Summer is in full swing, and Myrtle Beach is absolutely packed with travelers looking to have a good time! While the weather is hot and the crowds are large, July is still one of the most popular months to visit Myrtle Beach. From Independence Day celebrations to relaxing time on the beach with family, there are endless reasons to come and spend time in the Grand Strand this July. While the crowds are large and the lines may be a bit longer, July is the peak of busy season, meaning that all of the restaurants and entertainment venues are fully open and ready to accommodate as many visitors as possible. Trust us; you would be surprised just how good of a job the local business owners do at accommodating the massive waves of tourists!
In this post, we will take a look at all of the best things to do in Myrtle Beach in July, ranging from water parks to 5k’s and more. Once we’re through with all of that, we will give you the inside scoop on whether or not July is an optimal month visit Myrtle Beach. If you have any questions once you read this post, don’t hesitate to reach out!
1. Bask In The South Carolina Sun
While there are countless great things to do in Myrtle Beach, the overall best thing to do in Myrtle Beach in July is clear: soak up the sun! July is the sunniest month of the year in Myrtle Beach, and you are bound to get a great tan if you spend some time laying out on the Grand Strand. The weather is consistently toasty, and there are likely going to be thousands of other people who have the same idea as you! July is one of the most popular months to visit Myrtle Beach, and a big part of that is simply because the weather is so beautiful.
While it is certainly hot, the weather should not be seen as a limiter or a deterrent to visiting. It is toasty and can be a bit humid, but that is nothing that a dip in the pool or the Atlantic Ocean can’t fix! While there will be a lot of people in the area soaking up the sun with you, you do not really need to worry about space: the Grand Strand is a huge area, and you’re bound to find a stretch of beach with whatever vibe you’re looking for, whether that is calm and relaxing or lively and fun.
2. Cool Off At One Of Myrtle Beach’s Famous Water Parks
July weather in Myrtle Beach can be pretty toasty, and you will likely want to take advantage of any opportunity that you have to cool down. The weather is usually in the 80’s in July, but can easily creep up into the 90’s. Add the humidity to that, and you will be certainly craving a pool of some kind! There is no better way for a family to cool off than a day at the water park! Myrtle Beach has several great water parks to visit, and each one gives its visitors access to different attractions, amenities, and all kinds of fun.
While the water parks are always fun to visit, alternating between suntanning and water slide makes July an especially good month to visit them! The crowds are likely to be big, but they are smaller on weekdays and are totally manageable. While the lines can be long, they aren’t usually Disney World long. The water parks in the Myrtle Beach area are big enough to be a full-day event, and they sell food and beverages to keep you nice and fueled as you lounge around in the July heat.
3. Check Out A Myrtle Beach Pelicans Baseball Game
Being in July means that the minor league baseball season has been in full swing for several months now, and a Pelicans game is definitely not something you want to miss! Without a doubt, hitting up a minor league baseball game is easily one of the best things to do in Myrtle Beach in July. The city’s minor league baseball team, the Myrtle Beach Pelicans, do a great job of making the game of baseball fun to watch; whether you are alone, on a date, out with friends, or watching as a family. Friends of ours at The Present Perspective ranked attending a Myrtle Beach Pelicans game as one of the best things to do in Myrtle Beach, regardless of the time of year, and we could not agree more!
As they are just a Single A minor league team, tickets are quite cheap. Don’t worry, though…the games are just as fun as the major leagues! This July, the Pelicans play at home for two different stints: the first few days of the month, and then again from the 12th to the 17th. Even if you aren't a baseball fan, this is one of the best date night ideas or events for a night out as a family that you will find in the area during July. You won't regret it!
4. Catch a Break From The Sun At One Of Myrtle Beach’s Top Shopping Destinations
While your main reason to visit Myrtle Beach is probably the beach itself and the weather, there are several other great things to do in Myrtle Beach. One of them is shopping at one of Myrtle Beach’s esteemed shopping venues! Barefoot Landing, Broadway at the Beach, and the Tanger Outlets are all popular places to spend an afternoon shopping and replenishing your closet.
While it may seem like a shocker – especially because of its name - Myrtle Beach is more than just a popular tourist beach. Going shopping in Myrtle Beach is not just a rainy-day activity like it is in many other places, because the best shopping venues in Myrtle Beach are all outdoors. If you’ve had enough of the beach for one day, try and get some steps in walking around each of these venues and taking advantage of all that they have to offer! From great deals at the Tanger Outlets, to warm (although still refreshing) evenings out at Barefoot Landing and Broadway at the Beach, you have plenty of great places to shop in the Grand Strand, making shopping one of the best things to do in Myrtle Beach in July. The best part is that you can still manage to get a bit of a tan while shopping, as all of these complexes are mostly outdoors!
5. Celebrate The 4th Of July In Myrtle Beach
As you might be able to expect, Myrtle Beach is a very popular place to celebrate Independence Day. With the beautiful July weather and the incredible restaurants running at full speed, tens of thousands of visitors make their way to the Grand Strand annually to kick off the month of July. The 4th of July in Myrtle Beach is a blast every year, as the area puts on several great fireworks displays and celebrations. With the hundreds of thousands of visitors that come to the area to celebrate, the 4th of July is always a blast in the Grand Strand. Visitors love checking out the fireworks displays at the Myrtle Beach Pelicans games, but Broadway at the Beach and Barefoot Landing have their own great fireworks displays as well!
