Here's the question that catches people on day one in Myrtle Beach: the hotel looked close to everything on the map, so why does every dinner turn into a 25-minute drive in July traffic? Because the Grand Strand is long. It runs about 60 miles of coastline, from Little River near the North Carolina line down past Pawleys Island, and the places you'll want to go are strung along it, not stacked in one walkable downtown.
That's the short version of this Myrtle Beach transportation guide. The longer one depends on three things: where you sleep, what you plan to do, and how many of your evenings end somewhere other than the hotel.
I'd rather you spend ten minutes on this now than work it out at the airport curb. Transportation is the part of a beach trip people plan last and pay for most, through surge pricing, parking fees and the occasional cab ride that costs more than dinner did.
Why the Grand Strand is harder to get around than it looks
Myrtle Beach proper sits in the middle of the Strand. North Myrtle Beach and Little River are to the north. Surfside Beach, Garden City and Murrells Inlet are to the south. Conway, the Horry County seat, is about 15 miles inland. A family staying in Surfside who wants an afternoon at Barefoot Landing is looking at a real drive each way, and in summer it runs on Kings Highway, the US 17 Bypass and Ocean Boulevard alongside everybody else's beach traffic.
So the first decision isn't car or no car. It's which stretch of the Strand you're staying on, and whether most of your trip happens within walking distance of it. Our hotel advice on choosing the neighborhood first starts with the same question for the same reason.
Getting from Myrtle Beach International Airport to your hotel
Myrtle Beach International Airport (MYR) is a single-terminal airport on the south side of the city, near Market Common. That makes it one of the easier arrivals on the East Coast. Rental counters, taxis and rideshare pickups are all close to baggage claim, so follow the Ground Transportation signs and you'll find them.
From there you have four realistic options:
- Rental car. Pick it up at the airport if you'll need it all week anyway.
- Rideshare. Uber and Lyft both serve MYR. Prices move with demand, so check the estimate in the app before you land, not after.
- Taxi. Useful when the rideshare wait is long or your phone is at 4 percent.
- Coast RTA bus. New at the airport as of this summer. More on that below.
If you land late, look at the time again. A 10:40 p.m. arrival on a Saturday in July is a very different pickup from a Tuesday lunch flight in October. Our airport guides on picking the right airport and getting out of it cover arrival timing in more depth.
When a Myrtle Beach rental car earns its cost
A rental makes sense on more Myrtle Beach trips than not. It earns its cost if you're staying in North Myrtle Beach, Surfside or anywhere off the oceanfront, if golf is on the schedule (courses are spread out, and some sit well inland), or if you're traveling with kids, car seats and a cooler's worth of beach gear.
It probably doesn't if you're in a central oceanfront hotel, plan to spend most days on the sand, and only want to go out two or three evenings. In that case, rideshare for the handful of longer trips is often cheaper than a week of rental fees plus parking.
Parking is the hidden line item
Before you book the car, ask the hotel two things: is parking included, and how many cars per room does it allow? Some oceanfront properties charge for it or cap it at one. Paid parking near the beach is common in the city during the busy season, too, so the car you rented to save money can quietly add a daily fee you never priced in. Book the car early for summer and holiday weekends. Wait on almost everything else.
Rideshare, taxis and the Coast RTA bus
Uber and Lyft work well along the main corridors, especially between the oceanfront, Broadway at the Beach and the airport. They get harder late at night, at closing time and on big event weekends, when everyone requests a ride from the same parking lot in the same minute.
The bus is a better option than it used to be. In June, Coast RTA, the regional transit authority, added airport service to Route 7, which links Myrtle Beach and Conway, restored hourly service on most fixed routes, and launched a Route 11 to Carolina Forest, as WMBF News reported. Routes meet on the hour at the Ivory Wilson Transit Center next to City Hall, so transfers don't leave you standing around. It won't replace a car for a family with a cooler. For a solo traveler or a couple watching the budget, it's worth a look. Check current routes and times at Coast RTA's website before you count on it, especially for evening trips.
Decide how you're getting home before you decide where you're going out.
Plan the ride home before the night starts
This is the part most vacation guides skip, and it's the part I care about most. Myrtle Beach nights tend to end somewhere other than your hotel: Broadway at the Beach, the Boardwalk, Barefoot Landing, Market Common. Getting there is easy. Getting back at 1 a.m. is where plans come apart.
A few habits fix most of it:
- Pick the driver before the first round, not after. If nobody wants the job, everyone takes a rideshare, and that's fine.
- Save the hotel's exact address in your phone. "The one on Ocean Boulevard" isn't an address on a 60-mile strip.
- Charge your phone before you go out, and bring a small battery pack.
- Leave a few minutes before closing time, when ride requests spike.
- Know your Plan B: a local cab number, or the hotel front desk.
South Carolina treats impaired driving seriously, and the consequences don't stay on vacation. Under the state's implied consent law, a driver who refuses a breath test, or tests at 0.15 or higher, gets a notice of suspension and has 30 days from that notice to request an administrative hearing. Visitors miss this all the time, because the court date is weeks away and they've already flown home.
If a trip does end that way, don't wait for the court date to make a call. Johnny Gardner Law, a Conway DUI-defense practice serving Horry County, including Conway, Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach and Surfside Beach, is one local option for anyone who needs a Grand Strand DUI lawyer, and the firm's site spells out that 30-day hearing deadline plainly. Nothing here is legal advice. The better plan is the one where you never need the number.
A transportation checklist for your Myrtle Beach trip
Find the row that looks most like your trip. It won't be perfect, but it'll tell you what to book first.
| Your trip | Best fit | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Central oceanfront hotel, beach most days | Walking, rideshare, maybe the bus | Long waits after shows and concerts |
| North Myrtle Beach, Surfside or Garden City | Rental car | Summer traffic on Kings Highway and the Bypass |
| Golf trip | Rental car with room for clubs | Inland courses add drive time |
| Family with young kids | Rental car and your own car seats | Rideshares usually don't come with car seats |
| Couple on a budget, no golf | Bus by day, rideshare at night | Check the last bus before you book dinner |
Questions people ask about getting around Myrtle Beach
Do you need a car in Myrtle Beach?
Not always. If you're staying in central Myrtle Beach near the oceanfront and mostly heading to the beach, rideshare and walking can cover it. If you're in North Myrtle Beach, Surfside or anywhere inland, or you're golfing or traveling with kids, a car usually pays for itself.
Is there a bus from Myrtle Beach airport?
Yes. Since June 2026, Coast RTA's Route 7 has served Myrtle Beach International Airport on its run between Myrtle Beach and Conway. Check ridecoastrta.com for current times before you rely on it, especially for late arrivals.
How do I get back to my hotel safely after a night out in Myrtle Beach?
Choose a sober driver before anyone starts drinking, or plan on rideshare or a taxi for the whole night. Save your hotel's exact address, keep your phone charged and leave a few minutes before closing time, when ride requests spike.
What is South Carolina's 30-day implied consent deadline?
If a driver refuses a breath test or tests at 0.15 or higher, South Carolina issues a notice of suspension. The driver has 30 days from that notice to request an administrative hearing, which is separate from the criminal court date. A local lawyer can explain what applies to a specific case.
Where I'd land
For a family or a golf group, I'd book the rental car the same day as the flight. For a couple staying oceanfront, I'd skip the car, budget for four or five rideshares and try the bus once. And whoever's going, I'd want the ride-home plan settled before the first dinner reservation, because it's the one decision that shouldn't wait until you're there. Sort that out and Myrtle Beach is an easy trip to love. More practical guides live in our Transportation section and on The Trip Desk.