When you’re bringing your family to Myrtle Beach for a vacation playing in the ocean surf and building sandcastles is just the beginning of all the fun you will have. The Grand Strand area offers a wealth of opportunities for family fun. Hard as it was to decide, we picked the top five family friendly things to do in Myrtle Beach when you decide it’s time to venture away from the oceanfront and check out what the area has to offer.
Wild Water & Wheels
910 Highway 17 South
Surfside Beach, SC 29575
This is an amusement park and a water park combined! There are 24 water slides including the Dark Hole that was recently described by Southern Living Magazine as the “best scary ride” in Myrtle Beach. There’s the Free Fall Cliff Dive where sliders can reach speeds of up to 45 miles per hour! Visitors can relax on a 950-foot lazy river, splash around in eight unique types of waves in the wave pool, unwind in the adult lounge pool, or get their bouncy on in bumper boats.
If you like Go Karts the Race Zone offers five different types of go-karts. There is a specially designed junior racers track for kids ages six to nine and a speed racers course for ages 12 and up.
Enjoy the kiddie rides, a miniature golf course with 18 holes, cabanas to rent, a food court with snack bar, gift shop and picnic area.
Waccatee Zoo
8500 Enterprise Road
Myrtle Beach, SC 29588
This amazing animal sanctuary on 500 acres features a collection of more than 100 species of exotic and domestic animals housed along winding, scenic trails and beneath shady trees. Take in the natural setting and engaging wildlife with your family, enjoy food from the snack shop and see tons of creatures up close and personal including herds of buffalo and zebra, leopards, lions, cougars, and tigers. Oh my! Don’t miss Chico the chimp, the zoo’s own mascot.
Broadway at the Beach
Highway 17 Bypass and 21st Avenue
Myrtle Beach, SC 29588
There is plenty to see and do for the whole family at Broadway at the Beach that goes way beyond the numerous shops and restaurants. Check these out:
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Magiquest – An interactive live-action, role playing game where players of all ages can embark on quests and adventures in an enchanted fantasy world using “real” magic wands to solve the mysteries of the game.
Ripley’s Aquarium – Complete fun, adventure and education can be discovered here for the entire family. The 1.4 million gallon aquarium features 12-foot sharks and over 10,000 exotic sea creatures.
Wonderworks – Try the more than 100 interactive exhibits, rides, games and attractions at this museum — aka “The Upside Down House” — one of the most popular things to do with kids in Myrtle Beach!
The Hollywood Wax Museum – Get into the action and take pictures with your favorite stars. Peek into the Prop Vault, dance with the stars, tiptoe through a laser maze, and more.
Pavilion Nostgalia Park – Relive past memories with some of the best rides and attractions from the original Myrtle Beach Pavilion Amusement Park including the Pirate Ship, Frog Hopper, the Herschel-Spillman Carousel and Baden Band German pipe organ.
Family Kingdom
300 S Ocean Boulevard
Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
Family Kingdom Amusement Park and Water Park are the only oceanfront attractions in the Grand Strand. At Family Kingdom Amusement Park there are more than 35 rides ranging from kiddie attractions to spine-chilling thrill rides. The historic Swamp Fox wooden roller coaster is popular among visitors looking to take a hair-raising ride, while the modern, steel Twist ‘N Shout roller coaster is one of six new rides recently unveiled. New additions include the Slingshot DropZone, which drops passengers to a 110-foot free fall, the Kite Flyer that will have you soaring through the sky in Superman style, Dune Buggies & Magic Bikes, and the Frog Hopper and Flight School rides.
At Splashes Water Park you can zip down the twisting Flume Slides and zoom down the towering Speed Slides before splashing into the cool landing pools. Smaller slides and a kiddie aquatic playground are available for the smaller set and a huge Lazy River allows the less brave a relaxing change of pace.
Unlike other amusement and water parks in the area, admission to both Family Kingdom attractions is free so parents or grandparents who want to come along for the fun but not the rides can enjoy family time. All-day passes to either or both parks are available and specific armbands allow for limited or unlimited rides.
Shipwreck Island Adventure Golf
3301 South Ocean Blvd.
Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
Visitors can join a stranded band of pirates on their quest to find their buried treasure and misplaced booty on Shipwreck Island. Climb aboard the wrecked ship, the Myrtle Maiden, then putt your way through palm trees, flowing streams and waterfalls while following the treasure map. Shipwreck Island is one of the newest and more modern courses on the Grand Strand. Get ready because this may just be the most fun you’ve ever had playing miniature golf!
