Jennifer Agress

Myrtle Beach is home to a bevy of restaurants, golf courses, hotels, and sights – from the natural beach to the towering SkyWheel – that attract locals and tourists alike. With so much to see, do, and eat (especially along the Grand Strand), this South Carolina coastal town isn’t a place where you usually hang out at your hotel. Unless you’re staying at… these hotels.  Whether you prefer the tranquillity of the North or the vibrant energy of the South, the Myrtle Beach hotel scene is unlike any other in the world. From national chains to quirky boutique beachfront digs, and luxury resorts with world-renowned golf courses and oceanfront water parks- Myrtle Beach has it all.  To help with your search for the ideal stay, we’ve handpicked some of our favorite haunts this all-American vacation destination has to offer. So, grab your flip-flops, pack your sunscreen, and read on to uncover the top stays in this beachfront city. Updated for March 2024: Since we like to keep this list fresh, we've included some new venues we think you'll love. Both locations sit super close to the beachfront for gorgeous sunsets and fun along the boardwalk. Why we like them? One offers modern suites with a balcony, while the other has a pool facing the beach.  RECOMMENDED:🍔 The 10 best restaurants in Myrtle Beach👍 The 20 best things to do in Myrtle BeachWho makes the cut? While we might not stay in every hotel featured below, we've based our list on top reviews and amenities to find you the best st

South Carolina isn’t always thought of as a top beach destination; that is, unless you’re talking about Myrtle Beach. Home to everything from a classic American car museum and the largest floating aqua park on the East Coast to more than 50 mini golf courses, a more dense restaurant scene than San Francisco and the 19 million tourists it attracts each year, this South Carolina coastal town is more than just a place to stop for gas along Highway 17. Wander along the Grand Strand—a 60-mile stretch of white sand beaches that runs from the North Carolina border south to Georgetown, marked by Myrtle Beach at the center—and you’ll find all the tourists jogging, playing in the water, building sand castles and drinking PBR. Go off the beaten path, however, to quieter North Myrtle Beach, and you’ll land in one of the city’s 100+ golf courses, many designed by greats like Arnold Palmer, Robert Trent Jones and Jack Nicklaus. Regardless of why you go, Myrtle Beach is perfect for families, couples and groups of friends alike. Here are just some of our favorite things to do while we’re there. RECOMMENDED: 🏨Take your pick of the best hotels in Myrtle Beach  

South Carolina’s most popular beach town might not be the food capital of the world, but with the almost 19 million tourists it brings in per year, Myrtle Beach is lauded as having more restaurants per capita than (wait for it) San Francisco. Boasting 1,700 restaurants and counting, from burger joints and local seafood haunts to fine-dining establishments and spots where you can get Southern-fried okra, the hardest part about dining in Myrtle Beach is figuring out where to go. While the tourist-packed Grand Strand is lined with hundreds of standout choices (not to mention some pretty fun things to do), go off the beaten path and you’ll find coastal gems worth digging up, too. Read below for our favorites. RECOMMENDED: 🏨Check out the best hotels in Myrtle Beach

Every great coastal food city has its own special ingredient plucked from the sea, like lobsters in Maine, crawfish down the bayou in Louisiana or the hilariously phallic geoduck in Seattle. Here in Miami, we have the stone crab.  It’s buttery sweet, delightfully hands-on, sustainable (kind of) and only available for a few months each year—making it that much more special when the season arrives. Generally, stone crabs are served the same way everywhere: steamed and chilled with mayo-mustard sauce for dipping. This simplicity is a testament to just how delicious stone crabs are on their own.  When stone crab season rolls around—from October 15 to May 1—don’t go in without a plan. Prepare to bib up, practice your claw cracking and tiny fork-wielding techniques and review our up-to-date, locally vetted recommendations for the best stone crabs in Miami. RECOMMENDED: The best waterfront restaurants in Miami

