Sources: S.C. Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism, Smith Travel Research data, Weather.com, MyrtleBeach.com
As any fan of the Grand Strand will attest there's never really a bad time to visit the beach, but we often get folks asking when is the best time of year to vacation in Myrtle Beach.
Though we know that every visitors' vacation wants and needs are a bit different, we decided to attempt to give a definite answer to this question by crunching a few numbers, gathering a little data and taking into account factors like the cost of accommodations, crowds, availability of things to do and weather for each month.
Since many experts suggest you make your vacation plans at least 30-60 days in advance to get the best rates, you'll want to make sure and adjust accordingly in your planning if you're targeting a specific month for your next Myrtle Beach trip. Of course, you can always get a jump on your planning, by visiting our hotels page or our deals page and booking at a great rate today!
Here's a month-by-month ranking of what we consider the best and the worst months to visit Myrtle Beach:
1. October
• Pros: Fall Festival Season, Low rates, Still Beach Weather
• Cons: Evening temps can get chilly at times toward end of the month
• Biggest events: Fall Bike Week, Oktoberfests, Myrtle Beach Mini Marathon, Taste of Town, Lip Rippin' Chililympics
It may come as a suprise to some, but many locals and longtime visitors will back us up in saying that October truly is the best time of year to be at the beach. The hot summer sun is gone, but the weather and the ocean remain warm enough to hit the beach. Combine that with great rates, significantly less crowded beaches, and tons of amazing activities and community festival sand it's no wonder October's the winner!
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2. September
• Pros: Less crowded beaches, some of the year's best weather, fall golf season
• Cons: Some summertime attractions begin to close
• Biggest events: Irish Italian Festival, St. John's Greek Festival, Atalaya Arts & Crafts Festival, SOS Fall Migration, Pawleys Island Festival of Music & Art,
As a close runner-up, folks who like hot days instead of just nice, warm ones may actually prefer the sun and fun that September brings. Since most schools are back in session after Labor Day, the crowds of family vacationers tend to dissapate, leaving plenty of space to stretch out and enjoy the glory of late summer and early fall. Though some of the amusement parks and water parks close or begin to operate on shorter hours, most attractions remain open allowing much of the same fun of the summer season without the frustration of crowded roads and restaurants.
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3. May
• Pros: Great festivals and events, summer weather without the summer rates
• Cons: Bike Week crowds, Some summer attractions still not open
• Biggest events: Military Appreciation Days, Spring Bike Rallies, Mayfest on Main, Blue Crab Festival, Beach Blast Christian Music Festival
Though Memorial Day traditionally marks the beginning of the tourism season, many savvy visitors like to get a jump on the fun by coming before the big summer rush begins. Those who prefer to avoid crowds and traffic congestion will likely want to avoid the sping motorcycle rallies — the Harley-Davidson rally begins the second week in May, while Atlantic Beach Bikefest takes place over Memorial Day Weekend — but if you can book in early or mid-May around the events you might just find some great rates and the perfect time of year to visit.
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4. April
• Pros: Some of the best spring weather, Spring golf season
• Cons: Some season attractions still closed, more expensive tee times, can get rainy at times
• Biggest events: Monday After The Masters Celebrity Pro-Am, Myrtle Beach International Film Festival, Ground Zero Dragon Boat Festival, Divas Half Marathon, Singing In The Sun
For those looking to thaw out from a chilly winter, mid-spring brings some of the best weather of the year, with warm days and cool evenings that provide optimal conditions for exploring the Grand Strand or taking in a few rounds of golf. In fact, April marks the heart of spring golf season, when a bevy of golf buddies come to take advantage of the area's endless buffet of great golf courses. This means tee times may be a bit harder to book and golf rates a bit more expensive, but for the non-golfing visitor the crowds remain low and April is a great time to come.
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5. December
• Pros: Some of most affordable hotels rates of the year, great holiday events
• Cons: Unpredictable weather
• Biggest events: Nights of a Thousand Candles, Beach Ball Classic, Shadrack's Christmas Wonderland, South's Grandest Christmas Show, Broadway at the Beach Christmas Parade
Sure, it's not exactly warm here in December, but our weather still beats being snowed in your house like some places this time of year. Even in our coldest months we still get a few pop-up 70+ degree sunny days here and there, so there's no reason you can't still walk the beach and enjoy the goregous views. If you're in a holiday mood, there's an absolute ton of things to do at the beach in December, including several amazing holiday shows, parades, tree lightings, lights displays and much more. And of course, we do have tons of great shopping as well, so why not come and enjoy the outlets, malls or other shopping centers as you check off that holiday shopping list?
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6. March
• Pros: Start of spring golf season, lowest hotel rates of the spring
• Cons: Can be rainy at times, Spring Break season
• Biggest events: Run To The Sun Car Show, National Shag Dance Championships, Can-Am Days, NMB St. Patrick's Day Parade, Myrtle Beach Beerfest
Though Spring doesn't officially begin until March 21, it usually arrives a bit early on the Grand Strand, with longer days and warmer temperatures paving the way for some of the first truly beautiful days of the year and the beginning of Spring Break season. In addition, spring golf season — the area's most popular time for golfers — begins in March, and many local businesses go out of their way to cater to visitors of golf trips. Some seasonal attractions and restaurants begin to emerge from their winter slumber this time of year and seasonal events give visitors plenty to do.
