Myrtle Beach can be awesome and annoying — it depends on what you’re into. Here’s a rundown of why some people find Myrtle Beach annoying:
1. Tourist Overload
During peak season (spring break, summer), the city is swamped with tourists. Roads, restaurants, and beaches are packed. Locals often feel pushed out of their own town.
2. Terrible Traffic
Highway 17 and Kings Highway become gridlocked daily during tourist season. Even short drives can turn into frustrating crawls.
3. Tacky Commercialism
The area is filled with chain restaurants, Ripley’s attractions, wax museums, mini golf courses, and gift shops selling cheap beach junk. It can feel a bit like a theme park gone wild.
4. Crime in Some Areas
Certain parts of Myrtle Beach, especially near the boardwalk, have higher crime rates — petty theft, drug activity, or aggressive panhandling can be issues.
5. Seasonal Economy
Jobs are heavily tied to tourism, meaning many are low-paying, seasonal, or tip-based. The off-season can feel like a ghost town for workers.
6. Loud and Rowdy Nights
Nightlife brings noise, drunk tourists, and obnoxious behavior. Spring break and bike weeks can be especially chaotic.
7. Constant Construction
To keep up with growth and tourism, Myrtle Beach is almost always building or remodeling something. That means dust, noise, and detours.
8. Limited Cultural Offerings
Unless you go hunting for them, art galleries, music venues, and alternative culture spots are few and far between compared to bigger cities.
9. Touristy Prices
Everything near the beach is overpriced. Locals often have to drive inland just to get normal grocery or restaurant prices.
10. Bad Drivers
Myrtle Beach has a reputation for reckless or confused drivers — especially tourists unfamiliar with local roads or who don’t use turn signals… ever.
11. Bike Week Chaos
Harley Week and Atlantic Beach Bikefest turn the town into a nonstop roar of engines and parties. Locals either love it or absolutely hate it.
12. Souvenir Store Hell
You can’t drive a block without passing a Wings, Eagles, or Pacific store. It gets old fast.
13. Poor City Planning
Some areas feel disconnected or poorly designed — with minimal sidewalks, strange zoning, and chaotic development patterns.
14. Sand Gets Everywhere
Living near the beach sounds great until you’re vacuuming sand out of your car and shoes every day.
15. Hard to Find Peace and Quiet
Unless you’re far inland or on a private part of the coast, finding calm, uncrowded nature is tough — even the “quiet” spots attract people.
If you’re a local, you probably know the love/hate balance already. If you’re considering moving there, this is the kind of stuff that bugs people over time.