Myrtle Beach Family Shows and Attractions (2026)

Dinner Shows Worth the Ticket Price

Myrtle Beach's dinner shows are the kind of experience that sounds touristy until you're actually watching pirates swing from ropes above a 15-foot-deep lagoon while your kids lose their minds. Both major shows include a full meal, so the ticket price covers entertainment and dinner in one shot.

Pirates Voyage Dinner and Show

Pirates Voyage is the more kid-friendly of the two shows, and it's not close. Blackbeard and Calico Jack lead dueling pirate crews through acrobatics, fire spinning, and sea lion performances above full-sized pirate ships floating in an indoor lagoon. The "Deep Sea Wonders" segment brings glow-in-the-dark jellyfish and sea turtles to life — younger kids are completely mesmerized by it.

2026 prices: Adults start at $69.99, children at $34.99. A family of four pays roughly $210. The four-course pirate feast includes rotisserie chicken, corn on the cob, herb potatoes, and dessert. You eat with your hands (no utensils) — kids consider this a feature, not a bug.

Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament

Medieval Times leans older. The jousting, sword fights, and horsemanship draw bigger reactions from kids 6 and up who can follow the competition between six knights. Younger kids sometimes get overwhelmed by the noise level and the darker arena setting.

2026 prices: Adults at $74.95, children at $46.95. A family of four runs about $245. The meal includes garlic bread, tomato soup, roasted chicken, potatoes, and pastry — also eaten without utensils. The show runs about two hours.

Which show is better for your family? Pirates Voyage wins for ages 3-8. Medieval Times is the pick for ages 8 and up. If you can only do one, Pirates Voyage tends to be the crowd favorite among families in travel forums. But both deliver genuine entertainment that goes well beyond a standard tourist trap.

Carolina Opry

The Carolina Opry doesn't get the same attention as the dinner shows, but it's been voted the number one variety show in Myrtle Beach every year since it opened. The format mixes music, comedy, and dance — think more Nashville than Broadway. It skews slightly older than the dinner shows, so it's a better fit for families with kids 8+ who can sit through a two-hour performance. No meal included, but the lower ticket price reflects that.

How to Budget for Shows

Here's the math that most families miss: dinner shows double as your evening meal. A family of four spending $210-$245 on Pirates Voyage or Medieval Times sounds steep until you realize dinner for four at any sit-down Myrtle Beach restaurant runs $60-$90 anyway. The real entertainment premium is only $120-$155 when you subtract the meal value. Compare that to the $400-$800 a family drops on a single Broadway show with no food included, and these dinner shows look like a bargain.

Most families do one dinner show per trip. Doing both is possible but pushes the entertainment budget hard — that's $450+ for two evenings. If you're choosing, pick the one that matches your kids' ages and interests. For detailed cost breakdowns across your entire trip, our Myrtle Beach cost breakdown covers every category.

Amusement Parks and Rides

Family Kingdom Amusement Park

Family Kingdom has been on the Myrtle Beach oceanfront since 1968, and it fills a gap that more expensive parks can't: affordable, low-pressure fun right next to the beach. There's no gate admission. Walk in, look around, and decide what to ride. Buy individual ride tickets or grab an all-day wristband for $30-$40 per person.

The park has 37 rides spanning kiddie rides, family rides, and genuine thrill rides. The Swamp Fox — a classic wooden roller coaster — remains a local legend. And here's what's new for 2026: a Rocky Mountain Construction coaster over 100 feet tall is being added for summer 2026. That's a serious draw for thrill-seeking families.

Is it worth it? For the price, absolutely. You won't get Disney-level theming, but you'll get solid rides, an oceanfront location, and enough variety to keep kids entertained for half a day. Pair it with a beach morning and you've got a full day covered for under $150 for a family of four.

Broadway at the Beach

Broadway at the Beach is Myrtle Beach's biggest entertainment complex, and walking around is free. It's a 350-acre district with restaurants, shops, and several paid attractions grouped together. Pavilion Park sits inside Broadway at the Beach with coasters and thrill rides across three zones (East, West, and Central). Ripley's Aquarium and WonderWorks are also here.

