The Best Things to Do on the South End of Myrtle Beach
Most visitors to Myrtle Beach never make it past the boardwalk. That’s their loss. The south end of the Grand Strand — from Springmaid Pier to Surfside Beach, and down through Murrells Inlet — is where the real experiences live. The water is calmer, the crowds are thinner, and the adventures are bigger. Whether you want your pulse pounding, your mind wandering, or your camera ready for the most beautiful sky of your life, this stretch of South Carolina coast delivers. Here’s exactly where to go and what to book.
Fun In the Sun!
Not everyone comes to the beach to relax. If you need speed, wind, and a little adrenaline in your vacation, the south end of the Myrtle Beach area has more options than anywhere else on the coast. These are the ones worth your time.
- Flat Water, Full Throttle
Departing from Wacca Wache Marina, the Waccamaw Airboat Tour is a completely different kind of river experience. Glide at speed across three rivers as your guide navigates backwater channels framed by towering cypress trees and Spanish moss. Up-close encounters with alligators, ospreys, and wading birds are common — and the open-air airboat puts you directly in the middle of their world. The tour runs approximately one hour with multiple daily departures during peak season. Ages 5 and up, minimum of four riders required. A minimum of four riders is required, so don’t wait — reserve your seats here.
- The Need for Speed
The only ocean jet ski rental in Myrtle Beach — and the distinction matters. While other operators send you into calm inlets, Downwind Sails launches you straight off the beach into open water, where the horizon is yours and the only traffic is the waves. Choose the 1-hour guided ocean tour (9 AM–1 PM, $135) for a full experience with a guide leading the way, or the 30-minute open rental (2–4 PM, $90) for those who just want to open it up. Drivers must be 18+ with a valid license, and a full safety briefing and equipment are included. This is as close as you’ll get to having the Atlantic to yourself. Don’t wait until you’re standing on the beach — reserve your jet ski here.
- Murrells Inlet’s Most Unique Ride
Imagine a go-kart. Now put it on water. Now add the Murrells Inlet marshwalk as your racetrack. That’s a SeaKart — and Seakart Adventure SC is the only place in the United States where you can ride one. This hybrid watercraft combines the speed and thrill of a jet ski with the stability and safety of a boat, making it approachable for first-timers and genuinely exciting for everyone. Each kart holds up to three people, a guided lead boat escorts every trip, and your 1-hour adventure covers about 15 miles of inlet waterway. Kids as young as 6 can ride along. This one fills up fast — grab your tickets here before your preferred time is gone.
- Hit the Road in Style
Not all the speed happens on the water. Myrtle Beach Slingshot Rentals — South Carolina’s only certified Polaris Adventures Outfitter — lets you explore the Grand Strand in a three-wheeled, open-air performance machine that turns every head on Ocean Boulevard. Starting at $99 for a 2-hour rental, with half-day and full-day options available, both manual and automatic transmissions are offered. All slingshots are the latest models, professionally maintained, and backed by full Polaris insurance. Located 6 miles south of Family Kingdom in Surfside Beach, just minutes from the south end’s best coastal roads. Ready to hit the road? Book your slingshot here.
- Inshore & Nearshore Fishing
Captain Coleman Reich traded the football field at Coastal Carolina University for the waters of Murrells Inlet — and he hasn’t looked back. Rooster Tail Charters offers half-day, full-day, and scenic fishing trips aboard “the Rooster,” a 23′ Key West boat docked right on the Marshwalk behind J. Peters Grill & Bar. Target species include Speckled Trout, Redfish, Flounder, Sheepshead, and Spanish Mackerel depending on the season, with all bait, tackle, rods, reels, and saltwater licenses provided. With up to 6 anglers per trip and a captain who fishes these waters every day, this is one of the most personalized fishing experiences on the Grand Strand. Check availability and book your charter here.
- Catch a Wave
There’s a certain kind of speed you only find on a surfboard, the feeling of catching your first real wave, the board lifting beneath you, the ocean doing the work. Eternal Wave Surf Shop has been teaching that feeling to visitors since 2001, making it one of the most established surf schools on the south end. This family-owned shop in Surfside Beach offers private and group surf lessons with patient, knowledgeable instructors who meet you at the water, no prior experience necessary. Whether you’re booking for your kids, your whole family, or finally doing the thing you’ve always wanted to try on vacation, Eternal Wave’s instructors are known for getting even the most nervous beginners standing on a board by the end of the lesson. Sign up for your lesson here.
