Your 2025 Guide to Budget-Friendly Fun in Myrtle Beach, S.C.
Myrtle Beach has mastered the art of Southern hospitality—whether you're traveling with champagne taste or a sweet tea budget. If you’re keeping an eye on expenses, rest assured: there are plenty of affordable adventures waiting, from sun-soaked outdoor fun and toe-tapping entertainment to crave-worthy dining and family-friendly attractions.
It’s no wonder more than 20 million visitors head to The Beach each year—this is a place where unforgettable doesn’t have to mean unaffordable. From budget-conscious accommodations to low-cost golf and free festivals, we’ve rounded up some of the best ways to enjoy Myrtle Beach without breaking the bank.
Want to save even more? Keep an eye on our Deals page—we’re always dropping exclusive offers and seasonal steals to help stretch your vacation dollars a little further.
Because here, making memories shouldn’t come with sticker shock.
Getting Here & Around Affordably
If you're coming from the East Coast, driving is the most affordable way to reach Myrtle Beach, especially for families or groups who can split the cost and pack snacks for the road.
Flying in? Myrtle Beach International Airport (MYR) is served by most major carriers, and budget airlines like Spirit and Allegiant often offer great deals, especially during the off-season. Be sure to check for winter or early spring flight discounts if you’re planning ahead.
Once you land, ride-share services are readily available and will get you from the airport to your resort or hotel with ease. Many resorts offer complimentary shuttle service to nearby dining, shopping, and attractions so check with your accommodations to see what’s available.
During the summer season (through Labor Day), Coast RTA’s Entertainment Shuttle offers a free, hop-on-hop-off option every 30 minutes from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., connecting key stops in Myrtle Beach and North Myrtle Beach. It’s a great way to explore without spending a dime on gas or parking.
Saving on Accommodations
The biggest investment of your vacation in Myrtle Beach is the resort you decide to book for your stay. Oceanfront resorts abound at the beach, which all feature a wide range of sizes in accommodations for your family and a lengthy list of amenities, such as pools, water parks, lazy rivers, onsite dining, and more.
If you need to focus on more affordability and oceanfront isn’t a priority for you and your family, shift directions and book a hotel or beach house rental with another family that is a block or two from the beach. It’s still a win-win, saving you money and serving as a great vacation spot in Myrtle Beach.
For more money-savings in the lodging department, consider renting a condo near the beach in the slower winter or spring seasons, which could save you 50 percent or more. Or, check into any of the campgrounds either at the beach or a little more private like Sun Outdoors. You can also camp in Myrtle Beach State Park.
Dining Deals
Myrtle Beach is host to more than 2,000 restaurants that feed families of all budgets, but dining out can get expensive. Cut costs by getting groceries for lunch and dinner to prepare in your suite or condo’s kitchenette and then plan to eat out for breakfast, which is usually the cheapest meal. It’s also budget-friendly if your resort offers a free breakfast spread each morning, which many of them do.
That doesn’t mean you can’t take advantage of any of the many restaurants that Myrtle Beach has to offer while staying on your budget. Go out for dinner late afternoon take advantage of early bird specials. And check out kids-eat-free restaurants and more dining deals, discounts, and coupon books HERE.
Save on Entertainment & Attractions
Entertaining the family in Myrtle Beach doesn’t have to cost you an arm and a leg. There are discounts on dinner shows, entertainment venues, attractions, and mini golf available in our visitor's guide (check here for our top deals of the year!)
Check out the many free festivals and concerts scheduled during the summer at Broadway at the Beach, Barefoot Landing, and Plyler Park.
Stroll along the Myrtle Beach Boardwalk for classic family fun or the Murrells Inlet MarshWalk for live music, restaurants and fresh views of the water. Both spots offer waterfront views, plenty to do and are prime people-watching spots that are fun for all ages.
Explore the Myrtle Beach or Huntington Beach State Park and enjoy nature trails, some of the area's most pristine beaches and hidden gems like Atalaya Castle. Admission is $8 per adult (16 and older), children aged 6-15 are $4, and children 5 and under are free. Senior citizens (65 and older) from South Carolina can enter for $5,
You can also visit the Franklin G. Burroughs-Simeon B. Chapin Art Museum which is sits in a relocated oceanfront villa and offers 11 galleries of local and regional artwork. Admission to the museum is $8 for adults, $5 for seniors and free for all kids 18 and under, plus veterans and members.
More Free & Affordable Things To Do
Ashley Daniels of Myrtle Beach is a full-time freelance writer, editor, wife, and mother of three sons and two fur babies. Most recently, she also became a published author of "100 Things to Do in Myrtle Beach Before You Die," part of a bestselling national series. A native of Eastern PA, Ashley received her bachelor’s in English Writing from the University of Pittsburgh and her MA in Writing from Coastal Carolina University. Today, her folio boasts nearly 25 years of regional and nationally published printed magazine features, blogs, and web copy for a roster of clients, and ADDY award-winning copywriting. For more info, visit ashleymdaniels.com