City overview
The Grand Strand is sixty miles of South Carolina beach running from North Myrtle Beach down through Myrtle Beach, Surfside Beach and Murrells Inlet to Pawleys Island. It's one of the East Coast's classic family beach destinations, known for oceanfront resorts, the Boardwalk and SkyWheel, more than a hundred golf courses, and the seafood docks and salt marsh of Murrells Inlet. Jewish life centres on Myrtle Beach itself. Chabad of Myrtle Beach runs a daily minyan and a mikvah, and Beth-El Orthodox Sephardic Congregation has davened here since the 1970s. A Chabad-supervised kosher restaurant and a supermarket kosher section cover the basics.
Getting Around
Public transit
Coast RTA runs ten fixed bus routes across Horry and Georgetown counties, serving Myrtle Beach, Surfside Beach, Garden City, Murrells Inlet, Pawleys Island, Conway and Georgetown.
Buses run seven days a week, 362 days a year, closing only on New Year's Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Route 15S stops at the airport on Jetport Road from 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM, and the TransLoc app shows buses in real time. Service is built for residents more than visitors, so most travellers find a car far more practical.
Rideshare
Uber and Lyft both operate across the Grand Strand.
At Myrtle Beach International Airport, rideshare pickups use the designated commercial lane across from Door 5.
Car rental
A car is the easiest way to cover the Strand, since Pawleys Island to North Myrtle Beach is a long drive along US-17.
Eight national rental brands operate from the on-site Car Rental Facility at Myrtle Beach International Airport, with a counter open late.
Airport
Myrtle Beach International Airport (MYR), 1100 Jetport Road, sits at the south end of the city about three miles from the Boardwalk. It has more than 50 nonstop destinations on Allegiant, American, Avelo, Breeze, Contour, Delta, Frontier, Southwest, Sun Country and United. Taxis wait outside Door 6 at Baggage Claim, and rideshare pickups are across from Door 5. Wilmington, NC (ILM), about 75 miles north, and Charleston (CHS), about 95 miles south, are the nearest larger alternatives. Grand Strand Airport in North Myrtle Beach handles general aviation only.
Good to know
Best time to visit
Late spring (May to early June) and early fall (September to October) bring warm ocean water and beach weather with smaller crowds than the hot, busy midsummer peak.
Insider tips
Kosher options are limited, so plan to cook or bring food. Food Lion on 38th Avenue North carries kosher meat, Cholov Yisrael milk, frozen foods, non-perishables and baked goods, and Pita Bar Kosher on North Kings Highway is a kosher meat restaurant under Chabad supervision. Book a room with a kitchen, since many oceanfront resorts are condo-style suites. Both Chabad of Myrtle Beach and Beth-El host a Shabbat lunch. Contact them ahead of your trip. Summer is hot, humid and crowded, and US-17 traffic between the beach towns backs up at peak times.
Safety & emergency
The Grand Strand is a relaxed, family-oriented destination, and the main hazard is the ocean itself. Myrtle Beach flies color-coded beach flags: green for generally good conditions, yellow for medium hazards, single red for strong waves or currents, double red when the water is closed to swimming, and blue for dangerous marine life such as jellyfish. Swim near lifeguards and watch for rip currents. Alcohol, glass containers and fires are not allowed on Myrtle Beach's beach, and items must be removed by 7:00 PM. In an emergency dial 911. Myrtle Beach Police non-emergency line: 843-918-1382.
Local time
2:36 AM
+4 hrs from NYC
Plug
Type A/B
120V
Currency
US Dollar
Kosher map of Myrtle Beach, SC
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