Family Kingdom Amusement Park: Myrtle Beach’s Seaside Classic Gets a Thrilling New Chapter

There is a particular kind of magic that only a seaside amusement park can produce — the specific combination of salt air, carnival music, the distant clack of a wooden roller coaster, and the smell of funnel cake drifting in off the ocean breeze. Most of the parks that once defined that experience along the East Coast have long since closed their gates for the last time. The ones that remain tend to occupy a special place in the hearts of the families who keep returning to them, year after year, because they carry something that no amount of corporate polish can replicate: genuine history, genuine community, and rides that have made real people genuinely happy for decades.

Family Kingdom Amusement Park at 300 South Ocean Boulevard in Myrtle Beach is exactly that kind of place. Open since 1966 — the same year the Beatles played their final concert tour, the same year Star Trek first aired on television — this 13-plus-acre oceanfront park has spent six decades being exactly what families need it to be. It sits just steps from the Atlantic, just a few blocks from the Myrtle Beach Boardwalk, and firmly in the center of one of the most visited stretches of coastline in the American South. Admission is free. The rides are real. And in 2026, as the park marks its 60th anniversary, it is about to enter the most exciting chapter of its long life.

Whether you are based in a vacation home along the North Myrtle Beach shoreline or spending a day exploring the full Grand Strand, Family Kingdom is worth a dedicated trip. The drive from Cherry Grove Beach or Ocean Drive takes about twenty minutes on Ocean Boulevard, and by the time the Swamp Fox comes into view through the windshield, the kids in the back seat will already be awake and asking questions you cannot answer fast enough.

The Swamp Fox: A Wooden Legend With Ocean Views

Start here. Everything else at Family Kingdom radiates outward from this ride, and if you are visiting for the first time, the Swamp Fox should be the first thing you do before the sun gets too high and the lines begin to stretch. The coaster was designed by John C. Allen, one of the most celebrated roller coaster architects of the twentieth century, and it opened in 1966 — meaning it has now been rattling and roaring above the Myrtle Beach oceanfront for sixty years without losing a step.

The stats tell part of the story: 72 feet tall, a 62-foot first drop, 2,640 feet of all-wooden track laid out in a figure-eight configuration over the historic waters of Withers Swash — a natural stream that has met the ocean at this spot since long before there was a Myrtle Beach to speak of. The land beneath the park was part of a 66,000-acre king’s grant to Robert Francis Withers in the early 1700s, which means when you ride the Swamp Fox you are, in a very real sense, riding over the same coastal ground that a colonial indigo plantation once occupied. History does not get more kinetic than that.

The city of Myrtle Beach officially declared the Swamp Fox a historic structure in March 2017, and the American Coaster Enthusiasts placed a historical marker at the ride in 2016 to mark its 50th anniversary. It is one of roughly one hundred wooden roller coasters still operating in North America, and it has appeared on multiple lists of the most underrated coasters on the continent. What those lists tend to undersell is the ocean view. As the train climbs the first lift hill, the Atlantic opens up to the east in a way that stops arguments mid-sentence. Whatever you were debating with your travel partner before you got in the car disappears the moment that drop comes.

More Thrills: The Rest of the Ride Lineup

The Swamp Fox is the headliner, but Family Kingdom has built a solid supporting cast around it. The Log Flume is a perennial favorite — a winding water ride that climbs through the park before dropping riders down a water-soaked chute that provides exactly the right amount of cooling on a hot August afternoon. The Twist ‘n Shout is the park’s fan-favorite steel coaster, offering a different flavor of speed and movement than the Swamp Fox’s wooden rumble. And if you want to understand why teenagers gravitate toward the more extreme end of the lineup, the Vertigo Thrill and the Flip Side are worth a look.

The Flip Side seats riders on a boom arm and whisks them 40 feet into the air before swinging them through a series of rotations that leave you momentarily unsure which direction the ground is in. The Hurricane sends you around a hilly track at speeds that make the ocean breeze suddenly feel intentional. The Lunatic spins riders outward on long arms in the time-honored tradition of carnival rides that have been separating brave souls from their loose change since the county fair circuit was the closest thing to an amusement park most towns ever saw. Bumper cars round out the lineup for those who prefer their chaos to be self-directed.

The park also has go-karts — a detail that deserves its own sentence, because go-karts have a way of converting the most reluctant participant in any family group into the person who insists on going around one more time. All told, Family Kingdom runs more than 32 rides across its oceanfront acreage, with more arriving in 2026.

