Myrtle Beach Boardwalk

Myrtle Beach Boardwalk, formally known as the Myrtle Beach Boardwalk & Promenade, is a public oceanfront attraction in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. It extends approximately 1.2 miles, or 1.9 kilometers, along the Atlantic shoreline from Pier 14 at 14th Avenue North to the 2nd Avenue Pier at 2nd Avenue North. Rather than functioning as a single commercial company, it is a city-backed destination that combines pedestrian infrastructure, public parks, entertainment programming, restaurants, bars, gift shops, beach access, and nearby attractions. The modern promenade was developed after the 2006 closure of the Myrtle Beach Pavilion, a major amusement destination that had operated for 58 years. Local merchants and civic leaders wanted a replacement attraction capable of bringing visitors back to the downtown oceanfront. The project had been discussed for years, but its scope, financing, storm exposure, security, and effects on nearby businesses were subjects of debate. Myrtle Beach ultimately financed the project through municipal bonds supported by a tourism-related sales-tax mechanism, while private parties contributed to portions of the route and related development. Construction began in September 2009. The first principal sections were completed in spring 2010, and the boardwalk officially opened in May 2010, with a ribbon-cutting on May 15 during the Beach Music Festival. The southernmost segment was completed in June of that year. The finished design divides the attraction into distinct character zones: a narrower raised wooden-deck section in the north, a busier middle section associated with restaurants, bars, shops, and the former Pavilion site, and a southern promenade designed as a landscaped oceanfront park. Plyler Park provides a setting for concerts and seasonal events, while the 2nd Avenue Pier is associated with fireworks and other public activity. Programming is central to the boardwalk’s identity. Seasonal offerings have included Hot Summer Nights, with live music and family entertainment; the Sun Fun Festival; Boardwalk Fright Nights; Winter Wonderland at the Beach; and the Carolina Country Music Festival. The area also benefits from adjacent attractions such as the Myrtle Beach SkyWheel and the 2nd Avenue Pier. During its opening period, the boardwalk received national media attention from CBS’s The Early Show, The Today Show, National Geographic, Travel + Leisure, and TLC’s Cake Boss. National rankings placed it among the leading boardwalks in the United States, helping position it as a signature Myrtle Beach visitor experience. The boardwalk’s reception has generally been positive. Surveys conducted in 2010 found strong approval from both tourists and local residents, while nearby businesses reported increased activity and revenue. Although some residents expressed concerns about safety, homelessness, and the absence of a dedicated boardwalk patrol, local police reported relatively few incidents and most visitors reported feeling safe. The city and civic organizations have periodically considered extending the promenade beyond its original endpoints, but large-scale expansion has depended on sponsorships, improvement districts, and other funding sources. A 425-foot northern extension was completed in 2013. In 2022, approximately $3.7 million in improvements included replacing vulnerable southern yellow pine elements with weather-resistant composite materials and updating portions of the railings. The boardwalk remains an active public destination whose brand value derives from its blend of beachfront scenery, entertainment, events, and surrounding hospitality businesses.

