Family Kingdom Amusement Park
300 S Ocean Blvd, Myrtle Beach, SC
Myrtle Beach, SC
An old-school seaside amusement park where a rattling wooden coaster races the surf along the edge of the Grand Strand.
Family Kingdom Amusement Park is Myrtle Beach's classic seaside amusement park, an old-fashioned collection of rides set right on the oceanfront at the southern end of the Grand Strand. In an age of sprawling corporate theme parks, Family Kingdom keeps the spirit of the traditional beachfront amusement park alive, with rides packed onto a compact lot within sight and sound of the Atlantic surf.
Its signature attraction is the Swamp Fox, a wooden roller coaster that has rattled and rolled along the beach for decades, named for the Revolutionary War hero Francis Marion, the Swamp Fox of the Carolina Lowcountry. Alongside it stand a mix of thrill rides, gentle kiddie rides, and midway favorites, plus a water park across the street, making it a beloved fixture of family vacations on the Grand Strand.
What Travelers Love
- Riding the Swamp Fox, a classic wooden roller coaster by the ocean
- An old-fashioned seaside amusement park right on the beach
- A mix of thrill rides, kiddie rides, and a separate water park across the street
- The nostalgic, unpretentious feel of a traditional boardwalk-era park
Worth Knowing
- The park is seasonal, so check the operating calendar before you go
- It is easy to pair with a beach day and the Myrtle Beach boardwalk
- The wooden coaster gives a rattling, old-school ride, part of its charm
- Summer and holiday weekends are the busiest along the Grand Strand
Learn about Family Kingdom Amusement Park
A classic beachfront amusement park
Family Kingdom carries on a tradition that once lined the American coast, the seaside amusement park perched right at the edge of the sand. Where many such parks have vanished, Myrtle Beach's has endured, its rides crowded together on an oceanfront lot where the smell of salt air mingles with cotton candy and the sound of the surf carries over the midway.
The park offers the full range of amusement park experiences, from stomach-dropping thrill rides and a towering swing to a Ferris wheel with ocean views, along with plenty of gentle rides for the youngest visitors. It has the unpretentious, nostalgic feel of amusement parks from an earlier era, a place where the fun is straightforward and the ocean is always in view.
The Swamp Fox wooden coaster
The heart of Family Kingdom is the Swamp Fox, a wooden roller coaster that has run along the Myrtle Beach oceanfront for decades. Wooden coasters ride differently from their steel cousins, with a rattling, rolling motion and airtime hills that give a distinctly old-fashioned thrill, and the Swamp Fox delivers that classic experience with the Atlantic as a backdrop.
Its name honors Francis Marion, the Revolutionary War guerrilla leader nicknamed the Swamp Fox for the way he vanished into the Lowcountry swamps to elude British troops. The coaster is a piece of Grand Strand tradition in its own right, the kind of ride that families return to across generations.
The water park and family fun
Across the street from the rides, Family Kingdom operates an oceanfront water park with slides, a lazy river, and splash areas, giving families a way to cool off on a hot Grand Strand day. Between the amusement park and the water park, a visit can easily fill an afternoon or a full day.
The setting is what sets the place apart. With the beach just steps away, it is simple to combine a morning in the surf with an afternoon on the rides, the kind of seamless beach-and-boardwalk day that defines a classic Myrtle Beach vacation.
Myrtle Beach and the Grand Strand
Family Kingdom sits at the southern end of the Grand Strand, the roughly sixty-mile arc of continuous beach that stretches along South Carolina's northern coast. Myrtle Beach grew up as a summer resort in the early twentieth century and became one of the East Coast's great vacation destinations, packed with attractions, boardwalks, mini-golf, and endless sand.
Nearby, the SkyWheel towers over the oceanfront boardwalk, and the wider Grand Strand runs from the family beaches of the north down to the quieter marshes of Murrells Inlet and Pawleys Island. Family Kingdom is a piece of the old, classic Myrtle Beach, a reminder of the boardwalk amusements that first drew crowds to this coast.
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The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is a place we chose through independent editorial review, never a paid placement.
Details
Myrtle Beach, SC
Frequently asked questions
What is the Family Kingdom Amusement Park?
The Family Kingdom Amusement Park, on the oceanfront in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, is a classic seaside amusement park right beside the Atlantic beach, a beloved Grand Strand tradition. The park features amusement rides including a historic wooden roller coaster, a Ferris wheel with ocean views, family and thrill rides, a carousel, and games, along with an adjacent water park, all with a nostalgic seaside charm. Set steps from the beach and boardwalk, it offers timeless amusement-park fun for families. With its beachfront rides, wooden coaster, and water park, the Family Kingdom Amusement Park offers a delightful destination in South Carolina.
What can you do at the Family Kingdom Amusement Park?
You can ride the historic wooden roller coaster and other classic and family rides, enjoy the Ferris wheel with ocean views, ride the carousel, play games, cool off at the adjacent water park with its slides and pools, and combine the fun with the beach and boardwalk right alongside. The beachfront rides, the wooden coaster, and the water park are highlights, especially for families. Its oceanfront setting adds to the classic seaside fun. With its rides, coaster, water park, and beach setting, the Family Kingdom Amusement Park offers an enjoyable experience in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
When is the best time to visit the Family Kingdom Amusement Park?
The Family Kingdom Amusement Park is a seasonal, warm-weather attraction, typically open from around spring through summer into early fall, so those are the times to visit, with summer the heart of the season when all the rides and the water park are in full swing amid the busy Myrtle Beach beach season. Because hours are seasonal and can vary, checking the current schedule before you go is wise. For the fullest experience including the water park, aim for summer at the Family Kingdom Amusement Park in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
Is the Family Kingdom Amusement Park good for families?
Yes, the Family Kingdom Amusement Park is a wonderful family destination, with a mix of gentle family rides and more exciting ones like the historic wooden coaster, a carousel, a Ferris wheel, games, and an adjacent water park, all in a compact, beachfront setting that is easy and fun for families. The variety suits all ages, from little ones to thrill-seekers, and the beach is right there. With its family rides, coaster, water park, and oceanfront location, the Family Kingdom Amusement Park makes an excellent family destination in South Carolina.
What is near the Family Kingdom Amusement Park?
The Family Kingdom Amusement Park is on the oceanfront in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, within reach of the SkyWheel Myrtle Beach and boardwalk, the Grand Strand beaches, Brookgreen Gardens and Huntington Beach State Park near Murrells Inlet, and Georgetown. That makes the Family Kingdom Amusement Park a fun family stop to combine with the SkyWheel, the Myrtle Beach boardwalk, and the other attractions of the Grand Strand on a visit to South Carolina.
Nearby
SkyWheel Myrtle Beach
4.4 miles away
An easy crowd-pleaser right on the boardwalk. The SkyWheel lifts you 187 feet over the beach in an enclosed, air-conditioned gondola, so it works for nervous riders and stays comfortable on a hot day....
Huntington Beach State Park
15 miles away
This is the wild heart of the Grand Strand, 2,500 acres where four habitats meet: salt marsh, a freshwater lagoon, maritime forest, and open beach.
Brookgreen Gardens
16 miles away
Many visitors race past on Highway 17 without knowing the first public sculpture garden in America sits right here.