As part of a large and unbroken stretch of beach called the Grand Strand, the shores of Myrtle Beach have been popular for centuries. The Winyah and Waccamaw Indians were some of the first humans to inhabit the area. In the 1700s, the inlets and coves along the Grand Strand gave pirates a great place to hide out and wait to intercept passing cargo ships. One of the most famous pirates to call the area around Myrtle Beach home was Edward Teach, better known as Blackbeard.
In the 1900s, a timber and turpentine firm began developing the area as a resort. The local newspaper ran a contest to name this new town, and Myrtle Beach, named after the wax myrtle trees that grow wild along the shore, was the winner. Today, it's a popular spot for vacationers looking for a fun and exciting getaway along the shores of the Atlantic Ocean.
When to Visit Myrtle Beach, SC
Not only are the months between June and August the best time to visit, they're also the most popular. Since these months are so popular, the room rates are high and vacationers crowd the area. However, the weather is warm and sunny and all the attractions are open.
If you're looking for a good deal on a hotel room, try to plan your trip to Myrtle Beach in September or October. At this time, many of the crowds have thinned out, and hotel rates are more affordable. While the temperatures are slightly lower than they are during the summer, it's still comfortable this time of year. Plus, many of the restaurants and attractions are still open.
Even though the months between November and February offer great hotel deals, they're also some of the coldest in Myrtle Beach. While many of the restaurants and attractions in the area close for the season, you can still enjoy discounted prices on shopping, dining, shows, and hotel rooms. Plus, even if it's too cold to go to the beach, there are plenty of events during those months to keep you entertained.
The months between March and May bring low humidity and pleasant temperatures to the shores of Myrtle Beach. These months are also good if you want to experience most of what Myrtle Beach has to offer without paying high summer prices. However, keep in mind that these are also prime spring break months, so you may have to contend with college students crowding the beaches and hotels.
Below is a chart of the current pricing seasonality of hotels and motels in Myrtle Beach, SC:
Myrtle Beach by Star Rating
Below are 3 charts demonstrating mean nightly cost trends by star rating class in Myrtle Beach, SC. You can use these illustrations to evaluate the best seasons to book a room in Myrtle Beach for upcoming travels.
Luxury Hotel Options in Myrtle Beach, SC
4 Star Average Prices: £119.16
If you're searching for a luxury hotel that offers a pampering experience and caters to all your needs, Myrtle Beach has numerous options available. The impressive towers of the North Beach Plantation Myrtle Beach spread out over seven acres along the beach. Spend the day relaxing on the sandy beach, catch some rays at one of the five outdoor swimming pools, or book an appointment at the Cinzia Spa. This full-service spa has eight treatment rooms and offer services including body wraps, body scrubs, facials, and massages.
Situated right on the beach, the Island Vista Myrtle Beach is also conveniently located near Myrtlewood Golf Club, Dunes Golf and Beach Club, and Grande Dunes Marketplace. Relax in spacious rooms that include amenities such as luxurious bedding, free wireless Internet, flat-panel televisions with premium cable channels, and furnished balconies. While you're there, you can also enjoy fine dining at the on-site restaurant, Cypress Room. Take in views of the ocean while you sample cuisine with a southern flair for breakfast and dinner.
If you'd rather enjoy views of the Intracoastal Waterway, book a stay at Marina Inn At Grande Dunes. This Myrtle Beach resort has its own award-winning golf course, with 18 holes that wrap around 34 acres of freshwater lakes. You'll also have access to the resort's private oceanfront beach, an indoor and outdoor pool, and an on-site spa. Plus, with your choice of four restaurants, including WaterScapes – which offers farm-to-table, sustainable southern cuisine prepared with French techniques –you won't have to leave the resort even if you get hungry.
Affordable Hotel Options in Myrtle Beach, SC
3 Star Average Prices: £98.28
If you're looking for an affordable hotel option in Myrtle Beach, you have plenty of choices available. Super 8 Myrtle Beach/Ocean Front Area is just a few blocks away from the beach. The hotel is also within one mile of Midway Park and the Art Museum of Myrtle Beach. It's within three miles of family-friendly attractions such as Family Kingdom Amusement Park and Myrtle Beach State Park. While you're at the hotel, take advantage of amenities such as the free continental breakfast every morning, the outdoor pool, and free wireless Internet in all the guest rooms.
Caribbean Resort and Villas is a high-rise oceanfront resort just five miles from the Myrtle Beach Airport. While the hotel is directly along the ocean, you can also enjoy the two indoor pools, 211-foot indoor lazy river, 200-foot outdoor lazy river by the ocean, five outdoor pools, large spa tub, and children's water park with a splash deck, water slide, and children's pool. If you get hungry at the pool, head to Skip Jack's Tiki Bar for burgers, sandwiches, and tropical drinks.
