Jun 18 2025

Living in Myrtle Beach: Hurricane Prep Guide

living in myrtle beach during a hurricane

Hurricane Season in Myrtle Beach: How to Be Prepared

Living in Myrtle Beach means enjoying ocean breezes, world-class beaches, and a relaxed coastal lifestyle. But if you call this slice of paradise home, it’s important to understand what comes with it—including hurricane season. From June 1 to November 30 each year, residents must stay alert, informed, and prepared to protect their homes, families, and peace of mind.

Whether you’re new to the Grand Strand or a long-time homeowner, this guide will walk you through exactly how to prepare for hurricane season while enjoying the benefits of living in Myrtle Beach.

How to Prepare for Hurricane Season in Myrtle Beach

Step 1: Create a Hurricane Preparedness Plan

Start with the basics: determine your Horry County evacuation zone (A, B, or C). Authorities will issue zone-based evacuation orders depending on storm strength. Know your zone in advance, map out your evacuation route, and have a destination ready if you need to leave quickly. If you have pets, make arrangements for pet-friendly accommodations early, as most emergency shelters do not allow animals.

Step 2: Assemble a Complete Emergency Kit

Every home in Myrtle Beach should have a stocked emergency kit ready before a storm is even on the radar. Your kit should include:

Three days’ worth of non-perishable food and two gallons of water per person, per day
Flashlights, batteries, a battery-operated radio, and phone chargers
First-aid kit, prescription medications, and hygiene items
Cash, important documents in waterproof containers, and clothing

boarding your myrtle beach home for hurricane

Step 3: Secure Your Home and Property

Protecting your home from high winds and flooding is crucial. Trim trees, clean gutters, and secure or store outdoor furniture and decorations. Install storm shutters or board up windows with plywood if a storm is approaching. Check the roof for loose shingles and secure entry points, especially garage doors, to reduce wind intrusion.

Step 4: Review Your Insurance Coverage

If you’re living in Myrtle Beach full-time, understanding your home insurance is a must. Standard policies typically don’t include flood coverage. Look into a separate flood insurance policy and make sure your coverage limits reflect current property values. Take photos or videos of your home’s interior and exterior in advance for claims documentation.

Step 5: Know When to Evacuate

When evacuation orders are issued, don’t wait. Leave early to avoid traffic and worsening weather conditions. Fuel up your vehicle in advance, and have a go-bag ready. If you’re not required to evacuate and choose to shelter in place, stay indoors, monitor local news, and avoid driving through flooded roads.

Step 6: Stay Safe After the Storm

After the storm has passed, proceed with care. Watch for downed power lines, broken glass, and flood-contaminated water. Wear protective gloves and boots when cleaning debris. Take photos of any damage before beginning repairs, and work only with licensed contractors to avoid scams.

Living in Myrtle Beach Means Being Prepared

Part of living in Myrtle Beach is learning how to balance paradise with preparedness. While hurricanes aren’t guaranteed each season, being ready gives you confidence and peace of mind. A little planning now will protect your property, your family, and your lifestyle on the coast.

Final Thoughts

Hurricane season is simply a part of coastal living, and with the right steps in place, you can continue enjoying everything Myrtle Beach has to offer without worry. Make your preparations early, review your plan regularly, and stay connected to local alerts and weather forecasts.

If you’re relocating or considering a move, our team at Myrtle Beach Homes Blog is here to help you find a safe, beautiful home that fits your lifestyle and your long-term plans for coastal living.

Thinking of making a move to Myrtle Beach in the near future? Book a Call with Jeremy to discuss your upcoming move to Myrtle Beach!

Feb 12 2020

Essential Guide For Moving To Myrtle Beach

Have you been thinking about how nice it would be to live the dream life in beautiful Myrtle Beach, South Carolina? Myrtle Beach offers a wide array of affordable residential homes, retail shopping, dining, entertainment and the most scenic views along the east coast. While many may think of Myrtle Beach just as a great place for a vacation, those who live in this beautiful coastal town enjoy mild weather and beaches that extend for miles with plenty to do all year round.

