Myrtle Beach: Where to Stay
Oceanfront resort and condo towers dominate the Strand, and a lot of them book as either a hotel room or a vacation-rental condo, which is worth knowing before you assume “hotel” is your only option. Pick your area first, north to south, since the Grand Strand is 60 miles long and where you sleep determines how far you’ll drive every day.
Boardwalk / core Myrtle Beach
The highest-density area and the most walkable, close to the SkyWheel, the Boardwalk itself, and Broadway at the Beach. Best for first-timers and anyone without a car who wants to reach attractions on foot, though you’ll still need to drive for day trips and the MarshWalk.
North Myrtle Beach
Quieter and more family-oriented, with a heavier mix of condos than hotels. Barefoot Landing sits here, on the Intracoastal Waterway, and Ocean Drive is the neighborhood’s other draw: birthplace of the Shag, South Carolina’s official state dance, with the beach-music nightlife to match.
The Market Common
Built on the site of a closed Air Force base, The Market Common is upscale and walkable, with restaurants and shopping that read more like a neighborhood than a beach resort strip. It’s a good pick if you want some distance from the Boardwalk crowds without giving up walkability entirely.
Murrells Inlet
Quiet, food-focused, and best suited to couples or retirees rather than families chasing rides and water parks. The MarshWalk’s seafood restaurants are the main draw, and Brookgreen Gardens and Huntington Beach State Park are both close by.
Pawleys Island and Litchfield
The quietest and most historic option on this list, well clear of the Boardwalk scene entirely. Locals call Pawleys “arrogantly shabby,” and it’s meant as a compliment, this is where you stay to avoid the resort-town feel altogether.
Surfside Beach and Garden City
Known locally as “the Family Beach,” Surfside is low-rise and residential, with Garden City nearby offering similar value. Good for families who want beach access without oceanfront-tower prices.
Named properties and camping
Verified names worth knowing: Marriott’s OceanWatch at Grande Dunes, and Kingston Resorts, which covers both a Hilton and an Embassy Suites at Kingston Plantation. Camping is genuinely mainstream here, not a fallback option: Ocean Lakes is the largest campground on the entire US East Coast, with roughly 900 sites, PirateLand is another major option, and Myrtle Beach State Park runs its own campground in town. Compare Myrtle Beach hotel and condo rates before locking in summer dates, when rooms go fastest, and pace your stay against one of the itineraries to see how far each area sits from the attractions you actually want.