Slow Down and Take It All In
The south end of the Grand Strand isn’t just about adrenaline. It’s also home to some of the most beautiful, unhurried, and genuinely memorable outdoor experiences in South Carolina. These are the ones that leave you feeling like you actually saw something real.
- Who Needs Feet When You Can Do This? Take a Segway Tour
One of the most beloved Segway tours on the East Coast takes place inside one of South Carolina’s most stunning state parks. The Huntington Beach State Park Tour glides you through pristine wetlands and wildlife preserves, past a freshwater lake where alligators bask in the sun, and around the grounds of Atalaya, the legendary Moorish-style castle that was once the private residence of sculptor Anna Hyatt Huntington. Nature lovers will spot loggerhead turtles, Anhingas, and Ospreys, and the park’s natural beauty makes every stop worth slowing down for. At $69 per person, this 2-hour experience runs Monday through Sunday at 10 AM, 1 PM, and 3:30 PM. Tours sell out regularly — secure your spot here.
- Cruise the Waccamaw
Departing from Wacca Wache Marina in Murrells Inlet, this 2 to 2.5-hour cruise along the historic Waccamaw River is a journey into a side of South Carolina most visitors never see. Aboard the 60-foot Waccamaw Lady, fully shaded with onboard restrooms, a local historian narrates the history, mystery, and legends of the rice plantations that once defined this region. You’ll drift past moss-laden oak trees, historic plantation homes, and colonial-era structures accessible only by water, while alligators, Bald Eagles, and Osprey make regular appearances along the banks. Adults $35, children $25, and free for kids 5 and under. This is a must on any south end itinerary — get your tickets here.
- Happy Hours on the Water
Part pedal boat, part BYOB party, part nature cruise, the Inlet BrewBoat is completely its own thing. This 21+ experience docks on the Murrells Inlet Marshwalk behind Creek Ratz and carries up to 15 passengers out across the inlet’s marshlands for a 1-hour cruise. Bring your own beer, wine, or drinks of choice, the boat supplies coolers packed with ice. Pedal if you want, let the motor do the work if you don’t. The Happy Hour Cruise captures that golden-hour glow before the sun goes down, with great music and the kind of easy, floating happiness that only seems to happen on the water. At $30 per person, it’s one of the best values on the south end. Grab your seat here before it’s taken.
- Visit a Hidden World Accessible Only by Boat
Sandy Island is one of South Carolina’s greatest secrets, 40 square miles of undeveloped freshwater island between the Waccamaw and Great Pee Dee Rivers, home to a living Gullah-Geechee community with roots going back centuries. Captain Rommy Pyatt, a native Sandy Islander and the community’s most passionate ambassador, leads 2.5-hour guided tours that visit the old Mt. Rena cemetery, the island’s schoolhouse, its volunteer fire department, and Pyatt’s General Store. The stories he tells about his ancestors, the rice fields they built, and the culture they preserved are unlike anything else available near Myrtle Beach. Tours run Tuesday–Friday, 9–11:30 AM, starting at $35 per adult. This is one of those rare experiences that people talk about for years — book your tour here.
Chase the Perfect Sunset
The Murrells Inlet sunset is a legitimate event. The light comes in low and golden over the marshes, the herons go quiet, and the sky does things that make people put down their phones. These two experiences put you exactly where you should be when it happens.
- Private Sunset Sailing
There’s no more intimate way to watch the sun go down over Murrells Inlet than from the deck of a private sailboat with a captain who knows every bend of the water. Set Sail Charter Co. offers private sunset sailing charters aboard the Miss Adventure, captained by Steely Hays, a Murrells Inlet native who grew up on these waters. Each charter accommodates up to four guests, combines sailing and motoring through the inlet’s scenic marshes and channels, and runs approximately 1.5 hours. BYOB is welcome, a restroom is onboard, and the whole experience is as unhurried and personal as a boat ride gets. With space for only four, these charters book quickly — reserve your private sail here.
- Sunset Cruise on Murrells Inlet
If you want to watch the Murrells Inlet sunset with your favorite people, your favorite drinks, and your favorite playlist playing from a boat in the middle of the marsh, the BrewBoat Sunset Cruise is your answer. This 1-hour, 21+ BYOB cruise departs at the hour the sky starts its show and carries up to 15 passengers across the golden inlet waters as the light shifts from orange to pink to purple. At $35 per person, it’s one of the most affordable and joyful sunset experiences on the entire coast. Reviews consistently call it the highlight of the entire vacation. Don’t miss it — get your tickets here.