Myrtle Beach has a reputation as a family town, and in July it earns it. For two people it is a different place: the beach at seven in the morning, a side-by-side massage in the afternoon, dinner on the water, and a balcony to come back to. This is how we would spend a couples trip from Anderson Ocean Club & Spa, at 2600 North Ocean Boulevard on the north end of downtown, where Awakening Spa is four floors up from the sand.
Start on the sand
The beach in front of the resort faces east, so sunrise is the show and it is free. Make coffee in your suite (every one has a fully equipped kitchen) or pick up espresso at the C-Bar in the lobby, which opens at 7:00 a.m., and walk south along the water while the beach is still mostly yours. The Boardwalk and the SkyWheel are a long walk or a short drive down the shore, which puts you close to the busy blocks without sleeping in them.
Book the couples suite at Awakening Spa
This is the part of the trip that is hard to find elsewhere in Myrtle Beach. Awakening Spa is a full-service day spa on the fourth floor of the resort, run by our own staff, and in 2026 it was named a Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice winner. Its couples services take place in a dedicated couples suite, side by side, and all three are booked per couple:
- Couples Massage. Two Swedish massages, side by side. 55 or 80 minutes.
- Couples Reconnect. The same massages plus a candle-lit sea salt soak for two.
- Couples Deluxe. Reconnect, plus your choice of take-home aromatherapy, mimosas or champagne, and chocolate truffles. This is the anniversary version.
At the time of writing the published prices per couple are $265 / $395 for the Couples Massage, $310 / $445 for Reconnect and $360 / $480 for Deluxe, for the 55- and 80-minute versions. There is also a seasonal Fall Spa Special: a 55-minute Swedish massage with seasonal aromatherapy and a 55-minute Great Awake facial for $195 per person, before tax and gratuity. Guests must be 18 or older for a massage, the spa is open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (hours vary by season), and weekends fill first, so call (843) 213-5370 before you arrive. If you want to turn the hour into an afternoon, our guide to planning a couples massage and spa day walks through the soaks and packages.
Slow afternoons south of town
The quiet side of the Grand Strand is a half-hour drive south, and it suits a couple better than the arcades do.
- Brookgreen Gardens, in Murrells Inlet, is a sculpture garden set in old rice-plantation grounds, with live oaks and long, shaded paths. Through December 4, 2026, our Fall Seasonal Fun Pass includes a Brookgreen admission when you book direct.
- Huntington Beach State Park, across the highway from Brookgreen, has a boardwalk over the salt marsh, a wide, uncrowded beach, and Atalaya, the Moorish-style winter home of the Huntingtons.
- The Market Common, back in Myrtle Beach, is the place for a slow lunch on a patio and an hour in the boutiques.
Closer to the resort, the pool deck has an outdoor lazy river, two outdoor pools and a five-person hot tub, and the enclosed pool is seasonally heated with a 12-person hot tub for cooler evenings. A late-afternoon soak before dinner is a good habit.
Romantic restaurants in Myrtle Beach
We do not have a restaurant in the building. We have the C-Bar for coffee and breakfast pastries in the morning and the B-Bar on the pool deck for a drink, open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. with longer hours in summer. For dinner, these are the tables we would book:
- Sea Captain’s House, on North Ocean Boulevard, is an oceanfront local favorite for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Ask for a window at sunset.
- New York Prime is the upscale steakhouse for an anniversary dinner: professional service, steaks, seafood platters and a serious wine list.
- The Murrells Inlet MarshWalk is a half-mile boardwalk of waterfront restaurants along the inlet, about half an hour south. Go early enough to watch the boats come in.
- Dinner in. Every suite has a full kitchen with an oven, stovetop and dishwasher, so a market run and a bottle of wine on the balcony is a real option, not a fallback.
Evenings
The SkyWheel on the Boardwalk is the classic Myrtle Beach night out for two, and the Fall Fun Pass includes a free flight when you book direct. The Pass also carries a buy-one-get-one wine tasting at Duplin Winery, a buy-one-get-one Sea Screamer dolphin cruise and an admission to Legends in Concert, and the winter list changes on December 5. The Carolina Opry and Pirates Voyage are the long-running shows if you want a production. Then come back to the balcony. Every suite has one, and the oceanfront suites look straight out over the water.
Making it an anniversary
If the trip marks something, book the Couples Deluxe at the spa and ask about a gift card for the morning after. Among our suites, the Oceanfront 1 Bedroom with two queens is the one with a whirlpool tub in the bath; the Oceanfront 1 Bedroom King has the king bed and the same oceanfront balcony. We do not sell a packaged romance deal, and we would rather you spend the money on the spa than on rose petals. Our romantic getaway page covers the suites and what to expect in more detail.
What part of Myrtle Beach is best for couples?
The oceanfront north of the Boardwalk. It is quieter than the blocks around the SkyWheel and the Pavilion, still a short drive from them, and the beach is wide and uncrowded in the morning. For dinner, the inlet to the south (Murrells Inlet) has the best waterfront tables, and the gardens and state park nearby are the slow afternoon. Anderson Ocean Club & Spa sits at 26th Avenue North on the oceanfront, close to the Convention Center, with the spa in the building.
Common questions
Is Myrtle Beach good for a couples trip?
Yes, especially from September through May, when the beach is quiet, the spa has more availability and rates are lower than in summer. The key is to stay on the oceanfront away from the busiest blocks and to plan the days around the beach, the spa and dinner rather than the attractions.
What are fun things couples can do together in Myrtle Beach?
A sunrise beach walk, a side-by-side massage at Awakening Spa, an afternoon at Brookgreen Gardens or Huntington Beach State Park, dinner on the water at Sea Captain’s House or the MarshWalk, and a SkyWheel flight after dark.
Do we have to stay at the resort to book a couples massage?
No. Awakening Spa takes appointments from resort guests and from visitors staying elsewhere. Staying here puts it four floors away, which is the point.
Is Anderson Ocean Club adults-only?
No. Families stay here too, and there is a summer activities program for children. What keeps a couples stay quiet is the season and the suite: visit outside the summer peak and book an oceanfront one-bedroom.
Can we bring our dog?
No. Pets are not permitted at the resort; ADA service animals are always welcome. Our sister resort Ocean Park, at the south end of Myrtle Beach, is the pet-friendly one in the Oceana Resorts collection.
Is there a minimum age to check in?
Guests under 25 are not admitted unless accompanied by a parent or legal guardian, and the card used to book must be presented at check-in. Full details are on our policies page.
Stay where the spa is
Anderson Ocean Club & Spa is oceanfront and condo-style: studios and one-, two- and three-bedroom suites, each with a fully equipped kitchen, a washer and dryer and a private balcony. See the rooms and suites, or check availability for your dates.
