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Sunscreen, umbrella, towels, bathing suit, sunglasses, flip-flops—your beach bag is brimming with all the tools you need for summer fun.
While sunny days are the norm here—more than 200 annually—preparations for your coastal visit should also include a game plan for rainy days, just to play it safe.
If you see those dark clouds rolling in, no need to despair. Myrtle Beach and the Grand Strand are far more than fair-weather destinations, so expect to have the best rainy beach day ever.
If you're visiting with a crew, ease into your rain day with a fresh-brewed pot of coffee and a doughnut run.
Treat yourself to amazing apple fritters from Pawleys Island Bakery.
Go wild with a turtle cheesecake or maple bacon donut from Parlor Doughnuts, also in Pawleys Island.
If you're seeking something vegan, head over to Beach Hippie in Myrtle Beach and get some groovy French donuts and a coffee flight.
The pastries, bagels, donuts and more are a feast for the eyes and tummy at Benjamin's Bakery in Surfside Beach, where everything is made from scratch in-house. They even roast their own coffee.
Speaking of coffee, you can also settle down in a comfy chair with the newspaper or your laptop in one of these cozy coffee houses:
Cafe de Paris at Barefoot Landing, North Myrtle Beach
Grand Strand Coffee, Myrtle Beach
Beach Dreams Market, North Myrtle Beach
Birchin Lane Coffee Co., Myrtle Beach
Keeping kids happy despite the crummy weather is a cinch along the Grand Strand. You'll have plenty of fun, too, when you visit these attractions.
Just grab your umbrellas for that walk across the parking lot, then forget about the weather.
An educational adventure - that's what you'll find at Edventure Children's Museum in Myrtle Beach. Learn about the World of Work, create art in the Maker Space, and soar into space at the Flight exhibit.
WonderWorks at Broadway at the Beach is designed to enthrall, and it does. More than 100 interactive science displays, a ropes course, laser tag and more will keep everyone mesmerized, young and not-so-young, alike.
A visit here is good for at least two hours of non-stop entertainment and is guaranteed to deliver lots of vacation highlights, making it a "best" option for a rainy day.
Even when it's especially busy, there's an ethereal quality about Ripley's Aquarium that soothes and relaxes.
Sit a spell in front of the Living Gallery, a breathtaking kaleidoscope of live coral, sea anemones, octopi, sharks and several species of colorful saltwater fish.
Wind your way through two levels of exhibits for a hands-on experience at the touch tank, then witness live shark feedings and a mermaid show.
Escape the rain—and maybe a few zombies, terrorists or serial killers—at one of Myrtle Beach's "breakout" rooms.
Escape games offer live, interactive adventures that will make you and yours forget all about the weather.
Myrtle Beach Room Escape: Can accommodate teams of two to 10; 60-minute time frame; adult supervision recommended for participants younger than age 13.
Breakout Myrtle Beach: Can accommodate teams of two to 10; 60-minute time frame; suitable for all ages.
Backstage Escape Games: Can accommodate up to eight people; 60-minute time frame; suitable for all ages.
Did you know Myrtle Beach is the mini golf capital of the world? It's true. There are more than 30 courses in Myrtle Beach alone—and that doesn't include the rest of the Grand Strand.
Try these indoor mini golf courses when those beach skies rain on your vacation parade:
Molten Mountain is a North Myrtle Beach mini-golf operation with an indoor course inside a "volcano" that displays fiery eruptions every half hour. It's a brilliant idea, not just when it rains, but for those extra hot days, too.
Cancun Lagoon in Myrtle Beach lets you putt your way through a Mayan pyramid with the modern addition of AC, of course.
And believe it or not—teeing off at Ripley's Crazy Golf on Ocean Boulevard is one of the twistiest indoor mini-golf courses with its 360-degree loop and glow-in-the-dark lights.
Drizzly weather is a good time to do a little shopping—or a lot.
Grab your wallet and hit the biggest indoor mall in South Carolina. Coastal Grand Mall has it all - your favorite big box stores, a wide variety of niche shops and a host of great eateries on the grounds.
If kids are tagging along, there's a bustling food court as well as a kiddie play area.
Enjoy a little friendly family competition at Stars and Strikes bowling alley and arcade. It also has an escape room, axe throwing, laser tag and other activities. Seriously - you could kill an entire rainy day here.
It's after 5 and Mother Nature is still raining on your beach parade. Dinner is on everyone's minds as is the question of what to do afterward. You handily took care of both issues, though.
As holder of tickets for either Pirates Voyage or Medieval Times, you'll be hailed a rainy day hero.
It doesn't matter whether you choose jousting over ship looting—you'll be served a hearty, tasty meal while enjoying a professionally executed, theatrical spectacle designed to dazzle, entertain and impress.
Riga Tony's Murder Mystery Dinner Theater is great fun for adults and kids. Enjoy a hearty Italian dinner at the scene of the crime and consider the clues to to solve the mystery.
Head to the tropics and enjoy a sizzling dinner and show at the Polynesian Fire Luau and Dinner Show.
Rain might not have been in your cards, but there might be a winning hand in your immediate future. Big M Casino cruises depart from Little River and feature all your favorite Vegas-style games as well as a sumptuous buffet.
This one's for "big kids" only—21 and older—so secure the babysitter if necessary.
Put on your best poker face and place your bets. You just might find a rainy beach day is your lucky day, after all.