Let’s be honest, Miami isn’t exactly awash with Korean BBQ. (Unlike the cafecito-and-croqueta-filled Cuban ventanitas that can be found on every street corner here, for which we are eternally grateful.) But if it’s juicy, gochujang-slathered slices of meats, bibimbap, japchae or other authentic Korean dishes you crave, that’ll mostly require venturing outside your typical bubbles of operation.  Yes, this means hitting up hidden Korean BBQ gems in Broward strip malls. It means ordering from takeout-only places you won’t find going viral on TikTok (at least, not yet). If you’re prepared to drop some dough, your quest to devour delicious Korean food in Miami might begin at a Michelin-starred spot in the Design District before expanding to more far-flung reaches. We’ve done considerable research (and racked up mileage on our car) to curate this guide to the best Korean BBQ in Miami, plus some non-BBQ joints that are also worth the trip. 

We believe a taco can be enjoyed at any time of day. To create this guide to the best tacos in Miami, we consumed breakfast versions stuffed with things like egg, sausage, cheese and peppers. We moved on to the quick, street-food-style tacos that make for a great lunch, served from nondescript strip mall spots and mini Mexican chains alike. We ended days at sit-down spots owned by the same family for years. We dined at some of the finest restaurants in town, with trendy Tulum themes and tablecloths as delicate as tres leches. And then we stayed up way too late gorging on roadside tacos from North Beach to Florida City. Peruse the results below, an in-depth, all-day map to the very best of Miami tacos.  RECOMMENDED: The best Mexican restaurants in Miami

Regardless of what the tourists tell you, Florida is about more than just its beaches and swamps. A sprawling state divided into starkly different metros – from party-all-night Miami and Mickey Mouse-clad Orlando, to its quiet Gulf side and rural Jacksonville – Florida is a mecca of art, food, diversity, sports, views, history and yes, beaches. And just like its sundry neighborhoods, so, too, is the Sunshine State packed with hotels that reflect everything it has to offer. Here are our favorite hotels in east coast America’s most southern peninsula. RECOMMENDED: The best Airbnbs in Florida This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, click here.

Aruba is the sort of destination that positively sings to those lucky enough to find their way to its shores. This is a small but perfectly formed Caribbean island that serves up one delight after another delight, from its 19 miles of white-sand beaches to the unbeatable relaxation of its spas and the gorgeous food of its restaurants. In between all of that serenity is no shortage of adventure, and the tightrope between the two is also traversed in the form of SUP (stand-up paddling). The slogan “One Happy Island” is very accurate, as Aruba is an island that beams with cheer. Why wouldn’t it? If flamingos prancing around on white sand backed by glistening blue water isn’t heaven, what is? These are the best things to do in Aruba, the happiest island in the Caribbean. Done something on this list and loved it? Share it with the hashtag #TimeOutDoList and tag @TimeOutEverywhere. Find out more about how Time Out selects the very best things to do all over the world.

American restaurants in Miami might not seem like an obvious choice. Most folks think the best restaurants in Miami are Cuban spots waiting in Little Havana (and some of them are) but this city knows good ol’ American comfort food as well as most others in the U.S. Sure, we do a hell of a Cubano, and have the market cornered when it comes to croquetas, but we also have no shortage of places for the best fried chicken in Miami. We like culinary options as much as anyone else—especially when those options lead us to American classics done to mouthwatering standards.

Aruba is dubbed “One Happy Island,” and if you ask us, part of the reason is because you’ll never go hungry there—a mere look through the best Aruba restaurants will let you know why. With its delicate mix of Dutch, South American and Aruban cultures, this little island has something for every palate and dining style. Figure out what you’re craving—whether it’s mile-high açaí bowls, coffee from a café-turned-late-night bar, fried shrimp in a shack (one of the top things to do on-island, in our opinion) or a romantic toes-in-the-sand dinner with award-winning seafood—and find it at one of our favorite eateries, listed below.

One theme links Miami’s best Thai restaurants together: they’re all hidden in unexpected places. Whether in an unassuming strip mall out west (far from the best Miami attractions) or on the main drag of Calle Ocho (a street more known for finding the best Cuban sandwich in Miami), delicious Thai food in this city will take some searching. But you'll be glad you spent the time looking when you're full, happy and on your way to one of the best Miami beaches. 

