We’re going to cut right to the chase. For all intents and purposes, there is no bad month for families to visit Myrtle Beach; however, there may be a better month depending on your priorities. Prefer quieter crowds on the beaches, warmer ocean water, or a trip that respects the school calendar? The Grand Strand has a season for all of you!
Here’s how each season actually shakes out, so the trip gets planned around what matters most for your family, and you can find the exact right time to book your oceanfront vacation!
Spring in Myrtle Beach with Kids (March – May)
Best for: Catching spring break fun, pre-summer pricing, comfortable weather
Spring Weather
March starts out a little cooler — think sweater in the morning, but warms up fast. By April, the sun’s out, and highs climb into the 70s. May basically feels like early summer.
Kid Friendly Activities
Spring’s when the boardwalk shakes off winter and reopens for business, so here’s what’s actually worth showing up for:
- The SkyWheel and mini golf courses: back open for the season with short lines before summer crowds arrive.
- Family Kingdom Amusement Park: rides and roller coasters reopen for spring with way less waiting around.
- Brookgreen Gardens: about 20 minutes south in Murrells Inlet, with gardens, sculpture, and a small zoo all in one stop.
- Outdoor patio dining: comfortable enough to finally eat seafood outside after a beach day.
Spring Events
- Canadian-American Days (March): Parades, concerts, and family activities across the Grand Strand welcoming Canadian visitors.
- Run to the Sun Car Show (March): Thousands of classic cars cruise down Ocean Boulevard for a free, watch-from-the-sidewalk show.
- Myrtle Beach Food Truck Festival (April): Dozens of food trucks, live music, and easy grazing for picky eaters and adventurous ones alike.
- Sun Fun Festival (May): Free concerts, a parade, and the Golden Knights parachute team landing right on the beach.
Summer in Myrtle Beach with Kids (June – August)
Best for: the classic beach vacation, swimming, and lining up with school being out everywhere.
Summer Weather
This is peak season for a reason. Water temps hit the mid-80s, days are long, and the sun is in full form. Evenings cool off just enough to make a sunset walk or a fireworks show. Bottom line: this is the warmest, sunniest, most classic beach weather of the year!
Summer Kid Friendly Activities
Everything’s open and running full tilt this time of year, so here’s how to make the most of it without melting in a line:
- Dolphin Cruises: truthfully, these charismatic marine mammals are year round, but summer bodes well for the perfect weather to be out on the water!
- Amusement parks and go-karts: best tackled early morning or evening, when July crowds thin out.
- The Boardwalk at night: teenagers will love the arcades, and street performers keep the energy going after sundown.
- Waterparks and resort pools: the obvious move on the hottest afternoons. Plan ahead and book your stay at Crown Reef Beach Resort and Waterpark and take advantage of 600 feet of slides year-round!
- Ice cream adventures: seriously, just make this a daily activity. There’s plenty to choose from, but Kirk’s 1890 Ice Cream Parlor is a classic!
Summer Events
- Hot Summer Nights Fireworks (June – August, weekly): Free fireworks launched over the ocean from the Boardwalk’s Second Avenue Pier.
- Broadway’s Summer Nights (June – August, nightly): Free entertainment, stilt walkers, and character meet-and-greets at Broadway at the Beach.
- Myrtle Beach Pelicans Fireworks Nights (June – August, select Saturdays): Minor league baseball followed by a postgame fireworks show.
- Independence Day Celebrations (July 4): Fireworks, parades, and a kid’s fun run across the Grand Strand.
Fall in Myrtle Beach with Kids (September – November)
Best for: the locals’ favorite secret, warm water with a fraction of the people, and genuinely good deals.
Fall Weather
September often still feels like summer, warm and swimmable, just with way fewer people fighting for beach chairs. October cools into the 60s and 70s, which is honestly perfect weather for walking the boardwalk or exploring outdoor attractions without melting. November gets crisper but stays mild compared to most of the country, so a light jacket is usually enough.
Fall also makes planning a coastal getaway a lot easier on the wallet. Rates drop a bit once summer traffic clears out, and a lot of resorts and attractions roll out fall deals during this season.
Fall Kid Friendly Activities
Cooler weather means outdoor stuff is back on the table without the summer heat working against you:
- Mini golf: it’s basically a local sport, with elaborate themed courses (pirate ships, volcanoes, jungle ruins, you name it) scattered up and down the Strand.
- Brookgreen Gardens: perfect weather makes wandering the grounds the perfect day out with the kids.
- Broadway at the Beach: rides, shops, and restaurants make for an easy full evening out.
- Restaurants around town: buffets are always a good kid friendly option, and reservations at fun spots like Medieval Times are easier.
Fall Events
- Harvest Home Festival at Brookgreen Gardens (October): Pumpkin patch, hayrides, and scarecrow building in Murrells Inlet.
- Oktoberfest at The Market Common (October): Family-friendly festival with a kids’ zone, face painting, and live music.
- Ripley’s Haunted Adventure (October): A walk-through haunted house on the Boardwalk, better suited to older kids and teens who like a good scare.
- Downtown Myrtle Beach Fright Nights (October): A month of spooky entertainment and haunted attractions along the Boardwalk.
Winter in Myrtle Beach with Kids (December – February)
Best for: budget trips, holiday magic, and having the beach basically to yourselves.
Winter Weather
Winter here is still pretty comfortable weather-wise if you’re used to shoveling out the driveway to get to work! Highs are typically in the 50s and low 60s, but it’s not quite swim weather.
Winter Kid Friendly Activities
When the ocean’s a little cooler, lean towards these excellent activity options instead:
- Ripley’s Aquarium: a reliable full-day activity with interactive exhibits.
- Interactive Museums: WonderWorks (the upside-down building) packs over 100 hands-on exhibits into an indoor amusement park. The Children’s Museum of South Carolina has a fossil dig and hands-on science stations.
- Dinner shows: Pirates Voyage and Medieval Times turn dinner into a full show, with jousting or pirate battles included!
- Resort pools with indoor or heated options: Crown Reef has a seasonally heated indoor pool.
Winter Events
- Winter Wonderland at the Beach (late November – early January): Free lights display, Santa visits, and a tree lighting along the Boardwalk.
- The Great Christmas Light Show (late November – December): Drive-through light display, Santa’s Village, and a petting zoo in North Myrtle Beach.
- Nights of a Thousand Candles (late November – December): Thousands of hand-lit candles and holiday music at Brookgreen Gardens.
Pro Tip: Winter is also the easiest season to snag a room without much planning. Rates and availability tend to be a little more loose this time of year.
Where to Stay in Myrtle Beach with Kids
Wherever your perfect dates land, the resort really matters just as much as the season. Crown Reef Beach Resort and Waterpark is oceanfront, with bigger rooms for bigger families. And big bonus: the waterpark runs year-round and features two four-story waterslides and a 575 feet lazy river outdoors, plus an indoor pool for the colder months!