With Kids in Myrtle Beach

Housed in a building that appears to have crash-landed and flipped upside down, WonderWorks is an indoor science museum built around more than 100 hands-on exhibits. Kids can lie on a bed of nails, take on a giant bubble challenge, experience a simulated hurricane, or test their reflexes in the sports arena. The upper level houses a laser tag arena and ropes course for an extra fee, while the main exhibit floor is included with general admission and easily fills two to three hours.

It is fully air-conditioned, making it a reliable backup plan on rainy or scorching afternoons, and the sheer novelty of the upside-down architecture makes for a fun photo before you even step inside. Best suited to kids roughly five and up who can engage with the interactive stations, though toddlers enjoy the bubble and light exhibits too.

South Carolina's largest water park, Myrtle Waves, spreads across 20 acres with slides and pools graded for nearly every age. Younger kids gravitate toward Little Squirt's Cove, a gentle splash zone with mini slides, while older children and teens take on body slides, tube rides, and the wave pool. A lazy river lets the whole family float together at an easy pace.

Lounge chairs and shaded cabanas line the pool decks, and outside food is not permitted, so budget for park concessions or plan to leave and return. It gets crowded on peak summer afternoons, so arriving at opening gives shorter lines on the marquee slides. Note: the park typically operates seasonally from late spring through early fall, so check operating dates before visiting outside peak summer.

Aimed squarely at toddlers through early elementary kids, the Children's Museum of South Carolina fills two floors with themed play areas: a pretend grocery store and bank, a bubble room, a construction zone, and a toddler-only soft-play space. Staff rotate special activities and craft stations throughout the day, and the museum hosts a splash pad and outdoor play area during warmer months.

It is smaller and calmer than the boardwalk's big attractions, which makes it a good fit for younger children who get overwhelmed by crowds and noise. Strollers fit comfortably through the exhibits, and there are quiet nursing and changing facilities on site. Plan for a morning visit before nap time, since the museum tends to get busier by early afternoon, especially on weekends and rainy days.

A go-kart complex built for families, NASCAR SpeedPark features seven track configurations ranging from a gentle kiddie loop to multi-level speed tracks for confident teen and adult drivers. Height requirements determine which tracks each child can ride, so families with a range of ages will likely split up across different tracks during a visit. Beyond karting, the park has an arcade, mini golf, and a small Ferris wheel-style attraction.

Tickets are typically sold as points loaded onto a card, which works out cheaper per ride than paying individually if you plan to stay a few hours. Evenings bring cooler temperatures and light displays on some tracks, making after 5pm a popular time to visit in summer. Closed-toe shoes are required for all racers.

Co-created by Dolly Parton, Pirates Voyage is a dinner theater built around a full-size ship in a 15-foot indoor lagoon, with acrobats, horses, and pirate stunt performers competing in a good-versus-evil storyline. A four-course meal, eaten by hand pirate-style, is served throughout the roughly two-hour show, and the sword fights, dives, and pyrotechnics keep most kids engaged from start to finish.

Seating is assigned by which pirate crew you cheer for, and arriving early lets families pick seats close to the water action. Because the show involves loud sound effects and occasional flashes, it suits children old enough to sit through a theater performance rather than toddlers. Booking ahead is recommended in peak summer weeks, since shows sell out on busy nights.