Top Places to Explore Wildlife in the Myrtle Beach Area

Barefoot Landing, North Myrtle Beach

Kids who love animals will love to explore Alligator Adventure located at Barefoot Landing in North Myrtle Beach. Experience family fun as you see tons of gators, gray wolves, rare snakes, kangaroos, and crocodiles too!

Murrells Inlet

Take a day trip to Brookgreen Gardens Lowcountry Zoo in Murrells Inlet to see a ton of native species including alligators, eagles, otters, deer, and horses. You will also enjoy internationally-acclaimed sculptures amid local flora and 300 species of South Carolina water birds. While you are there, stroll around the sculpture gardens to take in the natural beauty of southern oak trees draped in moss and gorgeous flowers.

Dolphin watch tours are a favorite way to spot wildlife along the Grand Strand, with options in several coastal communities. In Myrtle Beach, Myrtle Beach Watersports offers guided dolphin cruises offshore. Murrells Inlet is a major hub, with Express Watersports, Blue Wave Adventures, and Visit Murrells Inlet Cruises running tours through the inlet and nearby ocean waters. In North Myrtle Beach, Action Water Sportz and Voyager Deep Sea Fishing & Dolphin Cruises provide dolphin-focused outings with scenic coastal views and frequent sightings. Many eco tours also include stops at barrier islands, where guides often pull up jellyfish, crabs, and small marine creatures to examine up close, along with chances to spot birds, and other coastal wildlife along the way.

Murrells Inlet

Huntington Beach State Park is one of the Grand Strand’s most incredible places for wildlife spotting. The moment you enter the park, the road is flanked by salt marsh on both sides, creating a front-row seat to native birds, wading wildlife, and the occasional alligator cruising just off the pavement. It’s one of the easiest places in the area to see birds up close, snap photos, and slow down long enough to notice what’s happening around you. Throughout the park, visitors can spot pelicans, roseate spoonbills, alligators, minks, and, during nesting season, loggerhead sea turtles. With pristine beaches, winding nature trails, and wide-open marsh views, Huntington Beach State Park feels wild, protected, and wonderfully untouched.

North Myrtle Beach / Little River

For a truly memorable way to explore coastal landscape and wildlife, horseback riding at Inlet Point Plantation delivers an experience unlike any other on the Grand Strand. Riders can traverse scenic trails through forest, marsh, and beachfront paths while keeping an eye out for wading birds, deer, herons, dolphins offshore, and other native critters along the route. Whether you’re a beginner or experienced rider, guided equestrian outings here combine gentle adventure with natural beauty, making it a great choice for families or anyone who wants to see wildlife from a new vantage point.

Around the Grand Strand

Kayaking is one of the best ways to spot wildlife in its natural habitat. Paddle the tidal marshes of Murrells Inlet with Express Watersports (Murrells Inlet) and you’re likely to see herons, turtles, and coastal birds moving through the grasses. In North Myrtle Beach, J & L Kayaking (North Myrtle Beach) offers trips near Waties Island and along the Waccamaw River, where dolphins, ospreys, and other marsh wildlife are common sights. Island Adventure Watersports (Socastee) leads scenic paddles through the Intracoastal Waterway, putting kayakers up close to native species, while Black River Outdoors (Conway) takes guests deep into quiet river backwaters filled with birds, turtles, and unexpected wildlife moments. These peaceful paddles offer a front-row seat to the wilder side of the Grand Strand.

Myrtle Beach

Myrtle Beach State Park is where the beach meets the wild. As South Carolina’s first state park, it protects hundreds of plant and animal species, making it one of the best places on the Grand Strand to spot local wildlife. Walk the nature trails and you might see coastal birds, turtles, or deer moving through the maritime forest. Head to the pier or shoreline to watch fish, crabs, and seabirds at work, with dolphins often cruising just offshore. The park’s nature center and seasonal programs help kids and adults learn what lives here and why it matters, turning a simple beach walk into a hands-on wildlife experience.

Myrtle Beach

Pirates Voyage dinner show isn’t all just swashbuckling stunts and sword fights (although there's plenty of that). Along with the acrobatics, aerial tricks, and over-the-top pirate battles, the show features live animal moments that surprise a lot of first-timers. Colorful macaws soar overhead, sea lions steal scenes with their playful personalities, and the whole thing unfolds around a massive indoor lagoon and pirate ship. Add a hearty pirate-style feast and you’ve got an action-packed night that mixes entertainment and wildlife in a way families won’t stop talking about.

Broadway at The Beach, Myrtle Beach

Ripley’s Aquarium is hands-down one of the most impressive wildlife attractions around and a true must-see in Myrtle Beach. Guests ride a 330-foot conveyor walkway through a clear acrylic tunnel surrounded by thousands of incredible ocean creatures, with giant sharks, sea turtles, and moray eels gliding just inches away. Beyond the tunnel, kids can get hands-on in the stingray touch tank, while the fan-favorite Penguin Playhouse lets visitors watch—and even interact with—playful penguins during special encounters. The experience wraps up with a can’t-miss sloth exhibit, home to two adorable two-toed sloths that offer an up-close look at one of the animal kingdom’s most laid-back stars.

Aynor, SC

Southern Palmetto Farms is a 40+ acre family farm packed with hands-on animal encounters and plenty to keep kids moving. Visitors can meet and feed farm animals, take wagon rides, explore play areas, and enjoy classic farm attractions throughout the property. The farm really shines during seasonal events, with fall bringing corn mazes, pumpkin patches, pig racing, and festival-style activities, along with spring and holiday celebrations. It’s an easy, outdoor way to mix animals, fresh air, and all-day family fun just inland from the beach.

Conway

This classic Lowcountry farm experience is just a short drive inland from the beach. Here, visitors can meet and feed friendly animals like goats, sheep, cows, pigs, and chickens. Beyond the petting barn, the farm offers tractor rides, hay bale mazes, picnic spots, and open pasture areas perfect for little ones to run around. The farm also hosts great seasonal events throughout the year — from Easter egg hunts in spring and summer farm days to fall harvest activities, Halloween fun, and holiday celebrations — making it a year-round destination for families looking for hands-on animal encounters and wholesome outdoor fun.

Near Little River

Waites Island is one of the last undeveloped barrier islands on the Grand Strand, and its untouched beaches, dunes, and marshes make it a prime spot for wildlife viewing. Visitors often spot shorebirds, wading birds, crabs, and dolphins just offshore, with sea turtles nesting here in season. Because there are no roads or bridges, the island is only accessible by water, most commonly via guided kayak tours launching from the North Myrtle Beach area, including Great Escapes Kayak Expeditions. That limited access keeps the island quiet, natural, and ideal for experiencing coastal wildlife the way it’s meant to be seen.

Conway

Just a short drive inland and just west of downtown Conway, Wild Woods Farm is a newer addition to the area's offerings. This exotic petting zoo-style farm is home to over 200 animals from all over the world — think cuddly goats and llamas, curious primates and sleepy sloths, plus critters from Africa, South America, Asia, and Australia you won’t see on the beach. Kids can pet and feed friendly animals, and adults might catch themselves grinning at every unexpected encounter. It’s laid-back, hands-on, and perfect for families looking for a non-beach adventure.