10 Things to Do in Myrtle Beach When it Rains

The Hollywood Wax Museum Entertainment Center is a chance for the family to pose with wax figures of their favourite stars from stage and screen. With plenty of props on hand, you can pose for a selfie with lifelike models of celebrities, including Bill Murray and The Rock. 

It’s not all Hollywood A-Listers though. Tickle your terror bone at the Outbreak: Dread the Undead exhibit, where you’ll get a terrifying glimpse into what a zombie apocalypse might look like. Hollywood Wax Museum Entertainment Center is located at Broadway at the Beach entertainment complex. You can’t really miss it as there’s a gigantic gorilla climbing a skyscraper above this venue.

Pirates Voyage Dinner and Show affords an opportunity to dine in the presence of notorious pirate, Captain Blackbeard, and a host of other swashbuckling types. As you indulge in your 4-course feast, you’ll witness some high-rise aerial antics, tropical birds and beautiful mermaids. 

If you arrive 50 minutes before showtime, you’ll be treated to an interactive experience at the Pirates’ Village with juggling, live animals, sea shanties and balancing acts. The show schedule changes throughout the year, so it’s best to check ahead.

The Franklin G. Burroughs-Simeon B. Chapin Art Museum boasts 11 galleries with rotating exhibitions throughout the year, so there’s always something new to see. The exhibitions feature paintings, textiles, sculptures, ceramics, photography and more. They showcase evocative and thoughtful works by regional, national and international artists, often accompanied by exciting programming.

The museum is housed in a quaint beach cottage just steps away from the beach, nestled beneath oak trees and overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. It’s not a huge building, but what it lacks in size, it makes up for in charm. Self-guided and guided group tours are available. They also offer art classes, including pottery, so be sure to check online the class schedules, so you don’t miss out.

WonderWorks Myrtle Beach is billed as ‘an amusement park for the mind’. Containing over 100 interactive exhibits, the emphasis here is as much on entertainment as it is on education. A good choice for curious kids and adults, you can discover what it feels like to be caught in a Category 1 hurricane in the Hurricane Shake. 

There’s a zipper line and multi-storey rope courses, not to mention laser tag to keep the family occupied on the drizzliest of days. WonderWorks is also easily spotted with its distinctive appearance. It looks like an upside-down building that has been picked up and set down by impossibly strong winds.

The Myrtle Beach Pinball Museum is a retro gaming treat. Whether reliving past gaming glories, or showing the younger generations how it was done back in the good old days, you’ll find a range of classic pinball machines from the 70’s, 80’s and the 90’s here. These aren’t just dead exhibits either as you have a chance to play over 24 machines on display at this museum. Classics include 8 Ball Deluxe, Old Chicago and Captain Fantastic. 

A quick drive from downtown Myrtle Beach will lead you to the museum should the rain chase you from the beach. Hours vary, so it is worth checking ahead when in town.

The GTS Theatre in Myrtle Beach is known for hosting tribute shows and themed evenings. Its modest size and the fact that shows here often encourage audience interaction make for a very intimate atmosphere. While comedy and magic shows are frequently scheduled, live music serves as the theatre’s entertainment staple. 

Nostalgia is the order of the day, with trips through the Motown archives and Elvis’s back catalogue proving popular attractions. Discounts are available for seniors (over 60 years old) and groups of 11 or more.

Myrtle Beach Room Escape offers a number of intriguing scenarios for visitors to figure out (and escape from). You’ll need all your mental sharpness and teamwork skills to successfully navigate you way out of a variety of rooms at this venue. 

In Hijacked, you’ll be challenged to bring a hijacked plane home safely, while in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Escape, you’ll need to solve buzzles and clues to help Dorothy find her way back to Kansas. The most popular (and terrifying) escape room here is Zombie Escape – Road to Survive. The games here last either 30 mins or 60 mins and are generally suitable for children, though those below the age of 13 should be accompanied by adults. 

Myrtle Beach Speedway runs a range of events throughout the year, including car shows and festivals. The asphalt oval track, built in 1958, is just over half a mile in length. It also offers hands-on experiences where you can drive a NASCAR race car or ride along as a passenger.

Best known for its races, the speedway hosts the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series on Saturday nights from late February through November, as well as smaller races such as Mini Stocks, Super Trucks and Late Model Chargers.

Molten Mountain Indoor Miniature Golf combines a 50-ft artificial volcano with indoor mini golf. With its smouldering mountain erupting in a fury of fire and steam every 30 mins, you’ll need to work hard to focus over the 18- or 36-hole courses. The 18-hole course is entirely indoors (inside the volcano to be exact) and air-conditioned. 

Molten Mountain Indoor Miniature Golf is located in North Myrtle Beach, right next to Carrabba's Italian Grill. The indoor course here also offers handicap accessibility.

810 Billiards and Bowling – North Myrtle Beach offers more than just billiards and bowling. You’ll find plenty of bocce, foosball, table tennis, darts and shuffleboards for you to while away those rainy hours. 

There’s also a restaurant and a bar on site to relax after all the excitement. The menu boasts classics like potato skins, chicken wings and tasty pizzas and burgers. If bowling is what you have in mind, 810 Billiards and Bowling has 20 lanes but book at least 48 hours in advance, especially on weekends and holidays.