Myrtle Waves has been Myrtle Beach’s largest water park since it threw open its gates on June 1, 1985, and heading into the 2026 season it’s still splashing away on Mr. Joe White Avenue, just off the Grand Strand. Four decades in, the park is still best known for the ten-story Turbo Twisters, the enclosed body slide that earned it a spot on Travel Channel’s Xtreme Waterparks, alongside a big wave pool, a lazy river, a FlowRider surfing simulator, and a growing lineup of tube and mat slides.
This guide covers what you actually need before you go: current season and hours, how ticket pricing breaks down, parking and bag policy, height and weight rules for the slides, and the park’s history and ownership, so you don’t have to hunt across a dozen pages to plan a visit.
Quick Answer
Myrtle Waves is open for the 2026 season at 3000 Mr. Joe White Avenue in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, running its full daily schedule through the summer and a reduced-day schedule into early fall. General admission is $49.99 for guests over 48″ tall and $39.99 for guests under 48″ (plus tax) when bought online, with senior, military, and twilight discounts available in-park. The park has been owned by Lazarus Entertainment Group since it opened on June 1, 1985.
Myrtle Waves’ History
Myrtle Waves opened on June 1, 1985, and has operated every season since, making it one of the longest continuously running attractions on the Grand Strand. It’s long carried the title of the largest water park in the Myrtle Beach area and in South Carolina, spread across roughly 20 acres near Broadway at the Beach.
The park has stayed under the same ownership group for its entire history, weathering the rise and fall of other Myrtle Beach entertainment venues around it, including its former sister property Wild Water and Wheels, which closed permanently in 2022 and was demolished in 2023.
Rides and Attractions
The signature ride is the Turbo Twisters, a ten-story enclosed body slide that drew national attention when it was featured on Travel Channel’s Xtreme Waterparks in 2017. It remains one of the tallest slides in the Myrtle Beach water park scene.
Beyond the marquee slide, current attractions fall into a handful of categories: open and enclosed water slides, tube slides, mat slides, a FlowRider surfing simulator (with an unlimited-rides upgrade available for an extra fee), a large wave pool, a lazy river, and dedicated kids’ play areas for younger children. As of the 2019 season the park’s full lineup totaled about 22 slides and attractions across 12 distinct water rides; for the current season’s exact ride list, check the official site directly since offerings can shift year to year.
How Big Is Myrtle Waves?
Myrtle Waves covers roughly 20 acres, which is what has long made it the largest water park in the Myrtle Beach area and in South Carolina overall. The 2019-season count of about 22 slides and attractions across 12 water rides is the most recent verified figure for the park’s full ride roster.
Planning Your Visit: Hours and Season
Myrtle Waves runs on a seasonal calendar, typically opening in spring and staying open daily through the peak summer months, with a scaled-back schedule of fewer operating days extending into September and sometimes early October. Daily opening and closing times vary by date, ranging from shorter days (around 11 am to 5 pm) to longer summer hours (as late as 10 am to 8 pm).
Because the schedule changes week to week, always check the day-by-day calendar on the official Myrtle Waves park info page before you go, rather than relying on general “summer hours.”
Tickets and Pricing
General admission tickets are sold online in two height-based tiers: guests over 48″ tall and guests under 48″ tall, with children age 2 and under admitted free. A weeklong daily pass covering seven consecutive days is also available online for guests who plan multiple visits during a trip.
Senior (55+), military, and twilight tickets are discounted but only sold at the park, not online. Twilight admission, which starts three hours before closing, is the cheapest way to get a partial-day visit. Season pass holders can also bring a limited number of guests at a discounted rate. As with most water parks, all ticket sales are final, including on days with early closures for weather.
For the current day’s exact prices and any seasonal specials, buy through the official Myrtle Waves tickets page rather than third-party resellers.
Parking, Bag Policy and What to Bring
The park has on-site parking sized for cars and motor coaches alike, so large groups and bus tours are accommodated. Outside food and beverages aren’t allowed inside the gates aside from one personal water bottle per guest, though there’s a picnic area just outside the main entrance for anyone who wants to bring a cooler.
Bags are checked at entry. Personal flotation devices are generally not permitted, but Coast Guard-approved life jackets and inner tubes are provided free on a first-come, first-served basis. Goggles are fine as long as they’re made of soft, flexible material rather than tempered glass, and lockers are available to rent for valuables and personal items.
Height, Weight and Safety Rules
Most slides require riders to be taller than 42″, while the Rockin’ Ray attraction has a higher 48″ minimum. Slides carry a 250-pound weight limit for single riders, with some tube slides allowing up to 400 pounds combined for tandem riders.
Re-entry is allowed with a wristband from the admissions staff if you need to step out and come back. The park doesn’t close slides for ordinary rain, but does shut them down during thunder and lightning; as with ticket purchases, there are no rain checks or refunds for weather-related closures.
Who Owns Myrtle Waves?
Myrtle Waves is owned by Lazarus Entertainment Group, the same company behind the nearby Broadway Grand Prix go-kart park, tying it into a wider family of Myrtle Beach entertainment venues. Day-to-day park operations have been handled by Innovative Attraction Management.
The ownership group’s Myrtle Beach footprint has shifted over time; its former Wild Water and Wheels property closed permanently in 2022 and was torn down in 2023, leaving Myrtle Waves as the group’s flagship water park in the market.
Myrtle Waves water park guide FAQs
When did Myrtle Waves open?
Myrtle Waves opened on June 1, 1985, and has operated every season since.
Is Myrtle Waves open in 2026?
Yes. Myrtle Waves is operating for the 2026 season, with daily hours through the summer months and a reduced-day schedule into early fall. Check the official site’s calendar for exact operating days.
How much are Myrtle Waves tickets?
Online general admission is $49.99 for guests over 48″ tall and $39.99 for guests under 48″ (plus tax), with children 2 and under free. Senior, military, and twilight discounts are sold at the park.
What are Myrtle Waves’ hours?
Hours vary by day and season, ranging from around 11 am to 5 pm on shorter days up to 10 am to 8 pm in peak summer. Always confirm the current day’s hours on the official park calendar before visiting.
How big is Myrtle Waves and how many slides does it have?
The park covers about 20 acres, making it the largest water park in the Myrtle Beach area and in South Carolina. As of the 2019 season it offered roughly 22 slides and attractions across 12 water rides.
Can I bring my own food or a cooler?
Outside food and drinks aren’t allowed inside the park except one personal water bottle per guest, but there’s a picnic area just outside the main entrance for coolers and outside food.
What is the height requirement for the slides?
Most slides require riders to be taller than 42 inches, while the Rockin’ Ray attraction requires a minimum of 48 inches. Weight limits are generally 250 pounds per rider, with some tube slides allowing up to 400 pounds combined for two riders.
Who owns Myrtle Waves?
Myrtle Waves is owned by Lazarus Entertainment Group, which also operates the nearby Broadway Grand Prix go-kart park.
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