As the country is opening up and people are itching to venture out, be sure to check out these Myrtle Beach activities this summer! Myrtle Beach is the perfect getaway for people of all ages, as it offers a variety of activities and attractions…safely! With responsible travel at its core, Myrtle Beach has truly gone the extra mile to ensure that its visitors feel safe and comfortable. From socially distanced venues to sanitizing stations, their safety measures will be no hindrance on your next vacation!
One of the things I love about Myrtle Beach is the fact that you can find absolutely everything you could want on a vacation, all in one spot – so whether you’re looking for a leisurely or active trip, you’re sure to find it in Myrtle Beach!
The best Myrtle Beach activities this summer
COVID-19 Guidelines in Myrtle Beach
You will find just about everything open in Myrtle Beach, but every establishment focuses on putting your health and well-being first. In general, we found that everyone wore masks indoors and implemented social distancing measures. Everywhere we went, we saw an increase in sanitization stations, and extra staff to ensure that surfaces or equipment were regularly cleaned. Some of the public bathrooms even had a FootPull door opener so that you didn’t have to touch any handles! We felt incredibly safe during our visit to Myrtle Beach and believe that it is a fantastic vacation choice for responsible travelers this summer.
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How to Get to, and Around, Myrtle Beach
Nine different airlines offer direct flights to Myrtle Beach within the United States, and – in normal times – you can even catch a nonstop flight from Toronto to Myrtle Beach too. You can find the most affordable rates for flights on Skyscanner (please note that if you use this link, I will earn a small commission at no extra cost to you).
Of course, you could always road trip to Myrtle Beach as well, depending on how far you’d like to drive. We stopped by on our drive from Florida to Connecticut, as it was the perfect halfway point! You can find the most competitive car rental rates here.
No matter how you decide to travel to Myrtle Beach, you will certainly want to rent a car to get around, as we did. With over 60 miles of coastline, there are so many different Myrtle Beach activities that you will likely want to have the freedom to bounce from one area to the next.
Things to do in Myrtle Beach
Myrtle Beach Hotels
If you’re looking for the perfect place to vacation where you can find affordable beachfront accommodation, look no further than Myrtle Beach. With hundreds of Myrtle Beach hotels open and thousands of rooms, there’s certainly no shortage of places to stay…even coming out of the pandemic! We chose to stay in a King Suite at Kingston Plantation and it was the perfect home base from which to explore North Myrtle Beach! The view from our balcony was simply dreamy and our room was comfortable, and we had direct access to the beach. Book your stay here!
Catch a Sunrise – Things to do in Myrtle Beach for Adults
With that being said, we broke our Myrtle Beach activities up into four categories: water-based, active, historical, and leisurely.
Water-based
It’s called Myrtle Beach for a reason! First and foremost, you must spend time at the beach. Be sure to find yourself a comfortable spot for the day and just basque in the sun. If you’re staying at Kingston Plantation, they have a remarkable beachfront! And if you’re not a beach person, don’t worry, they’ve got a fantastic outdoor pool and Splash! Bar just feet away from the sand.
A peak into the beach at Kingston Plantation – Myrtle Beach
If you don’t feel like being a beach bum, there are plenty of other water activities out there! Last time I visited Myrtle Beach, I went on a kayak tour through the salt marshes with Black River Outdoors and had a great time! Feel free to check out my experience here.
Active
I always like to add activities that get me moving into every itinerary! Two of my favorites from this trip were jet skiing and playing a round of Topgolf.
We started one of our mornings on a double jet ski experience with Action Water Sportz, and had an absolute blast! You have the option of renting for ½ hour or one hour if you want to go off on your own, or you could join a scenic dolphin watch trip! We went off largely on our own due to time constraints and had a blast exploring the Intracoastal Waterway.
Jet skiing the Intracoastal Waterway – Myrtle Beach Activities
If you’re done being in the water for the day, or looking for a totally different type of activity, make your way to Topgolf! Prior to this trip to Myrtle Beach, I’d never golfed before so I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about Topgolf, but I honestly had the most fun time! If you’re not familiar with Topgolf, they’re defined as “a sports entertainment complex that features an inclusive, high-tech golf game that everyone can enjoy.” To put it in non-sports-talk, it’s like a driving range, but gamified so that you can track your golf ball and score each shot based on the target it hit.
