Free & Cheap Things to Do in Myrtle Beach

Iconic Landmarks

A 1.2-mile oceanfront promenade running from 2nd to 14th Avenue North, lined with arcades, ice-cream stands, and open ocean views. The wooden boardwalk links the piers and dozens of shops and is the free, walkable heart of the beachfront.

Address: N Ocean Blvd, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577

Tip: Free summer fireworks light up the boardwalk on select nights. Walking the promenade and the beach costs nothing; the SkyWheel ride is a paid add-on.

Parks & Nature

South Carolina's first state park, with a mile of uncrowded beach, a fishing pier, a nature center, and a shady maritime forest of live oaks. A quieter, cheaper stretch of sand than the main strip, plus ranger programs and short trails.

Address: 4401 S Kings Hwy, Myrtle Beach, SC 29575

Tip: The nature center runs free programs and touch tanks. Arrive early on summer weekends — the park caps attendance and closes the gate once it fills.

Parks & Nature

Widely rated South Carolina's best birding spot, this Murrells Inlet park pairs three miles of undeveloped beach with salt marsh, a freshwater lagoon, and resident alligators. At its center stands Atalaya, the Moorish-style 1930s winter home of sculptor Anna Hyatt Huntington.

Address: 16148 Ocean Hwy, Murrells Inlet, SC 29576

Tip: Atalaya Castle is a separate $2 per person. The causeway boardwalks are the prime alligator- and bird-watching spots — bring binoculars.

Parks & Gardens

A National Historic Landmark holding America's largest collection of figurative sculpture set across sprawling botanical gardens, plus a Lowcountry Zoo and rice-plantation history exhibits. One ticket is good for seven consecutive days, softening the sticker price.

Address: 1931 Brookgreen Dr, Murrells Inlet, SC 29576

Tip: The 7-day ticket makes repeat visits the value play; children 3 and under are free. Homeschool families can join the $7-per-student Explorers program — see our South Carolina homeschool page.

Parks & Waterfront

A half-mile wooden boardwalk winding along a scenic salt marsh in Murrells Inlet, the self-styled Seafood Capital of South Carolina. Free to walk, with live music drifting from the waterfront restaurants and boats coming and going at the docks.

Address: 4025 Business Hwy 17, Murrells Inlet, SC 29576

Tip: Come at sunset for the best light over the marsh. The walk itself is free; you can enjoy the views and live bands without buying a thing.

Arts & Culture

Myrtle Beach's only art museum, set in a restored 1920s beach villa steps from the ocean. Eleven galleries rotate paintings, photography, textiles, and sculpture through the year, alongside free family programs and a sculpture courtyard.

Address: 3100 S Ocean Blvd, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577

Tip: Free for everyone 18 and under, full-time students with ID, and veterans. EBT cardholders and Bank of America 'Museums on Us' cardholders (first full weekend monthly) also get in free.

Family Fun

An old-school oceanfront amusement park where walking in is free and you pay only for the rides you take. Ride credits start at $1, and the 1966 wooden Swamp Fox coaster still rattles along the shoreline.

Address: 300 4th Ave S, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577

Tip: Buy individual $1 ride credits if you only want a few rides. The all-day wristband drops to $30 if you buy it in the first hour the park is open.

Shopping & Strolling

A walkable urban village built on a former Air Force base, blending shops, restaurants, and green space. Grand Park's lake, trails, and the free all-abilities Savannah's Playground make it a genuine no-cost outing for families.

Address: Farrow Pkwy, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577

Tip: Savannah's Playground is a free, fully accessible playground kids love. Park free and stroll — window-shopping, the lake loop, and seasonal events cost nothing.

History & Military Sites

A free outdoor park at the Market Common displaying retired military jets — an A-7 Corsair, F-100 Super Sabre, and A-10 Thunderbolt — that once flew from the Myrtle Beach Air Force Base. Interpretive plaques and a memorial honor the base's history.

