Myrtle Beach is one of the most popular vacation destinations on the East Coast. The city is the centerpiece of what is known as the Grand Strand, a sixty-mile crescent-shaped stretch of coastline that is one long, beautiful beach. Slightly less well known are other Grand Strand destinations.

If you don’t mind missing out on some of Myrtle Beach’s amenities (such as entertainment, large waterfront hotels, and entertainment), it may be worth visiting somewhere besides Myrtle Beach. Here are some other places to consider visiting.

Entrance of Murrels

South of Myrtle Beach is the community of Murrels Inlet. Its most famous feature is the restaurant row, which is located along the swamp walk. The walk is a place to stroll along the edge of the mudflat leading to Murrels Inlet. The entrance connects the town, the marsh and the Atlantic Ocean. This town is a historic fishing village and has many small shops and restaurants.

state parks

Huntington Beach State Park and Myrtle Beach State Park are well-managed parks located on the Grand Strand. Each park has a large campground and its own stretch of Grand Strand oceanfront beach.

Huntington Beach State Park also has a historic “castle.” The building, called the Watchtower, was built in the 1930s by the Huntingtons. They purchased the property that would become the park in 1930 and used Atalaya as their winter home. An educational center in the park has a number of exhibits of local flora and fauna, including a tank with various live marine animals. Directly opposite the educational center is the entrance to a long promenade that leads to the salt marsh of the park. Across the causeway that runs along the marsh is a freshwater pond. Here you can see alligators and a wide variety of birds. Other things to do in the park include surf fishing, fishing from the cove’s south jetty, and a number of hiking trails.

Myrtle Beach State Park is less diverse in terms of its natural habitats. Much of the undeveloped areas of the park are covered with maritime forest. This type of wood is relatively rare on the Grand Strand. You can experience this forest first hand by walking along some of the trails that wind through the forest. All of the walking trails, whether in the woods or along the beach, are easy to walk. If you like fishing, this park also has a long fishing pier that juts out a few hundred feet into the ocean.

These alternatives to the hustle and bustle of Myrtle Beach’s urbanized central area are just a few examples of other places you can explore and enjoy. Enjoy the beach and whatever else you travel to this area for!