Your Complete Guide to Barefoot Landing: Shopping, Dining & Entertainment

The sun drops behind the treeline and the string lights come on over the water. You’re crossing the bridge at Barefoot Landing, the lake shimmering beneath you, the low thump of a bass guitar drifting from House of Blues on one side, the smell of woodfire and charred steak from Greg Norman’s patio on the other. A kid clutches a bag from IT’SUGAR like it contains buried treasure. A couple leans against the railing, watching the last gold drain from the sky. Nobody’s in a hurry.

This is the atmosphere that keeps people coming back to Barefoot Landing in North Myrtle Beach — over 100 shops, 15+ restaurants, live entertainment venues, a world-class reptile park, a winery tasting room, and free summer fireworks, all set along the Intracoastal Waterway about 8 minutes from our condo at 601 Hillside Dr N.

Shopping: More Than Souvenirs

Here’s the thing about shopping at Barefoot Landing North Myrtle Beach — you don’t really plan to shop here. You plan to walk. The boardwalk wraps around a lake and runs along the Intracoastal Waterway, and somewhere between the breeze off the water, the live guitar spilling out of Dockside Village, and the kid tugging your arm toward the candy store, you end up in a shop you didn’t expect and buying something you didn’t know you needed. That’s the trap, and it works beautifully.

Barefoot Landing’s 50+ retail shops range from beach staples to genuine finds:

• Ron Jon Surf Shop — The iconic surf and beach gear superstore. Two stories of boards, gear, and coastal apparel. Even if you’re not buying a board, the wall of surfboard designs and the salt-and-neon vibe make it worth a walk-through.
• IT’SUGAR — A massive candy shop that kids (and, honestly, adults) go absolutely sideways over. Giant gummy bears the size of your head, novelty sweets in every color, and candy by the pound in bins that run floor to ceiling. Expect to leave with a bag your child refuses to share.
• Monkee’s — Upscale women’s boutique with designer shoes, clothing, and accessories you won’t find at the outlet malls. The staff actually helps you put outfits together. A step above anything else on the beach strip.
• Quiet Storm Surf Shop — Coastal apparel and gear with a laid-back vibe. Good spot for rash guards and board shorts that don’t scream tourist.
• Pick a Pearl — This is the one that stops traffic. You pick your own oyster from the tank, the staff shucks it open right in front of you, and everyone holds their breath for that half-second before the pearl appears — white, pink, sometimes lavender. Watch a seven-year-old’s face when they realize the pearl is theirs. Then they set it in a pendant or ring while you wait.
• Breezin’ Up — Graphic tees and hoodies that actually hold up wash after wash. The designs are better than what you’ll find on the tourist strips.
• Faux Paws — Everything for the dog lover: gourmet treats, toys, collars, accessories. Pet-friendly inside, so bring the pup in.
• Duplin Winery Tasting Room — North Carolina’s oldest and largest winery (see below).

Plus dozens more — art galleries with local coastal photography, specialty kitchen shops, and souvenir spots that go well beyond the shot-glass-and-magnet category you’ll find on Hwy 17.

Dining on the Waterway

Barefoot Landing has some of the best restaurants in the NMB area. We cover these in depth in our dining guide and Barefoot Landing restaurant guide, but here are the highlights:

Greg Norman’s Australian Grille — The premier waterfront steakhouse. Wine Spectator Award of Excellence. Request the patio at sunset — you’ll be eye-level with the Intracoastal, the water going copper and pink while the server brings a Wagyu filet that you can cut with a look. This is the special-occasion dinner, and the occasion is that you’re here. $$$

LuLu’s — Lucy Buffett’s family restaurant, and the energy hits you before you’re through the door. Kids are screaming (joyfully) on the Mountain of Youth ropes course above the patio, Jimmy Buffett is playing from somewhere, and a server is delivering a Key Lime Pie the size of a hubcap to the next table. You order one before you’ve looked at the menu. The ropes course, beach arcade, and sand playground mean the kids are entertained before, during, and after dinner. The family headquarters. $$

Big Chill Island House — The newest addition (opened spring 2024). Tropical-themed with a rooftop patio where you can watch boats idle through the ICW below. Craft cocktails lean tiki — think rum, coconut, and things on fire. Live music most evenings. Already a local favorite because the vibe is right: not trying too hard, just good drinks and a good view.

Flying Fish Public Market & Grill — Southern seafood, sushi, and creative cocktails in a space that feels more Charleston than Myrtle Beach. The grouper is what regulars order, and they’re right to.

Blueberry’s Grill — Some of the best brunch in NMB. The stuffed French toast draws a line on weekends, so get there by 9 or expect to wait — and it’s worth the wait.

