🏆 Things to Do · 14 Categories
Things to Do in Myrtle Beach
64 real attractions across 14 categories — dinner shows, live music, magic, escape rooms, museums, water & amusement parks, go-karts, big-ticket entertainment, mini golf, landmarks, state parks/gardens, wildlife, boat tours, and helicopter tours — spanning Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Murrells Inlet, and Surfside Beach.
Affiliate Disclosure: This page contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission if you book through these links, at no additional cost to you. Our rankings are based on independent traffic data, market share, and editorial testing — never commission rates.
Myrtle Beach has more attractions per mile than almost anywhere on the East Coast — so we went wide. 14 categories, 64 real currently-operating attractions, and just as importantly, a clear list of what’s actually closed (a few classics people still ask about — NASCAR SpeedPark, Dragon’s Lair, the old water park at Family Kingdom — are gone, and we didn’t want to send you to a dead attraction).
Arena Shows & Interactive Dinner Theater
Pirates Voyage Dinner & Show
Pirate-themed arena show with two full-size ship replicas, mermaids, and aerial stunts, paired with dinner.
See Availability on Tripster →Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament
Knights joust on horseback in a castle arena alongside a four-course feast.
See Availability on Tripster →Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre at House of Blues
Interactive comedy murder-mystery paired with a Southern-style dinner.
See Tickets on TicketNetwork →Riga-Tony’s Murder Mystery Dinner Show
1930s mafia-themed interactive murder mystery with an Italian dinner.
See Availability on Viator →Polynesian Fire Luau
Polynesian-themed luau dinner show run by Polynesian Fire Productions, with a buffet, live island music, and Hawaiian, Tahitian, Tongan, Samoan, and New Zealand dance performances, closing with a Samoan fire-knife dance act. At St. John’s Inn.
See Deal on Groupon →Windy Hill & Restaurant Row Corridor, North Myrtle Beach
Alabama Theatre
Long-running Grand Strand variety production spanning Broadway, country, and gospel.
See Availability on Tripster →The Carolina Opry
High-energy country/rock/gospel/comedy variety show with a 35+ member cast.
See Availability on Tripster →Legends in Concert
Live tribute show with celebrity look-alike and sound-alike performers.
See Availability on Tripster →Greg Rowles Legacy Theatre
Live-band variety and tribute concert show.
See Availability on Tripster →Broadway at the Beach & Downtown
Charles Bach Wonders
Las Vegas-style illusion and magic show at Broadway at the Beach.
See Availability on Viator →Michael Bairefoot Comedy Magic Show
Award-winning comedy magician’s stand-up magic show (“123 Magic Show”).
See Deal on Groupon →Spellbound Magic & Illusion Show
Illusion-based magic show currently running at GTS Theatre.
See Availability on Viator →Broadway at the Beach & Downtown
The Escape Game Myrtle Beach
Themed 60-minute escape room adventures.
See Availability on Viator →Myrtle Beach Room Escape
Multiple themed rooms, including a Walking Dead-themed room and a Wizard of Oz room.
See Deal on Groupon →Escapology Myrtle Beach
National escape-room chain with private, immersive themed rooms.
See Deal on Groupon →Escape Goats Escape Rooms
Locally-owned escape room venue, currently operating.
Visit Escape Goats Site →Broadway at the Beach & Downtown
WonderWorks Myrtle Beach
Upside-down building housing 100+ hands-on science and interactive exhibits.
See Availability on Viator →Ripley’s Believe It or Not!
Oddities museum with 500+ bizarre exhibits.
See Availability on Tripster →Ripley’s Aquarium of Myrtle Beach
Large aquarium with a moving glass-bottom-boat conveyor through a shark tank.
See Availability on Tripster →Hollywood Wax Museum Entertainment Center
Wax figure museum plus an attached 4D theater and mirror maze.
See Availability on Tripster →EdVenture Children’s Museum – Myrtle Beach
Interactive children’s museum branch of Columbia’s EdVenture, at Market Common.
Check EdVenture Myrtle Beach →Franklin G. Burroughs – Simeon B. Chapin Art Museum
Myrtle Beach’s dedicated art museum, with 11 rotating-exhibit galleries.
Check the Art Museum →Oceanfront & Broadway at the Beach
Myrtle Waves Water Park
South Carolina’s largest water park — 30+ slides/attractions, 1.2 million gallons of water, and a FlowRider surf simulator. Seasonal hours; call ahead for exact 2026 close date.