For the Little Ones: Family and Kiddie Rides

One of the things that makes Family Kingdom genuinely good for mixed-age groups — the kind of vacation parties where the oldest and youngest members are a generation or more apart — is the depth of its kiddie and family ride selection. The park does not treat younger guests as an afterthought. The Puppy Roll, the Tea Cups, the Choo Choo Train, the Kiddie Speedway, and the Samba Balloons give smaller children their own version of the full amusement park experience, complete with the lines and the wristband-checking and the moment of anticipation just before the ride begins that is the same whether you are five or fifty.

The Dragon Coaster is worth particular attention. It threads the line between kiddie ride and genuine coaster experience in a way that makes it the perfect introductory ride for children who are curious about what the bigger coasters might feel like, without committing to anything they might find overwhelming. A child who rides the Dragon Coaster in the afternoon and talks about nothing else for the rest of the evening is one who will be asking about the Swamp Fox before the next trip is over.

The Giant Wheel — Family Kingdom’s Ferris wheel — deserves a mention here as well, because it belongs to everyone. At 100 feet, it lifts riders above the rooftops and the palmettos and into a clear view of the Atlantic that stretches from the Myrtle Beach Boardwalk south toward Surfside and north toward Crescent Beach. It is a gentler experience than the SkyWheel a few miles up the strand, more affordable, and still absolutely worth the stop — especially near sunset when the light turns everything on the water gold. Stroller and wheelchair rentals are available inside the park for families who need them.

What’s New in 2026: The RMC Raptor Is Coming

If you follow the roller coaster world even casually, the name Rocky Mountain Construction carries weight. RMC is the Colorado-based engineering firm responsible for some of the most celebrated coasters built in the last fifteen years — rides that have transformed regional parks into destination attractions and generated the kind of social media buzz that used to require a theme park the size of a small city to produce. In November 2025, Family Kingdom announced at the IAAPA Expo in Orlando that an RMC coaster was coming to 300 South Ocean Boulevard. The coaster community reacted, in the understated parlance of enthusiasts everywhere, with considerable enthusiasm.

The ride is a custom single-rail Raptor model — the first of its class in the entire Southeast United States. It will stand 100 feet tall, nearly 30 feet higher than the historic Swamp Fox, and reach speeds of 50 miles per hour on a track layout designed exclusively for the Myrtle Beach park. The single-rail format positions riders in open-sided cars that move through sharp transitions and rapid direction changes in a way that feels fundamentally different from anything else in the Family Kingdom lineup. The park has offered one hint about the name: they are near the ocean. Given that the rides targeted opening window is late summer 2026 — coinciding with the park’s 60th anniversary season — the timing feels deliberate and apt.

Three additional new rides are also joining the roster this season. The combined effect of these additions is to position Family Kingdom not just as a beloved local tradition but as a legitimate destination for coaster travelers — people who plan trips around rides the way others plan them around restaurants or concerts. For families already coming to Myrtle Beach, it adds one more compelling reason to carve out a full day. For enthusiasts who have not yet added the Swamp Fox to their track record, the window to do so before the new coaster becomes the headliner is narrowing.

Food, Games, and the Boardwalk Next Door

An amusement park without funnel cakes is a philosophical failure, and Family Kingdom has no such problems. Concession stands throughout the park serve the full range of boardwalk food: footlong corndogs, chicken on a stick, cold lemonade, fries, funnel cakes, and the category of treats that vacation nutritionists have collectively agreed not to think too hard about. An arcade sits alongside the ride lineup, and midway games occupy the spaces between attractions in the classic tradition of every fair and carnival that has ever set up along a waterfront. The park also permits outside food and drink in certain areas, which is worth knowing for families traveling with young children who have specific dietary needs or strong opinions about their snacks.

The broader Myrtle Beach Boardwalk and Promenade runs just steps away, connecting Family Kingdom to the rest of the downtown oceanfront entertainment district. Broadway at the Beach — the massive lakeside entertainment complex with restaurants, shops, and attractions — is a short drive north and makes for a natural pairing with a Family Kingdom day if your group wants to extend the outing into the evening. In 2026, Broadway at the Beach is also welcoming Ole Smoky Distillery and Yee-Haw Brewing Co. to its lineup, adding a new indoor-outdoor brewery and distillery with a beer garden and full-service bar for the adults in the group who have earned a quiet drink after a day of Log Flume and Dragon Coaster duty.

