There are plenty of reasons the Grand Strand is such a popular destination with vacationers — its miles of beautiful beaches, its array of family-friendly activities, its abundance of diverse dining options, its temperate coastal climate … the list of reasons to come here goes on and one. Not to be overlooked in the “pros” category, though — all of the things listed above wouldn’t be available to so many travelers if our stretch of the Carolina coast weren’t such a breeze to reach, whether you’re traveling by car or by plane.
Consider these reasons a road (or plane) trip to the Myrtle Beach area is so simple:
Travel by car — For those coming by car, the Grand Strand is easily accessible by a number of major highways, including Highway 17 from the north (via Wilmington, NC) and south (via Charleston, SC), and Highway 501 from points inland. Once you’re here, getting around is fairly easy by car, and there’s plenty of parking available at major destinations and near the most popular beaches. In addition to Highways 17 and 501, the main thoroughfares for getting around the Grand Strand include Veterans Highway (SC 22), the Carolina Bays Parkway (SC 31), the Robert M. Grissom Parkway, SC 544, Ocean Boulevard, Kings Highway and the Highway 17 Bypass.
Travel by plane — Facilitating nearly 2 million passenger departures and arrivals each year, Myrtle Beach International Airport (MYR) is the third-busiest airport in the state of South Carolina (behind Charleston International Airport and Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport).
Owned by Horry County, the airport serves as air travelers’ gateway to the Grand Strand and is located on the site of the former Myrtle Beach Air Force Base — putting arriving passengers right in the heart of the Grand Strand and roughly 10 minutes by car from downtown Myrtle Beach.
Airlines serving Myrtle Beach International include Allegiant Air, United, Delta, Spirit, American Airlines, Porter, WestJet, Sun Country and Frontier. Passengers can fly directly to 50 different destinations from MYR, ranging from as far north as Minneapolis, Minnesota, to as far south as Forth Lauderdale, Florida, and as far east as Portsmouth, New Hampshire, to as far west as Denver, Colorado. Those looking to travel abroad can fly directly to and from Canadian destination Toronto, Ontario.
And once they arrive, the car-rental options at the airport include major vendors such as Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Hertz, National and Thrifty. Other ground transportation options from MYR include taxis, Uber and Lyft, limo and hotel shuttle services, and public transportation via Coast RTA.
When you’re ready to make your trek to the Carolina coast, book your getaway at Long Bay Resort on the Myrtle Beach oceanfront. With our wide range of comfortable accommodations and long list of fun on-site amenities, we’ve got everything you’ll need to get away from the daily grind and make some great memories in Myrtle Beach.
