Historic Georgetown: An Idyllic Day Trip from Myrtle Beach

Looking for the perfect day trip from Myrtle Beach? Historic Georgetown is less than a 45-minute drive and offers everything from walking trails to museums and traditional Southern food and crafts. Here, you’ll learn how to get there and how to make the most out of your experience.

Planning Your Trip

Although public transit does run from Myrtle Beach to Georgetown, you’ll want a car for this trip. There are many beautiful stops along the way, and the drive itself tends to be very idyllic—picture birds of prey and blue skies overhead, the forests of the Waccamaw neck hugging the road, and a quiet highway with the faint smell of salt in the air.

You scarcely need your GPS for this trip, as it’s a straight shot south. Get on business 17, and just keep going until you cross the Winyah bay into Georgetown. When you’re over the bridge, you’ll see a couple of signs pointing left for the historic waterfront—it’s that easy!

Georgetown is a great trip almost every day of the week, but avoid going on a Sunday or a Monday if you’re interested in shopping —as many of the stores will be closed.

Visit the Harborwalk

There’s plenty of free parking by Georgetown’s Harborwalk, so pick a spot and head towards the docks. The lengthy boardwalk creeks under your feet like a ship’s planks and offers panoramic views of the picturesque harbor. From here you can take a tour boat out to Shell Island, go dolphin watching, or stop by the many cute boutique and souvenir stores.

Grab Some Fresh Seafood

You have your pick of restaurants along the Harborwalk, with fresh seafood galore. Buzz’s Roost is a local favorite, and it has enough personality for any ten regular restaurants! You’ll also see everything from booze-ready Tiki bars to beer dens and icecream stores as you explore.

Visit the Kaminski House

At the end of the Harborwalk, you’ll come to the Kaminski House Museum. Entry is $12 for adults and includes a tour of the well-preserved Georgian mansion. If you’d rather not take the tour, it’s still worth making it this far to look out over the bay and enjoy the pretty fountain nearby.

Shop for Lowcountry Crafts

Myrtle Beach souvenirs have nothing on Georgetown souvenirs. You’ll find some great treasures created by local artisans in the many craft stores around Georgetown’s historic city center.

Visit the South Carolina Maritime Museum (FREE!)

If it’s free, it’s ALWAYS good in my books! But the South Carolina Maritime Museum would be worth checking out regardless. This two-story exhibit chronicles the maritime history of Georgetown and South Carolina, and you’ll learn a lot just by walking through.

Walk to Morgan Park

Grab an iced tea or an icecream cone to cool down, and start making your way to Morgan Park (you’ll find this no problem—there are handy maps by the Harborwalk, and it’s a straight shot from there). We don’t want you to drive, because you’ll miss out on seeing all the neat historic houses along the way— not to mention the intertwining oak trees that line the streets.

Morgan Park is the old site of Fort Winyah, and here you’ll find a wooden boardwalk that leads across the marshes to a small white sand beach. From here, the ocean breeze will hit you and you’ll see some of South Carolina’s resident seabirds. Sit on the beach, relax, and take in the ambiance before heading back to Myrtle Beach.