Getting Around the Myrtle Beach Region
Getting around Myrtle Beach is easy and intuitive. Whether you fly into Myrtle Beach International Airport or travel by car, each option allows seamless to and fro within the region. If you’re more interested in the import, export, and overall movement of goods, Myrtle Beach is equipped with air, sea, road, and rail routes that make shipping and receiving effortless.
Air
Horry County is home to the Myrtle Beach International Airport (MYR), which is served by seven major commercial airlines and all major cargo carriers, encompassing more than 50 direct routes including New York, Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Miami, Washington, D.C., Canada and more. MYR been identified as one of the busiest airports in South Carolina. MYR is also served by integrated carriers FedEx and UPS. The airport completed a $118 million expansion and renovation, bringing the total number of gates from seven to thirteen, doubling the potential capacity. This will enable the airport to continue to be a domestic and international hub. There are also several other airport facilities located throughout Horry County.
Ports
The Intracoastal Waterway and Waccamaw River are the two bodies of water that run through Horry County. The area is also surrounded on the eastern side by the Atlantic Ocean, making for easy access for ships and boats. Ocean entry to future planned inland ports will become important to the landscape of the infrastructure in Horry County over the coming years. Horry County is located 100 miles or less from three major East Coast ports, and one inland port: • The Port of Charleston (100 miles) • The Port of Wilmington (86 miles) • The Port of Georgetown (37 miles) • Dillon Inland Port (49 miles)
Road
The Grand Strand’s infrastructure of roads easily connects Myrtle Beach and Horry County to the rest of the Eastern Seaboard: US 501 from the west connects Myrtle Beach to SC network of highways; US 17 from North Carolina (from north) and Charleston (from south); Less than 50 miles from Interstate 95 and 20 via US 501 and US 76/301; Carolina Bays Parkway (Highway 31) and Conway Bypass (Highway 22); Planned I-73 will connect Myrtle Beach to Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. Horry County has invested over $1.7 billion in roads and highways over the last seven years. Within the next five years, an additional $450 million will be spent.
Rail
Rail transportation throughout Horry County is provided by RJ Corman and connects to a CSX line at Mullins, SC. CSX has major rail yards in Florence and Charleston, SC, a spur going to Georgetown in neighboring Georgetown County, and an intermodal terminal in Charleston. Rail in Charleston connects to the Port of Charleston for international shipping. Rail freight is provided by Carolina Southern Railroad.