The main strip in Myrtle Beach draws close to 20 million visitors a year, and the sand between 14th Avenue North and the Springmaid Pier shows it on any summer Saturday. The good news is that the Grand Strand runs about 60 miles, and the crowds thin out fast once you drive 15 to 30 minutes in either direction. These seven beaches all sit within reach of central Myrtle Beach and stay noticeably quieter, sorted here by visitor rating.
Windy Hill Beach
Rating: 4.8 | 81 reviews
Windy Hill sits at the north end of North Myrtle Beach, about 20 minutes up Highway 17 from the main Myrtle Beach boardwalk. It is a residential section, which is the whole reason it stays calm: most of the beachfront is houses and low-rise condos rather than the high-rise hotels packed along the central strip. Public access points are marked between properties, and street parking is the norm since there is no large public lot.
The sand is wide at low tide and the water gets the same gentle Atlantic slope as the rest of the Grand Strand, so it works for families who want swimming without the density of central Myrtle Beach. Bring what you need. Facilities are limited to what the access points provide.
Cherry Grove Point
Rating: 4.8 | 231 reviews
Cherry Grove Point is the northernmost tip of North Myrtle Beach, where the oceanfront meets a tidal marsh and inlet. The point is a well-known spot for fishing, shelling, and watching the tide move through the channel. At low tide a large sandbar opens up, and the shallow water on the marsh side stays warm and calm, which makes it a practical choice for young kids.
The 231 reviews are the most of any quieter beach on this list, so this is not a secret, but the point sits far enough from the Myrtle Beach core that day-trippers rarely make the drive. Parking is on residential streets near the access. Check the tide chart before you go, since the sandbar and the best shelling appear on the outgoing and low tide.
Ceremony - Huntington Beach State Park
Rating: 4.8 | 173 reviews
Huntington Beach State Park sits at Murrells Inlet, roughly 25 minutes south of Myrtle Beach. This is the antidote to the developed strip: three miles of undeveloped, protected shoreline backed by salt marsh, maritime forest, and one of the best birding spots on the Carolina coast. There is a park entrance fee, which is part of why it never gets Myrtle Beach density.
The beach itself is wide and clean, with a designated swimming area and lifeguards in season. The park also has a causeway boardwalk over the marsh where alligators are common, plus the Atalaya Castle historic site. If you want a full quiet day with nature instead of neon, this is the pick.
Surfside Beach
Rating: 4.7 | 85 reviews
Surfside Beach markets itself as "The Family Beach," and it earns the tag. It sits about 15 minutes south of central Myrtle Beach and runs on a slower, more residential rhythm. The town has its own pier, a handful of restaurants, and public beach accesses with some parking, but none of the boardwalk crush.
Surfside is also one of the more accessible beaches in the area, with beach wheelchair availability and mat access at several points. The water and sand are the same reliable Grand Strand setup, calm enough for kids, wide enough at low tide for beach games. Parking fills near the pier on summer weekends, so use the side-street accesses further from the center.
Cherry Grove Beach
Rating: 4.9 | 14 reviews
Cherry Grove Beach is the stretch of North Myrtle Beach leading up to the point, and it holds the highest rating on this list at 4.9. The low review count of 14 reflects how residential and low-traffic this section stays rather than any lack of quality. It is a channel-and-ocean setup near the inlet, popular with families who rent the beach houses that line the streets here.
The calmer inlet-side water and the shelling near the point are the draw. Like the rest of North Myrtle Beach, parking is on the street and facilities are minimal, so pack accordingly.
Magnolia Beach
Rating: 4.9 | 7 reviews
Magnolia Beach sits at Litchfield by the Sea, a gated residential and resort community about 30 minutes south of Myrtle Beach near Pawleys Island. This is one of the quietest options within range, precisely because access is limited to the Litchfield community and its guests. If you are staying in a Litchfield or Pawleys rental, this is your beach.
At 4.9 stars, the small group who review it rate it near the top. The stretch is clean, wide, and about as far from the Myrtle Beach boardwalk energy as you can get while still being on the same coast.
Pawleys Island
Rating: 4.5 | 940 reviews
Pawleys Island is the classic quiet alternative to Myrtle Beach, about 25 to 30 minutes south. It is one of the oldest resort communities on the East Coast, and it has stayed deliberately low-key: old beach houses, no high-rises, a "arrogantly shabby" local motto that residents wear with pride. The south-end public parking lot listed here holds 940 reviews, the most of any beach on this page, which tells you people make the trip on purpose.
Parking is the main constraint. The public lots are small and fill early on summer weekends, so arrive before 10 AM or come on a weekday. Once you are on the sand, the payoff is a wide, calm beach with a fraction of the foot traffic you get in central Myrtle Beach.
Which One to Pick
Closest to Myrtle Beach: Surfside Beach, about 15 minutes south, family-friendly and accessible.
Best for nature and space: Huntington Beach State Park, three miles of protected shoreline with birding and lifeguards.
Best for shelling and calm water with kids: Cherry Grove Point at the North Myrtle Beach inlet.
Quietest overall: Magnolia Beach at Litchfield, if you have access, or Pawleys Island if you arrive early enough to park.
All seven sit within a 30-minute drive of central Myrtle Beach. Browse full ratings, review counts, and access notes for South Carolina beaches on BeachCheck before you go, and check the tide chart for the inlet beaches so you catch the sandbars at low tide.
Ratings and review counts from verified visitor data on BeachCheck.