With nine miles of beautiful, quiet coastline, a getaway to North Myrtle Beach will blend the relaxation you crave with the convenience of family-friendly activities your kids (and teens) are looking for! We've lined up the perfect itinerary to keep the whole family entertained. 

Have a few more days to spare? Explore more things to do, affordable family fun, and hidden gems

Day 1:

Fuel Up for the Day

When you and your family first arrive in North Myrtle Beach, you’ll notice that there’s no shortage of places to eat. So why not start with breakfast? You’ll have your work cut out for you as you choose between one of the many pancake houses and breakfast spots. If you can’t decide, try Hoskins Restaurant, a local family favorite that has been serving breakfast, lunch and dinner in Ocean Drive since 1948. Hoskins was one of the first restaurants on the Grand Strand, and still gives off an authentic mom and pop feel. Some days, there’s even a line around the corner. But don’t worry: it moves quickly, and your family will have plates of steaming pancakes or delicious southern food in no time. 

Explore from a Different Perspective

One of the most exciting things about North Myrtle Beach is the number of experiences you can’t find at most other beaches. For an excursion the whole family will talk about for years, book a horseback tour. At Inlet Point Plantation on Waites Island, your family is invited to saddle up and enjoy a private island beach ride, waterway trail ride or pony rides.

If you’re looking for more of a bird’s eye view experience, head over to New Wave Watersports and go parasailing. Hold on tight, because your adventure starts with an exciting banana boat ride to the boat! Once you're on board, New Wave offers 2- and 3-person rides, so you can take turns and share your memories with the whole gang.

Both Inlet Point Plantation and New Wave Watersports offer portrait packages so you can turn your experience into a souvenir that will make you smile for a lifetime.

Music on Main

Make sure to pack your dancing shoes, because Thursday evenings between 7 and 9pm, families are invited to gather downtown for live music on Main Street. All ages are welcome to enjoy a variety of bands from June to September at no charge. There’s a broad range of genres every year, including beach, blues, rock, dance and even Top 40. The only thing you need to bring is your beach chair!

 

Day 2:

Find Your Thrill

No NMB vacation is complete without a trip to the North Myrtle Beach Park and Sports Complex. Here, the entire family can venture over to Shark Wake Park, the boatless wakeboarding adventure. You don’t have to have any wakeboarding experience to ride; with the park’s top-notch cable system that pulls boarders through the water, it’s easy for anyone to try their hand at wakeboarding. For younger kids, Shark Wake also offers a massive aqua park built for family fun. Think of it as a huge, inflatable floating playground. Sounds like fun, right?

If you brought Fido along for your vacation, you’ll want to stop by the dog park here. There are separate fenced in spaces for both small and large dogs, too, so you don’t have to worry about your smaller pooch getting trampled. There are also three miles of walking trails and three playgrounds if you're looking to take a break from the beach. With all that fun, you're sure to work up an appetite! Pack a picnic and enjoy in the 10-acre meadow or one of the six picnic shelters.  

Explore Barefoot Landing

There’s nothing quite like a night in Barefoot Landing in the summertime. Between weekly fireworks shows, live music, endless dining options and souvenir shopping, there’s no shortage of things to do for kids of all ages. Their SummerFest! calendar of events is full in the summer months, so be sure to stay updated on the latest events and activities.

For an unforgettable seafood dinner, stop by Flying Fish Public Market. Or for a meal and some extra entertainment, go to Lucy Buffett's LuLu’s, where you can eat, play in the arcade, listen to live music or even let the kids work up an appetite on the ropes course.

Afterward, stop by The Crafty Cow for ice cream or take a few laps around the classic carousel, which is decorated with horses made from original Barnum and Bailey molds. No matter what, though, stick around for the sunset and marvel at the sky as the sun dips below the Intracoastal Waterway.