South Carolina has a rich heritage that is steeped in American history, and Independence Day is one of the best opportunities to celebrate that. If you’re thinking of a good place to celebrate Independence Day this year, you can’t go wrong with Myrtle Beach. For a fuller list of fireworks displays and 4th of July celebrations in Myrtle Beach this year, check out this post.
6. Run In A 5K Or Other Race (Or Just Run For Fun)
July is prime running season, and the Grand Strand is ripe with great races that you can sign up
for. With the beautiful ocean views and refreshing sea breeze, running in Myrtle Beach is a
wonderfully relaxing and energizing activity. Whether you like to run on your own or like to run
in organized races, running through the Grand Strand is a great thing to do in July. In fact, you
don’t even need to be a runner to take advantage of the runs that the city has to offer! The 5k’s
accept walkers, too.
If you are looking for formal races to sign up for, we recommend checking out the Awesome
80s 5k by Tidal Creek Brewhouse. This 80’s themed event will take place at 6pm on July 19, and
is a must-do for any 80’s fan! The race costs $40 to run or walk in, and registrations must be
made online in advance of the race. They will also be accepting donations for Backpack Buddies
during packet pickup and race day. A list of needed items will be sent out to runners closer to
the day of the race.
Is July The Best Month To Visit Myrtle Beach?
Of all the times to make the trip, is July the best month to visit Myrtle Beach? This depends heavily on how you feel about the heat, the crowds, and the events that are going on. The weather in July in Myrtle Beach is definitely hot. This means that you can get a great suntan and bask in a lot of sunlight, but it also means that you may be limited in doing certain activities. Golfing, for example, might be a bit more enjoyable in May weather rather than July weather. If you are looking for straight sunshine, though, July is a great option for you!
The other main thing to consider about visiting Myrtle Beach in July is the massive crowds. July is the peak of the tourist season in Myrtle Beach, and the crowds are very large. Many restaurants will have long waits, popular entertainment venues will likely be crowded, and hotel rates will probably be higher. While this is a drawback in many ways, it is worth noting that this is the busy time for a reason. From events to holiday celebrations, there are simply a lot of things going on in Myrtle Beach in July, and this is what causes so many people to make the trip to the Grand Strand during the year’s hottest month.
Is Myrtle Beach Worth Visiting In July?
While July is a great month to visit Myrtle Beach, it doesn’t come without its drawbacks. The crowds are indeed massive, and this does cause many inconveniences. The most popular restaurants will have very long waits, the tourist venues will be crowded, and the traffic will be more congested. These are all natural things to expect when a city of less than 100,000 people hosts hundreds of thousands of visitors. It would be as if your family of four hosted another 30 people in your home for Thanksgiving! It is only natural that there are some conveniences.
With that being said, do those inconveniences detract that much from your experience? After all, there have to be enough restaurants to accommodate everyone, right?
Yes and no. There are definitely plenty of restaurants for everyone to have their fair share to eat. This much is true. However, the best restaurants, like Crabby Mike’s and Original Benjamin’s are likely to have several hour long waits. If you visit in July, your odds of going to these restaurants go down, at least without any additional planning. We find that going to these restaurants for an earlier dinner – like at 4:00 – often leads to much shorter wait times, sometimes even shorter than 30 minutes.
While you can find a way around the wait times at restaurants, there is no way to get around the traffic. The traffic, especially during rush hour, is bound to be bad. The main roads that cut through the area were not designed to handle immense traffic, and the flow tends to move slowly during busy times. To be fair, we’re not talking about anything as crazy as New York or Washington D.C. rush hour traffic. This is nothing in comparison to that. However, when you’re on vacation, you likely do not want to sit in traffic. This is just another inconvenience that comes with visiting Myrtle Beach in July.
Now, the million-dollar question: is Myrtle Beach worth visiting in July? Despite all of the inconveniences that we laid out above, we believe that Myrtle Beach is absolutely worth visiting in July. While there are other months that might be better times to visit – like May and September – July is still one of the best months to visit Myrtle Beach, especially if you like activity. There is a lot going on in Myrtle Beach in July, from festivals to parties to holiday events, and coming during another month would probably mean having a lot less to do. While the traffic would be lighter and the wait times would be shorter, there are no 4th of July fireworks in any month other than July!
That is all we have for you about visiting Myrtle Beach in July. Depending on what you want to do, July is actually one of the best months to visit the Grand Strand's greatest city. There are countless great and unique things to do, the weather is great, and while the crowds are certainly at their largest, there are still plenty of places to eat at where the lines will be manageable. Crowds can’t be avoided, but you can certainly take actions to minimize the size of the crowds that you need to walk into and the lines that you need to wait in. While the traffic is unavoidable, it really isn’t that bad compared to major cities. If you’re wondering if Myrtle Beach is worth visiting in July, the answer is absolutely! While the experience will be a bit different from what you may experience in May, that doesn’t have to be a bad thing!
If you decide to visit Myrtle Beach or any other place in South Carolina and fall in love, reach out to us for help. We at The Boyd Team are always here to help you figure out whether Myrtle Beach is your next home or not, and we are committed to helping you find the right property for your needs and dreams. Any question that you have about moving to the area and finding your dream home by the beach is our pleasure to answer. Feel free to send us an email at eddie@boydteam.com or text or call us at (843) 222-8566, and we will get back to you as soon as we can. Being true natives of the Grand Strand and Horry County and with over 25 years of experience in the local real estate market, whether buying or selling, we can help you make your dreams a reality.
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