Myrtle Beach’s modern boardwalk follows a longer history of shoreline promenades and public entertainment. An early boardwalk connected the community’s first hotel, the Sea Side Inn, with one of the area’s pavilions. A wooden boardwalk existed by the 1930s and was upgraded with concrete in 1940. Expansion plans were delayed by World War II, and Hurricane Hazel destroyed the structure in 1954. Only a short concrete walkway remained, later associated with Mr. Joe White Avenue. The idea of rebuilding a substantial boardwalk returned through the 1999 Pavilion Area Master Plan. The issue became more urgent after the Myrtle Beach Pavilion closed in 2006 and its amusement-park site was cleared. Merchants and civic leaders sought a new downtown attraction, while officials debated whether the boardwalk would generate enough economic value to justify its cost. Initial estimates approached $10 million, later rising to about $12 million. The city allocated $285,000 for design work, and The LandArt Co. prepared early concepts involving benches, planters, wooden decking, concrete walkways, beach connections, shade structures, and public parks. Funding produced significant political debate. Options included a special tax district affecting nearby businesses, broader city participation, private contributions, and tourism-related sales-tax revenues. Critics questioned whether smaller businesses could bear a special assessment and raised concerns about crime and disorder. Burroughs & Chapin, which had demolished the Pavilion and cleared its former site, agreed to fund the section crossing the 11-acre property, using a design consistent with the rest of the project. A dispute over that commitment continued around the time of groundbreaking, but the company remained supportive of the broader redevelopment effort. Groundbreaking occurred in September 2009. The economic slowdown reduced construction costs and made contractors more competitive, allowing the project to proceed at a substantially lower cost than earlier estimates. Municipal bonds were supported by a tourism-promotion sales tax, avoiding an increase in local property taxes for the project. M.B. Kahn Construction Co. served as contractor. Construction used substantial quantities of lumber, screws, and nails, while the city supplied palmetto trees and beach-grass seedlings. The boardwalk opened in stages in 2010. The principal route from 14th Avenue North to 4th Avenue North was substantially complete in early April, the official opening took place on May 15 during the Beach Music Festival, and the southern section beyond 4th Avenue was completed in June. The opening restored a major public entertainment focus to the downtown oceanfront and attracted both regional visitors and tourists who had not frequented the area for years. Subsequent development expanded the destination’s appeal. Plans for a northern park and restaurant led to the relocation of alleys and a 425-foot boardwalk extension, completed in 2013. Civic leaders also discussed a much larger 4.6-mile route running from the Springmaid Pier area northward beyond the existing endpoint. That proposal required substantial private or institutional support and did not become the established full-length boardwalk. In 2014, the Myrtle Beach Downtown Redevelopment Corporation supported planning for a municipal improvement district; after approval in 2022, such revenues could support downtown projects, although private sponsorships remained the preferred method for extensions. The boardwalk has also been maintained and adapted as a coastal public asset. In 2022, the city undertook approximately $3.7 million in improvements, including the replacement of southern yellow pine with composite materials designed to withstand weather more effectively. Its continuing identity is built around three physical zones: a raised wooden northern deck, a commercially active central area, and a landscaped southern promenade. Live music, family activities, seasonal festivals, fireworks, dining, retail, and nearby attractions such as the SkyWheel and 2nd Avenue Pier make it a year-round tourism platform rather than merely a walkway.

• 2022

  Resilience and surface improvements

  [1]Myrtle Beach Boardwalken.wikipedia.org

  Approximately $3.7 million in improvements upgraded materials and portions of the railings.

• 2013

  425-foot northern extension completed

  [1]Myrtle Beach Boardwalken.wikipedia.org

  A northern extension connected the boardwalk with additional park, restaurant, and street improvements.

• 2010

  Official opening

  [1]Myrtle Beach Boardwalken.wikipedia.org

  The promenade officially opened in May, with the ribbon-cutting held on May 15 during the Beach Music Festival.

• 2009

  Construction begins

  [1]Myrtle Beach Boardwalken.wikipedia.org

  Groundbreaking for the modern boardwalk took place in September.

• 2006

  Myrtle Beach Pavilion closes

  [1]Myrtle Beach Boardwalken.wikipedia.org

  The closure of the long-running amusement venue increased pressure to create a replacement downtown attraction.

• 1999

  Boardwalk included in Pavilion Area Master Plan

  [1]Myrtle Beach Boardwalken.wikipedia.org

  A downtown planning document revived the concept of a substantial oceanfront boardwalk.

• 1954

  Hurricane Hazel destroys the earlier boardwalk

  [1]Myrtle Beach Boardwalken.wikipedia.org

  The hurricane destroyed most of the historic boardwalk, leaving only a short concrete remnant.