Hitting my first ever golf ball!
With deals like $15 unlimited game play from open-noon and all day half-priced games every Tuesday, there’s no reason not to go hit a few golf balls!
Historical
Myrtle Beach is steeped in history. With its first inhabitants being the Waccamaw and Winyah Indians, to the failed Spanish settlement, English settlement, pirate legends, rice plantations, and initial development, there’s quite a bit to learn. After wandering Brookgreen Gardens on my last visit to Myrtle Beach, I learned of the impact sculptor Anna Huntington and philanthropist Archer Huntington had on the town, which was particularly intriguing for me because they once lived in my little hometown! Anna and Archer Huntington were known to donate large portions of property for philanthropic and public purposes – to establish parks, museums, and facilities to support research and education. Brookgreen Gardens – a stunning nature reserve listed on the National Register of Historic Places – was one such donation. As it was established during the Great Depression, Archer Huntington only hired local labor to provide work opportunities to local residents.
So this time around we checked out Huntington Beach State Park and Atalaya Castle. As Archer Huntington was well known for his scholarly works in the field of Hispanic Studies (after all, he did found The Hispanic Society of America in New York City in 1904), it was only natural that he would design their winter home – Atalaya – in traditional Moorish style. Atalaya Castle was designated a National Historic Landmark District in 2012 and sits within Huntington Beach State Park, located adjacent to Brookgreen Gardens… and it is beautiful!
Be sure to wander through Atalaya Castle – Myrtle Beach Activities
We spent some time wandering through the rooms of Atalaya Castle before checking out the rest of Huntington Beach State Park.
Then we wandered through some of the peaceful nature trails located throughout Huntington Beach State Park, and we so enjoyed the tranquility of it all.
On one of the nature trails in Huntington Beach State Park
Leisure
While there are countless relaxing activities in Myrtle Beach, I recommend checking out Duplin Winery and wandering Barefoot Landing for an afternoon — and they’re conveniently located beside one another!
Duplin Winery is the oldest and largest winery in the south. One of the best ways to unwind is to partake in a wine tasting! Each wine tasting lets you sample at least ten wines, with some pours being a bit more than a “tasting,” if you catch my drift. We joined the deluxe wine tasting with the most delicious cheese and crackers, and I couldn’t recommend it more highly. If you like sweet wine, this is certainly for you!
Wine tasting at Duplin Winery – Things to do in Myrtle Beach
Barefoot Landing has been a staple of North Myrtle Beach for the last three decades. They've recently undergone a series of renovations and redevelopments in the last few years and it's absolutely beautiful! With over 40 stores, restaurants, and attractions, there’s certainly something for everyone. We popped into many of the cute shops, and ended up having two delicious meals there too!
So many cute shops at Barefoot Landing!
And speaking of food…
You can’t visit Myrtle Beach without indulging in some of their delicious dishes! We visited five different food establishments, each with a variety of options. I recommend checking out the following:
Blueberry’s Grill
Blueberry’s Grill may very well be my new favorite brunch spot! Located within Barefoot Landing, Blueberry’s Grill specializes in offering unique twists to your favorite dishes using freshly sourced ingredients. We couldn’t decide if we wanted sweet or savory, so we ordered the Cinnamon Roll French Toast (a sliced, battered, and grilled cinnamon roll with vanilla cream cheese icing, blueberries, strawberries, Turkish figs, and whipped cream), and the Mediterranean Omelette (3 eggs with spinach, feta cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, roasted red peppers, and black olives with a side of home fries). Both were absolutely scrumptious!
Cinnamon Roll French Toast from Blueberry's Grill
Unlike many brunch spots, Blueberry’s Grill is actually open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with an entirely different menu for each seating. I’m eye-ing the crab cake sandwich and spicy shrimp wrap for our next visit!
Wicked Tuna
Wicked Tuna has remained one of my favorite restaurants since I first visited back in 2019! With two different locations (one in Murrells Inlet and one at the 2nd Avenue Pier), there’s no excuse not to pop in! Their focus is on bringing fresh, local seafood to all patrons, beginning with their “Hook to Plate” concept. Every week they send their fishing fleet out to the Atlantic Ocean to source the freshest Grouper, mahi-mahi, sea bass, and snapper so you can rest assured that every fish that they serve is caught and prepped in house.
