Myrtle Beach vs Hilton Head: How the Two Compare
Hilton Head and Myrtle Beach are South Carolina’s two big beach towns, four hours apart and very different: Myrtle Beach is 60 miles of busy, high-rise oceanfront with a boardwalk and nightlife; Hilton Head is 12 miles of quieter beach, bike paths and golf.
Hilton Head or Myrtle Beach: At a Glance
| Hilton Head | Myrtle Beach | |
|---|---|---|
| Beach | 12 miles on one island | About 60 miles of the Grand Strand |
| On the oceanfront | Houses, villas and resorts behind the dunes | High-rise hotels and condos, and a boardwalk |
| Evenings | Restaurants and live music, quieter nights | The boardwalk, shows, amusement parks, nightlife |
| Golf | 20 courses on the island, 24 more in Bluffton | About 90 to 100 along the Grand Strand |
| Nearest big airport | Savannah, about an hour | Myrtle Beach International, in town |
The short version: choose Myrtle Beach for energy, and Hilton Head for space. Myrtle Beach tends to suit groups, teenagers and anyone who wants something to do every night. Hilton Head tends to suit families with young children, couples and golfers who want quiet beaches, 64 miles of bike paths and a slower week.
The Beaches Compared
Myrtle Beach sits in the middle of the Grand Strand, about 60 miles of beach towns from the North Carolina line south toward Georgetown. The oceanfront in town is lined with high-rise towers, and the Boardwalk runs 1.2 miles past arcades, bars and the SkyWheel. It is lively day and night.
Hilton Head has 12 miles of wide, hard-packed beach on one island, flat enough to ride a bike on at low tide. Houses, villas and resorts sit back behind the dunes, and the island has no billboards and no neon signs. It is busiest at the beach parks, such as Coligny, and quiet most everywhere else. The Hilton Head beaches guide compares them.
Golf: Myrtle Beach vs Hilton Head
Both are golf destinations, in different ways. The Grand Strand has far more courses, around 90 to 100 by most counts, so a group can play a different course every day for a week. Hilton Head has 20 on the island, plus 24 more across the bridge in Bluffton, and is known for fewer, well-known courses: Harbour Town Golf Links in Sea Pines hosts the RBC Heritage every spring. See Hilton Head golf.
Where You Stay
In Myrtle Beach many visitors stay in the oceanfront high-rise towers, at a wide range of prices. On Hilton Head most stay in vacation rental homes and villas, many inside resort communities such as Sea Pines and Palmetto Dunes, with a smaller number of hotels and resorts. See places to stay on Hilton Head.
Getting There
Myrtle Beach has its own airport in town. Hilton Head has a small airport on the island, with nonstop flights from Charlotte and Atlanta, and most visitors fly into Savannah, about an hour away: see getting to Hilton Head. The two towns are about 220 miles apart, just under four hours by car; Myrtle Beach to Hilton Head has the routes, including the one through Charleston.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Hilton Head better than Myrtle Beach?
It depends on the trip. Hilton Head is quieter, with 12 miles of beach, bike paths and golf. Myrtle Beach has more to do at night: the boardwalk, shows and amusement parks along 60 miles of the Grand Strand.
Is Hilton Head quieter than Myrtle Beach?
Yes. Hilton Head has no billboards or neon signs, and its beachfront is houses, villas and resorts behind the dunes rather than high-rise hotels.
Which has more golf, Hilton Head or Myrtle Beach?
Myrtle Beach, by number: about 90 to 100 courses along the Grand Strand against 20 on Hilton Head and 24 more in nearby Bluffton. Hilton Head has Harbour Town Golf Links, home of the RBC Heritage.
How far is Hilton Head from Myrtle Beach?
About 220 miles, just under four hours by car. Charleston is about halfway.
Local guides like this come standard for Guests of Partner Properties — one small part of what a Partner Property gives every guest.
Book Partner Properties