Where to Stay in Myrtle Beach, SC: Areas Compared

Destinations › Grand Strand › Myrtle Beach › Where to Stay

Where to stay in Myrtle Beach depends on what you came for. We compare 11 areas by what they are close to, using the city's and the visitor bureau's own descriptions, plus any short-term rental rule the town publishes. No hotel rankings.

Areas11on this page
Regions1Grand Strand
Free0as the operator states
CheckedOct 262026

The Short Answer

Visit Myrtle Beach describes the Grand Strand as fourteen distinct communities along 60 miles of the South Carolina coast. source
Myrtle Beach sits at the heart of the Grand Strand; the Myrtle Beach Boardwalk and Promenade, the SkyWheel and the Second Avenue Pier are in the city. source
In the City of Myrtle Beach, all owners of rental property are required to have a business license. source
Two oceanfront state parks offer camping on the Grand Strand: Myrtle Beach State Park (also 6 cabins) and Huntington Beach State Park near Murrells Inlet. source

Every Areas on Our List

Search this list11 of 11

Name	Where	What	When	Cost	Good to know	Source
Atlantic Beach	Atlantic Beach Grand Strand	Town nicknamed 'The Black Pearl', formed mostly by Gullah/Geechee people.	Not listed	Not listed	Not listed	source
Central Myrtle Beach (Boardwalk and Promenade)	Myrtle Beach Grand Strand	City center of the Grand Strand with the Myrtle Beach Boardwalk and Promenade, the SkyWheel and the Second Avenue Pier; Broadway at the Beach hosts weekly summer fireworks shows. Visitor center: 1200 North Oak Street.	Not listed	Not listed	Access: Lodging taxes to the city (notice effective July 1, 2021): '.05 percent' Local Accommodations Tax and 1 percent Hospitality Fee, plus Horry County's 1.5% Hospitality Fee inside the city. All rental property owners need a city business license.	source
Conway	Conway Grand Strand	The Horry County seat, with tree-lined streets, historic homes and the Conway Riverwalk.	Not listed	Not listed	Not listed	source
Garden City Beach	Garden City Grand Strand	Small community popular for fishing, crabbing and other water sports, with a fishing pier and marina.	Not listed	Not listed	Access: Lodging tax and county not confirmed on an official page.	source
Litchfield Beach	Litchfield Beach Grand Strand	Community established in 1978, known for its quiet setting and golf courses; the CVB community page mentions a 26-mile bikeway.	Not listed	Not listed	Not listed	source
Little River	Little River Grand Strand	Fishing community on the north end of the Strand, once a harbor for pirates and Civil War blockade-runners; known for the Blue Crab Festival and ShrimpFest.	Not listed	Not listed	Access: Unincorporated status and lodging tax not confirmed on an official county page.	source
Murrells Inlet	Murrells Inlet Grand Strand	Known as the Seafood Capital of South Carolina, with The MarshWalk, a 1,400-foot boardwalk; Huntington Beach State Park (173 campsites, Atalaya) is nearby on Ocean Hwy.	Not listed	Not listed	Access: Lodging tax and county not confirmed on an official page.	source
Myrtle Beach State Park area (south Myrtle Beach)	Myrtle Beach Grand Strand	State park opened in 1936 with 1 mile of undeveloped beach, 6 CCC cabins 200 yards from the beach, 278 campsites and a fishing pier.	Daily 6 a.m.-10 p.m., March-Nov.; Daily 6 a.m.-8 p.m., Dec.-Feb.	$8 adults; $5/SC seniors (age 65 & older); $4/ child age 6-15; Free for children 5 and younger.	Dogs: Pets are not allowed on the beaches from 10am until 5pm (7 days a week) May 1 through Labor Day (a county ordinance, per the park page). Pets are not allowed in any cabin or the cabin areas.	source
North Myrtle Beach	North Myrtle Beach Grand Strand	Nine-mile-long beach community formed in 1968 from four earlier communities; birthplace of the Shag dance; Cherry Grove Pier is listed on the CVB community page.	Not listed	Not listed	Access: City STR rule and lodging tax rate not confirmed (see unverified).	source
Pawleys Island	Pawleys Island Grand Strand	One of the oldest resort communities on the East Coast, at the southern end of the Grand Strand.	Not listed	Not listed	Access: Town STR rule and lodging tax not confirmed (see unverified).	source
Surfside Beach	Surfside Beach Grand Strand	South Strand town that calls itself 'the family beach', with a fishing pier.	Not listed	Not listed	Access: Town STR rule and lodging tax rate not confirmed (see unverified).	source

Hours, dates and prices are copied from each operator’s own page on the date shown; check before you go.

City of Myrtle Beach Lodging Taxes and Licenses

Effective July 1, 2021: accommodations and short-term rental providers collect '.05 percent' Local Accommodations Tax and 1 percent Hospitality Fee to the City of Myrtle Beach. source
In March 2019 the city had raised its Local Accommodations Tax from 0.5% to 3% and added a 2% Hospitality Tax; the 2021 notice says businesses return to the rates collected before July 1, 2019. source
Horry County resumed collecting its 1.5% Hospitality Fee from businesses inside the city as of 12:01 a.m. on July 1, 2021. source
City business license renewals are due by April 30; renewals received or postmarked May 1 or after are assessed a five percent penalty per month. source

About Myrtle Beach

Myrtle Beach was incorporated in 1938 and became a city in 1957, when the permanent population first topped 5,000. source
The name Myrtle Beach comes from the wax myrtle, chosen in a name-the-town contest in 1900; 'Edgewater' finished second. source

State Park Camping on The Grand Strand

Huntington Beach State Park has 173 campsites (107 with water and electric, 66 full-hookup) and 6 rustic tent sites. source
Myrtle Beach State Park has 278 campsites, 138 with full hookups, and 30 designated seasonal tent sites. source
All Myrtle Beach State Park trails will be closed from November through January for trail maintenance and construction. source

FAQ

Do I need a license to rent my place in Myrtle Beach?

Yes. The City of Myrtle Beach says all owners of rental property are required to have a business license. source

Are there cabins at Myrtle Beach State Park?

Yes. The park has six rental cabins built by the CCC in the 1930s, located 200 yards from the beach. Pets are not allowed in any cabin. source

How long is the Grand Strand?

Visit Myrtle Beach describes the Grand Strand as stretching 60 miles along the South Carolina coast. source

What We Could Not Confirm

Not confirmed: we looked for these on official pages and did not find them. Check with the town or operator before you rely on them.

City of Myrtle Beach local accommodations tax: the 2021 city notice prints '.05 percent' (likely 0.5%, which the same notice uses for the pre-2019 rate); no 2026 rate page found. Confirm before publishing a rate.
City of Myrtle Beach STR zoning (which districts allow rentals under 90 days) not found on an official page.
North Myrtle Beach, Surfside Beach and Pawleys Island short-term rental rules and local accommodations tax rates: no official town pages read.
Boardwalk length not published on the Visit Myrtle Beach page read.

Sources

Read on October 26, 2026. How we check: editorial standards; spot a mistake? Tell us.

Cite this page: It's South Carolina, “Where to Stay in Myrtle Beach”, itssouthcarolina.com/destinations/grand-strand/myrtle-beach/where-to-stay-in-myrtle-beach/ (updated 2026-10-26). By the It's South Carolina editorial team. Free to quote with attribution and a link to this page; data and tables are licensed CC BY 4.0.