When many travelers think of Myrtle Beach, visions of the Boardwalk, the Boulevard, shopping meccas and the SkyWheel spring to mind — and all of these are signature area sights. But of course, there is much more to Myrtle Beach than its many manmade attractions.
Boasting 60-plus miles of scenic Atlantic Ocean shoreline and an array of picturesque natural features such as rivers, lakes, marshes and maritime forests, the Myrtle Beach area is truly a nature lover’s paradise, too. And from its southernmost point near Winyah Bay to its northern terminus near Little River, there are plenty of places to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life to enjoy some more peaceful, natural settings.
During your next Grand Strand visit, consider checking out one (or more) of these area attractions with no shortage of natural charm:
State Parks and Nature-Focused Attractions
Myrtle Beach State Park — Opened in 1946, Myrtle Beach State Park was South Carolina’s first state park. For visitors, it offers a full mile of undeveloped beach, along with a fishing pier, a campground, a pair of hiking trails, playgrounds, picnic areas and more.
Huntington Beach State Park — Home to National Historic Landmark Atalaya Castle (where a popular arts and crafts festival is held annually), Huntington Beach State Park also offers 3 miles of pristine Atlantic Ocean beach where visitors can swim, fish, walk along the seashore or simply relax. Other features here include a campground, .3-mile and a 2-mile nature trails, a Nature Center, numerous boardwalks, and a wide variety of birds (more than 300 species have been spotted within the park).
Brookgreen Gardens — Found in Murrells Inlet, Brookgreen Gardens offers visitors more than 9,000 acres of natural beauty to explore. The attraction’s top draw is its expansive sculpture gardens featuring more than 2,000 artworks from over 400 artists — including the most comprehensive collection of American figurative sculpture in the United States. Other on-site attractions include nature trails, a butterfly garden, historic rice plantations and the Lowcountry Zoo.
Animal-Driven Attractions
Alligator Adventure — Located at the Barefoot Landing shopping/dining/entertainment complex in North Myrtle Beach, Alligator Adventure treats visitors to plenty of up-close views of its namesake reptiles, including American alligators, albino alligators and a tail-less female alligator named Bob. But the wildlife sightings won’t stop there. Other creatures on display here include crocodiles, caiman, bobcats, flamingoes, mountain lions, hyenas and more.
Ripley’s Aquarium — Found at Myrtle Beach hot spot Broadway at the Beach, Ripley’s Aquarium gives visitors a peek into the ocean deep — no ship or submarine required. Animal-encounter attractions to check out here include a 750,000-gallon shark tank, the Penguin Playhouse, Planet Jellies, Ray Bay, Sloth Valley and many more.
Myrtle Beach Safari — For visitors to the Grand Strand who want to have exotic encounters without all the travel, Myrtle Beach Safari offers the chance to see a long list of animals including lions, tigers, a Guinness world record-winning liger, African elephants, eagles, cheetahs, chimpanzees, gibbons and more.
Biking and Hiking Destinations
Waccamaw Neck Bikeway — Running from Pawleys Island to Garden City alongside U.S. Highway 17, the Waccamaw Neck Bikeway offers an 18.6-mile paved trail on the southern Grand Strand where hikers and bikers can get some exercise while taking in beautiful scenery and nature.
The A-10 — Found in Myrtle Beach retail district the Market Common, the A-10 mountain biking trail is named for the A-10 Bomber aircraft — and skilled mountain bikers can fly along its 1 mile of singletrack twists and turns while taking in forest views.
Grissom Parkway Trail — A paved multipurpose path that runs for 5.2 miles alongside the Robert Grissom Parkway in Myrtle Beach, the Grissom Parkway Trail offers those on two wheels, on foot or on skates a great way to get active while enjoying the great outdoors.
Every Day is An Adventure at Paradise Resort
Ready to track down your next ecoadventure on the Grand Strand? At Myrtle Beach’s Paradise Resort, our comfortable oceanfront accommodations and endless amenities help ensure that you and your coast-loving crew have a fun and memorable experience during your getaway — all while staying in a beautiful oceanfront location with easy access to all of the area’s top attractions. Book your stay today!
