How to best avoid the traffic in Myrtle Beach

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Beat the Back-Ups: A Local’s Guide to Skipping Myrtle Beach Traffic

Summer sun shouldn’t come with a side of gridlock. If you’ve ever inched along U.S. 501 on a Saturday check-in, you know why “traffic” is the four-letter word of the Grand Strand. The good news? With a little insider routing—and the right home-base—you can swap brake lights for beach time. Here’s how.

1. Make HWY 31 Your New Best Friend

Locals call SC Highway 31 (Carolina Bays Parkway) the “Bypass to Happiness.” Why?

HWY 31 Perks

Old Route (501/Kings Hwy)

65 mph, limited access—no traffic lights through 30+ miles

Stoplights every few blocks

Parallel to the coastline—jump off at 22, 544, 707, or 17 connectors

Funneled straight into resort congestion

Scenic pine views, fewer billboards

Strip-mall crawl

Pro tip:

  • From I-95, stay on SC 22 east, hop onto HWY 31 south, then exit near your resort—skipping the worst of Conway/501.

  • Driving north from Surfside or Garden City? Take HWY 31 north, cross the Intracoastal, and rejoin U.S. 17 near Barefoot Landing in minutes.

2. Why We Avoid Downtown Resort Rows on Turnover Days

  • One way in, one way out: Downtown oceanfront blocks funnel every car to U.S. 17 Business or 501.

  • Heavy pedestrian crossings & trolleys slow traffic to a crawl after 10 a.m.

  • Saturday hotel check-ins stack vehicles six lanes wide around 29th Ave North—exactly when you’d rather be checking in, unpacking, and hitting the sand.

Unless your heart is set on the SkyWheel doorstep, base yourself farther north or south and day-trip downtown on weeknights when streets clear.

3. Stay Smart: Seawatch Resort—The HWY 22 Sweet Spot

Just two turns from HWY 22 and minutes to HWY 31, Seawatch Resort sits in the golden middle between Myrtle Beach and North Myrtle Beach. Translation:

  • Zero 501 drama: Arrive via HWY 22 straight from I-95; never touch downtown traffic.

  • 10-minute zip to Barefoot Landing concerts, Tanger Outlets, or Arcadian Shores golf.

  • Easy day hops to Broadway at the Beach or Murrells Inlet—without committing to a single crowded corridor.

  • Quick airport access: Need MYR? HWY 31 south puts you curbside without a red light until Harrelson Blvd.

(Psst—browse our updated oceanfront condos at Seawatch for décor that’s as impressive as the location.)

4. Extra Traffic-Dodging Hacks

Scenario

Local Work-Around

Rainy-day tourist stampede to indoor attractions

Use Robert Grissom Pkwy (parallel to 17) to reach Broadway at the Beach or Pelicans games without coastal backups.

Heading south to Brookgreen Gardens

Take Veterans Hwy (SC 707) off HWY 31, then cut to U.S. 17 Bypass—bypassing Garden City lights.

Friday-night dinner rush on Restaurant Row

Exit HWY 31 at SC 22, duck into Kings Road; park early and stroll to your pick.

Ready to Travel the Easy Way?

Book a stay in one of our modern Seawatch Resort condos and make traffic something you watch in someone else’s social-media feed. Browse availability now, then plot your HWY 22 → 31 route, and trade gridlock for grand-strand sunsets.

👉 View Seawatch Resort Condos

Less time on the road. More time on the shore.