Pet-friendly things to do in Myrtle Beach

Not everywhere you travel is the perfect place to take your pet along for fun. Luckily, Myrtle Beach is a very pet-friendly destination where many restaurants and outdoor spaces are pet accessible. The local hotels are also accommodating; however, note that additional fees may be incurred if you decide to bring your furry friend with you. We’ve rounded up the top things you can do with your pet while visiting Myrtle Beach.

Visit a restaurant or grab ice cream

Many restaurants in the city are pet-friendly, especially the ones by the beach. If you’re looking for a good brunch spot or somewhere the dogs can also grab something off the menu, you might want to try Tidal Creek Brewhouse or The Sneaky Beagle. Tidal Creek has a large outdoor lawn and play area for pets to roam around, and The Sneaky Beagle even has a small menu tailored especially for our furry friends! Other restaurants that are great to visit before hitting the beach are Moe Moons, Bummz Beach Café, and Art Burger Sushi Bar. These are just some of the many restaurants you can visit in the area. In addition, many ice cream joints offer dog-friendly treats and have large outdoor seating areas to lounge around. Bruster’s Ice Cream will give a free pup cup of vanilla ice cream with a milk bone, and Meyer’s Ice Cream Parlor in Surfside Beach is a must when visiting the area just because of its array of flavors and cute décor!

Walk the beach

This is the most classic answer that could be given when wondering what you can do with your pet when visiting a beach city, but it must be mentioned. The beach is free to roam with your pets during certain times in the summer. From May 1st through Labor Day, dogs are not allowed on the beaches from 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. This means that during this time visitors can only bring their pets to the beach in the mornings or evenings, however, at any other time of the year pets are allowed to visit at any time of day. It’s also important to note that when visiting the beach with your dog they must remain on-leash for the safety of others.

Visit a state park

Myrtle Beach is lucky enough to have two state parks within just 40 minutes of each other. The first one is the Myrtle Beach State Park, located right before Surfside Beach. Here visitors can come with their pets and spend time on the beach, pack some lunch, and enjoy it at one of the park’s picnic tables or walk the nature trails. The second park is Huntington Beach State Park in Murrells Inlet. Here you can also get sights of the beach, but the real attraction is the marsh and the animals that you’ll see such as alligators, various types of birds, and all the amphibians you can think of. Both parks are pet-friendly and require a small entrance fee when visiting.

Visit a Bark Park

There are two dog parks in the area, and they’re quite easy to find, being called Barc Parc South and Barc Parc North. The south park is near Market Commons, a popular shopping complex. The park has a large man-made lake where dogs can splash around and cool off in the hot months. The north park is near the local YMCA, fenced in entirely for your pet to roam freely. The park is split in two, one side for smaller dogs and the other for medium and larger-sized dogs. There’s also a spot called Withers Swash Park that’s composed of 15 acres of land, laced with trails and boardwalks. Here you can visit with your pet, and explore the Myrtle Beach wetlands, and what used to be a part of a Colonial Era plantation in the 1700s.

Spend time at an outdoor shopping area  

Since Myrtle is a beach city and people enjoy visiting in the warmer months, there are a handful of outdoor shopping areas. One of which is Market Commons, located at the northern end of Myrtle Beach. Here visitors can take their pets while exploring fashion boutiques or taking a stroll on the sidewalks that line Market Commons' large ponds and outdoor activity areas. Here are also a variety of restaurants that offer pet-friendly accommodations with outdoor seating such as King Street, Tupelo Honey, Crepe Creation Café, Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant, and more. The second outdoor shopping area is Barefoot Landing in North Myrtle Beach. People come here for the sole reason of shopping or visiting a restaurant. The complex is built around water, so you can stroll boardwalks with your pet while window shopping or searching for turtles. The Crooked Hammock Brewery is a common hangout spot here with its happy hour and outdoor setup on the lawn for people to enjoy with their furry friends.