The Best Holiday Season Activities In Myrtle Beach, South Carolina in 2025
- Krystin Dean
- 1 day ago
- 5 min read
Updated: 8 hours ago
Christmas is a magical time in and around Myrtle Beach, and there are too many tree lightings, parades, and events to count... so here are the BEST ones.
1. Christmas in Conway
Christmas Tree Lighting: Thursday, Dec. 4, 6 p.m.
Celebration of Lights: Dec. 5–8, 12–15, 19–22, and 24–25; 6 – 9 p.m. $2 per person
Rivertown Christmas Celebration on Thursdays: Living Windows Display, Curtis the Camel, Entertainment, and Holiday Market on Dec. 11; Snowfall Alley, Curtis the Camel, Entertainment, and Holiday Market on Dec. 18
Christmas Parade: Saturday, Dec. 13, 10 a.m.
Conway basically transforms into Stars Hollow (for any of you Gilmore Girls watchers) during the Christmas season. The Rivertown Christmas Celebration offers FREE fun every Thursday in December leading up to Christmas, kicking off with the Christmas tree lighting followed by the living windows display and Snowfall Alley (where you can frolic in the “snoap”)—in addition to all the fun on the Town Green with Curtis the Camel, holiday market with local vendors, holiday characters, North Pole post office, and more. Enjoy candlelight shopping on these evenings as stores are open until 8 p.m., and check out live musical entertainment at City Hall. Check out The Great Conway Gingerbread House Challenge at the Black Water Market—or even register by Dec. 4. Drive through the Celebration of Lights, enjoying a super cheap and cheerful lights display.
2. SEE A HOLIDAY SHOW
It's A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play at Long Bay Theatre: Dec. 10-28
The South's Grandest Christmas Show at The Alabama Theatre: through Dec. 31
The Nutcracker at Theatre of the Republic: Nov. 28-30 and Dec. 6-7, 13-14
We have no shortage of incredible live productions in the Myrtle Beach area. These are the three we will be seeing this year and they are all so different! Long Bay Theatre offers an intimate setting and insanely talented actors bringing to life a unique take on the beloved holiday classic. The Alabama Theatre presents the #1 voted Christmas show in Myrtle Beach and North Myrtle Beach, with showstopping special effects, beautiful sets and costumes, and exceptional performances. The Nutcracker is a holiday tradition for our family, presented by Coastal Youth Ballet Theatre in the beautiful Theatre of the Republic in downtown Conway. [Dean Team Adventures is the show sponsor for It's A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play.]
3. Nights of a Thousand Candles
Nov. 28 – Jan. 4 (Wednesdays – Sundays), 4-9 p.m. (sold out on most dates)
Members: $35 for adults, $15 for children; Non-members: $40 for adults, $20 for children
This is an annual holiday tradition for our family, and we always get the President’s Council membership to get 8 tickets to this event (as well as 8 guest passes to Brookgreen). Be ready to grab your tickets as early as August to get the dates you want because it sells out super fast! Seeing the gardens come to life as more than 2,700 candles are hand lit along with millions of sparkling lights is as magical as it sounds. Nights of a Thousand Candles is perfect for a date night or a family outing. You can walk the paths at the "Best Christmas Lights in South Carolina" according to Travel+Leisure Magazine. We recommend getting there when it opens to get an uncrowded shot at Live Oak Allee, and then re-walking the paths after it's fully dark for a whole new perspective.
4. The Great Christmas Light Show
Nov. 24 – Dec. 30, 5:30 – 9:30 p.m. (closed on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day)
$20 per vehicle when Santa’s Village is closed, $25 per vehicle when Santa’s Village is open; purchase tickets at the gate only
This drive-through light show in North Myrtle Beach features over 2 million lights along a 2-mile drive throughout the North Myrtle Beach Park & Sports Complex. Over 500 magical light displays, some up to 55 feet tall, are custom made for the display. After the show, visit Santa’s Village where we love to get an up-close look at the lights on the Santa Express Train Ride ($3 per person), meet Santa, pet and feed farm animals, and enjoy the cool photo ops. Santa’s Village is open Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday ONLY from Nov. 28 through Dec. 7, and then it’s open nightly from Dec. 11 through 30. We recommend getting there early because the line to get in is no joke.
