Exploring the Grand Strand: A Visitor's Guide to Myrtle Beach's Areas

Myrtle Beach anchors a 60-mile stretch of South Carolina coastline called the Grand Strand. Here's how the areas fit together, so you can plan where to stay and what to do.

Downtown & the Boardwalk

The 1.2-mile oceanfront Boardwalk and Promenade is the heart of downtown, lined with arcades, oceanfront bars, and the SkyWheel. Ocean Boulevard runs right behind it. This is the classic Myrtle Beach postcard.

Broadway at the Beach

The Grand Strand's entertainment hub: shops, restaurants, live music, and attractions like Ripley's Aquarium clustered around Lake Broadway. If you're visiting with kids, you'll end up here.

The Market Common

A walkable, upscale district of boutiques, restaurants, and a town square — the local-favorite corner of Myrtle Beach for dinner and drinks.

North Myrtle Beach

Quieter and more residential, with the Barefoot Landing shopping and entertainment complex, the Alabama Theatre, and Main Street — home of the shag, South Carolina's state dance.

Surfside Beach & Garden City

Family-friendly, laid-back beach towns just south of Myrtle Beach with their own piers and a small-town pace.

Murrells Inlet & the MarshWalk

The MarshWalk is a half-mile waterfront boardwalk of seafood restaurants and bars overlooking the salt marsh — the best sunset drinks on the Grand Strand. It's also your gateway to Brookgreen Gardens and Huntington Beach State Park.

Worth the Drive

Conway's riverfront, Georgetown's historic harbor district, and Calabash, NC's famous seafood houses all sit just outside the core — each an easy day trip.

Use What's Nearby to find restaurants, bars, and things to do around wherever you are on the Strand — from Little River to Murrells Inlet.