A New Oceanfront Coaster Is Coming to Myrtle Beach — And It’s About to Change the Skyline
An Oceanfront Classic Gets a New Chapter
Walk along the Myrtle Beach waterfront on a summer evening and you can feel it before you see it. The salty air, the hum of cars rolling slowly along Ocean Boulevard, and somewhere ahead—the glow of Family Kingdom’s rides stretching color into the night sky. For generations, this seaside amusement park has been part of the Grand Strand’s heartbeat, a familiar presence just steps from the Atlantic.
Families have come here for the classics: spinning rides that make children squeal, gentle attractions for the little ones, and the old wooden coaster that rattles along its track like a living memory. Now, that beloved park is preparing for a new chapter. A modern thrill is rising at the edge of the sand, tall enough to shift the skyline and bold enough to spark a new wave of excitement along the coast.
The New Coaster on the Horizon
Set to debut in the summer of 2026, Family Kingdom’s newest addition will be a single-rail roller coaster—a striking change from the wide wooden tracks people know so well. This new design places each rider in a narrow, single-seat car with open air on both sides, making every twist, drop, and turn feel sharpened and more intimate.
The coaster will stand well over 100 feet tall, engineered by Rocky Mountain Construction, a company known for building rides that combine smooth motion with punch and intensity. This won’t be a gentle glide over the ocean. It will be quick, precise, and exhilarating—more like a brushstroke of steel drawn against the sky.
Details such as the name and layout are still being kept quiet, but one thing is certain: when the 2026 season arrives, the Myrtle Beach skyline will look different.
Why This Ride Matters to the Grand Strand
Visitors familiar with Myrtle Beach know that the Grand Strand is more than just a place for sunbathing. It’s a landscape of family traditions—where you pick up the same ice cream each year, where you claim the same spot on the sand, and where certain rides become rites of passage.
This new coaster is not simply another attraction. It’s a future chapter in those traditions. It’s the kind of experience a teenager will challenge their siblings to try, the kind parents point out from the boardwalk with the quiet smile of “maybe this year you’re finally tall enough.” It’s a new backdrop for vacation photos, for family memories, and for those small moments that make a beach trip last long after the waves flatten out.
Because it rises along the oceanfront, it becomes part of what sets Myrtle Beach apart. Few places in the world let you feel the Atlantic wind on your face while watching a steel track rise and fall against the horizon.
From Daylight at the Beach to Neon at the Park
Picture a day that begins with bare feet in warm sand and ends with the glow of midway lights on your skin. In the morning, you’re in North Myrtle Beach, watching the tide slide in while seagulls wander across the shoreline. By noon, you’ve found a lunch spot and maybe drifted back to your condo for a nap with the balcony door cracked open to the sound of the surf.
As evening comes, the golden light turns soft. You head south toward Myrtle Beach, drawn by the sparkle of the rides and the steady sound of coaster wheels climbing and dropping. At Family Kingdom, you can already see the steel frame of the coming attraction—an unmistakable new presence against the sky.
This is the rhythm that defines a Grand Strand vacation: ocean by day, lights and laughter by night.
Planning Your 2026 Beach Escape
The coaster won’t open until 2026, but planning ahead is the smartest way to secure the best vacation homes and the closest access to all the fun. With a major new attraction like this, Myrtle Beach will be buzzing, and families who love thrill rides will want front-row access.
If your family is the type that circles rides on the map before stepping foot in the park, you already know how this story goes. Excitement builds. Questions start. Plans form. Booking early lets you choose the oceanfront views you want, the amenities you need, and the location that makes the whole trip smoother.
Whether you’re dreaming of early-morning beach walks, days spent exploring local attractions, or evenings watching rides light up the sky, the Grand Strand has a place waiting for you.
Stay Where the Memories Last Longer Than the Ride
At Thomas Beach Vacations, families have trusted us for more than 60 years to turn a simple trip into a meaningful experience. The new coaster may become a highlight of 2026, but the real magic of a vacation always comes from the time spent together—quiet mornings, sun-filled days, and evenings full of laughter.
Choose from more than 400 vacation rentals in North Myrtle Beach: oceanfront condos, luxury homes, golf villas, and cozy retreats that feel like your own hideaway along the coast. Our team lives here, knows the area, and helps match each guest with the right place.
Vacation Starts Here – North Myrtle Beach!
Reserve your stay now and be here when Myrtle Beach’s newest oceanfront thrill takes flight.
Call Toll-Free: (866) 249-2100 or Local: (843) 273-3001,
or book online at www.northmyrtlebeachvacations.com.
Top Fall Fishing Spots in North Myrtle Beach
When the summer crowds thin out and the mornings start to carry that sweet nip of fall, North Myrtle Beach quietly turns into a fisherman’s daydream. The sun rises later, the air cools down just enough to make coffee taste like it was blessed by angels, and the water stays busy with fish that didn’t get the memo that tourist season is over. Around here, autumn isn’t just football and pumpkin spice — it’s rods, reels, and the promise of a good fight on the line.
