Common Tourist Scams in Myrtle Beach (and How to Avoid Them)
Scams, timeshares, and the Grand Strand boardwalk
- Timeshare touts: Myrtle Beach's #1 daily nuisance. Free attraction tickets / free rounds of golf / free meals all bundle with 90-minute presentations that run 3-4 hours. Brookwood, Bluegreen, Westgate, Marriott — all run aggressive in-airport / boardwalk / Tanger Outlets pitches. Always no.
- Boardwalk "ticket booth" scams: a few unbranded booths offer "discount" tickets to Ripley's, the SkyWheel, Family Kingdom that bundle with timeshare presentations. Buy direct at each attraction's own ticket window.
- Beach-chair rental upcharge: hotels charge $25-50/day per chair + umbrella on their beachfront. Public beach with your own chair is always free — the line of private chairs ends, and the sand keeps going.
- Aggressive beach-front photographer: a person with a long-lens DSLR takes your photo unprompted, then approaches with a printed copy at $20-40. Decline; the photo doesn't have to be bought.
- "Free" pedicab rides: drivers offer rides "for tips" then demand $40-80 at the end for a 5-minute pedal. Posted-price pedicabs exist; ride them.
- Atlantic Beach Bikefest + Memorial Day: late May. Increased police presence + tighter rules. Some hotels close to non-bikers; check before booking.
- Tanger Outlets pickpocketing: low rate but real on peak days (Black Friday, July 4th). Wallets in front pocket; phones in zipped bags.
FAQ
- What's the biggest scam in Myrtle Beach?
- Timeshare touts, by some distance — the city's #1 daily nuisance. Brookwood, Bluegreen, Westgate and Marriott all run aggressive in-airport, boardwalk and Tanger Outlets pitches: 'free' attraction tickets, 'free' rounds of golf or 'free' meals bundled with 90-minute presentations that mysteriously run 3-4 hours. Always say no. Secondary boardwalk scams include unbranded 'discount' ticket booths that bundle Ripley's or the SkyWheel with timeshare presentations (buy direct at each attraction window), beach-front photographers who take an unprompted photo then approach with a printed copy at $20-40 (decline; the photo doesn't have to be bought), and 'free' pedicab rides that demand $40-80 at the end (ride only the posted-price pedicabs).
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