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Atlantic Beach Murals: Color, Culture and Community on the Grand Strand

  By  Visit Myrtle Beach
Town of Atlantic Beach Mural from the street.

Atlantic Beach has never been ordinary.

In 2025, the town made that even clearer by commissioning 11 murals across the community, turning streets, signage and public spaces into bold works of art. What you’ll find here is not just a collection of painted walls. It is a visual tribute to history, culture and forward momentum in one of South Carolina’s most significant coastal communities.

If you’re exploring the Myrtle Beach area, this is a stop that adds meaning to your itinerary.

Town of Atlantic Beach Mural from the street.

 

A Mural Walk Through Atlantic Beach, SC

The Atlantic Beach murals are spread throughout town, making it easy to explore at your own pace. Park, walk, look around. You’ll see large-scale pieces that command attention and smaller, unexpected bursts of creativity woven into everyday spaces.

One of the most striking murals reads “Open Year Round.”

It is more than a slogan. The design was created from a collage of vibrant ideas rooted in Atlantic Beach’s past, blended with colorful visions of its present and future. It reflects a town that is proud of where it came from and confident about where it is going.

The murals throughout Atlantic Beach mesh historic imagery with bold, contemporary design. They speak to resilience, celebration, entrepreneurship and community pride. This is art with a point of view.

Atlantic Beach mural with SC outline and a black pearl in the middle.

 

The Artists Behind the Vision

The 2025 mural initiative brought together artists whose styles align with Atlantic Beach’s energy and purpose.

Michelle Ricalde | Jersey Girl Art
Michelle painted two large-scale murals that anchor the project. Her work is rich in color and layered storytelling, capturing both nostalgia and optimism in sweeping, immersive compositions.

Christopher Carlisle
Christopher transformed EV charging stations and Little Libraries into pieces of art, proving that creativity belongs everywhere. His work adds personality and cohesion to the town’s public spaces.

Chuck Watkins
Chuck painted the billboard sign murals, elevating functional signage into bold statements that reinforce Atlantic Beach’s identity and presence.

Together, these artists helped shape a unified visual experience that feels intentional and community-driven.

Christopher Carlisle posing with a Welcome to Atlantic Beach mural he painted.

 

Rooted in History

Atlantic Beach is one of the last remaining historic Black beach communities on the East Coast. For generations, it has been a place of gathering, music, entrepreneurship and cultural significance.

The new murals honor that legacy.

They pull from the vibrant beauty and imagery of the past while expressing hope and momentum for the future. This is not surface-level decoration. It is storytelling in color. It is a town reclaiming space, celebrating identity and investing in what comes next.

Atlantic Beach mural includes colorful wings to pose in front of.

 

Discover Another Side of the Grand Strand

The Grand Strand is known for its beaches, attractions and entertainment. Atlantic Beach adds another layer to that experience.

Here, you will find history that runs deep and a community that continues to shape its own narrative. Visiting the murals offers context. It offers perspective. It reminds you that the Myrtle Beach area is made up of distinct communities, each with its own voice and legacy.

Spend the morning on the sand. Explore North Myrtle Beach. Then take time to walk through Atlantic Beach and see how art is helping tell its story today.

Atlantic Beach mural that features "Open Year Round" with two gentlemen posing in front of it.

 

Plan Your Visit

The Atlantic Beach murals are free to view and open to the public year-round. Bring your camera, take your time and look closely. From statement walls to artistic details tucked into everyday spaces, there is plenty to discover.

Atlantic Beach is not just preserving its history. It is painting its future in full color, see for yourself!

Visit Myrtle Beach

We are the area's official online vacation guide which offers everything you need to plan a perfect vacation to the Myrtle Beach Area. Plan your stay online and choose from a wide assortment of accommodation options including Myrtle Beach hotels, resorts, small motels, condos, beach homes, and additional types of vacation rentals. From oceanfront resorts along the entire Grand Strand to cozy beach homes and vacation rentals in North and South Myrtle Beach, including Surfside Beach and Garden City, find the amenities and location perfect for you.