Day trips · Myrtle Beach · United States
5 best day trips from Myrtle Beach
Where to go when you want a day away from Myrtle Beach, and how long it really takes.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Pictured: Myrtle Beach Boardwalk and Promenade, Myrtle Beach · Photo: U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Louis L. Rivers, Public domain
Quick answer
The classic day trip from Myrtle Beach is Charleston (About 2 to 2.5 hours by car). The closest option is Conway, about 25 km away.
Key facts
- Day trips in this guide
- 5
- Closest
- Conway (25 km)
- Most popular
- Charleston
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Day trips compared
| Destination | Distance | Travel time | How | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston | 155 km | About 2 to 2.5 hours by car | Car via US 17 | Culture, Food lovers, Couples |
| Georgetown | 55 km | About 50 minutes by car | Car via US 17 | Culture, Quiet stays, Couples |
| Conway | 25 km | About 25 minutes by car | Car via US 501 | Quiet stays, Couples |
| Wilmington, North Carolina | 115 km | About 1.5 hours by car | Car via US 17 | Culture, Families, Food lovers |
| Calabash, North Carolina | 40 km | About 40 minutes by car | Car via US 17 | Food lovers, Families |
The day trips
155 km (96 mi) · About 2 to 2.5 hours by car
1.Charleston
Charleston's historic district has antebellum houses on the Battery, Rainbow Row, the City Market and some of the South's most celebrated restaurants. Fort Sumter, where the Civil War began, is reached by ferry from the harbour.
- Getting there
- Car via US 17
- Best for
- Culture, Food lovers, Couples
55 km (34 mi) · About 50 minutes by car
2.Georgetown
South Carolina's third-oldest city sits on Winyah Bay, with a Harborwalk along the waterfront, a historic district of 18th-century houses and the Rice Museum, which tells the story of the rice plantations and the enslaved people who worked them.
- Getting there
- Car via US 17
- Best for
- Culture, Quiet stays, Couples
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25 km (16 mi) · About 25 minutes by car
3.Conway
The Horry County seat has a historic downtown of brick shops and cafés under huge live oaks and a Riverwalk along the dark, tannin-stained Waccamaw River.
- Getting there
- Car via US 501
- Best for
- Quiet stays, Couples
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115 km (71 mi) · About 1.5 hours by car
4.Wilmington, North Carolina
Wilmington's riverfront historic district has a Riverwalk along the Cape Fear River, and the battleship USS North Carolina is moored across the water as a museum. Wrightsville Beach is 20 minutes away.
- Getting there
- Car via US 17
- Best for
- Culture, Families, Food lovers
40 km (25 mi) · About 40 minutes by car
5.Calabash, North Carolina
A small fishing village on the Calabash River that gave its name to the lightly battered fried seafood style. Restaurants cluster near the docks, and shrimp boats still work from the waterfront.
- Getting there
- Car via US 17
- Best for
- Food lovers, Families
Day-trip tips
- Leave early: most trips are more relaxed with a morning departure and a return before dinner.
- Coast RTA runs local buses along the main corridors, but service is infrequent and of limited use for most visitors.
- For trips over about 150 km, an overnight stay or an organised tour saves a lot of travelling.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best day trip from Myrtle Beach?
Charleston. Charleston's historic district has antebellum houses on the Battery, Rainbow Row, the City Market and some of the South's most celebrated restaurants.
+How long does it take to get from Myrtle Beach to Charleston?
About 2 to 2.5 hours by car — Car via US 17, about 155 km.
+How long does it take to get from Myrtle Beach to Georgetown?
About 50 minutes by car — Car via US 17, about 55 km.