Ask any local old-timer rocking on his porch with a cane pole leaning nearby, and he’ll tell you straight: fall’s the time the fish bite like they’re starved. You don’t have to be some slick-talking charter captain to find them, either. Whether you’re dropping bait off a pier, casting straight from the sand, or hopping aboard one of those local boats with more stories than tackle, North Myrtle Beach has fall fishing spots that’ll keep you grinning long after supper’s cooked.
Pier Fishing: Where Patience Meets Payoff
The piers along North Myrtle Beach are more than just wooden walkways sticking out into the sea. They’re front-row tickets to the ocean’s dinner table. Fall brings in cooler waters and with them come Spanish mackerel, bluefish, and the occasional red drum that’ll have you hollering like you just won the lottery.
Cherry Grove Pier is the crown jewel, stretching nearly a thousand feet into the Atlantic. It’s the kind of place where strangers swap bait tips and tall tales, and no one bats an eye if you measure a fish with your hands instead of a ruler. Even if you don’t reel in the big one, the salty air and wide view are worth the trip. For nearby stays with an easy stroll to the action, browse our Cherry Grove rentals.
Surf Fishing: Boots in the Sand, Line in the Tide
Surf casting in fall is pure Carolina—quiet as Sunday morning with room to breathe. Work the troughs at low tide, mind your neighbors, and keep one eye on the birds; when they start fussing, something with fins is pushing bait your way. For wide, walkable shoreline and elbow room, explore our beach sections and stays in Crescent Beach and Windy Hill. If you prefer to be steps from the sand anywhere in town, start with our curated list of oceanfront rentals.
Locals say the best time is right at sunrise when the sky turns that mix of pink and gold — “God’s paintbrush,” as the old fellas call it. Just don’t be surprised if a seagull decides your bait looks tastier than the fish think it does. It’s part of the show.
Charter Fishing: Stories You’ll Tell for Years
If you’d like to skip the guesswork and chase fish where they’ve been schooling all week, climb aboard a trusted local boat. Our concierge page keeps a handy list of reputable options—start here: Fishing Charters & Head Boats. Captains work the creeks, jetties, and near-shore reefs in fall; you bring the grin, they’ll bring the know-how.
Charter trips aren’t just about the fishing. They’re about laughing at sea spray in your face, swapping jokes with strangers, and the quiet pride that comes from hauling up a fish bigger than your cooler. Plus, you’ll come home with a story, and in the South, a good story is worth more than gold.
Cooler-Month Tackle & Tactics
- Piers: Medium spinning combo (3000–4000), 10–15 lb braid, fluorocarbon leader. Keep bottom rigs for shrimp or cut bait—and a metal spoon ready when birds start working.
- Surf: One “soaker” rig with a 2–4 oz pyramid sinker (step up if the breeze lives up to Windy Hill), plus a second rod to walk spoons or jigs along the seam.
- Charters: Trust your captain’s seasonal playbook—live shrimp under popping corks inshore; jigs and natural baits where the fall bait run draws a crowd.
Dress in light layers for crisp dawns and glowing sunsets, and bring a small cooler—because hope is good, but ice is better.
Know Before You Go (Rules, Licenses & Etiquette)
- Licenses: Surf and private-boat anglers ages 16+ need a South Carolina recreational saltwater license. Grab one online at the official portal: Go Outdoors South Carolina.
- Piers: Many public piers operate under a pier license that covers paying anglers—ask at the counter and fish happy.
- Beach Etiquette: Give swimmers generous space, avoid crossing lines, pack out what you pack in, and mind any posted city notices at public accesses and parks.
- Launch Points: If you’re trailering a small skiff or kayak for inshore fishing, the Cherry Grove Park & Boat Ramp offers access toward Hog Inlet and the marsh.
Where to Stay: Walk-to-the-Beach Rentals
Make early alarms and easy sunsets part of the plan by staying steps from the sand. Choose from oceanfront beach homes or browse over 200 oceanfront condo rentals. If you like being near the pier scene, start with Cherry Grove; for broad, gentle shoreline and family vibes, see Crescent Beach and Windy Hill. Either way, you’re never far from a sunrise that’ll make you forget your inbox.
Related Reads for Fall Beach Trips
- Packing Guide for Your North Myrtle Beach Fall Vacation — layers, beach gear, and smart extras for cool mornings and warm afternoons.
- 10 Reasons to Fall in Love with North Myrtle Beach This Autumn — fewer crowds, golden sunsets, and seasonal savings.
- Winter Fishing Adventures: Pier & Surf Fishing Tips — keep the bite going when the air turns crisp.
Plan Your Trip with Thomas Beach Vacations
Ready to cast and relax? We’ve got over 400 stays—from oceanfront condos to roomy beach homes—so you can base yourself near the pier, the surf, or the marina. Browse and book at NorthMyrtleBeachVacations.com or call (866) 249-2100. Tight lines, polite tides, and just enough luck to make your fish stories true.