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The week between Christmas and New Year’s has always been a strange, lovely pocket of time. The presents are open, the schedules are loose, and nobody quite remembers what day it is. At the beach, that week takes on a character all its own. The sand is nearly empty, the ocean has turned a deep winter blue, and the evenings come early enough that the string lights on the deck seem to glow for hours.
For families who are tired of the same holiday routine, North Myrtle Beach offers something different: a place where Christmas morning can end with a walk at the water’s edge and New Year’s Eve can start with a sunset over the dunes. Holiday weeks at the beach are not the crowded affair many people imagine. They are quieter, slower and, for a lot of families, the most memorable trip of the year.
This guide covers the 2026 holiday events worth planning around, the kind of rental that suits each type of holiday group, and the practical details of booking a beach house for Christmas or New Year’s.
Why a Holiday Week at the Beach Works
A holiday rental solves the oldest problem of the season, which is where everyone is going to stay. Instead of squeezing three households into one home, a large beach house gives each family its own room, its own bathroom and a shared kitchen and living room for the gatherings that matter.
It also changes the rhythm of the week. Mornings start with coffee on a deck facing the Atlantic rather than with a list of errands. Afternoons can mean a round of golf on a crisp winter course, a drive to see the lights, or nothing at all. In late December, the Grand Strand settles into a quieter mood, and the people you meet on the beach are mostly locals walking their dogs and families like yours who came looking for a little peace.
The 2026 Holiday Calendar Around North Myrtle Beach
North Myrtle Beach and the surrounding Grand Strand put on a full season of holiday events. These are the dates confirmed for 2026 at the time of writing.
| Date | Event | Good to Know |
|---|---|---|
| Nov. 23 to Dec. 30 | Great Christmas Light Show | Drive-through, North Myrtle Beach Park and Sports Complex, 5:30 to 9:30 p.m.; closed Dec. 25 |
| Select nights, Nov. 27 to Jan. 3 | Nights of a Thousand Candles | Brookgreen Gardens, Murrells Inlet, 4 to 9 p.m.; tickets in advance |
| Fri., Dec. 4 | Christmas Candlelight Tour of Homes | 31st annual tour by the North Myrtle Beach Woman’s Club, 3 to 8 p.m.; tickets from $40 |
| Sat., Dec. 5 | North Myrtle Beach Christmas Parade | 5:30 p.m.; Ocean Boulevard at 2nd Avenue North to Main Street |
| Through the season | The South’s Grandest Christmas Show | Alabama Theatre at Barefoot Landing |
| Thu., Dec. 31 | A Southern Times Square | The Market Common, Myrtle Beach; ball drop and fireworks |
The Great Christmas Light Show
The city’s drive-through light show at the North Myrtle Beach Park and Sports Complex runs from November 23 through December 30, 2026, opening nightly at 5:30 p.m. It is closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. Admission is charged per vehicle, which makes it one of the easiest outings for a carload of grandparents and grandkids.
Nights of a Thousand Candles
At Brookgreen Gardens in Murrells Inlet, thousands of hand-lit candles and holiday lights fill the gardens on 21 evenings between November 27, 2026, and January 3, 2027. December dates include the 3rd through the 6th, the 10th through the 13th, the 17th through the 20th and the 29th through the 31st, with January 1 through 3 to close the season. Hours run from 4 to 9 p.m., and tickets must be bought in advance through Brookgreen Gardens. It is the kind of evening that becomes a family tradition.
The Candlelight Tour and the Christmas Parade
The first weekend of December is the busiest in North Myrtle Beach. The 31st annual Christmas Candlelight Tour of Homes takes place on Friday, December 4, from 3 to 8 p.m., with tickets starting at $40 and proceeds supporting the North Myrtle Beach Woman’s Club charities. The next evening, Saturday, December 5, the city’s nighttime Christmas Parade steps off at 5:30 p.m. at 2nd Avenue North and Ocean Boulevard, heads south to Main Street and ends at Ye Olde Kings Highway. Guests staying in Ocean Drive can walk to the route. Our coverage of the 2025 Candlelight Tour gives a sense of what to expect.
New Year’s Eve
For a big countdown, A Southern Times Square at The Market Common in Myrtle Beach brings a ball drop and fireworks on December 31, 2026. Many families prefer a quieter celebration, with dinner at the house, a late walk under the winter stars, and a midnight toast on the deck. Our guide to winter concerts and holiday shows and our winter bucket list have more ideas for the week.
Choosing the Right Holiday Rental
Holiday groups come in every shape, and the best rental depends on yours.
The whole extended family under one roof
For a multigenerational Christmas, our oceanfront home rentals give you the big kitchen, the long table and the ocean view in one place, with enough bedrooms to keep the peace. For the most space and the finest finishes, look at our luxury properties. Families who want a game room for the kids during the evenings should browse our rentals with pool tables.
Couples and small families
A quieter holiday for two or four fits beautifully in an oceanfront condo. Our oceanfront condo rentals put the beach outside the balcony door, and our one-bedroom rentals are ideal for couples who want a cozy base. Browse every building in our condo building list, and see our romantic escapes page for couples’ ideas.
Several households, separate spaces
When two or three families travel together but want their own evenings, consider neighboring condos in one building or a house paired with a condo nearby. Our Ocean Boulevard condos and homes across Ocean Boulevard give you flexible, budget-friendly options a short walk from the sand.
The family dog
If the dog is coming for Christmas, choose one of our dog-friendly rentals. Pets are permitted only in designated properties, with prior arrangements and pet fees.
Staying through winter
Some guests turn the holidays into the start of a longer stay. If you are thinking about January and February too, our long-term rentals and our guide to monthly rentals explain how winter stays work.
Where to Stay for the Holidays
For the parade and Main Street dining, Ocean Drive is the most convenient base, and our Ocean Drive rentals put you within walking distance of the route. Windy Hill sits near Barefoot Landing and the Alabama Theatre; see our Windy Hill rentals. Crescent Beach is central and quiet, with easy access to Highway 17, and our Crescent Beach rentals work well for families who plan to drive to events. Cherry Grove offers the most peaceful holiday mornings, and our Cherry Grove rentals include some of the town’s roomiest family homes.
Booking Tips for a Holiday Week
Book early, especially for Christmas week and New Year’s week, when the largest homes are the first to go. Off-season stays at most properties have a two-night minimum, but holiday minimums can be longer, so confirm your exact dates when you call.
Plan for linens, since bed and bath linens are not automatically included at every property. You can add linens for individual beds or reserve a whole-house package. Check-in begins at 3 p.m. and check-out is at 10 a.m. Homes generally have parking for three or more vehicles, and condos usually allow two passes per unit. Our homes are for families rather than parties, and occupancy limits are firm. All the details are on our rental policies page, and you can check current offers on our specials page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Make this the year the holidays come with an ocean view. Thomas Beach Vacations has been part of North Myrtle Beach since 1962, and our oceanfront homes and oceanfront condos are ready for your family’s Christmas and New Year’s week. Browse availability at www.northmyrtlebeachvacations.com or call our local team at (843) 273-3001.
Sources: Thomas Beach Vacations rental policies; North Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce listings for the Great Christmas Light Show and the NMB Christmas Parade (2026); North Myrtle Beach Woman’s Club, Christmas Candlelight Tour of Homes (2026); WMBF (July 31, 2026) on Nights of a Thousand Candles; Visit Myrtle Beach holiday events calendar; Alabama Theatre 2026 show listings. Dates, times and prices are subject to change; confirm with each organizer before you go.