Myrtle Beach is popular for retirees who are seeking nice weather, affordable housing and plenty of activities to keep them busy. It’s also a great place for families and individuals to live who want to find employment opportunities, entertainment, shopping and more. Myrtle Beach offers the best for those who want a quiet, calm lifestyle with beautiful oceanic scenery but it also much for those who want to live in a place where there is always something fun to do.

Housing In Myrtle Beach

If you have not yet taken that leap and hauled all your worldly belongings to Myrtle Beach, you will want to take time to look for housing in the area. Home pricing for family homes in the local area can range anywhere from around $100,000 to several million. This opens a wide array of homes for families including condos, townhomes, houses and more to choose from. Property taxes for a primary residence in Myrtle Beach are only 4% and secondary homes and vacation homes are taxed at 6%

If you plan to rent rather than buy, rental housing can be found with rental rates ranging from $500 a month to several thousand dollars. It’s best to work with a licensed real estate agent to locate rental or sales property not only so you have someone who understands the local market, but also to help you avoid real estate scams and to find you the best properties that fit your budget.

Moving Everything to Myrtle Beach

Once you pass the hurdle of finding a new home in Myrtle Beach, you will want to work with a professional moving company to have your furniture and other household goods relocated. Prior to the move, take time to carefully go through your belongings, one room at a time to determine whether you will need everything once you arrive to your new home in Myrtle Beach. You may also want to speak to a professional auto transport company, especially if you and your family have more than one motor vehicle to relocate. Having a vehicle shipped rather than driving can cut down on wear and tear while getting the vehicle delivered safely.

Myrtle Beach is not just a beautiful beach town. There is so much to do in this beautiful region of the state and no matter the age, you can stay busy year-round.

Things To Do Outdoors in Myrtle Beach

You already know that the beach is perfect no matter the weather, but there is so much more to do in the great outdoors when you live in Myrtle Beach. Water sports are always fun for all ages and with plenty of Intracoastal waters, you can head off on your own, take a charter boat or even a casino boat for a little winning action on the sea. Jet Ski’s can be rented at various rental shops along the waters edge and surfing, wakeboarding and more is just a quick walk in any direction down the sandy shoreline.

For a romantic day or a family excursion on a private beach, you can take a horseback riding tour at Inlet Point Plantation where you can catch glimpses of the majestic water, stop for a picnic on the beach and catch an incredible sunset over the ocean. You can have fun on a ziplining course, playing ball at the local parks and rec or picnicking in the park.

Myrtle Beach is also home to the best places to catch a good game of golf and with courses designed by Greg Norman, Robert Trent Jones you will find incredible golf courses and resorts to enjoy any day of the year.

Things To Do Indoors in Myrtle Beach

If you prefer to stay indoors you will find many things to do all around the area. Shopping is often at the top of the list for things to do and if you are a shopaholic you can spend quality time at shopping centers including:

The Market Common
Barefoot Landing
Coastal North Town Center
Tanger Factory Outlets
Broadway at the Beach

After a long day of shopping, be sure to stop by one of the local spas or nail salons to be pampered and relax for a little while before heading out for a night on the town. You may even want to check out one of the local wineries and enjoy a tour or a wine tasting with friends.

When hitting the social scene at night, you can find dancing and good times at one of the many hot clubs or lounges near the shopping districts and all along the coastline.

For a fun family day indoors, Myrtle Beach offers incredible art galleries, museums and more.

Transportation in Myrtle Beach

If you plan to stay close to home, you can always take a walk or ride a bicycle, but for those who want to go from North Myrtle Beach to other areas you will need to have a personal car to get around easily or an Uber. During tourist season which runs from March through November, traffic can be heavy so be prepared to wait in heavy congestion during peak hours in the morning and evening in areas near the beach.

Luckily though, with the openings of new roads like SC 31, you can now easily get from the southern end of the beach to the northern end fairly easily. This road is a 6 lane highway where the speeds are 60+ Mph and zero stop lights.

Beach Rules

Before heading down the beach, you should be aware of some of the rules.