Planning Your Visit

Family Kingdom is located at 300 South Ocean Boulevard in Myrtle Beach — about three miles from Myrtle Beach International Airport and a straight shot down the oceanfront boulevard from most points along the Grand Strand. The park is open seasonally, beginning in late March or early April, and runs through Labor Day Weekend. Weekend hours during the shoulder season typically begin in the early-to-mid afternoon; peak summer season brings expanded hours and seven-day-a-week operation. Check familykingdomfun.com for the current season calendar before you go.

Park admission is free — you pay only for what you ride. Individual ride tickets are available for purchase, with different rides requiring varying ticket quantities. All-day unlimited wristbands offer the best value for families planning to spend several hours working through the full lineup, and discounts on wristbands are periodically available through local coupon platforms. On-site parking is available nearby. Strollers and wheelchairs are available for rent inside the park.

A few practical notes worth keeping in mind: Family Kingdom’s evening atmosphere is genuinely lovely, with the ride lights reflecting off the ocean and the park taking on that particular glow that amusement parks have always had after dark. If you are visiting with very young children, morning arrivals before peak heat are easier on everyone. And if the RMC Raptor is part of your reason for coming, the ride is targeting a late summer 2026 opening — plan accordingly, and keep an eye on the park’s social channels for announcements as construction moves toward completion.

For those staying along the northern stretch of the coast, Family Kingdom pairs well with a full day on Windy Hill Beach in the morning and an early-evening drive down to the park once the temperature drops a few degrees. The whole thing — beach, lunch, park, boardwalk, dinner — fits comfortably into a single vacation day with the right planning.

Frequently Asked Questions

Slime Kitchen Opens at Broadway at the Beach in Myrtle Beach — A Chef’s Unexpected New Venture

Published March 31, 2026 · Thomas Beach Vacations

From Fine Dining to Slime Making — A Chef Changes Course

Michael Donovan had his eye on a kitchen. The award-winning chef had been scouting locations across the Myrtle Beach area for months, envisioning a restaurant of his own — the kind of place where he could finally call every shot, from the menu down to the music. Then he stumbled across a listing for a kitchen franchise, and the trajectory of his career took a hard, gloriously unexpected turn.

It was not the kind of kitchen he had ever worked in before. No walk-in coolers. No line cooks. No sizzling flattops or prep lists. This kitchen dealt in glitter, not garlic. It was Slime Kitchen — a California-based franchise where families create custom slime from scratch using KitchenAid mixers, colorful bases, and dozens of scents and textures.

Donovan had never heard of it. But his 10-year-old daughter had. She had seen Slime Kitchen all over TikTok and Instagram, and she made the case with the kind of conviction only a kid who really, truly wants something can deliver. After consulting with his wife, Maria, the couple decided to bring the franchise to Myrtle Beach — and not just anywhere in Myrtle Beach. They chose Broadway at the Beach, the sprawling 350-acre entertainment complex that draws upwards of 14 million visitors a year.

This is the first Slime Kitchen location in South Carolina, and it sits near Ripley’s Aquarium of Myrtle Beach, one of the Grand Strand’s most visited family attractions. It is also a business that has become a true family affair — the Donovans’ daughter and 12-year-old son are fully invested in the operation.

What Is Slime Kitchen?

Slime Kitchen is a hands-on, interactive experience where guests create their own custom slime from scratch. Founded in the San Francisco Bay Area, the franchise has been spreading across the country with locations in California, Oregon, Kentucky, and Lake Tahoe. The Myrtle Beach location at Broadway at the Beach marks the brand’s first expansion into South Carolina.

The concept is simple but irresistible, especially for anyone who has ever watched a slime-making video and felt the pull to try it themselves. Guests walk in, choose from a variety of slime bases, then layer on scents, colors, glitter, and textures before mixing everything together on a real KitchenAid mixer. The result is a stretchy, perfectly squishy creation that goes home with the guest. All materials are food-safe and non-toxic — something Maria Donovan was particularly proud to point out.

If you have spent any amount of time around kids in the last five years, you already know the appeal. Slime content dominates social media platforms, and the tactile, sensory nature of slime-making has turned it into one of the most popular hands-on activities for children and families. Slime Kitchen takes that internet fascination and gives it a physical space — a place where you can actually get your hands into it.

The 10-Step Slime-Making Experience

Slime Kitchen structures each session around a guided 10-step process that walks guests through the creation of their own custom slime. It is part craft project, part science experiment, and part sensory adventure — and the whole thing unfolds at stations designed to make every step feel like a choice, not a chore.

Guests start by selecting their slime base from six different varieties. From there, they move through stations where they pick scents — everything from cotton candy to tropical fruit — and add color using dyes and pigments. The texture station is where things get creative: options include glitter in multiple sizes, foam beads, clay mix-ins, and specialty toppings that give each slime a completely unique look and feel.

