Best Free Photo Spots in Myrtle Beach
Best Free Photo Spots in Myrtle Beach
None of these eight spots require a big attraction ticket to photograph well. Most cost nothing beyond the drive to get there, and the two that do charge admission (Brookgreen Gardens and Huntington Beach State Park) top out at $25, with the payoff worth the price for anyone who takes photos seriously.
The Boardwalk at sunrise (free)
The 1.2-mile Boardwalk, a 2010 rebuild since Hurricane Hazel destroyed the original in 1954, is emptiest at sunrise, before the day crowds arrive. Shoot toward the SkyWheel for scale, or turn the other way for the open ocean and the fishing piers in silhouette.
Apache Pier (free)
At 1,206 ft, Apache Pier is the longest wooden pier on the East Coast, and its length makes for a genuine leading-line shot straight out over the water, especially with early anglers still setting up their rods.
Broadway at the Beach (free to walk)
A 350-acre entertainment district about two blocks off the actual Boardwalk (a common mix-up worth knowing), Broadway at the Beach is colorful even from the outside, with enough neon and signage to make an evening walk-through worth a few frames without paying for any of the attractions inside.
Brookgreen Gardens (~$25 adult)
America’s foremost sculpture garden pairs bronze and marble works with formal plantings, and the light through the live oaks in the late afternoon is some of the best on the whole Strand. The ticket stays valid for 7 consecutive days, useful if you want to come back for a second, better-lit visit.
Huntington Beach State Park (~$8)
Across US-17 from Brookgreen, this state park pairs the 1930s Atalaya Castle, a Moorish-style former winter home, with genuinely serious birding, 300-plus species recorded. Bring a longer lens if you have one; the marsh and dune habitat here reward patience more than the Boardwalk does.
Murrells Inlet MarshWalk at sunset (free)
The half-mile boardwalk over the marsh is at its best right at sunset, when the shrimp boats come in and the light turns the water gold. You don’t need to eat at one of its seafood restaurants to walk it and shoot the view.
Pawleys Island (free)
The quietest, most historic stretch of the Strand, Pawleys Island trades the Boardwalk’s energy for weathered cottages and open beach, good for a slower, more textured set of shots than the busier core.
Myrtle Beach State Park’s pier (~$5)
A quieter alternative to the Boardwalk piers, this pier sits inside a state park rather than a commercial strip, so the frame stays cleaner, water and horizon without the crowd in the background.
Read more: the main Myrtle Beach guide has the full cost breakdown for these same spots, and the hidden gems guide covers a few quieter angles worth adding to a shot list.