See Availability on Tripster →Family Kingdom Amusement Park
Oceanfront amusement park with the historic Swamp Fox wooden coaster. (Its old attached water park, Splashes, is permanently closed and demolished — don’t plan around it.)
See Availability on Tripster →Pavilion Park
Nostalgic rides and midway recreating the classic Myrtle Beach Pavilion.
See Availability on Tripster →Closed/demolished — don’t send readers here: Wild Water & Wheels (Surfside Beach, permanently closed) and Splashes Oceanfront Water Park at Family Kingdom (demolished 2022). Both still appear on other sites’ “best of” lists.
Four Real, Currently-Open Venues
Broadway Grand Prix
Go-kart tracks, mini golf, and arcade — the successor to the now-closed NASCAR SpeedPark.
See Deal on Groupon →The Track (Fun At The Track)
Elevated multi-level electric go-kart tracks — “Wild Woody” (3.5-level figure-eight) and “Mighty Myrtle” (double-spiral hairpin), plus Blaster Boats and an arcade.
Visit The Track Site →Fun Warehouse
“Thundervolt Speedway” indoor electric go-kart track with drifting, inclined turns, and turbo zones, plus a broader family fun center.
Visit Fun Warehouse Site →K1 Speed
Indoor all-electric go-kart racing reaching near 45 mph, plus an arcade and café.
Visit K1 Speed Site →Closed — don’t send readers here: NASCAR SpeedPark, Kart Trax Formula Racing, and Myrtle Beach Speedway (the NASCAR oval, demolished for redevelopment) are all confirmed closed despite showing up on older lists.
The Major Draws — Broadway at the Beach & Beyond
Topgolf Myrtle Beach
Climate-controlled golf driving range and entertainment venue with heated/cooled hitting bays, HDTVs, complimentary clubs, and a full sports bar and restaurant.
Check Topgolf Myrtle Beach →PopStroke Myrtle Beach
Two 18-hole outdoor mini-golf courses combined with a full-service restaurant and sports bar.
Check PopStroke Myrtle Beach →Dave & Buster’s Myrtle Beach
Arcade and dining venue with modern and classic arcade games plus a full sports bar.
Check Dave & Buster’s →Stars and Strikes Family Entertainment Center
Bowling, arcade, laser tag, VR, bumper cars, escape rooms, axe throwing, and karaoke all under one roof.
Check Stars and Strikes →810 Billiards & Bowling
Bowling lanes, billiards, arcade games, laser tag, axe throwing, and mini golf under one roof at Market Common.
Check 810 Billiards & Bowling →Sky Zone Myrtle Beach
Indoor trampoline park with a Sky Tower, Ninja Warrior course, arcade, and aerial silks.
Check Sky Zone Myrtle Beach →Soar & Explore
A 1,000-foot dual-line zipline over the water plus a pirate-themed, 3-level ropes course.
Check Soar & Explore →Dino Park
Walk-through attraction with 20+ animatronic dinosaurs, a ball pit, a fossil-dig area, and a large T. Rex replica.
Check Dino Park →Ten Real Themed Courses — Myrtle Beach’s Signature Attraction Category
Hawaiian Rumble
Tropical Hawaiian/Polynesian garden course with a 40-foot erupting volcano centerpiece and a famous “19th hole” hole-in-one challenge.
Visit Hawaiian Rumble →Mt. Atlanticus Minotaur Golf
Greek mythology/Atlantis theme with elevated golf huts ~75 feet high with ocean views, waterfalls, and caves.
Visit Mt. Atlanticus →Captain Hook’s Adventure Golf
Pirate/Peter Pan-Neverland theme with a “Lost Boys” course and skull cave.
See Availability on Tripster →Jurassic Golf
Dinosaur/prehistoric theme with life-size dinosaur figures and an Ice Age-themed accessible course.
See Availability on Tripster →Jungle Safari
African jungle/safari theme with animal-shaped obstacle holes.
See Availability on Tripster →Shipwreck Island Adventure Golf
Shipwrecked-castaway/tropical theme built around a full-size wrecked ship centerpiece, waterfalls, and streams.
See Availability on Tripster →Molten Mountain
Volcano/lava theme with flowing lava effects and rugged volcanic rock terrain.
Visit Molten Mountain →Cancun Lagoon
Ancient Mayan ruins/jungle lagoon theme with temple ruin structures around tropical water features.
