Car Rentals in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina - Compare Car Rentals at RentACarNow.com

Few towns better epitomize the American summer vacation than Myrtle Beach, whose mighty stretch of beach, aptly named the Grand Strand is one of the premier tourist destinations of the entire Southeast. Located on the northern coast of The Palmetto State, South Carolina, and situated just below its northern neighbor’s famed Outer Banks, Myrtle Beach attracts an estimated 14.6 million beach-crazed visitors every summer, but its temperate winters also make it an ideal destination for those looking to hone their golf game in the winter.

What to do

The Grand Strand is chocked full of golf courses, water parks, outlet malls, countless other entertainment venues and over 1,900 restaurants, many of which serve up the town’s freshly caught seafood. Renting a car is the most convenient method to get to the town’s many attractions, perhaps none more famous than the Carolina Opry which hosts scintillating musicals and eye-popping shows that range from comedy, to drama, to highly-choreographed dances; as well as a laser light show extravaganza. During the holiday season, the 2,200-person theater puts on a The Carolina Opry Christmas Special

Ranked the Number 3 boardwalk by National Geographic, The Myrtle Beach Boardwalk opened in 2010 and has quickly become a must-see attraction over its young lifespan, partly due to The Myrtle Beach Skywheel, a 200-foot ferris- wheel like attraction that offers breath-taking views of the entire town and Atlantic Ocean.

Fans of country music will relish a nightly dinner theater performance that includes herds of buffalo and rootin’, tootin’ stunt-riders at Dolly Parton’s Dixie Stampede. If you’re more into a relaxed setting, sip on a cool daiquiri at The Noizy Oyster, which satiates beach bum locals and visiting guests lathered in sun block with fresh Maryland-style steamed crabs, steamed and raw oysters, all lump crab cakes, and much more. If you are wanting to work on your Charleston two-step or any other dance, bust a move at Fat Harold’s Beach Club, which declares itself the “Home of Shag” and even offers complimentary shag lessons at 7pm every Tuesday.

Since you are going to want to bring home gifts for all your loved ones and maybe a few keepsakes for yourself in addition to all those precious seashells you’ll pick up along the beach, be sure to stop at the Barefoot Landing, Coastal Grand Mall, Myrtle Beach Mall, Tanger Outlets, Broadway at the Beach, and The Market Common Myrtle Beach.

If you’re looking to get your motor running, then head out on the highway to Myrtle Beach’s famed motorcycle rallies also known as Harley Bike Week, which started in 1940 and gains as many as 200,000 leather-jacket-rocking riders every week in May. During Memorial Day Weekend, African-Americans gather for Black Bike Week, a now annual event which dates back to 1980.

Getting There

Accessible by their Myrtle Beach International Airport situated on the Southern end of the city, or via Highway 17, which during peak summer months can become a congested nightmare, at which point it is better to use Highway 17 bypass, or cruise comfortably along Highway 31/Carolina Bays Parkway, which parallels Highway 17 between Highway 501 and Highway 9. It’s a quick drive from Charleston, SC and Savannah, GA.