Georgetown offers a useful change of pace from Myrtle Beach. Located south along the South Carolina coast, it is one of the state’s historic port communities and feels far removed from the resort strip despite being practical for a day trip.

Walk the historic waterfront

The compact waterfront and historic district are the main reasons to visit. Walk rather than simply driving through, giving yourself time to notice older buildings, large live oaks and the relationship between the town and its rivers.

Museums and historic sites can add context if you want to understand the area beyond its attractive streets.

Look at the full history

The wealth and development of the wider Lowcountry were deeply connected with plantation agriculture and enslaved labour. A meaningful visit should not separate the region’s historic architecture from that history.

Check current museum hours before travelling if a particular site is important to you.

Make it a relaxed day

I would not overload a Georgetown excursion. Have lunch, walk the waterfront and explore the centre before returning north.

If you are staying in Myrtle Beach for a week or longer, Georgetown broadens your view of coastal South Carolina considerably. The contrast is the point: fewer resort attractions, more visible history and a slower relationship with the water.

Brookgreen Gardens offers one of the strongest cultural day trips from Myrtle Beach. Located south of the main resort area, it combines sculpture, landscaped gardens, natural surroundings and interpretation of Lowcountry history.

The scale means this is not somewhere I would squeeze into the final hour of a busy day. Give it enough time to walk slowly and let the setting do part of the work.

Art in the landscape

Sculpture is central to Brookgreen, but the outdoor setting makes the experience different from visiting a conventional museum. Gardens and art blend together, encouraging you to explore rather than follow a rigid indoor route.

The site also engages with the history and environment of the surrounding Lowcountry, adding context to a region that visitors can otherwise experience mainly through beaches and restaurants.

Combine it carefully

Huntington Beach State Park sits nearby and the two can be paired if you start early and are comfortable with a full day. Murrells Inlet is another natural stop for dinner afterwards.

Current admission, tours and opening hours should be checked before visiting.

For me, Brookgreen Gardens is particularly valuable on a longer Myrtle Beach holiday. After several days of resort entertainment, it provides a completely different pace and a deeper connection with coastal South Carolina.

Murrells Inlet is one of my favourite contrasts to the busy Myrtle Beach resort strip. Located south of the city, the community has long been associated with fishing and seafood, and the waterfront remains central to the visitor experience.

Walk the MarshWalk

The MarshWalk connects restaurants and bars along the inlet, with views across the marsh and water. It is particularly enjoyable around late afternoon and evening when you can combine a walk with dinner.

This is a popular visitor area rather than an undiscovered fishing village, but the setting still feels very different from central Myrtle Beach.

Eat seafood by the water

Murrells Inlet is an obvious place to make seafood the focus of a meal. Menus and restaurants change, so I would look at current options rather than travelling solely for a name recommended years ago.

Boat trips and fishing excursions add another reason to spend time here if you want to get onto the water.

Combine it with nature

Huntington Beach State Park and Brookgreen Gardens are nearby, making Murrells Inlet an easy part of a full day south of Myrtle Beach.

If you have a week on the Grand Strand, I would definitely leave the main resort area at least once. Murrells Inlet is one of the simplest and most rewarding places to start.