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) that is served by eight major commercial airlines and all major cargo carriers, encompassing nearly 50 nonstop routes including New York, Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Toronto and more. In 2013, MYR completed a $118 million expansion and renovation project bringing the total number of gates from seven to 13, and doubling the potential capacity. Horry County possesses three other area airports:

  • Beach Aviation Services, located at Myrtle Beach International Airport (MYR), serves general aviation aircraft with parking, refueling, and maintenance.
  • Conway-Horry County Airport, located just miles west of Conway, serves general aviation aircraft with parking, refueling, and maintenance.
  • Grand Strand Airport, located in North Myrtle Beach, serves general aviation aircraft with parking, refueling, and maintenance.
  • Just two miles northeast of Loris, on Highway 301, there is an unattended, public use airport that is an excellent training airport for practice approaches and landings for private aircraft

Myrtle Beach International Airport was named Best Small Airport in the US by USA Today in their 2021 10Best Readers’ Choice travel awards! Myrtle Beach International Airport ranks among the fastest growing airports in the state. Passengers fly in and out on right different airlines to more than 50 destinations across North America. It wins high marks from passengers for its convenient location and the ease of getting through security to your gate.

Myrtle Beach International Airports/USA Today

Sea 

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 allowing 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:

  • Port of Charleston (100 miles)
  • Port of Wilmington (86 miles)
  • Port of Georgetown (37 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 7 years
  • Within the next 5 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, S.C. CSX has major rail yards in Florence and Charleston, S.C., 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.