Visit Cancun Lagoon →Mutiny Bay
Pirate adventure theme with shipwrecks, cannons, and coastal hideout structures.
Visit Mutiny Bay →Mulligan’s Lagoon
36 holes across a landscaped tropical lagoon, paired with an on-site arcade (Ace’s Arcade).
Visit Mulligan’s Lagoon →Closed — don’t send readers here: Dragon’s Lair Fantasy Golf (formerly at Broadway at the Beach) is confirmed closed. Dinosaur Adventure Golf (North Myrtle Beach) appears to still be operating as an 11th option if you want a second dinosaur-themed course, but wasn’t independently re-verified to the same depth as the ten above.
The Boardwalk & Its Piers
Myrtle Beach SkyWheel
187-foot oceanfront observation wheel on the Boardwalk — standard flights, sunrise flights, and VIP packages.
See Availability on Tripster →Myrtle Beach Boardwalk
1.2-mile oceanfront promenade from the 2nd Ave to 14th Ave piers — the SkyWheel, shops, restaurants, and summer “Hot Summer Nights” fireworks/concerts. Open 24 hours, free to walk.
See Boardwalk Info →Apache Pier
“The East Coast’s Longest Wooden Pier” at 1,206 feet — fishing, live summer music, arcade, and a seafood restaurant.
Visit Apache Pier Site →Second Avenue Pier
900-foot pier at the south end of the Boardwalk, home to the Wicked Tuna restaurant and weekly fireworks.
See Pier Listing →Myrtle Beach Pelicans
Chicago Cubs-affiliated Minor League Baseball team playing home games at Pelicans Ballpark — a classic, affordable night out during the season.
Check Myrtle Beach Pelicans →Myrtle Beach & Murrells Inlet
Myrtle Beach State Park
South Carolina’s first state park (1936). One mile of undeveloped natural beach, a fishing pier, nature trails through maritime forest, CCC-built cabins, and a 278-site campground.
Visit Myrtle Beach State Park Site →Huntington Beach State Park
2,500-acre park with 3 miles of beach, top-tier birding (300+ species), alligator-sighting lagoon, and the historic Atalaya Castle. Right next to Brookgreen Gardens.
Visit Huntington Beach State Park Site →Brookgreen Gardens
A three-in-one attraction on a 9,100-acre former rice plantation: the world’s largest collection of figurative American outdoor sculpture, a Lowcountry wildlife zoo, and extensive nature trails. A National Historic Landmark.
Visit Brookgreen Gardens Site →North Myrtle Beach & Murrells Inlet
Waccatee Zoo, the animal park longtime locals remember, is permanently closed — it lost its license in 2022 amid a PETA lawsuit, and the owners signed a 2024 legal settlement barring them from ever reopening it or exhibiting exotic animals again. It’s not coming back, so don’t send readers there.
Alligator Adventure
One of the world’s largest reptile facilities — alligators, snakes, turtles, and other exotic wildlife, plus live interactive shows. The closest currently-operating equivalent to a traditional zoo in the area.
Visit Alligator Adventure →Brookgreen Gardens Zoo
The Lowcountry wildlife zoo inside Brookgreen Gardens (see State Parks & Gardens above) is currently the area’s main general-wildlife zoo experience.
Visit Brookgreen Gardens →Dolphin Watching, Sunset Cruises, Pirate Cruises & Fishing Charters
Sea Screamer / Sea Thunder Dolphin Cruises
High-speed jet-boat dolphin watching cruise past uninhabited islands (1.5–2 hrs) — expect to get wet.
See Availability on Tripster →Blue Wave Adventures
Narrated dolphin-watch cruise departing Crazy Sister Marina, plus a small-group premium tour (max 15) and private charters.
See Availability on Viator →Crazy Sister Marina Excursions
One marina, several real cruises — Dolphin & Sealife Cruise, Ocean Sunset Cruise, Saltwater Marsh Eco Tour, and a kids’ Pirate Adventure.
See Availability on Viator →Blackbeard’s Pirate Cruise
1-hour interactive family pirate cruise with costumes, water cannons, and a treasure hunt, departing near Broadway at the Beach. Ages 1+.
See Deal on Groupon →Voyager Fishing Charters
Deep sea/Gulf Stream fishing charters (half-day up to 24-hr trips) plus a separate ~2.5-hour dolphin adventure cruise, departing Doc Holiday’s Marina.