Mini-Golf, Big Fun

Did you know that NMB is home to eight mini-golf courses along our nine miles of beaches? Putt-Putt your way through town and choose adventures like pirate shipwrecks, erupting volcanos, and Jurassic expeditions. The whole family can get in on the fun with a hole-in-one or best score competition . Mini-golf courses are open all day and late into the evening, so you can fit these family-friendly outings where they work best for your schedule! 

Day 3:

Visit the Reptile Capital of the World

Head back to Barefoot Landing and check out Alligator Adventure. The whole family will be in awe as they watch 15-foot alligators leap out of the water during the live feedings here. On a nice sunny day (so, pretty much every day in North Myrtle Beach!), you’ll find a whole collection of alligators sunning themselves on the shores of the natural lake in the park. Try and spot Utan, a 20-foot gator, and look for a chance to meet the Alligator Adventure staff veterinarian—also known as the “Croc Doc.”

Catch a Wave

Hang loose, baby! North Myrtle Beach is the perfect place to learn how to surf. Kokopelli Surf Camp offers group surf lessons for all ages on boards designed for beginners. All ages are welcome, and everyone is guaranteed to be riding waves after a lesson taught by professional surfers. The session will start off on the beach before moving into the ocean, just to make sure everyone is comfortable. The best thing about this experience? Lessons here won’t break the bank, and your family will walk away with a new skill!

Dinner with a View

After a long day exploring, grab your family for a relaxing evening at Boardwalk Billy’s, located along the Intracoastal Waterway. This casual, family-friendly restaurant is the perfect place to sit outside on the deck and enjoy a tasty supper and welcoming service. While you're waiting for your table, enjoy the nightly live music and kid-friendly games to keep everyone happy. Boardwalk Billy’s serves both seafood and ribs and sushi, making it the perfect option for meat eaters and the people who just go to the beach to eat seafood all day every day!  

Day 4:

Make a Catch

Make sure you take time to cast a line while you're in North Myrtle Beach. The fishing here is plentiful, as are the ways to get out on the water. The Cherry Grove Pier has all you need to reel in a big one, including the reel! Their bait and tackle shop is fully stocked with hooks, lines, sinkers and bait. Looking to head further offshore? Hop aboard a fishing charter that will take you out to the gulf stream where the deep sea fish take big bites! Boats like Hurricane FleetCalabash Fishing Fleet, and Voyager Deep Sea Fishing take anglers out daily in season.

Meet the Locals

Our ocean is home to some of our favorite locals, bottlenose dolphins! Come face to fin with these majestic swimmers on one of our many dolphin excursion tours. Companies like Myrtle Beach Watersports and Sea Racer are pros at finding our flippered friends. So much so, they guarantee you'll see dolphins on every trip! 

Sit Back, Relax and Enjoy the Show

 The Alabama Theatre has been entertaining guests of the Grand Strand for 30 years, and their newest show, ICONIC, will have the whole family singing in their seats. An added bonus? During the summer children can get tickets for free!  The exciting production was named the #1 Live Show along the Grand Strand and features a variety of music, dance and laughter. 

But wait, there's more! 

While there are plenty of bright, sunshine-y days in NMB, we'd be amiss if we didn't offer you some great indoor activities that are perfect for a rainy afternoon or to take a break from the beach! 810 Bowling and Billiards offers lanes on lanes for a family bowling competition, plus an arcade and a full food and drink menu. Be sure to save room for dessert! The Crazy Mason Milkshake Bar serves up shake creations beyond your wildest dreams. Served in their famous mason jars, this dessert destination tops off their masterpieces with toppings like a whole slice of cheesecake, waffles, whole bananas, and popsicles, just to name a few! 

K1 Speed will be a favorite spot amongst the thrill seekers in your group. Take a few turns around this indoor go kart racing track to compete for the fastest time in your family and amongst other drivers. Really feeling the need for speed? These aren't your average go karts! Race wheel-to-wheel at speeds approaching 45 mph on their indoor track!

Ready to start planning your North Myrtle Beach vacation? Start by browsing family-friendly rentals. Looking for more travel advice? Reach out to our Visitor Information Center!