You decided you’re coming to Myrtle Beach for the family vacation. Now you have to wade through the thousands of housing options.
From campgrounds to hotels to houses, there are over 150,000 accommodation units available in the Grand Strand, said Diane Charno in an email to The Sun News. Charno does marketing and communications for Visit Myrtle Beach.
Here is what to think about before booking your stay in Myrtle Beach.
From tents to RVs, Myrtle Beach offers tons of camping choice. There are several resort-style camping options, like Ocean Lakes or KOA, as well as traditional sites at the two state parks in the area – Myrtle Beach State Park or Huntington Beach State Park.
Camping is a great choice for those looking to control costs and be social, said Ocean Lakes director of marketing Barb Krumm.
“Mr. Jackson, the founder, always told the team, ‘How often do you stay in a hotel and meet the people next to you?’ In a campground, all you have to do is pop the hood of your vehicle and everyone comes around,” Krumm said.
Campsites offer people the opportunity to spend what they want, Krumm said. Families can spend big on an RV or be set with a tent for the week. Campers also allow people to pack more than clothes, like lawn games, boogie boards and bikes without the car overflowing.
Campers are able to cook at their site, saving money by not dining out. Within the camper or tent, people can sleep in their own bed and not one that’s been used by hundreds of strangers, Krumm said.
While prices fluctuate depending on the time of year, prices to stay at a campsite for a week in August ranged from $100 to $170 a night.
Some cons include needing equipment, spending extra time packing, and enduring the Southern heat.
Hotels offer a more “full-service stay” than a house or a privately-owned condo, said Ryan Swaim, the Dunes Realty Vacation Rentals general manager. Many hotels in the Myrtle Beach area have a pool or water park, a daily maid service and a restaurant attached.
“In Myrtle Beach, most hotel rooms are condos but run more like a hotel,” Swaim said. This can offer hotel amenities with a bit more space.
Another pro is hotels can be more centrally located, with many within a short walk of the Myrtle Beach Boardwalk.
If tourists would rather go out to eat for every meal and spend time outside of their room, a hotel is a great option.
Prices among the more than 400 hotels and motels can vary wildly. Tourists can pay $400 a night for a room at a beachfront Marriott hotel or $80 a night for a stay at an out-dated motel for a week in August.
A con is that hotel rooms can be smaller, forcing everyone into a single room with one bathroom.
When bringing a large group to town, a house or condo can be the more economical idea. Some houses can cost $20,000 a week but also sleep 30 people and offer multiple living spaces, Swaim said.
“If you have enough people, you can definitely save money,” Swaim said.
Similar to campsites, houses and condos offer people the ability to cook themselves and save money on food. However, there will often be fewer amenities than a hotel or the family campgrounds. For example, many homes have a private pool but not the water park or lazy river seen at hotels.
There will be more privacy, as a maid won’t be coming every day to clean up, and in a house, there’s no one staying on the other side of the wall.
“If you’re looking for flexibility, a house or condo tends to work better,” Swaim said.
The Sun News
Emalyn Muzzy is a breaking news reporter for The Sun. She covers everything breaking and everything new in the Myrtle Beach area. She graduated from the University of Minnesota is 2022 with a degree in journalism and Spanish.