Looking to avoid Highway 17 traffic in Myrtle Beach? Here are some shortcuts
Summer in Myrtle Beach is one of the busiest times of years for people driving up and down King’s Highway, also known as U.S. Highway 17.
The north to south route can take travelers from Charleston up to the state border with North Carolina.
In the Myrtle Beach region, Highway 17 can take drivers from Murrells Inlet up through North Myrtle Beach, sometimes causing congestion and traffic.
Here are some local options to take instead:
North Oak Street in downtown Myrtle Beach
Highway 17 can get congested in downtown Myrtle Beach near the intersection of where it splits off into U.S. 501.
Instead of staying on Highway 17, North Oak Street runs parallel a few blocks over.
Typically North Oak Street has much less traffic than Highway 17 or North Ocean Boulevard, which is experiencing its own summer closures due to a flushing tactic with the Myrtle Beach Police Department.
Robert M. Grissom Parkway to Coastal Grand Mall
Robert M. Grissom Parkway acts as an alternative to Kings Highway and runs from near the Myrtle Beach International Airport to Carolina Forest.
It can be used instead of Highway 17 to get from the Market Common area to popular attractions, including the Coastal Grand Mall, Broadway at the Beach and Pelicans Ballpark, where the Myrtle Beach Pelicans minor league team plays.
Avoiding Highway 17 in North Myrtle Beach
Highway 17 is a main way from one end of North Myrtle Beach to the other. Another alternative route that’s closer to the ocean that travels parallel to Highway 17 is Hillside Drive, which also runs perpendicular to S Ocean Boulevard in North Myrtle Beach.