Think of Broadway at the Beach as a base camp. You don't need to do everything in one visit — it's the kind of place where you can grab dinner, ride a few rides, and wander the shops without committing to a full-day ticket.

Aquariums, Museums, and Indoor Attractions

Ripley's Aquarium

Ripley's Aquarium is the best indoor attraction in Myrtle Beach for families — and one of the few that works for literally every age group. The underwater tunnel puts you face-to-face with sharks swimming overhead. Stingray petting areas keep toddlers busy. And the jellyfish gallery (seriously beautiful lighting) appeals even to adults who didn't expect to care about an aquarium.

Tickets run about $36 for adults and $20 for kids. Plan 2-3 hours. Go early in the morning or after 4 PM to avoid the thickest crowds.

WonderWorks

That upside-down building on Broadway at the Beach? That's WonderWorks, an indoor amusement park with over 100 hands-on exhibits. Kids can lie on a bed of nails, experience hurricane-force winds, and play in a laser tag arena. Tickets run $30-$35 per person. Best for ages 5-14 — younger kids can't reach or operate many of the exhibits.

SkyWheel

The Myrtle Beach SkyWheel (that giant Ferris wheel on the boardwalk) gives you panoramic ocean views from 187 feet up. Rides cost about $17 for adults and $12 for kids. The enclosed, air-conditioned gondolas make it comfortable even in summer heat. Go at sunset for the best experience — the coastline view is worth the wait.

Mini Golf: Yes, It's a Big Deal Here

Myrtle Beach has over 50 mini golf courses. That's not a typo. The Grand Strand is widely considered the mini golf capital of the world, and the courses here go well beyond the windmill-and-clown-mouth variety you'd find at a roadside attraction.

Expect to pay $10-$14 per person per round at most courses. Some of the standout courses along Highway 17 feature erupting volcanoes, pirate ship themes, and elaborate jungle landscapes. Hawaiian Rumble, Captain Hook's, and Jungle Lagoon are consistently rated among the best.

So how do you pick from 50+ options? Start with whatever theme your kids are into. Pirate courses, dinosaur courses, adventure courses — there's genuinely a course for every interest. Most families play two or three rounds across a week-long trip without feeling like they've overdone it.

Free and Low-Cost Entertainment

Not everything in Myrtle Beach costs money, and the free stuff is genuinely good — not just filler.

The Beach: Obvious, but worth stating. Sixty miles of free coastline. No beach passes, no parking meters at most access points, no entrance fees. Just ocean, sand, and space.

Boardwalk and Promenade: The 1.2-mile Myrtle Beach Boardwalk runs along the oceanfront with street performers, shops, and the best people-watching in town. Free to walk. The atmosphere picks up after sunset when the lights come on and the boardwalk fills up.

Barefoot Landing: This waterfront shopping and dining complex in North Myrtle Beach hosts free concerts, fireworks shows, and kid-oriented events throughout summer. It's worth driving up even if you don't buy anything.

Myrtle Beach State Park: Just south of the main tourist strip, this 312-acre park offers nature trails, a fishing pier, and a quieter beach for a few dollars per car. A good change of pace from the boardwalk energy.

Water Sports and Outdoor Adventures

Beyond the beach and the boardwalk, Myrtle Beach has a solid lineup of outdoor activities that get families off the sand and onto (or into) the water.

Parasailing: Available along the beach from several operators. Tandem flights (two people at once) run $80-$120 per pair. Most operators require kids to be at least 6 years old and weigh a minimum of 90 pounds. The views from 500 feet above the coastline are genuinely spectacular — kids who are old enough to go absolutely love it.

Dolphin cruises: Several companies run 1-2 hour dolphin watching cruises from the Murrells Inlet marina, about 15 minutes south of the main strip. Tickets typically cost $25-$35 per adult and $15-$20 per child. Morning cruises see the most dolphin activity. These are a good change of pace on a day when the ocean is too rough for swimming.

Jet skiing and kayaking: Jet ski rentals run $60-$90 per hour. Kayak rentals through the salt marsh creeks cost $30-$50 per person for a guided 2-hour tour. The marsh tours are quieter and work well for families who want something more nature-oriented than the boardwalk scene. Kids as young as 4 can ride along in a tandem kayak.