

Myrtle Beach is the undisputed entertainment capital of America's East Coast beach scene. Sitting at the heart of South Carolina's Grand Strand — a 60-mile arc of Atlantic coastline — it draws over 19 million visitors annually, making it one of the most visited beach destinations in the entire United States. The beach itself is wide, flat, and beautifully maintained, with warm Atlantic waters that reach comfortable swimming temperatures by late May.

The Myrtle Beach Boardwalk and Promenade stretches 1.2 miles along the oceanfront, connecting the SkyWheel — a 187-foot-high Ferris wheel that has become the city's most recognizable landmark — to the Family Kingdom Amusement Park at the southern end. Between the two, visitors find a dense concentration of restaurants, arcades, souvenir shops, and entertainment venues that burn with neon energy from Memorial Day through Labor Day. The Broadway at the Beach complex inland adds 20 acres of additional shopping, dining, and evening entertainment.

Despite its reputation as a tourist magnet, Myrtle Beach retains a genuine coastal charm. The sunrise is spectacular from the beach, the surf fishing culture is vibrant, and the surrounding Grand Strand communities of North Myrtle Beach, Garden City, and Surfside Beach offer quieter alternatives just minutes away. Golf tourism is enormous here — over 100 courses within 30 miles — and the seafood restaurant scene, particularly along Restaurant Row, is outstanding. Whether you come for the rides, the waves, the seafood, or simply long walks on an endless stretch of Atlantic sand, Myrtle Beach delivers.