5. Winter Wonderland at the Beach
Nov. 28 – Jan. 4, lights nightly from 5 – 9 p.m.
Tree Lighting & First Snow: Saturday, Nov. 29, 4-7 p.m.
Twinkling Two-Miler Run: Tuesday, Dec. 9, 6 p.m.
Light Up the Night Bike Ride: Thursday, Dec. 11, 6 p.m.
Santa's Workshop at the Beach: Saturday, Dec. 13, 4-8 p.m.
New Year's Eve Fireworks Show: Wednesday, Dec. 31, 9 p.m.
This free lights display stretches along 1 mile of oceanfront area along the Myrtle Beach Boardwalk, and there’s really nothing like listening to the sounds of the ocean and Christmas music simultaneously while gazing at more than 100,000 lights. This year's schedule is packed with special events. If you want to see the lights and stay active, you can take part in the Light Up the Night Bike Ride on Dec. 11. At Santa's Workshop on Dec. 13, you can enjoy carolers, an oceanfront movie, inflatables, toy workshop, cocoa, and scavenger hunt. There will also be entertainment nightly from Dec. 26 through Jan. 3 in Plyler Park.
6. marshwalk wonderland of lights
Nov. 28 – Dec. 31, lights nightly from 5 – 11 p.m.; Santa's Village is available Fridays-Sundays 5 – 9 p.m. from Nov. 28 - Dec. 21
This free walk-through experience features MarshWalk restaurants’ buildings along the ½ mile boardwalk outlined with thousands of lights. The light show starts at the top of the hour from 5-11 p.m. nightly. There are lots of photo opportunities spread throughout the MarshWalk for you to stop and pose with along the way including a Candy Cane Arch, Gingerbread House, Santa, and a giant Christmas ornament. A Santa’s Village features children’s activities, a petting zoo, barrel cart rides (additional charge), visits with Santa, princess and Christmas characters, and more. A Vendor Market is also available.
7. Ripley’s Aquarium Festival of Trees
Nov. 10 – Jan. 4
Tree Lighting on the Plaza: Saturday, Nov. 29, 5-7 p.m.
Holidays PJ Party: Saturday, Nov. 29, 7:30-9:30 p.m.
This special exhibit at Ripley's Aquarium is something to behold with themed trees representing each of our country’s 55 states and territories—including, of course, an 18-foot-tall South Carolina tree. We love to look for the trees from our home states (Ohio, Kentucky, and Georgia), and we always end up learning something new. You can also test your knowledge about each state’s tree with a customized scavenger hunt. This event is included with general admission. You can also kick off the holiday season with live performances, entertainment, and a visit from Santa leading at the free tree lighting on Nov. 30, followed by the ticketed PJ Party that evening.
road trip:idea... wild lights at riverbanks zoo!
Select nights Nov. 21 – Jan. 11, 5–9 p.m; advance registration required (tickets will sell out!); adult tickets range from $20.99–25.99, children 2–12 from $15.99–20.99, children under 2 are free; Santa will be there meeting families through Dec 23
We highly recommend making the trip to Columbia for this breathtaking and magical event that's perfect for families looking for something fun to do after the holidays. There are over 60 larger-than-life handcrafted lanterns inspired by nature. You’ll see many of the zoo animals you know and love along with some extinct creatures along with beautiful flowers and plants that set the scene. While you may see some night owls during the event, most of the zoo’s residents are off-exhibit to catch some Z’s. The Aquarium & Reptile Conservation Center and Birdhouse aren’t open to the public. One of the coolest parts of the lights is that many of the lanterns move, from salamanders flicking their tails to crocodiles snapping their jaws.