Spend the 4th of July in North Myrtle Beach: Fireworks, Freedom, and Coastal Fun

There’s a sound the ocean makes on the Fourth of July in North Myrtle Beach that you won’t hear anywhere else. It’s the rhythm of the tide dancing with laughter, the fizz of cold drinks, the crack of a beach paddle, and somewhere in the distance, the low hum of an American flag catching wind on a porch rail. Here, where the South meets the sea and tradition meets sunburnt celebration, the Fourth doesn’t just happen—it unfolds.

North Myrtle Beach isn’t about loud parades or towering cities—it’s about porches and families, barefoot kids, crab boil dinners, and fireworks over water that feels like memory itself. It’s the kind of place where you want to mark time by summers, not years, and where Independence Day still feels personal, rooted in community and illuminated by more than sparklers.

Watch Fireworks Light Up the Coastline

There’s no better way to cap off a day of beachside barbecues and sun-drenched memories than with fireworks over the Atlantic. The Annual 4th of July Fireworks Show at the Cherry Grove Pier is the main event in North Myrtle Beach. Launching around 9:30 PM, the show lights up the night sky with dazzling color, visible from anywhere along Cherry Grove Beach and beyond. This celebration draws both locals and vacationers, yet somehow still feels neighborly. Bring a blanket, some snacks, and arrive early to claim your spot in the sand—it’s one of the most cherished sights of the summer.

If you’re staying closer to Barefoot Landing, you’re in luck. The complex hosts its own Fourth of July Fireworks Spectacular over the lake, typically around 10:00 PM. Barefoot Landing also makes a full day of it with live music, street performers, face painting for kids, and patriotic decorations that turn the place into a red-white-and-blue boardwalk fantasy.

Where to Eat, Drink, and Celebrate Like a Local

Start your Independence Day early with a Southern breakfast from Johnny D’s Waffles and Benedicts – North Myrtle Beach. Their chicken and waffles are legendary, and their festive atmosphere sets the tone for a day of celebration.

Lunch should be a picnic, and there’s no better place to stock up than Boulineau’s Foods Plus in Cherry Grove. This local gem has everything from fresh deli sandwiches to beach supplies, American flag napkins, and watermelon slices that taste like childhood.

For dinner, dive into fresh-caught seafood with a patriotic view at Boardwalk Billy’s. With live music, a marina-side setting, and crab legs that crack just right, it’s where locals go to laugh with friends and watch the sun sink low over the Intracoastal. Or opt for Flying Fish Public Market & Grill, located at Barefoot Landing, where the tuna tartare pairs as well with freedom as it does with a local brew.

And if you need a sweet treat to keep the kids—and let’s be honest, yourself—happy between beach and fireworks, don’t skip Melt on Main Street. Their small-batch ice cream is made in-house, and the scoops are generous and patriotic in spirit.

Local 4th of July Events and Activities

The City of North Myrtle Beach has created a full rhythm for the day with its free family-friendly events. Start with the 4th of July Golf Cart Parade in the Ocean Drive section of town. Locals decorate their carts in stars, stripes, lights, and all manner of Americana. It’s a quirky, heartfelt display of hometown charm and pride—and it rolls right past spectators waving from sidewalks and porches.

As the sun climbs higher, hit the beach for the most American of beach days—sandcastle contests, beach volleyball games, kite flying, and lazy hours floating on a raft. From Crescent Beach to Windy Hill, the shoreline is one long celebration of freedom.

For something a bit more adventurous, rent a jet ski from Aloha Watersports or try parasailing over the coastline. The view from above—American flags fluttering, red coolers in the sand, kids racing into the waves—is enough to make even the most world-weary remember what summer should feel like.

By the afternoon, Main Street becomes a hub of energy. Live music pours out of Duck’s Night Life, where shag dancers spin and dip like they’ve been practicing since the ‘50s—and many of them have. It’s not just a party; it’s a living piece of North Myrtle Beach culture.

Celebrate Freedom by the Sea

There’s a magic to spending the Fourth of July here that no travel brochure can quite explain. It’s in the way strangers become friends when the sun is setting behind a flag-draped pier. It’s in the glow of fireworks mirrored on saltwater, and in the familiar rituals of grilled corn, beach towels, and kids waving sparklers long after bedtime. North Myrtle Beach doesn’t just give you a place to celebrate the Fourth—it gives you a reason to slow down and remember what we’re celebrating.

When morning comes again, it does so quietly, with gulls wheeling in the sky and waves smoothing out the footprints of the night before. But the feeling stays. That hum of belonging. That spark of joy. That memory you just made.

Book Your 4th of July Beach Vacation with Thomas Beach Vacations

If you’re ready to claim your slice of Americana on the Carolina coast, let Thomas Beach Vacations help you find the perfect home away from home. We offer over 400 vacation properties across North Myrtle Beach—from cozy cottages just steps from the sand to spacious condos with panoramic ocean views.

Visit www.northmyrtlebeachvacations.com or call (866) 249-2100 today and let us help you plan a Fourth of July getaway that’s as relaxing as it is unforgettable.