Where to stay · Myrtle Beach · United States
Where to stay in Myrtle Beach
7 neighbourhoods compared, with the trade-offs hotel listings don't tell you.
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
For a first visit, stay in Central Myrtle Beach and the Boardwalk. Oceanfront hotels, arcades and the SkyWheel along Ocean Boulevard.
Key facts
- First visit
- Central Myrtle Beach and the Boardwalk
- Families
- Central Myrtle Beach and the Boardwalk
- Budget
- Central Myrtle Beach and the Boardwalk
- Nightlife
- Central Myrtle Beach and the Boardwalk
Plan a trip to Myrtle Beach
Compare flights, places to stay and rental cars, then book with the provider you choose.
Best area for each kind of trip
| Trip type | Area | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First-timers | Central Myrtle Beach and the Boardwalk | Oceanfront hotels, arcades and the SkyWheel along Ocean Boulevard |
| Families | Central Myrtle Beach and the Boardwalk | Oceanfront hotels, arcades and the SkyWheel along Ocean Boulevard |
| Couples | North Myrtle Beach | Low-rise beach city, shag-dancing clubs on Main Street and Cherry Grove's marsh |
| Budget | Central Myrtle Beach and the Boardwalk | Oceanfront hotels, arcades and the SkyWheel along Ocean Boulevard |
| Luxury | Shore Drive and Arcadian Shores | Resort towers on a quieter stretch at the north end of Myrtle Beach |
| Nightlife | Central Myrtle Beach and the Boardwalk | Oceanfront hotels, arcades and the SkyWheel along Ocean Boulevard |
| Food lovers | Market Common | Planned town centre on the former Air Force base, near the airport |
| Shopping | Market Common | Planned town centre on the former Air Force base, near the airport |
| Quiet stays | North Myrtle Beach | Low-rise beach city, shag-dancing clubs on Main Street and Cherry Grove's marsh |
| Beach | North Myrtle Beach | Low-rise beach city, shag-dancing clubs on Main Street and Cherry Grove's marsh |
Myrtle Beach neighbourhoods in detail
$$ · Best for first-timers, families, budget and nightlife
Central Myrtle Beach and the Boardwalk
The stretch of Ocean Boulevard around the Boardwalk, between the 2nd Avenue and 14th Avenue piers, is the classic Myrtle Beach base. Hotels sit directly on the sand, and the SkyWheel, Family Kingdom amusement park, arcades and beachwear shops are within walking distance. It is the liveliest — and noisiest — part of the coast.
- Good
- Walk to the Boardwalk and attractions; Huge choice of oceanfront rooms; Good value outside summer
- Watch out
- Crowded and loud on summer weekends; Ocean Boulevard traffic crawls in season
- Nearby
- Myrtle Beach Boardwalk, SkyWheel, Family Kingdom, 2nd Avenue Pier
$$ · Best for families, quiet stays, beach and couples
North Myrtle Beach
North Myrtle Beach is a separate city made up of old beach communities such as Cherry Grove, Ocean Drive and Crescent Beach. Main Street at Ocean Drive is the home of the Carolina shag and its beach-music clubs, and Cherry Grove Pier and the tidal marshes of Hog Inlet are at the north end. Barefoot Landing is on the Intracoastal Waterway nearby.
- Good
- Calmer than central Myrtle Beach; Many condos and beach houses; Shag clubs and local character
- Watch out
- A drive from Broadway at the Beach; Fewer big hotels
- Nearby
- Cherry Grove Pier, Main Street, Barefoot Landing, Alabama Theatre
$$$ · Best for families, luxury and quiet stays
Shore Drive and Arcadian Shores
At the northern end of the city, Shore Drive and the Arcadian Shores area have large resorts with indoor pools and lazy rivers, a wide beach that is less crowded than the centre, and quick access to golf courses and Restaurant Row on Kings Highway.
- Good
- Big resorts with pools; Quieter beach; Close to golf courses
- Watch out
- Need a car for most attractions; Few walkable restaurants
- Nearby
- Restaurant Row, Barefoot Landing, Arcadian Shores Golf Club
$$$ · Best for shopping, couples and food lovers
Market Common
Built on the site of the former Myrtle Beach Air Force Base, Market Common has tree-lined streets of shops, restaurants and a cinema around Grand Park's lakes and trails. It is a few minutes from the airport and from the quieter southern beaches, and suits visitors who prefer a walkable town to the oceanfront strip.
