Getting around Myrtle Beach

Driving around Myrtle Beach

Driving directions

Arriving via U.S. 501

For visitors who arrive to Myrtle Beach via U.S. 501, there are several ways to get to your destination. S.C. 22, also known as Veterans Highway, can get visitors to the northern part of the Grand Strand, including North Myrtle Beach, Cherry Grove and Little River. For South Strand visitors (Surfside Beach, Garden City Beach or Pawleys Island areas), S.C. 31 is a safe bet as traffic is less congested.

Driving around town

Frequent visitors to Myrtle Beach know there are two main roads that will get you from north to south: U.S. 17 Business and U.S. 17 Bypass. Heading south, U.S. 17 splits into the two separate roads – commonly called Business 17 and the bypass – at the Carolina Opry near 89th Avenue North. Business 17 runs closer to the ocean and includes more businesses and stoplights. The Bypass, which is less of a bypass that it was conceived to be, skips some of those lights and can allow for quicker travel. The roads merge again in the Murrells Inlet area south of Myrtle Beach.

For those visitors traveling a long stretch of the Grand Strand, U.S. 31 is a helpful path. It runs from Highway 9 in North Myrtle Beach all the way south to the Surfside Beach area. This is the true bypass for travelers who need to make their way more than a few miles north or south.

One other north-south route to consider is Robert M. Grissom Parkway. It runs from the Myrtle Beach International Airport north past 48th Avenue before crossing over the Intracoastal Waterway. This can be a useful route for traveling north-south within the Myrtle Beach city limits. It runs between U.S. 17 Business and the bypass and passes the Coastal Grand Myrtle Beach Mall as well as the Broadway at the Beach shopping complex.

Public transportation

Coast RTA provides public transportation around Myrtle Beach. The company offers 15 fixed routes along the Grand Strand, including service to Conway and Georgetown. Full routes and shuttle prices can be found at coastrta.com.

New in 2012 is the “Entertainment Express,” a free shuttle which runs from Broadway at the Beach back to Ocean Boulevard from 21st Avenue North to Ninth Avenue North.

Traveling by Air

The Myrtle Beach International Airport, which is undergoing a massive expansion expected to be complete in 2013, is located in the heart of Myrtle Beach, S.C. The expansion will take the airport from seven gates to 13, allowing for many more Grand Strand visitors to arrive by plane. Direct flights are offered from cities such as Atlanta, New York, Toronto and Charlotte. For a complete list of direct flights, check www.flymyrtlebeach.com.

As of January 2013, the airport is serviced by the following airlines:

Allegiant
Delta
Porter Airlines
Spirit Airlines
US Airways
United

Car rentals

For air travelers, several rental car companies have counters at the airport for your convenience. Choose from a variety of vehicle sizes and types from any of these carriers.