• 1940

  Concrete upgrade

  [1]Myrtle Beach Boardwalken.wikipedia.org

  The earlier boardwalk was upgraded with concrete, although later expansion was delayed by World War II.

• 1930

  Early wooden boardwalk era

  [1]Myrtle Beach Boardwalken.wikipedia.org

  Myrtle Beach had a wooden shoreline boardwalk by the 1930s, continuing the area’s tradition of linking hotels, pavilions, and the beach.

A family-oriented, entertainment-led oceanfront destination that serves as the public face of downtown Myrtle Beach and links beaches, piers, events, dining, retail, and attractions.

• Public oceanfront promenade · 2010

  Myrtle Beach Boardwalk & Promenade

  The core destination is a roughly 1.2-mile pedestrian route along the oceanfront, running from Pier 14 at 14th Avenue North to the 2nd Avenue Pier. Its northern section uses a raised wooden-deck design, the center combines pedestrian space with restaurants, bars, shops, and entertainment, and the southern section is landscaped as a meandering oceanfront park with benches and beach connections.

• Seasonal entertainment series

  Hot Summer Nights

  A summer program centered at Plyler Park and the boardwalk, featuring recurring live music and family-oriented entertainment. Activities have included a kids’ carnival, visiting performers, bagpipes, and Dixieland music.

• Holiday festival

  Winter Wonderland at the Beach

  A seasonal holiday presentation featuring nighttime lights, a tree-lighting event, entertainment, and festival activity along the oceanfront boardwalk area.

• 2010Opening-week national media promotion

  United States

  The opening received live and recorded coverage from CBS’s The Early Show, The Today Show, National Geographic, Travel + Leisure, and TLC’s Cake Boss. Opening-related spectacle included a large flip-flop-shaped cake and a sand sculpture, helping introduce the boardwalk to a national audience.

  Outcome. The publicity increased the destination’s visibility and was credited by local tourism officials with substantial equivalent media exposure.

  Source
• Hot Summer Nights

  Myrtle Beach · United States tourism market

  Recurring summer entertainment uses live music and family programming to make the boardwalk a regular evening destination rather than a daytime beach walkway.

  Outcome. The series remains part of the boardwalk’s seasonal identity.

  Source
• Winter Wonderland at the Beach

  Myrtle Beach · United States tourism market

  Holiday lights, tree lighting, and entertainment extend the boardwalk’s visitor season into winter.

  Outcome. It reinforces the boardwalk as a year-round public attraction.

  Source

• 2022

  Upgrade materials for coastal durabilityStrategy

  Background

  The boardwalk required maintenance and more weather-resistant materials in a demanding coastal environment.

  Action taken

  The city undertook improvements including replacement of southern yellow pine with composite materials and work on wooden railings.

  Aftermath

  The attraction’s infrastructure was modernized while retaining its boardwalk character.

  Improvement investment. 3700000 (2022)

  Source

• 2012

  Authorize space for a northern extensionOther

  Background

  A proposed restaurant and park north of 14th Avenue North required changes to alleys and connections to Ocean Boulevard.

  Action taken

  The city council approved the necessary right-of-way changes, while adjacent development helped support the extension’s cost.

  Aftermath

  A 425-foot extension was completed in 2013.

  Estimated extension cost. 420000 (2012 estimate)

  Source

• 2009

  Proceed with a city-backed boardwalk projectStrategy

  Background

  After the Pavilion closed, Myrtle Beach sought a replacement downtown attraction, despite disputes over financing, tax districts, security, storm exposure, and private participation.

  Action taken

  The city proceeded with construction, using municipal financing supported by tourism-related sales-tax revenues and private contributions to portions of the route.

  Aftermath

  The boardwalk opened in 2010 and became a central downtown visitor attraction.

  Source

1. 1Myrtle Beach Boardwalken.wikipedia.org
2. 2Official Myrtle Beach Boardwalk websitemyrtlebeachboardwalk.com