Address: 150 Farrow Pkwy, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577

Tip: Always open and free. A quick, kid-friendly history stop you can pair with a walk around the Market Common next door.

Family Fun

A hands-on children's museum (formerly the Children's Museum of South Carolina) at the Market Common, packed with interactive science, art, and role-play exhibits for younger kids. A reliable rainy-day or beat-the-heat stop at $10 a head.

Address: 4005 Howard Ave, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577

Tip: Children under 2 are free. Homeschool co-ops of 15+ can book a $7-9 per-person field trip September-May — details on our South Carolina homeschool page.

Family Fun

A 350-acre entertainment complex wrapped around a lake, with shops, restaurants, and attractions. Strolling the promenades, watching the paddle boats, and catching free seasonal events and summer fireworks cost nothing.

Address: 1325 Celebrity Cir, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577

Tip: Entry and parking are free; individual attractions like the aquarium and rides are paid. Free fireworks light up the lake on select summer evenings.

Shopping & Strolling

A waterfront shopping and dining boardwalk built over the Intracoastal Waterway in North Myrtle Beach. Wander the piers, watch the boats pass, feed the koi, and catch free weekend live music without opening your wallet.

Address: 4898 Hwy 17 S, North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582

Tip: Free to walk and enjoy the waterfront. Alligator Adventure and the boat cruises are the paid attractions; the boardwalk itself is free.

History & Museums

A free museum in historic downtown Conway tracing the natural and cultural history of Horry County — from Waccamaw Native heritage and tobacco farming to Grand Strand tourism — through well-curated galleries in a restored 1908 post office.

Address: 805 Main St, Conway, SC 29526

Tip: Open Tuesday-Saturday with free admission. Pair it with a stroll along the nearby Conway Riverwalk for a free half-day inland from the beach.

History & Culture

A free outdoor living-history farm in Conway recreating a one-horse family farm as it ran in Horry County from 1900 to 1955. Costumed interpreters demonstrate mule plowing, blacksmithing, syrup-making, and seasonal chores across the year.

Address: 2279 Harris Short Cut Rd, Conway, SC 29526

Tip: Open Tuesday-Saturday 9am-4pm, free; guided tours run Saturdays at 10am. Seasonal demonstration days like cane grinding are the highlight — check the calendar.

History & Culture

The restored 1930s schoolhouse that educated Myrtle Beach's Black children during segregation, now a free museum preserving that history through photographs, classroom artifacts, and oral histories of the community it served.

Address: 900 Dunbar St, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577

Tip: Free admission, open 10am-12pm Monday, Wednesday, and Friday — call (843) 918-4900 to confirm before visiting.

Parks & Waterfront

A scenic wooden boardwalk winding along the blackwater Waccamaw River in historic downtown Conway, shaded by cypress and moss-draped live oaks. Free to walk, with river views, benches, and the town's antique shops and cafes a block away.

Address: Waccamaw Riverfront, Downtown Conway, SC 29526

Tip: Free and open daily. Combine it with the free Horry County Museum a few blocks away for an inland break from the coast.

Parks & Nature

A free 115-acre Horry County park in Little River, laced with 2.4 miles of trails and marsh boardwalks along the Intracoastal Waterway. Live oaks, a historic family cemetery, and quiet birding make it one of the Grand Strand's hidden gems.

Address: 2250 Little River Neck Rd, Little River, SC 29566

Tip: Open daily during daylight hours, free. The boardwalks over the marsh are the highlight for birdwatching and photography — check the gate sign for the closing time.

Museums & Culture

A vintage auto museum near Broadway at the Beach showcasing meticulously restored muscle cars, classic Mopars, and 1950s-70s Americana. A nostalgic, air-conditioned stop for car lovers on a rainy or scorching beach day.

Address: 413 Hospitality Ln, Myrtle Beach, SC 29579

Tip: Adult admission runs just over our usual $20 cap; kids 6-15 are $15 and under 6 are free. Open daily 9:30am-5:30pm.