The beach and Boardwalk give you Myrtle Beach’s clearest first introduction: ocean time, an easy promenade stroll and attractions close to the sand. Ripley’s Aquarium adds marine life indoors, while Myrtle Beach State Park offers a different side of the coast, with maritime forest and a fishing pier.
These six picks balance that oceanfront introduction with views, nature, rides and hands-on exhibits. Choose around your interests and the weather rather than trying to fit them all into one day.
Which attractions should you choose?
| Attraction / experience | Adult admission | Visit or ride length | From Plyler Park |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beach and Boardwalk | — | — | about 0.9 miles walking to Second Avenue Pier |
| Ripley’s Aquarium, standard ticket | $42.99, ages 12+ | About 1½–2 hours | about 2.2 miles driving |
| SkyWheel, standard ride | $19.99 before 5pm / $20.99 after 5pm, plus tax | About 10–15 minutes riding | about 300 feet walking |
| Myrtle Beach State Park, day entry | $8 | — | about 4.9 miles driving |
| Family Kingdom, unlimited-ride wristband | $45 | About 1–2 hours, quick visit | about 1.1 miles driving |
| WonderWorks, standard admission | — | About 2–3 hours | about 2.2 miles driving |
Start with the beach and Boardwalk if you choose only one attraction. Add the SkyWheel for oceanfront views. The ranking balances marine life, coastal views, nature, amusement rides and hands-on play, not a route to follow in sequence.
For rain, choose Ripley’s Aquarium or WonderWorks, both at Broadway at the Beach. In peak heat, keep outdoor visits to earlier or later in the day.
1. The beach and Boardwalk
The beach and Boardwalk belong first because you can combine time on the sand with a promenade stroll, arcades and somewhere to eat. Plyler Park is a useful starting point for a shorter oceanfront visit, with the SkyWheel nearby. Continue south towards Second Avenue Pier if you want more of the promenade.
The public Boardwalk and Second Avenue Pier are distinct: reaching the southern Boardwalk does not make the pier’s separately operated facilities part of the same visit. You can enjoy the oceanfront without committing to a pier activity.
Myrtle Beach TheDigitel · CC BY 2.0 · Edited
In hot weather, choose morning beach time or a later stroll, and bring sunscreen, a hat and water. If time is limited, stay around Plyler Park rather than treating the whole promenade as a checklist.
A later walk also leaves room for dinner or entertainment. The things to do in Myrtle Beach at night offer evening-specific choices for continuing once daylight fades.
2. Ripley’s Aquarium
Ripley’s Aquarium makes the marine-life choice especially engaging through its underwater shark tunnel and stingray exhibits. Choose it for watching animals rather than hands-on science activities. Allow extra time if children want to return to favourite tanks or you like to linger over the displays.
Standard admission covers the galleries and exhibits, including penguins, jellyfish and Amazon habitats, plus daily scheduled experiences. The Glass Bottom Boat Adventure and animal encounters cost extra, so treat those as additions rather than part of the ordinary ticket.
- Name
- Ripley’s Aquarium of Myrtle Beach
- Location
- 1110 Celebrity Cir, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577 Maps
- Essential fact
- A marine-life attraction at Broadway at the Beach in Myrtle Beach.
The aquarium opens every day of the year. For 8–14 October 2026, its hours are 9am–9pm Sunday–Thursday and 9am–10pm Friday–Saturday. Ticket sales end at closing, but arriving near that point leaves little time to enjoy the exhibits.
Afterwards, Broadway at the Beach gives you an easy change of pace with a lake walk or meal. Keep that break separate from time inside the aquarium, especially if you are travelling with children who have already spent a while concentrating on the tanks.
3. SkyWheel
SkyWheel gives you Atlantic and downtown views from enclosed gondolas, making it a compact addition to a Boardwalk stroll. Choose daylight for the coastline or evening for the illuminated wheel. A standard ride includes four revolutions. Allow extra time to buy tickets and wait to board.
