30 spots
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North Myrtle Beach
Alligator Adventure
Wildlife
A reptile park beside Barefoot Landing in North Myrtle Beach, billed as one of the world's biggest homes for reptiles. Alongside alligators you'll see snakes, turtles and other animals, with some mammals and birds, such as lemurs, flamingos and a capybara, on view for limited times. Live shows let guests meet animals up close and learn about them. Check the website for current hours and tickets.
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Murrells Inlet
Black River Outdoors Center
Kayak / paddleboard
Guided kayak tours of a blackwater cypress forest on the Waccamaw River, the Murrells Inlet salt marsh and Huntington Beach State Park, plus naturalist-led, birding and kayak fishing trips. Wildlife can include swallow-tailed kites, osprey, bald eagles and alligators. Book online for the meeting spot.
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Murrells Inlet
Brookgreen Gardens
Gardens
A sculpture garden since 1932, with live oaks, a wildlife trail and a lowcountry farm and zoo. Beyond the gardens there are seasonal exhibits, including a holiday train display and holiday market, and wellness events such as yoga in the gardens. General admission tickets are good for seven consecutive days, so a visit can be spread over several days.
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Conway
Conway Riverwalk
Boardwalk
The Conway Riverwalk is a scenic promenade of roughly a mile along the dark Waccamaw River in downtown Conway. Along the way are historic markers, public artwork, a public park, a marina and a playground, so it works well for a family stroll after a visit to the Horry County Museum.
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Murrells Inlet
Crazy Sister Dolphin Cruises
Dolphin tour
Dolphin-watch and sunset cruises from the MarshWalk. The marina also runs marsh eco and birdwatching tours, history and ghost cruises, pirate adventures and wine-sampling sails, plus fishing trips and rentals of pontoons, skiffs, kayaks and jet skis. It suits families and couples; see the website for the current schedule.
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Murrells Inlet
Express Watersports Dolphin Watch
Dolphin tour
A 1.5-hour dolphin watch cruise leaving the MarshWalk dock in Murrells Inlet on a 46-foot boat with covered and open decks and a restroom. Marine science students or a naturalist narrate, and snacks and drinks are sold on board. It suits families and anyone after a relaxed outing; sightings aren't guaranteed. Kayak and paddleboard rentals are also available.
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Georgetown
Georgetown Harborwalk
Boardwalk
A riverfront walk along Front Street with boat tours, museums and a marina.
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Little River
Getaway Adventures Dolphin Tour
Dolphin tour
Narrated sightseeing and dolphin cruises from Little River on the Intracoastal Waterway, with marine life and local history along the way. Choose a dolphin tour of about 1.5 to 2 hours, or a longer trip with a stop at Waties Island for shelling and swimming (not offered on weekends or holidays).
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North Myrtle Beach
Great Escapes Kayaking Expeditions
Kayak / paddleboard
A North Myrtle Beach outfitter since 2008 offering guided kayak and paddleboard tours and rentals on the Waccamaw River, undeveloped Waties Island and the Cherry Grove marsh. Good for families, friends and couples. Book online or by phone ahead of time, especially for the river.
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Georgetown
Hobcaw Barony
Nature reserve
A 16,000-acre coastal research reserve near Georgetown that you can only visit on a guided tour or program. Options include a two-hour weekday tour, a longer seasonal Saturday tour, and a four-mile hike to the North Inlet salt marsh, along with programs such as birding and trail rides. More than 70 cultural sites, including the Baruch family homes, cemeteries and former enslaved people's cabins, tell the property's history. Tours are booked through the website.
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Central Myrtle
Horry County Bike & Run Park
Nature reserve
This 70-acre Horry County park has seven miles of mountain biking and hiking trails near the Intracoastal Waterway. It is a good stop for riders and hikers who want a break from the beach, and it is run by the county as a public park.
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Murrells Inlet
Huntington Beach State Park
State park
A beach, marsh boardwalk, birding and nature center, home to Atalaya Castle. Three miles of beach have a dog-friendly south end, a freshwater lake is a good spot for seeing alligators, and birders can look for more than 300 species. There is a campground too. The nature center's marsh boardwalk was closed for construction when we last checked the park's site, so confirm before you go.
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Murrells Inlet
Murrells Inlet MarshWalk
Boardwalk
A waterfront boardwalk along the marsh, lined with live-music venues.
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Central Myrtle
Myrtle Beach Boardwalk
Boardwalk
An oceanfront promenade with piers, rides and summer live music.
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Surfside
Myrtle Beach State Park
State park
A beach park since 1935 with a fishing pier, trails and camping. It has a mile of undeveloped beach, a pier for fishing, crabbing and wildlife watching, a nature center open most days, and a campground with hundreds of sites plus a few cabins built by the Civilian Conservation Corps. The nature trail closes from November through January, and pier fishing and camping cost extra.