Alcohol- Alcohol is not allowed on the beach. You can also not have glass containers or bottles.
Litter– Littering is illegal and you can be fined if caught littering.
Dunes- It is prohibited to walk on the dunes or to damage them in any way.
Fire- Fires are not allowed at all on the beach. This includes bonfires, barbecues and other open flame.
Pets- Dogs are allowed on the beach from Memorial Day through Labor Day only from 8:00 AM until 5:00 PM. After Labor Day, pet owners can walk their dogs on the beach anytime if they are on a leash.
Bathing Suits- Bathing attire can be worn on the beach, but thongs or other swimwear showing off your rear-end is not be allowed.
Umbrellas- Umbrellas must be seven and a half feet circular or smaller.

Annual Climate

The climate in Myrtle Beach is mild and you can expect temperatures ranging from the mid to upper 70’s in the spring and fall, upper 80’s to mid-90’s in the summer and mid 50’s in the winter. Hurricane season is June through November, but hurricanes are very rare in Myrtle Beach and a significant one has not struck the area since Hugo hit in 1989. Tropical storms are typical and can bring heavy rain and winds to the area.

Employment in Myrtle Beach

If you are new to the area and did not transfer with an employer, work can be found in many industries. The hospitality, tourism, and retail sales industries are always booming and seeking employees. Myrtle Beach is also a great location for small business owners as the local tax rate is low and the community is very small business oriented.

Myrtle Beach is home to nearly 33,000 people in the city limits but hosts more than half a million visitors annually. Spending time walking along the boardwalk next the Atlantic Ocean is a dream come true for many people. When you’re ready to take steps to a new life in Myrtle Beach, try to plan a few days to explore the local area and see the sights and check out the atmosphere and then, sit down with a Myrtle Beach REALTOR® and discover everything that Myrtle Beach has to offer.

This was a guest post by Melissa Villalobos.

Jul 28 2014

Preparing To Move Into Your Myrtle Beach Home One Month In Advance

A lot of people stress when it comes time to move into your new Myrtle Beach Home. Most people only move a few times during a lifetime, so they are not always aware of all the things they need to do when moving.

To help lower the amount of stress, here is a brief checklist of items to do one month before closing on your new Myrtle Beach property. In the next few weeks there will be follow up articles with checklists of items to do at 2 weeks before moving, day before the move, day of move-out, day of move-in, & after you are settled.

Clean out closets, attic, basement, etc… Take this time to start going through things and discarding things you don’t want anymore or have no need for. For example, if you currently live in a cold weather climate, you can take that snow blower and place it for sale on Craigslist. Our warmer temperatures in Myrtle Beach leave zero need for it. Also, you can reduce down your winter clothing collection greatly. Sell those items off and start your new boat fund.
Consider having a garage sale. What to do with all that unwanted stuff? Have a garage sale and sell the things you dont need anymore. Maybe you are downsizing when you move and will not have the need for the extra furniture. Host a garage sale or two and put some extra money in your pocket.
Donate unwanted items. Some things may not sell at a yard sale. Those items that are of any worth you can donate to the local goodwill, library, or thrift shops. You can get a receipt for tax purposes.
Register children for school. If you are moving to another school district, take this time to get children registered for their new school. As moving day approaches, you won’t have time available and may forget this.Many of the Horry County Schools have information on their website.
Start opening new bank accounts. If you are moving to an area where your bank does not service, you will need to find a new bank. Most banks now have the option to apply online and can be done from your current residence. Not having a local bank can cause issues with extra fees to try and do basic banking functions.
Contact your veterinarian. Check with your vet for travel preparation for your pets. Also, see if they have a recommendation for you to transfer to here in Myrtle Beach.
Notify post office. Contact the post office along with any other publications of your change of address and the date it will become effective. This can now be done online by clicking here.
Contact lawn service, security company, & other regular services. Let these services know in advance of your vacating date so that they can discontinue service at that time and not charge you extra. Nobody likes to waste money. If you are just moving across town in Myrtle Beach, some of these services will just need to be transferred.
Use your frozen foods. It is very difficult to travel with frozen foods. They can be very heavy and there is not really any safe way of traveling with them. Also, once you arrive at your new home, if you are bringing the refrigerator with, it could take up to 24 hours until it is cold enough to freeze items again which will result in major spoilage of foods.

So these are just a few great tips to help you prepare for the big day of moving into your new Myrtle Beach home. Are there any other tips you can think of? Share in the comments below.

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