- Name
- SkyWheel Myrtle Beach
- Location
- 1110 N Ocean Blvd, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577 Maps
- Essential fact
- An observation wheel on the downtown Myrtle Beach oceanfront.
The wheel typically opens daily from 11am, with a variable closing time. Advance booking is not required for an ordinary ride, and tickets are available online or at the booth.
Claire P. from Northern Virginia, USA · CC BY 2.0 · Edited
4. The state park
Myrtle Beach State Park offers beach time with maritime forest rather than the developed Boardwalk frontage. Its park beach, Sculptured Oak Trail and fishing pier give you three different ways to enjoy the coast: stay on the sand, walk beneath the trees or look back towards shore from the pier.
Choose an earlier summer visit for walking, before the hottest part of the day. Sculptured Oak Trail is a 0.5-mile easy walk, making it a modest addition to beach time rather than a demanding hike.
Jacklyn Viazanica · CC BY 2.0 · Edited
Day-use hours are 6am–10pm from March through November and 6am–8pm from December through February, daily. Park admission is required for pier sightseeing. No separate sightseeing fee is stated, while pier fishing, camping and certain programmes carry additional charges.
5. Family Kingdom
Family Kingdom is the choice for classic amusement rides south of the central Boardwalk. Its wooden Swamp Fox roller coaster is the distinctive draw for thrill-seekers, while a visit with several riders can become a longer evening of choosing rides and waiting for favourites.
- Name
- Family Kingdom Amusement Park
- Location
- 300 4th Ave S, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577 Maps
- Essential fact
- An amusement park at 300 4th Avenue South in Myrtle Beach.
Non-riders can enter the grounds free, so everyone need not buy a ride package. Riders can purchase individual ride credits or the unlimited-ride wristband at the park without advance booking. The wristband covers the park’s rides except the Slingshot.
Martin Lewison · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Edited
For the 2026 season, opening is from 5pm Monday–Friday and from 3pm Saturday–Sunday, with variable closing times. Choose the cooler part of the day when the park operates, and leave extra time beyond a quick visit if you want more rides or encounter queues.
Swamp Fox riders must be at least 4 feet 4 inches tall to ride alone. That condition matters when deciding whether the coaster suits your family.
6. WonderWorks
WonderWorks turns its upside-down building into an indoor choice for bubble activities and simulation exhibits. Choose it for hands-on play rather than the aquarium’s animal viewing. Standard admission gives access to more than 100 hands-on exhibits.
- Name
- WonderWorks Myrtle Beach
- Location
- 1313 Celebrity Cir, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577 Maps
- Essential fact
- A hands-on science amusement attraction at Broadway at the Beach in Myrtle Beach.
At Broadway at the Beach, it pairs naturally with a meal or lake walk. Choose between WonderWorks and the aquarium if time or family attention is limited. Ordinary tickets are available online or at the counter without advance booking.
Opening hours are 10:30am–9pm Sunday–Thursday and 10:30am–10pm Friday–Saturday.
The astronaut-training gyro requires riders to be 4 feet 6 inches–6 feet 2 inches tall and no heavier than 225 lb. Long hair must be tied up, and riders with injuries cannot participate.
Sources & fact-checking
Checks against the sources below cover: fares and charges, services, opening hours, closures, and key figures.
- Ripley Entertainment — fares and charges
- Ripley’s Aquarium of Myrtle Beach — service
- Ripley’s Aquarium of Myrtle Beach — opening hours
- Ripley’s Aquarium of Myrtle Beach — closures
- South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism — fares and charges
- South Carolina State Park Service — opening hours
- South Carolina State Parks — closures
- South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism — service
- SkyWheel Myrtle Beach — fares and charges
- The Experience – WonderWorks Myrtle Beach
- WonderWorks Myrtle Beach — opening hours
- Myrtle Beach WonderWorks Tickets | Top MB Attraction
- Frequently Asked Questions – WonderWorks Myrtle Beach
- Family Kingdom Amusement Park — fares and charges
- Family Kingdom Amusement Park — opening hours
- Family Kingdom Amusement Park — service
- Family Kingdom Amusement Park — key figures