You can still stay in a hotel with direct ocean access and rooms with ocean-view balconies while not going over your travel budget by booking a room at Ocean Plaza Motel. When you're not spending time on the beach, go for a swim in the outdoor pool, indoor pool, or children's pool. All 65 rooms at the Ocean Plaza Motel also have conveniences such as microwaves, refrigerators, free wireless Internet, and televisions with cable channels.
2 Star Average Prices: £81.73
Best Discounts in Myrtle Beach, SC
If you know where to look, you can find good discounts in Myrtle Beach. AAA members can enjoy up to 15 percent off rates at Springmaid Beach Resort. Active and retired military members can also take 15 percent off rates at the hotel. Even if you can't take advantage of these discounts, you can still stay at this beachfront hotel and take a two-minute walk to Myrtle Beach State Park, try your hand at fishing off Springmaid Pier, or take a swim in one of the two indoor swimming pools or two outdoor swimming pools.
Oceana Resorts by Wyndham offers nine different resorts and hotels in the Myrtle Beach area to fit a variety of budgets. Along with seasonal packages and promotions, all the locations also offer AARP member discounts, senior discounts, military discounts, and AAA member discounts. Seniors, AARP members, and AAA members all receive a 10 percent discount. Active and retired military personnel and their spouses receive a 15 percent discount at Oceana Resorts by Wyndham locations.
Best Value Options in Myrtle Beach, SC
If you're searching for a mid-range hotel that offers plenty of value for your money, you have many to choose from in Myrtle Beach. Breakers Myrtle Beach Resort is just steps from the sand, as well as being conveniently located near other fun attractions, such as Captain Hooks Adventure Golf, Myrtle Beach SkyWheel, and Ripley's Aquarium. Other family-friendly amenities at the hotel include a pirate ship, a lazy river, over 19 pools, a sauna, fitness center, kids' club, and three restaurants.
The rooms at the Sea Watch Resort offer great in-room features such as a kitchenette with a refrigerator, stovetop, microwave, dishware, cookware, and utensils, free wireless Internet, and a television with cable channels. Start your day with a buffet breakfast at Captain's Cove Cafe. Splash around in one of the six outdoor swimming pools, or relax in one of the 10 spa tubs. If you want to get out and explore the area, Sea Watch Resort is just a few miles from Arcadian Shores Golf Club, Carolina Vineyard Winery, and Grande Dunes Marketplace.
Popular Things to Do in Myrtle Beach, SC
No matter where you're staying in Myrtle Beach, heading to the shore is probably on the top of your list of things to do. With nearly 60 miles of sandy beaches, you'll have no problem finding your own spot to relax. For amazing views of the surrounding area, head to the Myrtle Beach SkyWheel on the Myrtle Beach Boardwalk and Promenade. This 187-foot tall Ferris wheel is the second-tallest in North America. Also at the boardwalk, you'll find shops, restaurants, bars, weekly fireworks shows, and other entertainment.
Whether you're coming to the area for a fun family vacation, or you simply want to relax on the beach, Myrtle Beach offers something for everyone to enjoy. From luxury hotels where all your needs are met at the resort, to budget-friendly hotels that put you right in the middle of the action, Myrtle Beach has a variety of accommodation options.
A visit to Myrtle Beach Recapped
An unmitigated sprawl of seaside commercial districts is dedicated to the development of family resorts. Myrtle Beach, as it is called has the best of both North and South Carolina. The area is usually packed with students celebrating the end of school terms, but a majority of Myrtle Beach's tourists and residents busy themselves with the funfairs, outlet malls, water parks, mini-golfs, and of course, beach fares. Apart from the constant parasailing, Myrtle Beach is loaded with attractions. Guests can start at the central Ocean Boulevard, or dine in one of the seafood restaurants line up along Murrells Inlet. Guests can see deer and alligators at the wildlife sanctuary, settle for the background of Peterkin's novels, or visit the outstanding display of sculptures at Brooklyn Gardens' dazzling landscape. Myrtle Beach also has its own exclusive place, the Pawleys Island. The nightlife is focused on elaborate music venues and bars, which begins at House of Blues and continues through the Carolina Opry, the longest-running glut for country music.
Robert Brooks, a noted entrepreneur and philanthropist from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina is often quoted as saying:
'There's no telling what one can achieve. Our limitations are often our own and not anyone else's. Caring to aspire is probably the best quality you could ask for.