See Deal on Groupon →Also real and operating, not yet deal-platform verified: Express Watersports (Murrells Inlet MarshWalk) and Hurricane Fleet Ocean Adventures (North Myrtle Beach/Calabash) both run dolphin and sunset cruises — worth a look if you want more options in this category.
Aerial Views of the Boardwalk & Golden Mile
OceanFront Helicopters
South Carolina’s oldest and largest helicopter tour operator, 20+ year safety record. A tiered lineup of tours covering the SkyWheel/Boardwalk, Broadway at the Beach, and the oceanfront “Golden Mile.”
Visit OceanFront Helicopters →North Myrtle Beach Heli
Budget-positioned helicopter tours along the North Myrtle Beach coastline.
Visit North Myrtle Beach Heli →Their own site lists this as seasonal — call ahead to confirm it’s currently flying before planning around it.
Planning Tips
- Mini golf is Myrtle Beach’s signature attraction category. Ten real themed courses is not a typo — this town has more elaborate putt-putt per square mile than almost anywhere in the country.
- Windy Hill / Restaurant Row corridor is its own mini-hub. Alabama Theatre, The Carolina Opry, and Greg Rowles Legacy Theatre all sit within a few minutes of each other in North Myrtle Beach.
- Broadway at the Beach covers four categories at once. WonderWorks, Ripley’s, an escape room, and a magic show are all in the same walkable complex.
- Murrells Inlet is worth a full day. Brookgreen Gardens and Huntington Beach State Park sit right next to each other, and the MarshWalk is a short drive away for dinner.
- Several old favorites are gone. NASCAR SpeedPark, Dragon’s Lair Fantasy Golf, Wild Water & Wheels, and Splashes Water Park are all closed — don’t plan a trip around outdated “best of” lists.
What’s the best mini golf in Myrtle Beach?
Hawaiian Rumble’s erupting volcano and Mt. Atlanticus’s elevated ocean-view huts are two of the most distinctive courses, but all ten courses in our list are real, currently-operating themed courses worth considering.
Is there a real water park in Myrtle Beach, not just a hotel pool?
Yes — Myrtle Waves Water Park is the area’s standalone water park with 30+ slides. Two older water parks people still ask about, Wild Water & Wheels and Splashes at Family Kingdom, are both permanently closed.
Where can I go-kart in Myrtle Beach?
Broadway Grand Prix, The Track, Fun Warehouse, and K1 Speed are all currently open. NASCAR SpeedPark and Kart Trax are both closed.
What is there to do in Murrells Inlet besides eat on the MarshWalk?
Brookgreen Gardens (sculpture garden, zoo, and nature trails) and Huntington Beach State Park (beach, birding, and the historic Atalaya) are both major attractions right next to each other in Murrells Inlet.
Is the SkyWheel worth it?
It’s the most recognizable landmark on the Myrtle Beach Boardwalk — a 187-foot observation wheel with ocean views, and it’s bookable through Viator and Tripster.
Is Waccatee Zoo still open?
No — Waccatee Zoo is permanently closed. It lost its license in 2022 amid a PETA lawsuit, and the owners signed a 2024 settlement barring them from ever reopening it. Alligator Adventure in North Myrtle Beach and the zoo inside Brookgreen Gardens are the closest currently-operating alternatives.
Are there dolphin cruises in Myrtle Beach?
Yes — Sea Screamer/Sea Thunder, Blue Wave Adventures, and Crazy Sister Marina’s excursions all run real, currently-bookable dolphin-watching cruises out of Little River and Murrells Inlet.
Can you take a helicopter tour in Myrtle Beach?
Yes — OceanFront Helicopters runs year-round tours over the Boardwalk and Golden Mile. North Myrtle Beach Heli offers a budget option but lists its schedule as seasonal, so call ahead before planning around it.
How does NME verify these attractions and deal links?
We check each attraction’s own site plus its listing status on Groupon, Viator, and Tripster directly, and we explicitly flag closed attractions that still appear on other sites’ lists. Read more on our methodology page.
Know an Attraction We Missed?
Myrtle Beach has more to do than any one list can cover. If there’s an attraction we should add, email us and we’ll check it out.
Email Us a Suggestion →Hungry after all that?
See where to eat nearby — family-friendly restaurants across Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Murrells Inlet, and Surfside Beach.
See Restaurants → See Hotels →