2 perfect days in Myrtle Beach
With just a weekend to explore the highlights of fun-loving Myrtle Beach, get ready to feast on all the seafood, take a turn on the Sky Wheel, and join the crowds on the best slice of sand along the Grand Strand—a stretch of over 60 miles of beautiful South Carolina coastline.
This Myrtle Beach guide combines our experts’ insider know-how with real TripAdvisor reviews, all organized by beach zone, so you’re not spending time in transit up and down the coastline. Designed for weekend visitors, you’ll spend one day on the beach and boardwalk, and one day exploring low-rise North Myrtle Beach, where you’ll find quieter stretches and gentle surf breaks.
Best of all: Even though this is a summer town, there are highlights to keep visitors entertained all year round.
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DAY ONE
MORNING: Beach, boardwalk, and seafood buffets
Go big on your first morning with breakfast at local gem, Winna’s Kitchen. Set a few blocks back from the boardwalk on Main Street, you don’t get the ocean views here, but the egg sammies, healthy wraps, and made-to-order pancakes more than make up for it. For diners with a sweet tooth, there are buttery croissants soaked and baked in vanilla custard or French toast with espresso cream.
Now, onward to the beach. Plan to spend two or three hours on the sand at Myrtle Beach itself. It’s a BYO beach chair or towel situation, but there are ready-and-waiting loungers to rent from the many beach vendors. This downtime on the sand will also give you your bearings for the rest of the day. The next two stops—the famed SkyWheel and restaurant-lined Boardwalk and Promenade—loom large behind you.
Travelers say: “Amazing place for a family vacation! Plenty of family activities and shopping. Nice clean beaches and warm ocean water. Couldn’t have asked for a better trip with my kids!”—@Pjhoff80
AFTERNOON: A seafood feast and sky-high views
Leave the loungers and enjoy seafood at the popular seaside spot, Land Shark Bar & Grill. Located directly under the SkyWheel, it’s always packed but the service is speedy and dishes are top-notch, serving everything from fresh fish tacos and fried pickles to Baja crab cakes and Old Bay–doused shrimp.
From here, walk a few steps to day one’s main event: the SkyWheel. Soaring 200 feet above the boardwalk, the towering Ferris wheel shares unmatched views along the coastline and across the salt marshes from 42 air-conditioned gondolas. Buy tickets online in advance to skip the ever-present lines, and check out the seasonal specials like the sunrise flight that includes coffees and pastries. For memorable occasions, the VIP Experience gives you leather Ferrari bucket seats, a glass-bottom floor, and double the flight time.
MYRTLE BEACH TOUR OPTIONS
- Discover the spooky side of Myrtle Beach on this one-hour ghost tour with expert local guides. Expect a maximum of 30 people and stops at favorite haunts like Polymer Park and Peaches Corner, a historic restaurant.
- Master the Segway on a two-hour, eight-person group ride around Huntington Beach State Park. You’ll see loggerhead turtles and perhaps a few alligators, plus the Moorish-style castle, Atalaya, and beautiful Brookgreen Gardens.
- Watersports lovers shouldn’t miss this guided kayak tour at sunrise or sunset. With up to 15 other paddlers, you’ll take in the beauty and wildlife of the Waccamaw River at a gentle pace.
EVENING: Stroll, shop, and sip your way along the Boardwalk
Just over a mile long, between the 14th Ave pier and 2nd Ave pier, the boardwalk is the de facto meeting spot after a day on the beach. Plan on a quick dinner at one of the many ocean-facing eateries, including Art Burger Sushi Bar, a crowd-pleaser for its mix of fresh sushi and decadent burgers, or good-time Dirty Don’s Oyster Bar & Grill where you settle into a booth and fuel up on breaded shrimp and huge cocktails.
DAY TWO
MORNING: Go slow in low-key North Myrtle Beach
Kick things off this morning at 10 Fold Biscuits on Kings Highway at 44th Avenue. A relative newcomer (opened in 2020), it already has a loyal following for its buttermilk biscuits drenched in maple sausage gravy, as well as hits like the B.E.C with chipotle ketchup. Know that portions are so big and filling that lunch might be optional.