Once everything is selected, guests use a KitchenAid mixer to combine the ingredients — a step that gives the whole process the feel of an actual kitchen. The finished slime is stretched, tested, and packed up to take home. Kids earn a diploma in slime culinary arts at the end, a small touch that adds to the experience. The entire session promotes sensory learning and creative expression, making it more than just a novelty activity.

Birthday Parties and Group Events

Beyond the walk-in slime-making sessions, Slime Kitchen offers birthday party packages that have already made the franchise a hit with families across its existing locations. The parties are hosted by dedicated staff members — referred to as Head Chefs — and include games, prizes, diplomas, and a special birthday slime cupcake for the guest of honor.

Two party tiers are available. The standard package includes one slime creation per guest, while the premium option allows each child to make two slimes from any of the six varieties. Parties typically run between one and two hours depending on the package selected. Group workshops are also available for school field trips, summer camps, and team-building events, making the Myrtle Beach location a versatile addition to the Grand Strand’s family entertainment scene.

Why Broadway at the Beach

The Donovans chose Broadway at the Beach because it was already a place their own family loved to visit. Located at 1325 Celebrity Circle in the heart of Myrtle Beach, the complex is South Carolina’s largest entertainment destination — more than 350 acres of shops, restaurants, attractions, and live entertainment venues surrounding the 23-acre Lake Broadway.

Slime Kitchen fits naturally into the mix of specialty shops and interactive attractions that define Broadway at the Beach. Families who visit Ripley’s Aquarium, WonderWorks, or the Hollywood Wax Museum now have another reason to extend their day at the complex. The location also benefits from Broadway’s free parking and its position as a stop on the Myrtle Beach Connector bus route.

For visitors staying in North Myrtle Beach who are looking for a rainy-day activity or an afternoon break from the beach, Slime Kitchen adds yet another option to the long list of reasons to make the drive south to Broadway. It pairs especially well with a visit to the aquarium or lunch at one of Broadway’s more than 20 restaurants.

Grand Opening — April 10, 2026

While Slime Kitchen has already opened its doors to guests, the official grand opening celebration is scheduled for April 10, 2026. The event will feature a ribbon-cutting ceremony and is open to the public. The timing places the launch right at the front end of the spring tourism season along the Grand Strand — a smart play for a business that thrives on foot traffic and families in vacation mode.

Walk-ins are welcome at the Myrtle Beach location, and reservations are not required. However, weekends and holidays tend to see higher demand, so booking ahead through the Slime Kitchen website is recommended if you want to guarantee your spot.

More Family Activities Near Broadway at the Beach

One of the best things about a trip to Broadway at the Beach is that a single activity can easily turn into a full day. Slime Kitchen sits within walking distance of some of the most popular family attractions on the Grand Strand.

Ripley’s Aquarium of Myrtle Beach remains the anchor attraction, with its 85,000 square feet of marine exhibits, the famous 330-foot Dangerous Reef moving walkway, a penguin playhouse, and interactive touch tanks. WonderWorks offers an upside-down adventure with over 100 hands-on science exhibits. The Pavilion Nostalgia Park brings classic amusement park rides to the complex, and the Hollywood Wax Museum lets families pose alongside lifelike celebrity figures. For older kids, Backstage Escape Games provides immersive puzzle-solving challenges.

Broadway at the Beach is also welcoming several new businesses in 2026, including Ole Smoky Distillery and Yee-Haw Brewing Company, which will bring a distillery, brewery, beer garden, and tasting rooms to the complex. It is shaping up to be one of the most exciting years the entertainment district has seen in some time. For families visiting from Cherry Grove Beach, Ocean Drive, or Crescent Beach, a day trip to Broadway at the Beach is always worth the short drive.

Getting There from North Myrtle Beach

Broadway at the Beach is located at 1325 Celebrity Circle in Myrtle Beach, roughly 15 to 20 miles south of North Myrtle Beach depending on which beach section you are staying in. From Windy Hill, the drive is typically around 20 to 25 minutes. From Cherry Grove, plan on closer to 30 to 35 minutes depending on traffic.

The fastest route is typically Highway 31 (Carolina Bays Parkway) south to Robert Grissom Parkway, which leads directly into the Broadway at the Beach complex. Highway 17 is the more scenic coastal route and offers plenty of stops along the way if you want to break up the trip with shopping or lunch. Parking at Broadway at the Beach is free.

