20 Best Sights in Myrtle Beach, Myrtle Beach and the Grand Strand

You're greeted by a giant octopus constructed of recovered plastic trash at this hidden gem in a 1920s beach cottage on the southern cusp of Ocean Boulevard. The museum has a permanent collection of surf-, coastal-, and wildlife-themed works, plus an ever-changing eclectic array of sculptures and paintings that will open your eyes to the art community that thrives on the Grand Strand.

Take a short hike through a forest canopy of pine, magnolia, and live oak, and escape the traffic of Highway 17 while discovering what Myrtle Beach looked like before all the neon. This state-protected parcel of land has a mile-long beach, 350 campsites, picnic pavilions, hiking trails, a fishing pier, an ice cream shop, and playgrounds. There are year-round family or children's activities offered through the park, like crabbing and nature programs, and lifeguards at the north section of the beach. Best for: sunrise; swimming; walking. Amenities: food and drink; parking (free with $8 admission to park); showers; toilets.

This go-kart race park features seven different tracks, including one indoor slick track. The 26-acre facility also has bumper cars, kids' rides, an arcade, and miniature golf.

For a break from the beach, or as a pleasant way to spend a cool or cloudy day, take a 15-mile day trip inland to the historic town of Conway. A huge source for lumber in the 1870s, the town is now an eclectic hub for art studios and the arts (take a glassblowing class at Conway Glass!), antiques stores, and a growing number of foodie hot spots, including the celebrated Rivertown Bistro. Conway's Riverwalk, along the Waccamaw River, offers a peaceful respite for walkers, joggers, and bikers. If you're charmed and want to stay the night, the elegant Cypress Inn is a luxurious respite worlds away from the busy attractions of the Grand Strand.

Admire their work in the studio or get a lesson in glassblowing from resident glass artists Ed and Barbara Streeter at Conway Glass, which has been operating here since 1986.

Dominated by a giant white wooden roller coaster called the Swamp Fox, Family Kingdom amusement park is quite an experience, and it's right on the ocean. There are thrill rides, children's rides, a log flume, a go-kart track, an old-fashioned carousel, and the Slingshot Drop Zone, which rockets riders straight down a 110-foot tower. It's a bit like going to a state fair that runs all summer long. Bring your bathing suit and cross the street for more fun at Splashes Oceanfront Water Park. Operating hours can vary, so check online before visiting, especially on Saturday when the parks are sometimes rented by groups. Money-saving bundled tickets and multiday passes are readily available.

Horry County's southernmost beachfront is backed by a causeway that crosses creeks and tributaries feeding into Murrells Inlet. The coastline is a curious collection of a few high-rise hotels, older condo buildings, and cute, stilted beach houses. Beachfront disappears at high tide farther south—so much so that it slaps up against the pilings and sea wall. The Garden City Pier is a must for fishing (free), strolling, playing arcade games, or dancing to live music at the partially covered bar perched at the very end. Other beach activities include kayaking, Jet Skiing, kiteboarding, parasailing, banana-boat rides, and boogie boarding. Best for: sunrise; surfing; swimming; walking. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards (sometimes); parking (no fee); showers; toilets; water sports.

The beachfront of the city of Myrtle Beach stretches from the Springmaid Pier at the south end up to 82nd Avenue North. Expect the entire length of this popular family beach to be busy from May to October with people fishing, boogie boarding, parasailing, surfing (only allowed before 10 am and after 5 pm), and sunbathing. In the off-season (November–February) you can take horseback rides on the beach. Restaurants and shops line the boardwalk section of 2nd to 14th Avenues. A beachfront trail of workout stations lines the north end. Note that an ordinance bans tents over 7½ feet in diameter from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Best for: partiers; sunrise; swimming; walking. Amenities: lifeguards (May–September; no lifeguards in residential section of 38th–48th Avenues North); parking (free at north-end beach access areas; metered on street along Ocean Boulevard; pay by day or hour at Pavilion Parking Garage at 8th Avenue North); showers; toilets; water sports.

The heart of Myrtle Beach is this mile-long oceanfront destination that stretches from the 14th Avenue Pier, where seafood restaurant-café Pier 14 roosts, to the newly renovated 2nd Avenue Pier and its Wicked Tuna restaurant and open-air rooftop lounge. Take a sky-high seat on the SkyWheel, one of the largest Ferris wheels on the East Coast at 175 feet tall, with enclosed gondolas for a smooth ride (don't miss the light show at night), then stop in for a bite to eat at Jimmy Buffett's LandShark restaurant located right at the entrance. You can also take the kids to play in the old-time arcade, zip across the Myrtle Beach Zipline Adventures aerial course, break for a soft-serve ice cream cone, shop for a souvenir at the world-famous Gay Dolphin, shuck oysters at Dirty Don's, pull up a stool at the Bowery (the legendary bar that gave country band Alabama its start), or just stroll or sit, taking in the beach scene. A schedule of free live concerts, performances, fireworks, and children's carnivals abounds in summer at the boardwalk's Plyler Park. Don't miss the holiday, family-friendly block parties year-round.

Bikes, pets, and skateboards are prohibited on the boards May--September.

At South Carolina's largest water park you can shoot through twisty chutes, swim in the Ocean in Motion Wave Pool, race your friends down the Turbo Twisters, or ride a boogie board on the Racin' River. Even the toddlers will enjoy splashing in Bubble Bay and Saturation Station playground. There's beach volleyball, too, for when you've had enough water. Shaded areas with lounge chairs offer respite from the sun, and private cabanas, complete with waitstaff, are available to rent for the day.

The historic oceanfront Pavilion (razed in 2006) lives on through its amusement rides that are now split between three sections at Broadway at the Beach. East Park features original Pavilion rides like the famous Herschell-Spillman Carousel, dating back to 1912. West Park is home to kiddie rides and the Myrtle Turtle coaster, while Central Park includes an array of modern thrill rides. In between, hit the snack stands vending funnel cakes and snow cones.

Glide underwater (no need for a wet suit) through a winding tunnel exhibit that's longer than a football field, where sharks of all kinds and exotic marine creatures, including poisonous lionfish, moray eels, and an octopus, swim over and around you (or below you, if you spring for the glass-bottom boat tour). Children can examine horseshoe crabs and stingrays in touch tanks, and mermaid shows are offered regularly. There are also add-ons, like the up-close 30-minute, $70 Penguin Encounter. Admission discounts are available when combined with the price of Ripley's Ocean Boulevard attractions.

Dubbed "the Family Beach," this small strand just south of Myrtle Beach offers up about 2 miles of white sand. Here, the hotel high-rises, bright lights, and big city of Myrtle Beach disappear, replaced by beach houses, cottages, and peaceful views. The centerpiece Surfside Pier is the site of most of the town's festivals, burger and fried-fish joints, and Scotty's, a kickin' karaoke bar. Best for: solitude; sunrise; surfing; swimming; walking. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards (May–September); parking (lots with meters at 12 out of 36 beach access areas); showers; toilets.