The Grand Strand runs for 60 miles along South Carolina's coast, with Myrtle Beach at its center. Most people think of the Myrtle Beach Boardwalk strip when they hear the name, but the strand includes quieter residential sections to the north in North Myrtle Beach and longer, less developed stretches to the south toward Pawleys Island and Murrells Inlet. The water temperature averages 80°F in July and August. Parking is generally available at access points throughout, though the central Myrtle Beach section fills up early on summer weekends.
Here are 9 beaches worth knowing, ordered by rating, based on verified reviews.
Cherry Grove Beach
Rating: 4.9/5 (14 reviews)
Cherry Grove sits at the northern end of North Myrtle Beach, about 14 miles from the Myrtle Beach Boardwalk. A natural inlet at the north end of this beach creates calm, shallow water that works well for young swimmers. The beach is primarily residential, so it draws mostly people who are staying nearby rather than day-trippers from the central Myrtle Beach strip. The inlet also channels good fishing spots for those casting from shore.
Cherry Grove is one of the least commercialized stretches on the entire Grand Strand. There are no major hotels fronting the beach at this section, and the atmosphere is quieter year-round. Cherry Grove Beach Park at the inlet provides parking and restroom access.
Getting there: Head north on Ocean Boulevard from Myrtle Beach, continuing into North Myrtle Beach. Follow signs toward Cherry Grove Beach Park at the northern end.
Cherry Grove Point
Rating: 4.8/5 (231 reviews)
Cherry Grove Point is the tip of land where the Atlantic meets the Intracoastal Waterway on the northern edge of North Myrtle Beach. The point creates a sheltered cove on the waterway side where currents are much calmer than the open ocean. Kayakers and paddleboarders use this area regularly because the protected water makes launching and navigating straightforward. On the ocean side of the point, surf conditions vary with conditions, but the shallow sandbars near the inlet make for good wading.
With 231 reviews and a 4.8 rating, this is the most-reviewed high-rated spot in North Myrtle Beach. Parking is available at the beach park at the northern terminus of Ocean Boulevard.
Canepatch Swash
Rating: 4.8/5 (15 reviews)
Canepatch Swash is a tidal inlet on Myrtle Beach's north end where a salt marsh channel meets the Atlantic. This is not a traditional swimming beach. It is primarily a nature spot where the tidal flow attracts wading birds, fiddler crabs, and small fish. The area draws birders and people looking for a different kind of beach experience. At low tide, the shallow swash creates sandy flats that extend well beyond the normal waterline. At high tide, the channel fills and the adjacent ocean beach returns to a normal Atlantic profile.
If you are staying in the north end of Myrtle Beach and want a break from the main strip, this is a 10-minute walk that gives you something different.
Windy Hill Beach
Rating: 4.8/5 (81 reviews)
Windy Hill Beach occupies the southern section of North Myrtle Beach, just north of the Horry County border. A natural sandbar roughly 100 yards offshore breaks incoming swells before they reach the shore, which keeps water conditions calmer than many Atlantic beaches of this size. This sandbar also creates shallow water that stays waist-deep for a long distance, which works well for kids.
The beach runs for about a mile here before the shoreline transitions toward the Briarcliffe section further south. Windy Hill has direct beach access from the side streets off Ocean Boulevard, and parking in this section is easier to find than in central Myrtle Beach.
Surfside Beach
Rating: 4.7/5 (85 reviews)
Surfside Beach sits 4 miles south of the main Myrtle Beach Boardwalk and bills itself as "the family beach," a distinction that shows in the absence of the amusement attractions and high-rise hotels that line the central strand. The town of Surfside Beach has kept development lower-key than its neighbor to the north. The pier here extends 800 feet into the Atlantic and has been a local landmark since the 1950s. Pier fishing for mackerel and flounder is popular.
The sand at Surfside is wide at low tide, and the gentle slope into the water keeps conditions manageable for swimmers. On summer weekends, paid parking fills by midmorning, so arriving before 9 AM helps.