Plan Your Grand Strand Vacation

Slime Kitchen is just one more reason the Myrtle Beach area continues to add new experiences for families every season. Whether you are visiting for a long weekend or spending an entire week on the Grand Strand, staying in North Myrtle Beach puts you within easy reach of Broadway at the Beach and every major attraction in the area — while giving you a quieter, more relaxed beach experience when you head home at the end of the day.

Thomas Beach Vacations offers a wide selection of oceanfront homes and oceanfront condos across all four sections of North Myrtle Beach — Cherry Grove, Ocean Drive, Crescent Beach, and Windy Hill. Book your stay and start planning your family’s next Grand Strand adventure. Call us at (866) 249-2100 or visit northmyrtlebeachvacations.com to browse available properties.

Frequently Asked Questions

Big-Stage Entertainment

When thunder rumbles like a baritone and you’re hunting for spectacle under a roof, the marquee lights have your back. At Barefoot Landing, Alabama Theatre pours on live music, comedy, and holiday magic in a hall built for goosebumps. A few steps away, House of Blues Myrtle Beach keeps the beat with touring acts, gospel brunches, and that swampy-soul atmosphere you can feel in your ribs. And for a fresh spin on showtime, the new Greg Rowles Legacy Theatre brings polished productions and hometown heart to the limelight.

Pro tip from the porch: book seats early on weekends, then let the rain play background percussion while the headliners handle the melody.

Sip & Savor Indoors

Rain on the roof pairs nicely with something in your glass. Pull up a chair at Duplin Winery for relaxed tastings—sweet, Southern, and sociable—or wander the village pathways at Barefoot Landing, where shop doors swing open with candles, chocolates, and rainy-day treasures. If your compass points to coffee before curtain time, stroll Main Street for a treat at Melt (yes, the ice cream is worth braving a sprinkle), then settle in for the evening show without ever missing the sunset—because sometimes it’s best enjoyed through a window.

Family Fun, Arcades & Rain-Proof Laughs

Kids can smell cabin fever like pelicans smell a bait bucket. Duck into the neon nostalgia of OD Pavilion Arcade for skee-ball glory, air hockey showdowns, and a prize counter that’ll make a nine-year-old’s heart grow three sizes. Browse, snack, and wander under covered walkways at Barefoot Landing; it’s a low-stress way to keep little legs moving and spirits high. When the clouds lift to a gentle mist, the mostly-covered boardwalk paths make for easy stroller cruising and grandparent-approved pacing.

If the weather clears just enough for an animal encounter under shelter, the viewing areas at Alligator Adventure offer plenty of overhead cover between exhibits—call it “nature’s awning.” Either way, you’ll return to your condo with smiles, tickets, and a few new family legends.

Comfort Food with a Roof (and a View)

Rain makes comfort food even more convincing. Slide into a booth at Hoskins Restaurant on Main Street—serving since 1948 and still dishing out plates that taste like Sunday after church. For a dock-side vibe without the downpour, linger at Boardwalk Billy’s where the Intracoastal views are wide, the sushi and seafood generous, and the staff greets you like kin. Prefer your soup with a side of Atlantic panorama? Snooky’s Oceanfront pairs chowders and raw bar with waves you can watch through the glass while staying dry as a hymn book.

Those chasing a dress-up night will find white-tablecloth heaven at 21 Main at North Beach—order something that arrives sizzling, then toast the storm for making the evening cozier.

Stock the Condo & Cook In

Stormy skies are chef weather. Fill your basket at Boulineau’s—part old-school market, part local legend—and swing next door for the fresh catch at Platt’s Seafood. Back at your kitchen, steam oysters till they sigh open, sauté shrimp in butter and garlic, and serve it all with a view of the rain strolling down the balcony glass like it owns the place. Pro tip: a short, sturdy oyster knife makes you look wise beyond your years.

If you’d rather let someone else mind the flame while you mind the conversation, order to-go from Joe’s Bar & Grill and feast by candlelight as the weather does its soft-shoe on the eaves.

Plan Your Cozy Stay with Thomas Beach Vacations

Rain or shine, the smartest move is booking a place that feels like a second heartbeat—oceanfront when the sun comes back, spacious and snug when it doesn’t. Browse condos and beach homes across Cherry Grove, Ocean Drive, Crescent Beach, and Windy Hill with Thomas Beach Vacations. Choose a balcony for storm-watching, a big table for board games, and a kitchen made for gumbo on a gray day. The forecast may change, but comfort is something we can guarantee.

Questions about what’s open, what’s on stage, or where to park close to the door? Call our local team at (866) 249-2100. We’ll point you to warm lights, good stories, and the kind of indoor days you’ll brag about long after the sun returns.