You’ll find this reliable favorite in Dadeland Station, where it dishes out a pan-Asian mix of Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Thai and Vietnamese plates (including sushi). Just, please, don’t skip the bubble tea bar.

The small menu at this neighborhood Korean spot comes from owner Mijin Lee’s childhood on a farm in Taean, a small town in South Korea. Expect plates like albi short ribs on top of pickled purple cabbage, bibimbap, and Korean-style lettuce wraps filled with spicy chicken thighs and a side of spicy ssamjang.

Yes, this place is far (like, nearly an hour from Downtown Miami) but foodies will tell you it’s very worth it, especially if you love Korean barbecue. Here, you can cook over a charcoal grill. Plus, every main dish is served with ten bowls of banchan, a mix of different appetizers, toppings and sides like marinated seaweed, fish cakes pickled cabbage and more.

This family-owned restaurant serves sushi and some really tasty Korean barbecue. Grab a hotpot, a sushi roll or do it yourself and grill up short rib, chicken, shrimp, pork belly and a lot more.

You’ll find this spot in an unassuming Doral strip mall, but don’t be fooled: the food is good. Expect some interesting and authentic Korean dishes: beef bulgogi soft tacos with kimchi salsa, beef bulgogi rolls, a do-it-yourself spicy pork bulgogi wrap with rice, different kinds of bibimbap and more.

Joining the ranks of New York City-inspired restaurants in Miami, Hank & Harry’s Delicatessen brings classic Jewish and Italian deli staples to the Magic City. The brainchild of Richard Booth and restaurateur Buzzy Sklar (of Burger & Beer Joint), Hank & Harry’s serves “Mile-High” corned beef and pastrami sandwiches, bagels, knishes, meatball subs and more. All the bread is baked on-site, and because everything about this deli is an ode to classic Brooklyn, you can wash your meal down with an egg cream or a Dr. Brown’s soda.

Menin Hospitality, the group responsible for late-night spots Bodega Taqueria y Tequila and Ricky’s South Beach, is behind this fast-casual restaurant, which is also open late (till 5am on weekends). The simplified menu hones in on 12 sandwiches with bread that’s baked fresh daily and stuffed with meat roasted on-site in sauces made in-house. Looking for something with a kick? Try the spicy Crazy Chicken—chicken tenders, marinara, avocado, fried jalapeño and chorizo hollandaise—for a serious kick.

Not to be confused with Zak the Baker—Zak Stern’s perennially packed, kosher bakery in Wynwood—this glatt-certified deli just down the street specializes in upscale classic sandwiches: corned beef, pastrami and smoked whitefish salad on freshly baked ZTB bread, to name a few. Each meal begins with pickles, cabbage and tangy house-made mustard, and wouldn’t be complete without a cup of one of the daily soups.

With seven locations throughout the Magic City, Sushi Siam is a Miami Thai staple not to be missed. Taste points aside, what we really love about Sushi Siam is its huge menu. Find everything from Thai-style N.Y. strip steak to Masaman curry beef with coconut milk and potatoes. Added bonus: Every dish can be as mild or spicy as your taste buds can handle.

Named after the son of Italian Giuliano Carrafelli and Thai Majcha Manomai (the husband/wife duo behind Ricky Thai) this North Miami haunt has amazing food at unbeatable prices. As a consequence of this, a line is usually waiting for you during lunch and dinner. When finally seated, indulge in Thai specialties like green curry, beef red curry, tom yum kai with chicken and tom kha goong—jumbo shrimp in a spicy sweet and sour coconut, lemongrass and lime soup.

This Kendall spot serves guests spicy Thai food on traditional floor mats. At Bangkok Bangkok, get charmingly-named plates like Name That Tune with thin slices of beef tenderloin in a homemade tangy sauce. The oh-so-cute Roasted Duck Darling is fried duck, vegetables and pineapple in a sweet and sour sauce. Nothing on the menu disappoints. 