- Good
- Walkable shops and restaurants; Calm evenings; Near the airport and state park
- Watch out
- Not on the beach; Limited hotel choice
- Nearby
- Grand Park, Myrtle Beach State Park, Myrtle Beach International Airport
$$ · Best for families, quiet stays, beach and budget
Surfside Beach
Surfside Beach is a small residential town with a fishing pier, low-rise beach houses and condos, and a quieter shoreline than central Myrtle Beach. Families renting houses for a week favour it, and the Murrells Inlet restaurants are a short drive south.
- Good
- Relaxed, family atmosphere; Beach-house rentals; Close to Murrells Inlet seafood
- Watch out
- Few hotels; Car needed for attractions
- Nearby
- Surfside Pier, Garden City Beach, Murrells Inlet MarshWalk
$$ · Best for food lovers, couples and quiet stays
Murrells Inlet and Garden City
Murrells Inlet, which calls itself the seafood capital of South Carolina, lines a tidal inlet with seafood restaurants and bars linked by the MarshWalk boardwalk. Garden City Beach next door has a pier and beach houses, and Brookgreen Gardens and Huntington Beach State Park are a few minutes south.
- Good
- Best seafood restaurants on the coast; Near Brookgreen and the state park; Marsh sunsets
- Watch out
- About 25 minutes from central Myrtle Beach; Mostly rentals rather than hotels
- Nearby
- MarshWalk, Brookgreen Gardens, Huntington Beach State Park, Garden City Pier
$$$ · Best for quiet stays, couples and luxury
Pawleys Island
Pawleys Island has been a summer retreat for Lowcountry families since the 18th century, and it keeps a deliberately old-fashioned feel: weathered wooden cottages, no high-rise hotels and a quiet beach. The famous Pawleys Island rope hammocks are still made and sold in the shops on the mainland side.
- Good
- Peaceful, uncrowded beach; Historic character; Good restaurants on the mainland
- Watch out
- Mostly weekly house rentals; About 40 minutes from Myrtle Beach attractions
- Nearby
- Pawleys Island Hammock Shops, Brookgreen Gardens, Hobcaw Barony
Areas compared
| Area | Price | Nearby |
|---|---|---|
| Central Myrtle Beach and the Boardwalk | $$ | Myrtle Beach Boardwalk, SkyWheel, Family Kingdom, 2nd Avenue Pier |
| North Myrtle Beach | $$ | Cherry Grove Pier, Main Street, Barefoot Landing, Alabama Theatre |
| Shore Drive and Arcadian Shores | $$$ | Restaurant Row, Barefoot Landing, Arcadian Shores Golf Club |
| Market Common | $$$ | Grand Park, Myrtle Beach State Park, Myrtle Beach International Airport |
| Surfside Beach | $$ | Surfside Pier, Garden City Beach, Murrells Inlet MarshWalk |
| Murrells Inlet and Garden City | $$ | MarshWalk, Brookgreen Gardens, Huntington Beach State Park, Garden City Pier |
| Pawleys Island | $$$ | Pawleys Island Hammock Shops, Brookgreen Gardens, Hobcaw Barony |
Getting to your hotel
Myrtle Beach International (MYR) is only about 5 km from central Myrtle Beach — around 10 minutes by car or rideshare — and close to Market Common. It is served by a mix of low-cost, seasonal and hub-connecting flights; Charleston, Wilmington and Charlotte are alternatives with more connections, about 1.5 to 3.5 hours' drive away.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best area to stay in Myrtle Beach for first-time visitors?
Central Myrtle Beach and the Boardwalk. The stretch of Ocean Boulevard around the Boardwalk, between the 2nd Avenue and 14th Avenue piers, is the classic Myrtle Beach base.
+Where should families stay in Myrtle Beach?
Central Myrtle Beach and the Boardwalk: Walk to the Boardwalk and attractions.
+Which area of Myrtle Beach is best for a budget stay?
Central Myrtle Beach and the Boardwalk ($$): Oceanfront hotels, arcades and the SkyWheel along Ocean Boulevard.