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Little River
North Myrtle Beach Park & Sports Complex
Park
This 160-acre park in Little River has baseball, softball and soccer fields, freshwater ponds, walking trails, two playgrounds, picnic shelters and the Cypress Nook disc golf course. It hosts youth tournaments and team events, and is a free place to stretch your legs, play a round or let the kids run.
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Murrells Inlet
Plantation River Tours
Eco tour
Plantation River Tours leaves from Wacca Wache Marina in Murrells Inlet on two river trips: the Waccamaw Lady, a 60-foot pontoon boat narrated by a local historian who covers the plantations' history, and the Waccamaw Cooter airboat tour of the Waccamaw, Black and Pee Dee rivers.
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Little River
PonTiki Myrtle Beach
Scenic cruise
PonTiki runs daily party boat cruises on the Intracoastal Waterway with music, dancing and drinks included. Public cruises last two hours, private cruises run two to eight hours, and the largest boat holds up to 47 passengers. Outside drinks are not allowed. Guests should be of drinking age.
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Little River
Sea Racer Tours
Dolphin tour
Sea Racer runs dolphin-watching cruises from the Big M Casino boat dock in Little River on a 70-foot boat with a 360-degree viewing area and room for up to 128 passengers. Tours last about 1.5 to 2 hours along the Little River and Myrtle Beach coastline. Dolphin sightings are not guaranteed.
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Little River
Sea Thunder and Sea Screamer
Dolphin tour
Fast, narrated dolphin cruises of 1.5 to 2 hours from Little River. The boats run up the Intracoastal Waterway, past barrier islands and out through the jetty into the Atlantic to look for wild bottlenose dolphins. Sea Thunder boards at 1522 Watson Ave and Sea Screamer at 4499 Mineola Ave. The company offers a dolphin sighting guarantee; check its terms.
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Central Myrtle
Socastee Recreation Park
Nature reserve
Socastee Recreation Park is a 91.5-acre Horry County park with multi-purpose fields, picnic areas, a disc golf course, walking trails and a playground. It is a free place for families to spend a few hours away from the oceanfront.
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Central Myrtle
Splinter City Disc Golf Course
Nature reserve
Splinter City is a 25-acre Horry County disc golf course in Myrtle Beach with two sets of tees. It is open daily and free to play, which makes it an easy low-cost activity for visitors who bring their own discs.
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Murrells Inlet
Surf the Earth
Kayak / paddleboard
Kayak (including fishing kayaks) and paddleboard rentals, plus surf lessons, in the Pawleys Island area. The family-run shop also rents surfboards and skim and body boards and sells surf apparel, including a kids' collection. It is open Monday through Saturday and has three locations.
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Central Myrtle
T.I.G.E.R.S. / Myrtle Beach Safari
Wildlife
A big-cat and exotic-animal preserve offering hands-on wildlife encounters. Day and night safari tours feature tigers and wolves, and the animals include Bubbles, a rescued African elephant, Odin the liger, and chimp brothers Vali and Sugriva. Photo encounters, the Capybara Café and private group experiences are also offered. Tours are by reservation only.
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Central Myrtle
Tiki Tours of Myrtle Beach
Scenic cruise
Tiki Tours runs scenic cruises on the Intracoastal Waterway near Myrtle Beach aboard an 18-passenger tiki boat, including sunset cruises. It is a laid-back way to see the waterway with friends or family, and the boat is also booked for bachelor and bachelorette parties, corporate outings and other special occasions.
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Little River
Vereen Memorial Gardens
Nature reserve
Vereen Memorial Gardens is an Horry County park on the waterfront in Little River with about three miles of nature trails and boardwalks. It is a quiet, free spot for a walk, bird watching and views over the marsh and waterway. Beach wheelchairs can be reserved through the county.
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Murrells Inlet
Visit Murrells Inlet Cruises & Tours
Eco tour
Boat tours of the Murrells Inlet saltwater marsh aboard the Explorer, plus a pirate ship for kids. Choose eco and bird-watching tours with herons, egrets, eagles and starfish, sunset and full-moon cruises, history tours, ghost-story cruises, or a children's pirate adventure for ages 10 and under.
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North Myrtle Beach
Waites Island
Nature reserve
Waites Island is an undeveloped barrier island of more than 1,000 acres at the northern tip of South Carolina, between Cherry Grove and Sunset Beach. There are no roads: visitors arrive by guided horseback ride, kayak or paddleboard through the salt marsh. Bald eagles, ospreys and herons live there, and dolphins and sea turtles are seen in summer.
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Central Myrtle
Wild Woods Farm
Wildlife
An exotic petting farm inland in Conway with more than 200 animals, from goats and llamas to sloths and lemurs, and hands-on encounters for families. Visits are by appointment.
No spots match all of those choices.