On a cerebral level, one couldn't agree more with these words of hard-earned wisdom that comes only through experience. Myrtle Beach, in this regard, has come through the ranks and now boasts of one of the best maintained and thriving tourism scenes in the country. Retractors often wince at the fact that a city like Myrtle Beach bases much of its revenue generation on something as fickle as seasonal tourism. But it has stood the city in good stead and there's no reason why any American wouldn't want to visit a city that's just as good as other summer top draws like Miami or Tampa, but nowhere near as expensive.
Myrtle Beach, at its core, is a small South Carolina town that has grown disproportionately in size in recent years. What used to be sleepy town center has today become a tourist hub that absolutely goes off the rails during summer months as throngs of spring breakers descend upon the city like a flock of migrating Siberian flamingos.
Those of our readers who are planning on either visiting Myrtle Beach soon enough or checking what the fuss is all about are quite welcome to read on in order to understand the tourism “ especially accommodation “ scene here.
Finding Cheap Hotels in Myrtle Beach
It shouldn't take you far too long to find cheap hotels in Myrtle Beach, especially if you are visiting in any month outside the March-June window. For its size, Myrtle Beach boasts of unusually high number of hotel and resort units. With over 500 hotel establishments that carry over 80,000 rooms in total, Myrtle Beach offers a wide enough array for tourists to choose from.
Most hotels in Myrtles Beach can be counted in the ˜average' or ˜affordable' category. With good negotiation skills, you can get yourself a really good deal, even when you are staying for long periods of time.
Caribbean Resort and Villas is one resort you can turn to when in Myrtle Beach to get some really nice deals for long stays. Equipped with every luxury facility, this is as good as it gets for cheap hotels.
Dayton House Resort is another cosy and comfortable resort that does not charge tourists extravagantly. Hampton Inn, Roadway Inn and Boardwalk Suites are some other similar establishments in this hotel segment.
Luxury Like Nowhere Else
Myrtle Beach is a great place ˜to chill' if you want to leave the worries of domestic life at home and let your socks down for a few days.
What better way to truly chill than staying at a lavish, luxury hotel with in-house sauna, spa, gym, heated pools and nature therapy?
Well, to get it all under one roof, you will probably have to hunt for the best among many luxury Myrtle Beach hotels.
And more often than not, your search will take you Ocean 22 by Hilton Grand Vacations. Situated right at the beachfront, Ocean 22 is the place to be when it's summer time. In the same league lie Marina Inn, Sheraton Convention Center Hotel at Myrtle Beach, The Palms and Hilton Coastal Mall Hotel.
Making The Most of Myrtle Beach
Your stay in Myrtle Beach will probably be complete only when you truly relax and unwind, ready to face the battlefield of modern day life all over again. In order for you to get there, however, you need to leave no sights unseen and no activity unexplored while you are staying in Myrtle Beach.
It might sound childish to some, but the Myrtle Beach SkyWheel “ a giant Ferris Wheel that has become an identity for the town is definitely the stuff of the local legends and will test your resolve by some fair margin.
Of course, a trip to Myrtle Beach cannot be termed complete without a generous soaking of summer sun with cool Atlantic breeze to accompany it. Myrtle Beach is the best beach in town (quite predictably) and should be reserved for the most of your trip to the city.
Myrtle Beach also boasts of an underrated state park that can offer you a great way to spend your weekends while you are lodging in Myrtle Beach. Various local shopping centers that pop up during the summer are worth visiting and buying from too.
Things to Note Before Wandering in Myrtle Beach
Myrtle Beach is that kind of a destination where you don't go to tire yourself out. So, it becomes important to keep this in mind when you are visiting here. The focus has to be on relaxation, unwinding and perhaps, if it suits you, a little bit of introspection and soul searching.
Spending too much time hopping from one sight to another will just be akin to wasting your precious time in this beautiful cosy city that boasts of some of the finest Atlantic beaches in America.
Another thing that most tourists overlook while making a trip to Myrtle Beach is the fact that the climate here is much different to what rest of the America “ with the honorary exception of the South “ is used to. It's quite hot here during summers and hence, you should know how to keep yourself hydrated. Nobody likes to ruin their holidays by getting themselves cramped or weak due to dehydration!
So, When to Ideally Visit Myrtle Beach?!
This should be an easy question to answer.
The best time of the year to visit Myrtle Beach is during summer months. However, during this time window, many hotels in Myrtle Beach tend to run full, despite their high capacity.
So, in essence, the best time to travel to Myrtle Beach is during March to May, only if you have glanced over a few Myrtle Beach hotels of your choice and zeroed in on some!