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7. June
• Pros: Best beach weather of the year, all top attractions are open
• Cons: Some of largest crowds and highest rate of the year
• Biggest events: Coastal Uncorked, Native Sons Salt Games, Conway Riverfest, Italian Festival, Hot Summer Nights
As school lets out for the year and summer tourism season kicks into gear, hundreds of thousands families flock to the beach to take full advantage of everything the Grand Strand has to offer. If you're looking to get the full Myrtle Beach vacation experience, this is the time of year to do it, as all the top attractions, restaurants and shopping spots roll out the red carpet for their summer visitors. Of course, with all that fun comes plenty of crowds, congested roads and packed restaurants — but as long as you're willing to wait you're sure to enjoy your stay.
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8. August
• Pros: Great beach weather, least crowded summer month
• Cons: Higher room rates, humidity often high
• Biggest events: World-Am Golf Tournament, Craftsman Classic Arts & Crafts Show, Tax-Free Weekend, Beach Boogie & BBQ Festival
Though summer really begins to wind down from mid-July on, August is still a solid time to visit as all the summer attractions remain open but the intense crowds begin to give way to slightly less occupied hotels and roads. Though the heat and humidity can still be stifling at times, it's not usually as rainy as July and there's plenty of things to do including great summer concert series like Music on Main in North Myrtle Beach, Hot Summer Nights in Myrtle Beach, and Cool Summer Evenings at Brookgreen Gardens to name just a few.
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9. November
• Pros: Holiday attractions open early, great rates and deals on hotels
• Cons: Chilly temps, shorter days
• Biggest events: Dickens Christmas Show, Carolina Beach Music Awards, Myrtle Beach 400, S.C. State Bluegrass Festival, Intracoastal Christmas Regatta
As the days get shorter and the weather cooler, the number of available beach days and golf tee times begin to drop off dramatically. However, visiting in November does bring some major benefits in terms of hotels and resorts offering big discounts as the scramble to keep rooms occupied this time of year. If you're crazy about the holidays, you can surely get a jump on the season here, as many of the Christmas shows, attractions and events kick off around the first of the month.
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10. July
• Pros: All attractions and restaurants open
• Cons: Crowded beaches, highest rates of year, extreme humidity, hot temperatures
• Biggest events: Mustang Week, Independence Day Celebrations, Murrells Inlet Boat Parade, Summer Concert Series, Father Son Team Golf Classic
Let's get this out of the way first: yes, July is by far the most popular month for people to visit Myrtle Beach. But when you really consider the reasons for coming here during the thick of tourism season, its pretty obvious the drawbacks outweight the benefits. Sure, there's plenty to do in the summer and the cool waters of the Atlantic Ocean help offset some of July's stifiling heat but there's still factors to consider such as a constant stream of pop-up thunderstorms (thanks, humidity!), combined with packed beaches, longer waits for restaurants and plenty of traffic on the roadways. Add in the fact that room rates are at their highest in July, and there's plenty of reason to consider shifting your trip a month one way or another to avoid the crowds and save a few bucks.
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11. January
• Pros: Lowest rates of the year, no crowds, great for snowbirds
• Cons: Cold weather, many restaurants and attratctions closed, no major events
• Biggest events: Myrtle Beach Restaurant Week, Grand Strand Boat Show, SOS Mid-Winter Break, Magic at the Beach, Taste of the Inlet
January has long been considered a wasteland among Myrtle Beach visitor, a month smack dab in the middle of the offseason, when the fun of summer seems like a distant memory for many. But for some visitors — specifically those looking for a refuge from great white north — this can be the perfect time to come enjoy much of what our area has to offer without any of the hassle of the high season. Many snowbirds, visitors from the Northeast, Midwest and Canada, opt to spend the offseason here because you can find great rates on rooms or seasonal condo rentals near the beach.
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12. February
• Pros: Low room rates, no crowds
• Cons: Snow?!?!, many restaurants and attratctions closed
• Biggest events: Myrtle Beach Marathon, KidzTime Festival, Stamp & Postcard Show, Shuckin' The Strand Oyster Roast
Outside of visitors coming to run the ever-popular Myrtle Beach Marathon — a fast, flat race that's runner's delight — there really isn't much going on at the beach in February. Much like January, seasonal attractions remain closed, and the weather's chilly (it's even been known to snow a little this time of year), but the room rates and occupancy are slightly higher as hotels and resorts look to the spring that's just around the corner. That said, there's never REALLY a bad time to come to the beach, right? We'd just suggest waiting a month or two and coming once spring's in full swing.
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This post first appeared on MyrtleBeach.com Blog - Things To Do, News, Events & More!, please read the originial post: here