Wicked Tuna Sushi Roll at Wicked Tuna in Myrtle Beach
For the starter, I ordered a Dragon Egg (an avocado stuff with smoked salmon and spicy crab) and followed it with the Wicked Tuna sushi, made of tempura shrimp, lobster salad, cucumber, 7 spice seared ahi tuna, ponzu sauce, sweet chili, and wasabi mousse! Both dishes are highly recommended! Be sure not to forget dessert, as their blueberry lemon cheesecake was delicious!
Lulu’s North Myrtle Beach
Located in Barefoot Landing, Lulu’s is “all about celebrating food, family, and fun!” With tasty southern fare, live music, and views of the Intracoastal Waterway, it’s the perfect spot for a casual yet tasty meal! We started our meal with fried green tomatoes (a local favorite), and had blackened fish tacos and a blackened snapper bowl with cuban yellow rice, black beans, and “mama’s green turnips” – and they were both fantastic!
Blackened fish tacos are always a good idea – Lulu's North Myrtle Beach
To close out our meal, we were encouraged to try the Krispy Kreme Bread Pudding, and all I can say is WOW! It’s certainly a big enough portion for two!
The Original Benjamin’s Calabash Seafood
Dining at the Original Benjamin’s Calabash Seafood is an experience in and of itself! Known as the best buffet in Myrtle Beach, the Original Benjamin’s Calabash Seafood features over 170 items from fresh seafood, to pasta stations, and Southern favorites. At first I wasn’t sure how I felt about a buffet coming out of the pandemic, but their safe protocol blew me away! Each person was not only required to wear a mask while filling their plates, but everyone had to wear a pair of gloves before touching any serving utensil. Every single person we saw abided by these sanitization rules and it was well enforced by staff; we even saw someone going around and wiping everything down every few minutes! I was seriously impressed.
Loved seeing signs like this throughout the restaurant!
Aside from the food, the Original Benjamin’s Calabash Seafood is home to the largest ship model collection in the world and you’ll see them displayed throughout the restaurant. They also have the largest dry aquarium on the east coast, and you’ll enjoy wandering through the nautical museum!
The Original Benjamin's dry aquarium – Things to do in Myrtle Beach
Pirates Voyage Dinner & Show
Known as one of the most fun places to eat, Pirates Voyage Dinner & Show is incredibly entertaining for people of all ages! Join Blackbeard and Calico Jack as they lead a battle on land, air, and sea! The show is set on a full-sized pirate ship in an indoor lagoon, and a four-course meal is served throughout the performance.
The entrance to Pirates Voyage in Myrtle Beach
As this is an indoor performance, they ensured that each party was six feet apart and abiding by social distancing protocols. While it was mostly families with children, we couldn’t help but be amazed by the acrobatics in this performance! It was truly captivating and an enjoyable way to spend the evening.
Map of Myrtle Beach
While Myrtle Beach is very easily accessible, I decided to pin on the map our favorite activities and experiences from this trip so that you could best plan how to utilize your time. As always, please feel free to ask me any questions in the comments below!
Airport
Myrtle Beach
Kingston Plantation
Duplin Winery
Action Water Sportz
Topgolf
Huntington Beach State Park
Atalaya Castle
Barefoot Landing
Blueberry's Grill
Wicked Tuna
Lulu's North Myrtle Beach
The Original Benjamin's Calabash Seafood
Pirates Voyage Dinner & Show
What to Pack
Myrtle Beach has lovely weather year-round! Depending on the time of year you visit and the Myrtle Beach activities in which you’d like to partake, I recommend checking out my “137 Travel Essentials” packing list to ensure that you don’t forget anything. And, of course, don't forget your hand sanitizer!
Travel Insurance
I hope you don’t go on your getaway without travel insurance! If you do, you better think again. Travel insurance is arguably the most important thing to have on hand (after your passports and visas). I’ve had to use my travel insurance multiple times on the road, even though I’m healthy. You never know when something might happen; take comfort in knowing that whether your flight gets cancelled or you wind up sick and in the hospital, you will be covered. I recommend World Nomads Travel Insurance for each and every one of you travelers. You can get a free quote here.
Pin “The 12 Best Myrtle Beach Activities This Summer” for Later!
**Big thanks to Visit Myrtle Beach for showing me a great time! As always, all opinions are my own.**
