Myrtle Beach: Best Day Trips
You’ll need a car for every option here. The Grand Strand is 60 miles of car-oriented sprawl with no rail link out, so plan on driving whichever of these you pick, and budget the return trip into your day, not just the trip out.
| Day trip | Distance / time | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| Charleston, SC | ~95mi / ~2h | Doable, but it deserves its own trip; a single day only scratches the surface |
| Georgetown, SC | ~35mi / ~53min | Easy; SC’s third-oldest city, stacks with Murrells Inlet, Huntington, and Pawleys on one southbound loop |
| Wilmington, NC | ~74mi / ~1.5h | A solid full day; riverwalk plus a Wrightsville Beach detour |
| Conway, SC | ~15mi / ~25-30min | Easy half-day; the Waccamaw Riverwalk and a historic downtown |
| Calabash, NC | ~22mi / ~20-30min | Easy half-day seafood pilgrimage, or just eat Calabash-style on Myrtle Beach’s own restaurant row instead |
Charleston. At roughly two hours each way, Charleston is the marquee day trip from Myrtle Beach, and also the one most likely to leave you wanting more. A single day gets you a walk through the historic district and maybe one house museum; it won’t get you the full city. If Charleston is the real draw of your trip, consider giving it an overnight of its own rather than squeezing it into a Myrtle Beach itinerary.
Georgetown. The easiest of the bunch. South Carolina’s third-oldest city sits about 53 minutes south, and it pairs naturally with a southbound loop that also covers Murrells Inlet’s MarshWalk, Brookgreen Gardens, Huntington Beach State Park, and Pawleys Island, all strung along the same stretch of US-17.
Wilmington, North Carolina. About 90 minutes north, Wilmington makes a full day rather than a half: its riverwalk anchors downtown, and Wrightsville Beach is close enough to add as a second stop if the coastal drive itself is part of the appeal.
Conway. The closest option on this list at 15 miles, roughly 25 to 30 minutes inland. The Waccamaw Riverwalk and a walkable historic downtown make this an easy half-day, useful if you want a change of scenery without giving up much beach time.
Calabash. Just over the North Carolina line, about 20 to 30 minutes up the coast. This is the town Calabash-style seafood, lightly battered and flash-fried, is actually named for, and a lot of visitors go for that reason alone. If you’d rather not make the drive, the same style shows up on Myrtle Beach’s own restaurant row.
Brookgreen Gardens and Huntington Beach State Park. Technically a day trip at 18 to 20 miles south, but close enough that most visitors fold it into a half or full day rather than treating it as a separate excursion, so it gets fuller treatment in the things-to-do guide .
One planning note that applies to all six: Myrtle Beach International Airport lost Spirit’s routes in May 2026, so if you’re weighing a short regional flight instead of driving one of these, check current carriers first rather than assuming Spirit is still an option. For the rest of your stay, pace day trips against the itinerary you’re following: one full day trip is plenty on a three- or four-day visit, and Charleston or Wilmington fits more comfortably once you’re at five days or more.