Murrells Inlet MarshWalk

The Murrells Inlet MarshWalk is a half-mile wooden boardwalk connecting eight waterfront restaurants along the edge of a tidal salt marsh, and it is where local families and savvy visitors go for the best sunset seafood dinner on the Grand Strand. Located about 20 minutes south of central Myrtle Beach in the historic fishing village of Murrells Inlet, the MarshWalk offers an experience that the tourist-heavy Myrtle Beach restaurants simply cannot match: fresh-off-the-boat seafood served waterside with dolphins surfacing in the inlet, pelicans diving for fish, and the marsh glowing golden in the evening light.

The boardwalk itself is the attraction before you even sit down to eat. The elevated wooden pathway follows the edge of the marsh, connecting restaurants while providing views over the tidal creek where boats come and go. Kids run ahead on the boardwalk, leaning over railings to spot fiddler crabs, minnows, and the occasional stingray in the shallow water below.

Great blue herons stand statue-still on the marsh grass. Bottlenose dolphins surface in the deeper channels, often to audible gasps from children who spot them first. This wildlife spectacle is free and unscripted — it happens every evening.

The restaurants along the MarshWalk range from casual to upscale, but all share the same spectacular waterfront setting. Flo's Place is the family favorite, with a massive deck overlooking the marsh, a casual atmosphere that welcomes sandy flip-flops, and hush puppies that locals claim are the best on the coast. The kids' menu ($7-$10) offers fried shrimp, grilled fish, and chicken tenders, but the real move is ordering a fried seafood platter to share — portions are enormous and the fried local shrimp are impeccable.

Dead Dog Saloon has a name that kids find hilarious, a laid-back deck with live music, and solid family food at moderate prices.

The sunset experience is what elevates the MarshWalk from a good seafood dinner to an unforgettable family evening. Arriving 45 minutes before sunset lets you walk the full boardwalk, choose your restaurant, and settle into a waterside table as the sky begins to change color. The marsh — already beautiful in daylight — transforms into a canvas of gold, pink, and purple reflections that kids stare at with genuine wonder.

The combination of great food, natural beauty, and the gentle excitement of wildlife sightings creates the kind of family dinner that becomes a vacation highlight.

Practically, the MarshWalk does get busy on summer weekend evenings, with restaurant waits reaching 45-90 minutes at peak times. The strategy is either to arrive early (5 PM) or to call ahead for seating at restaurants that accept it. Walking the boardwalk during the wait entertains kids far better than sitting in a restaurant lobby.

Free parking is available in lots along Highway 17 Business, with a short walk to the boardwalk entrance.