Public Beach (Myrtle Beach Central)
Rating: 4.6/5 (422 reviews)
The central Myrtle Beach public beach fronts Ocean Boulevard between roughly 7th and 14th Avenues. This is the most visited section of any beach in South Carolina, drawing an estimated 14 million visitors annually to the broader Myrtle Beach area. The beach itself is wide, the sand is maintained, and lifeguards are posted at multiple stations from Memorial Day through Labor Day. The Grand Strand SkyWheel and the Boardwalk promenade run adjacent to this stretch.
If you want the full Myrtle Beach experience with maximum facilities, restaurants within walking distance, and a lively scene, this is the right pick. If you want quiet, go elsewhere on this list. Water quality monitoring is conducted regularly by the county, and results are posted at beach access points.
Myrtle Beach Boardwalk Beach
Rating: 4.6/5 (354 reviews)
The Myrtle Beach Boardwalk runs 1.2 miles along the oceanfront between 2nd Avenue Pier and 14th Avenue. The promenade opened in 2010 and connects the two main piers at either end. The beach directly fronting the boardwalk is the same Atlantic beach as the public section described above, but this end has more shade structures, benches, and direct access to food and retail. The 2nd Avenue Pier, built in 1936, extends 902 feet over the water and is one of the longer piers on the East Coast.
Evening crowds on the boardwalk are substantial in summer. The beach itself gets less crowded by late afternoon as the day-trippers leave, and sunset here over the Grand Strand hotels is worth staying for.
Huntington Beach State Park
Rating: 4.8/5 (173 reviews)
Huntington Beach State Park in Murrells Inlet, 16 miles south of Myrtle Beach, is routinely ranked among the best state park beaches in the Southeast. The park protects 2,500 acres including 3 miles of beach, two freshwater lagoons, and a salt marsh estuary. Atalaya Castle, a Moorish-style National Historic Landmark built in the 1930s by sculptor Anna Hyatt Huntington, sits within the park grounds and is open for tours.
The beach here is wide and undeveloped. No high-rises. No boardwalk. The park charges a day-use fee (currently $8 for adults, $5 for SC seniors). Parking fills by 10 AM on summer weekends, and the park occasionally closes the gate when capacity is reached. The marsh boardwalk runs 0.25 miles over the lagoon and is one of the better spots for alligator sightings in the state.
Park admission: $8 adults, $5 SC seniors, $5 youth (ages 6-15).
Pawleys Island
Rating: 4.5/5 (940 reviews)
Pawleys Island sits 25 miles south of the main Myrtle Beach strip and is one of the oldest summer resort communities on the East Coast, in continuous use since the 1700s. The barrier island is 3 miles long and no more than a quarter-mile wide. Development here is deliberately low-key: no traffic lights, no chain hotels on the island itself. The Creek Road access provides free parking at the southern end, and the North Causeway provides access to the northern section.
The beach is wide and the waves are generally stronger here than at the sheltered sections further north, since there is no sandbar breaking the swell. Pawleys is known for shelling, with conditions better in winter and early spring. USA Today named it South Carolina's Best Beach in 2024. With 940 reviews and a 4.5 rating, it is the most-reviewed beach in this roundup.
Comparing the Grand Strand Sections
The Grand Strand divides fairly clearly into zones:
North Myrtle Beach (Cherry Grove to Atlantic Beach): Quieter, more residential, lower density of commercial development. Better for families who want calm water and less noise.
Central Myrtle Beach (Boardwalk to Surfside): Maximum facilities, lifeguards, food, entertainment. Busiest and most crowded in summer. Right pick if you want the full resort experience.
South Strand (Murrells Inlet to Pawleys Island): Less commercial, longer stretches of undeveloped shoreline, stronger surf at Pawleys. Better for those wanting a more natural beach experience.
Water quality testing across Horry County beaches runs weekly June through August, and current results are available from the SC Department of Health and Environmental Control at scdhec.gov.