This Miracle Mile mainstay is a Thai classic in the Magic City. You don’t go here for bells and whistles—you go here for reliably good, traditional Thai food. For decor, expect glass-topped tables, giant fish tanks, red lighting and an overall demure ambiance. On the menu, find staples mixed with standout specials, like snapper and glass noodles cooked in wine and ginger, crispy volcano chicken in a mild chili sauce and fried frog legs with basil leaves and peppers.

If you’re still coming up short on cash to splurge on South Beach Wine & Food Festival, you can stop scrounging for pennies. Several of this year’s hottest tickets don’t call for deep pockets—just big appetites. Lifeway Kefir Presents Buddhas and Bellinis Take a break with yogi Dawn B, who leads a wellness-inspired discussion with Lifeway Foods’ CEO Julie Smolyansky. (sobewff.org/buddhas; $35) Barry’s Bootcamp and Bites Join TV personality Robert Irvine for a heart-pounding workout led by Derek DeGrazio of Barry’s Bootcamp Miami. (sobewff.org/bootcamp; $50) History of Jewish American Cuisine Head to the Jewish Museum of Florida for treats from Hank & Harry’s Delicatessen and a panel discussion with several of Miami and Israel’s most popular chefs. (sobewff.org/jacpanel; $50) Badia Spices’ Fun and Fit as a Family Join Food Network’s Alton Brown and Robert Irvine as they lead budding chefs through interactive cooking demos, fitness activities and more at Frost Science. (sobewff.org/fff; $24)    Want more? Sign up here to stay in the know.

Every year in February, Miami throws the country’s most epic food festival as only the 305 knows how: with five days of beachfront tasting events, late-night parties, poolside brunches and celebrity appearances. Since 2002, we’ve been gorging on good times and gourmet eats at the South Beach Wine & Food Festival (SOBEWFF), which raises money for Florida International University’s Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management. Before we make room for the 17th edition of the fest, we crunch the numbers on the food, booze and fun of years past. 2: Counties the festival straddles: Miami-Dade and Broward $2 million: Celebrity chefs expected to attend in 2018 2/3: Fraction of 2018’s participating chefs that hail from Florida 23: Celebrity chefs expected to attend in 2018  46: U.S. states represented at SOBEWFF 2017 97: Total tastings, events, brunches and parties happening at SOBEWFF 2018 100: Dogs who partied at Rachael Ray’s Nutrish Yappie Hour hosted at the Standard Spa, Miami Beach 1,200: Student volunteers (read: behind-the-scenes heroes) taking tickets, herding celebs and keeping things moving in 2017 10,125: Pounds of ground beef served at 2016’s Burger Bash 65,188: People who walked, danced, gorged and guzzled their way around the 2017 installment of the festival South Beach Wine & Food Festival is Feb 21–25 (sobewff.org). $24–$350.    Want more? Sign up here to stay in the know.

Lederhosen. Pretzels. Sexy blondes in wooden clogs serving steins of Hefeweizen. If it’s fall in Miami (or anywhere around the world), that can only mean one thing: Oktoberfest. And while beer drinkers across the globe are booking flights to Munich to drink at the original festival, thirsty South Floridians need only look in our own backyard to have some fun. Fritz & Franz Bierhaus Setup like a Bavarian-style sports bar, this Coral Gables gem features live music on the weekends, 20-plus German and Austrian beers, servers in lederhosen carrying traditional beer steins and long wooden tables strewn with bratwurst. The spot hosts block parties from late September through mid-October, and during the rest of the year, it’s where locals go to raise “das boot” to professional soccer. In fact, it’s the place to be during Primeira Liga and UEFA Champions League, and it often hosts the official watch parties for our very own Miami FC. Royal Bavarian Schnitzel Haus Nothing about the strip of restaurants on 79th Street screams Deutschland—unless, of course, you’re talking about this German bierhaus, where chef/owner Alex Richter whips up the same dishes his grandmother taught him how to make in Munich. If the menu has you tongue-tied, ease your way in with a beer. There are 10 Bavarian brews on draft, along with bottled imports and $26 boots of beer cocktails, all of which taste gut paired with Chef Richter’s four different types of schnitzel. Bavaria Haus Miami Shopping and craving a kn