Powered up from breakfast, walk over to the surfer’s zone at 40th Avenue and watch the wave warriors ride the swells, while the pros at Native Surf Lessons lead lessons on the beginner-friendly breaks. For non-surfers, this low-rise stretch of the coast is a calm spot to rent a beach chair or throw down a towel—a good alternative to the buzz down the shore.
Travelers say: “I’d go surfing with them any time. I (49yo dad) took my 19 and 14yo daughters for a surf lesson and it was fantastic. All three of us got up on our own and officially surfed before the 2-GR lesson was over. Their instruction was detailed and excellent. They were excited for us to succeed. Would 100% do it again. Loved it.”—@Matthew S
AFTERNOON: Shopping, snacking, and golfing
After a morning by the water, take a break from the beach and head toward the Intercoastal Waterway for a dose of retail therapy and eclectic eats at Barefoot Landing. An alfresco mall with character, you’ll find 50+ shops, more than a dozen restaurants, and kid-friendly entertainment like a carousel and arcade zone. Grab an outdoor table at Blueberry’s Grill for a spread of modern American classics like blueberry hush puppies and cheesy shrimp and grits.
Next up is tee time at one of Myrtle Beach’s many public golf courses, most of which occupy gorgeous stretches of the coast between the Intercoastal Waterway and the Atlantic Ocean. Tidewater Golf Club remains a favorite with both locals and visitors for its meticulously kept 18 holes and views across the tidal basin and saltwater marshes. For non-golfers, the club’s popular Joey’s Clubhouse Grille is the spot for happy hour cocktails with a view.
NORTH MYRTLE BEACH TOUR OPTIONS
- Join a family-friendly Segway tour at the North Myrtle Beach Sports Complex. The 90-minute experience includes a safety lesson and expert-led safari across tarmac, sand, coquina, and woodland terrain.
- For the over-21 crew, don’t miss the Paddle Pub experience along the Intercoastal Waterway. The floating bar experience combines wildlife spotting, sightseeing, day drinking, and a bonus cycling workout to boot.
- Catch a former Las Vegas magician at this 1.5-hour magic and illusion spectacular in North Myrtle Beach. Part comedy act, part dance show, all wrapped in back-to-back tricks and illusions, it’s a firm favorite with locals and visitors.
EVENING: Dine over the water
The restaurants of North Myrtle Beach are better suited for quick bites and low-key lunches, so for a special final meal, head back to Myrtle Beach for dinner at elegant Pier 14. Perched over the water within the pier itself, expect an oversized dining area with tables positioned for the best views over the water, a wraparound bar, and a kitschy gift shop. The menu is a treat for seafood lovers, with surf-and-turf specials, boom boom shrimp, and a must-try key lime pie.
Worthy detours along the way
Know Before You Go
Weather-wise, this resort town is at its sunniest from June to August, but shoulder season in May and September is a sweet spot in Myrtle Beach. You’ll find lighter crowds but the full roster of open beachfront restaurants and shops (plus, shorter lines everywhere).
You’ll get the buzz of the crowds at the weekend, but cheaper hotel rates and lighter lines from Monday to Friday. For party lovers, restaurants and bars stay open past midnight at the weekend, and this is also the time to catch shows at the Carolina Opry and House of Blues.
Many of the oceanfront restaurants open for the brunch crowd around 11 a.m., so for true breakfast offerings, head back from the beach a few blocks to the eateries along Kings Highway. Most souvenir shops, including the famed Gay Dolphin, are open seven days a week until around 10:30 p.m.
Myrtle Beach offers everything from resorts and hotels to motels and campgrounds, with most of the high-rise hotels clustered around the boardwalk and promenade section. Dunes Village Resort is a longtime family favorite and home to a full indoor waterpark. For a quieter scene, look to North Myrtle Beach, and for the most affordable rooms, consider booking off-beach along the Intercoastal Waterway.
With plenty of parking and an easy highway system stretching the 60 miles of the Grand Strand, most visitors arrive in and explore Myrtle Beach by car. That said, you should explore the main beach zone on foot, and you’ll also see plenty of electric and regular bikes, open-air golf carts, and even trolleys offer both transportation and sightseeing tours.