NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. -- Memorial Day Weekend kicks off the City’s main visitor season. North Myrtle Beach quickly grows from a city with a permanent population of approximately 20,000 people to one with a daily population of more than 100,000.
Memorial Day Weekend coincides with the Annual Atlantic Beach Memorial Day Black Pearl Cultural Heritage and Bike Festival. During this time, the Grand Strand area, including the City of North Myrtle Beach, welcomes thousands of motorcycle enthusiasts. With an increased number of motorcycles on the roads, there are more safety challenges for motorcyclists and drivers.
Whether driving a car or riding a motorcycle, we encourage everyone to exercise caution and extend courtesy. Continually check the rear and sides as you drive down the road.
There will be an increased presence of Law Enforcement Officers in North Myrtle Beach during Memorial Day Weekend, including supplemental officers from agencies around the state. They are here for the benefit of all residents and visitors, and their key focus in North Myrtle Beach is traffic management, crime prevention, and overall public safety.
The goal is to keep traffic flowing so that gridlock does not occur. While Law Enforcement works to keep traffic moving, we ask that everyone practice patience. Drivers should remain attentive, watch for motorcycle traffic, and anticipate and be prepared for longer travel times over Memorial Day Weekend.
Traffic Chute | The North Myrtle Beach Public Works Department will be placing barricades on Friday, May 23, from 37th Avenue South to 25th Avenue South. Any drivers attending the Bike Festival will need to stay in the designated lane. The barricades will be removed on Monday, May 26.
Excessive Noise | The City welcomes all visitors and reminds motorcycle riders to respect our community and follow local laws. This includes following the City's noise ordinance and refraining from speeding, doing burnouts, weaving in between cars, or holding up intersections. We ask that all visitors be considerate of our permanent residents, particularly regarding excessive noise and large gatherings.
Noise ordinance violations will be enforced with citations up to $1,000 and/or arrests.
Quiet hours are 11 PM through 7 AM.
Common Motorcycle Violations | We encourage drivers to watch out for motorcycles on our roads, and we encourage motorcyclists to avoid doing the following, which are illegal and can endanger others on the road:
- Speeding
- Burnouts
- Weaving between cars
- "Holding” intersections to allow a group to continue through without stopping for a red light or stop sign.
Common Motorcycle Violations will be enforced with citations and/or arrests with a fine of up to $1,000.
Please exercise good judgment and respect others.
Prevent Motorcycle Theft | Motorcycle thefts typically increase during Memorial Day Weekend. Expensive, custom, and show motorcycles are popular with thieves. Here are some theft prevention tips:
- Avoid parking motorcycles in poorly lit areas.
- Do not leave leathers, cameras, GPS, helmets, or other valuables on your motorcycle.
- Lock and secure your motorcycle. Thieves can easily overcome factory-installed ignition locks; therefore, we recommend using high-quality disk locks, wheel locks, and heavy-duty cable or chain locks.
North Myrtle Beach Practices "Community Policing" | The North Myrtle Beach Police Department practices "community policing," which means they work to be accessible and available to interact with residents and visitors. Their goal is to establish mutual trust and respect.
Visitor or resident, if you have questions about what you can and cannot do in North Myrtle Beach, feel free to approach any of our Police Officers. They are here to assist all in having a safe and enjoyable time.
Grilling | To prevent unfortunate incidents caused by improper grilling, please follow the below guidelines/laws:
- Fires are NOT allowed on the beach.
- Do not operate charcoal burners and other open-flame cooking devices on balconies or within 10 feet of combustible construction.
- Do not cook under tents unless the tent exhibits an affixed NFPA 701 flame-resistance rating.
- Tents and membrane structures more than 400 square feet require a permit.
Beach Regulations | To provide a family-friendly environment for all to enjoy, and to protect and keep clean, there are Beach Regulations in place.
- If you dig a hole on the beach, you must fill it in before leaving the beach.
- It is unlawful to litter (fines up to $1000).
- No alcohol, fireworks, or glass containers.
- Do not damage sea oats and sea fencing; stay off the dunes.
- Swim within 50 yards of shore - Max depth is shoulder height.
- Shading devices other than umbrellas are prohibited from being placed on the beach from May 15 through Labor Day. Prohibited devices include, any material mounted on supports, cabanas, pavilions, sport-brellas or similar devices, tarps, and tents.
- E-Bikes and bicycles are not permitted on the beach from May 15 through Labor Day from 10 AM to 4 PM.
- It shall be unlawful for any person to drive any motor vehicle, of any nature or description, upon the public beach within the City. This prohibition shall not apply to governmental, emergency, or other authorized vehicles. This section in no way prohibits rights conferred upon the handicapped in accordance with South Carolina Code Annotated, Section 43-33-25 (1976 as amended).
- For a complete list of Beach Regulations, click here.
Single-Use Plastics on the Beach | While it is not required, we urge individuals to avoid bringing single-use plastic bags, straws, cups, and any other single-use plastic products on to the beach. If you must bring them, please take them with you when leaving the beach. This helps protect marine life and wildlife, and keeps our beach, ocean, and marshes clean.
Useful Phone Numbers | Whether you have a question or there is an emergency, we are here for you.
- Non-Emergencies, Call: (843) 280-5511
- Emergencies, Call: 911
We wish everyone a safe and enjoyable Memorial Day Weekend!