Myrtle Beach Vacation Rentals
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Myrtle Beach vacation rentals span 60 miles of South Carolina's Grand Strand coastline, from the quiet residential streets of Surfside Beach to the oceanfront condo corridor along Ocean Boulevard. The area draws families, couples, and golf groups year-round, with wide Atlantic beaches, Huntington Beach State Park, and more than 80 golf courses within 30 miles. Booking directly with a professional property manager through Stay removes the 15% platform fee that major booking sites add at checkout.
Best Areas to Stay in Myrtle Beach
North Myrtle Beach: A lower-density stretch about 15 miles north of the main tourist corridor, popular with families and repeat visitors who want wider beaches and more space than the resort strip offers.
- Best for: families, groups, travelers who want a quieter base without giving up beach access
- Rental types: larger vacation homes and beach cottages are more common than high-rise condos
- Note: you'll need a car to reach Boardwalk attractions and Broadway at the Beach, but beaches are noticeably less crowded and nightly rates are generally lower than oceanfront properties on Ocean Boulevard
Ocean Boulevard / Boardwalk Area: The commercial heart of Myrtle Beach, running along the oceanfront with the SkyWheel, Boardwalk, restaurants, and entertainment within walking distance.
- Best for: couples and groups who want walkability, oceanfront access, and nightlife without needing a car every evening
- Rental types: high-rise oceanfront condos dominate this corridor, most with ocean-facing balconies
- Note: busiest and loudest area, especially in summer and during the May and September motorcycle rally weekends
Surfside Beach: A small, family-oriented beach town directly south of Myrtle Beach with a quieter, more residential feel. Known locally as "The Family Beach."
- Best for: families with younger children, travelers who want a local atmosphere away from the resort strip
- Rental types: beach cottages and smaller vacation homes, fewer high-rises than the main corridor
- Note: no bars permitted on the beachfront, calmer crowd overall, and noticeably less foot traffic than Ocean Boulevard even at peak summer
Garden City Beach: A small barrier island community between Surfside Beach and Murrells Inlet, with a quieter beach atmosphere and a more local character than the main Myrtle Beach strip.
- Best for: travelers who want Atlantic beach access without the resort corridor crowds, and easy proximity to Murrells Inlet dining
- Rental types: beach cottages and smaller vacation homes, some oceanfront options with direct beach access
- Note: the Garden City Pier is a local landmark and the area sits within 10 minutes of both Surfside Beach and the Murrells Inlet MarshWalk
Why Travelers Book Myrtle Beach Rentals Through Stay
Myrtle Beach has hundreds of vacation rental options listed across major platforms. What those platforms don't advertise is that 15% of your total booking cost goes to them, not toward your stay. Stay removes the platform fee by connecting you directly with professional property managers who handle their own bookings
With Stay, you get:
- No platform fees — no platform fees added to your stay
- Direct contact with your property manager before you book, so questions about the property, check-in, or amenities get answered fast
- Professional hosts managing multiple Grand Strand properties who know them well
Booking direct is especially worth it on longer stays. The more nights you book, the more the platform fee compounds and the more you save by cutting it out. On a $2,000 week-long Grand Strand stay, that's $300 back in your pocket.
Things to Do in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Beaches & Coastal Activities
The Grand Strand stretches 60 miles of Atlantic coastline through multiple beach communities, each with a different character and crowd level.
- Myrtle Beach Boardwalk: A 1.2-mile oceanfront promenade connecting 14th Avenue North to 2nd Avenue North, with restaurants, shops, and direct beach access the full length, one of the most visited stretches on the East Coast
- North Myrtle Beach shores: Wider beaches with significantly less foot traffic than the main Myrtle Beach strip, best in the early morning before summer crowds arrive
- Surfside Beach: A one-mile family-only beach zone with no alcohol permitted on the sand, one of the calmest beach environments on the Grand Strand
Family-Friendly Activities
The area is built for travelers visiting with kids of all ages.
- Myrtle Waves Water Park: The largest water park in South Carolina with more than 30 acres of slides, wave pools, and a lazy river on Mr. Joe White Avenue, open May through Labor Day
- SkyWheel Myrtle Beach: A 187-foot observation wheel on the Boardwalk with enclosed gondolas and panoramic Atlantic views, runs year-round including evenings
- Mini golf: Myrtle Beach has more themed miniature golf courses per square mile than anywhere else in the United States, with the highest concentration along Kings Highway and near the Boardwalk
Nature & Wildlife
Beyond the main beaches, Myrtle Beach offers natural spaces to explore.
- Huntington Beach State Park: Consistently rated one of the best beaches in South Carolina, with a barrier island beach, salt marsh trails, and Atalaya Castle on the grounds — 16 miles south of Myrtle Beach near Murrells Inlet
- Brookgreen Gardens: A 9,100-acre sculpture garden and wildlife preserve with more than 2,000 works of American art set across coastal wetlands and formal gardens
- Murrells Inlet MarshWalk: A half-mile boardwalk along the salt marsh with direct access to seafood restaurants, boat tours, and wildlife sightings including egrets and dolphins year-round
Shopping & Dining
From casual seafood to large entertainment complexes, there’s variety nearby.
