Myrtle Beach has more bars than any one vacation needs, and a lot of them blur together after the second night on Ocean Boulevard. This is the short list we actually send people to.
Full disclosure: we’re Ocean Annie’s Resorts. We run the front desk at Sands Ocean Club, and the bar on our pool deck is Ocean Annie’s Beach Bar. So yes, we’re biased about number one. Everything after it is somewhere we’d happily spend a night off.
1. Ocean Annie’s Beach Bar — the actual beach bar
Plenty of places in Myrtle Beach call themselves a beach bar. Ocean Annie’s is the one where the pool stops, the bar starts, and the sand is right behind it. It has sat on the oceanfront pool deck at Sands Ocean Club, 9550 Shore Drive, since 1984.
- The band plays outside on the deck, March through October. Live music takes the winter off, from November 1 to the end of February.
- Anyone can come. It’s open to the public — you don’t need a room key.
- 4.5 stars from 1,500+ Google reviews (checked July 2026).
- No shirt, no shoes, no problem. Come straight off the beach.
Shore Drive is the quiet end of the Grand Strand, off Restaurant Row and away from the boardwalk crowds, which is a big part of why people keep coming back. Four decades of regulars have the whole story.
Best for: an afternoon on the beach that turns into an evening on the deck without anybody having to drive.
2. The Bowery — the country bar with the history
Downtown at 110 9th Avenue North, The Bowery has been pouring since 1943, and the band Alabama spent part of the 1970s as its house band before anyone outside the Grand Strand knew their name. It still plays the part: the house band, The Bounty Hunters, is on Thursday through Saturday nights. Check thebowery.com for the current schedule before you go.
Best for: a loud, sticky-floored, sing-along kind of night downtown.
3. House of Blues Myrtle Beach — the concert night
When there’s a name on the calendar you actually want to see, House of Blues in North Myrtle Beach is where it’ll be. The concert schedule runs through the year, and the restaurant and bar work for dinner before the show. Buy tickets ahead for anything big — the schedule is on the House of Blues Myrtle Beach site.
Best for: one planned night out with a ticket in your pocket.
4. The Murrells Inlet MarshWalk — the bar crawl with a view
Down at the south end of the Grand Strand, the MarshWalk is a half-mile wooden boardwalk along the salt marsh in Murrells Inlet, with seven restaurants and bars strung along it and free live music. Go for sunset, walk the whole thing, and stop wherever the music’s good.
Best for: a group that wants to wander. It’s a drive from Shore Drive, so pick a driver or book a ride.
Closer to home
If you’re staying with us and don’t want to go anywhere at all, you don’t have to. At Sands Ocean Club, Sandals Lounge pours drinks, River City Cafe is on the ground floor, and Ocean Annie’s is out the back door. Restaurant Row is a few minutes up the road when you do want a change of scene.
A few things worth knowing
- Outdoor music is seasonal. Our band plays the deck March through October. In the off-season, call the front desk and we’ll tell you what’s open that week.
- Pick your building on purpose. Sands Ocean Club is where the party lives — your balcony is upstairs from the band. Sands Beach Club is the quiet one, a walk up the beach. Here’s the honest side-by-side.
- Questions about parking, check-in age or who can use the bar? The bar FAQ has the straight answers.
Want the bar to be your downstairs neighbor? Check rates and book direct, or call us at 1-888-266-4375 and talk to a person at the front desk.
Leave a Reply