North Myrtle Beach
North Myrtle, SC
North Myrtle Beach is its own town, separate from Myrtle Beach a few miles south, and includes Cherry Grove, a quieter neighborhood built around a tidal saltwater lake right behind the dunes. The vibe here leans more residential and less carnival than the boardwalk strip down the coast, even though the same wide Grand Strand sand runs the whole way.
Enough distance from downtown Myrtle Beach to feel like its own town, and Cherry Grove's channel is a genuine local spot, though the free parking window is early or late only.
How we score beachesCherry Grove's channel, the saltwater lake threading through the neighborhood, is worth a walk at low tide when the sandbars show and locals go looking for shells and sand dollars.
Metered spots run $2 an hour, free before 9am and after 5pm year-round, with paid enforcement March through October.
Public accesses along Ocean Boulevard drop straight onto the sand. Cherry Grove's accesses are mostly street ends with a short walk over a low dune.
Dogs are banned from the beach 10am to 4pm from May 15 through Labor Day. Leashed dogs are welcome outside those hours, and anytime the rest of the year.
Water hits the low 80s by August, the same stretch that brings hurricane season, running through November. Fall keeps the warm water with a fraction of the summer foot traffic.
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