- Broadway at the Beach: A 350-acre entertainment complex with 100+ dining and retail options, mini golf, go-karts, an aquarium, and seasonal attractions clustered around a central lake, one of the most visited destinations in South Carolina
- The MarshWalk, Murrells Inlet: A string of waterfront seafood restaurants with marsh views, the best seafood strip on the Grand Strand and where most locals go over the Boardwalk restaurant scene
- Calabash, NC: A small town just across the North Carolina border known as the Seafood Capital of the World, about 40 minutes from central Myrtle Beach and worth the drive for groups
Golf
Myrtle Beach is one of the most popular golf destinations on the East Coast.
- Caledonia Golf and Fish Club: Consistently ranked the top course in the Myrtle Beach area, set on a former rice plantation with moss-draped oaks lining the fairways
- Barefoot Resort and Golf: Four courses designed by Davis Love III, Greg Norman, Pete Dye, and Tom Fazio on the Intracoastal Waterway in North Myrtle Beach
Arts, Entertainment & Nightlife
Evenings offer plenty of options beyond the beach.
- Alabama Theatre: A 2,200-seat performance venue in North Myrtle Beach running live music and variety shows year-round, one of the longest-running entertainment venues on the Grand Strand
- Carolina Opry: A 2,200-seat theater on Kings Highway running music, comedy, and holiday-themed shows, a Myrtle Beach institution since 1986
- Ocean Drive Beach Club: The original home of beach music and the shag dance in North Myrtle Beach, a piece of genuine American musical history
Local Insight: What Makes Myrtle Beach Unique
- Myrtle Beach hosts two major motorcycle rallies annually — Bike Week in May and the Black Bike Week Memorial Day rally — each drawing hundreds of thousands of riders. Nightly rates spike significantly during both weekends and the atmosphere changes across the city. Families typically avoid these dates; groups who enjoy the energy book months in advance.
- Huntington Beach State Park 16 miles south is consistently rated one of the top beaches on the East Coast for water quality and natural preservation. Most travelers do not realize it is that close — it is a 20-minute drive from almost any vacation rental on the Grand Strand and worth a dedicated day trip.
- The Murrells Inlet MarshWalk sits 12 miles south of the main tourist corridor and is where most locals go for seafood. The quality and atmosphere is noticeably different from the Boardwalk restaurant scene and most first-time visitors do not discover it until their second trip.
- January through March brings mild temperatures, empty courses, lower green fees, and some of the lowest vacation rental rates of the year. For golf-focused travelers, the off-season value on the Grand Strand is significant and largely overlooked by beach-focused visitors.
Frequently Asked Questions About Myrtle Beach
Yes. Major booking platforms add a service fee of around 15% on top of the host's nightly rate, charge that goes to the platform, not toward your stay. On a $2,000 week-long Grand Strand rental that is $300 added at checkout before you ever arrive. Booking directly with a property manager through Stay removes that fee entirely. You contact the host directly, pay their actual rate, and keep the difference.
Myrtle Beach is known for its long sandy beaches, oceanfront attractions, golf courses, and family-friendly entertainment along the Grand Strand.
Late spring and early fall offer warm weather with fewer crowds, while summer is the most popular for beach vacations and family travel.
Yes, Myrtle Beach is especially popular with families thanks to water parks, mini golf, amusement rides, and kid-friendly dining options.
North Myrtle Beach and Surfside Beach are both known for a calmer atmosphere while still being close to major attractions.
Some parts of central Myrtle Beach along Ocean Boulevard have a higher concentration of nightlife and can feel crowded and loud at night, particularly during summer weekends and rally events. Travelers with younger children or those looking for a quieter atmosphere typically prefer North Myrtle Beach, Surfside Beach, or Garden City Beach. Our full guide to Myrtle Beach neighborhoods covers which areas to consider based on your travel style.
Many vacation rentals include amenities such as pools, balconies, full kitchens, and easy beach access.
Most Myrtle Beach vacation rentals charge a nightly rate, a cleaning fee, and applicable South Carolina state taxes. Some resort properties add a parking fee, typically $50 to $75 per vehicle per stay. The largest fee most travelers do not anticipate is the platform service fee charged by major booking sites, typically 15% of the total booking cost added at checkout. Booking directly with a property manager eliminates that charge entirely.
Yes, there are pet-friendly rentals available, though policies and fees vary by property.
The Boardwalk and Ocean Boulevard areas are walkable, while other neighborhoods are easier to explore by car.
Most property managers in Myrtle Beach require the primary renter to be at least 25 years old. Some properties set the minimum at 21. Age requirements vary by property and are listed in individual listing details. Myrtle Beach property managers enforce age requirements more strictly than many other markets due to the high volume of Spring Break visitors each year.
Spring Break in Myrtle Beach runs primarily from mid-March through early April, with the highest concentration of visitors in the last two weeks of March. Bike Week runs in May (typically the second week) and draws several hundred thousand riders to the Grand Strand. The Black Bike Week Memorial Day rally follows in late May. All three periods cause significant rate increases and reduced availability. Families with younger children typically book late May through early August to avoid these windows entirely.
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