What to Know Before You Go: Your Guide To Hitting the Sand in North Myrtle Beach

North Myrtle Beach is a family-friendly destination with room for everyone to enjoy, and as a community we’re doing our part to help keep our guests safe. The wide beach, blue waters, and pristine landscape makes the Grand Strand a favorite vacation spot for families.  

Before you head to beach, read our tips for Healthy Traveling. On this page, you’ll see some of the ways North Myrtle Beach is promoting a healthy environment for visitors and the things you can do to help us keep the Grand Strand open for everyone! One of those things is packing a secure face covering for everyone in your vacay crew. Learn more about North Myrtle Beach’s current mask requirements here.  

Whether you’re coming for your 1st or 101st visit, we’ve rounded up the tips you need to know before hitting the beach. 

North Myrtle Beach is home to nine miles of coastline and dozens of beach access points. PARK North Myrtle Beach is our City’s official public parking program. Before you visit, be sure to download the app to make finding a spot and parking for beach access a breeze. 

By using the app, you can find and pay for parking directly from your phone. The app will also send you text and/or email reminders so you never run out of time! From March–October, parking is $2/hour from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. For a full recap of the parking program, click here to see the PARK North Myrtle Beach flyer. With more than 1,600 spaces, there are plenty of places to park.  

There are a few important rules you need to know to keep the beach safe and welcoming for everyone. It’s easy to practice social distancing here: set up your chair at least 6 feet away from other groups or family units. 

During the summer months (Memorial Day through Labor Day), tents are not allowed on the beach. However, you can still get some shade and stake your place in the sand using an umbrella! Umbrellas have to be 7.5 feet in diameter or smaller. To make things easy, you can rent umbrellas and chairs. For more information about using umbrellas and tents on the beach, click here. For full details on rentals and concessions on the beach, visit the Beach Services page.  

Every trip to the beach should be safe and fun! To ensure you keep it that way, here are a few reminders and beach safety tips. 

Secure face coverings are not required on the beach. 

Follow the beach ordinances that make the beach safe for everyone, including keeping furry friends at home from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. between May 15 – September 15. 

Look out for different beach warning flags and know their meanings before you come! They can indicate dangerous surf conditions, and even the presence of marine life. Be sure you know about rip currents and how to avoid them while swimming in the ocean.  

Keep surfing rules and regulations in mind if you plan on exploring the ocean. During the summer, surfboards and skimboards are prohibited between 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., except for in designated areas.

When you visit the Grand Strand, we want you to be happy and healthy. Be sure to pack sunscreen to protect your skin from powerful UV rays. Don't forget - wash your hands, and wash them often! Use hand sanitizer when soap is not available and avoid touching your face, mouth, and eyes.

We hope these tips and tricks help make your North Myrtle Beach vacation enjoyable! Be sure to check out more of our blogs for inspiration and use our tripbuilder tool to round out your itinerary. And if you’re looking for the perfect home-away-from-home, skim the wide-range of accommodations options for your seaside escape here. 

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