Crooked Hammock Brewery — Craft beer, outdoor yard games, casual food, and a family-friendly backyard vibe with Adirondack chairs, cornhole boards, and enough space for the kids to run while you work through a flight. You’ll plan to stay an hour and stay three.

Taco Mundo — Waterfront patio, Mexican fare, and signature margaritas that taste like vacation in a salt-rimmed glass. You’ll want a second round.

Entertainment & Attractions

Alabama Theatre

The velvet seats, the full orchestra pit, the curtain that must be three stories tall — none of it is what you expect to find behind a shopping center parking lot. Alabama Theatre was founded by the country group Alabama, and the production value still catches people off guard. The lights go down, the band kicks in, and suddenly you’re watching a Broadway-caliber show with music, comedy, dance, and special effects that have everyone — from the eight-year-old to the grandmother — leaning forward in their seats. “The South’s Grandest Christmas Show” during the holidays has been a Grand Strand tradition for decades, and regulars plan their entire trip around it. Family-friendly. Tickets ~$35–50.

House of Blues

Walk inside and look up. The walls are covered in Southern folk art — rusted metal sculptures, hand-painted signs, portraits of blues legends — and the room feels smaller and more intimate than any concert venue has a right to feel. That’s the secret of House of Blues: you’re close to the stage no matter where you stand. The regular concert schedule spans every genre — blues, rock, reggae, pop — and it’s worth checking before your trip because the lineup is better than you’d guess. Murder Mystery Dinners are a unique adults’ evening. But the experience I send every visitor to is the Sunday Gospel Brunch — a live gospel choir that has the entire room standing and clapping by the second song, a buffet line of Southern comfort food (biscuits and gravy, shrimp and grits, carving station), and a joyful, hand-in-the-air energy that doesn’t care whether you’ve been to church since 1997. You’ll leave full and grinning.

Alligator Adventure

One of the largest reptile parks in the world. Thousands of alligators, crocodiles, plus lemurs, turtles, and tropical birds. Live shows with expert handlers, educational feeding demonstrations, and enough scaly creatures to fill an entire morning. Great for kids, stroller-friendly, and right inside Barefoot Landing. We wrote the full guide here.

Duplin Winery

If you only know dry wines — Cabernet, Pinot Noir, the usual suspects — Duplin’s Muscadine wines are going to surprise you. The first pour is sweet. Not dessert-sweet, but a round, grapey sweetness that tastes like nothing from Napa or Sonoma, because Muscadine grapes are a Southern original and Duplin is North Carolina’s oldest and largest winery. The Barefoot Landing tasting room walks you through five or six varieties at a bar overlooking the waterway, and by the third pour you’ve stopped comparing it to what you know and started enjoying it for what it is. The outdoor patio has live music on select dates, rocking chairs, and a view of the ICW that pairs well with a glass of their Hatteras Red. ~$15 for a tasting. Laid-back afternoon activity for adults — taste, buy a bottle, and carry it to dinner.

LuLu’s Mountain of Youth Ropes Course

The ropes course at LuLu’s keeps kids and teens busy while adults finish their drinks. It towers above the patio, and the squeals coming from up there are half-terror, half-thrill. Add in the beach arcade and sand play area below, and you’ve got entertainment for every age — which really means you’ve got fifteen uninterrupted minutes to enjoy your cocktail.

Events & Seasonal Calendar

Barefoot Landing runs events year-round:

• SummerFest — Free nightly entertainment all summer: juggling acts, live bands at Dockside Village, roaming performers, and enough going on that the walk from one end to the other takes twice as long as it should.
• Monday Night Fireworks — This is the one locals actually show up for. Free fireworks every Monday night in summer. The crowd gathers along the bridge and the boardwalk — kids on shoulders, ice cream dripping down cones, everyone facing the lake. The first boom echoes off the water, and then the reflections start — every burst doubled, the sky and the lake lit up in red and gold at the same time. Bring a spot to sit. Get there early.
• Easter Events — Kid-friendly seasonal activities and egg hunts around the complex.
• Christmas Concerts & Holiday Markets — The Alabama Theatre Christmas show is a Grand Strand tradition. The shopping village adds holiday markets and seasonal decorations that make an already-scenic place feel like a Hallmark set.
• New Year’s Eve Celebrations — Ring in the new year waterfront-style with live music, countdown events, and fireworks over the water.
• Live Music at Dockside Village — Local performers on the outdoor stage year-round. Some of the best free entertainment in NMB — grab a bench, a drink from one of the nearby spots, and just listen.

A Perfect Barefoot Landing Evening

5:00 PM — Arrive at Barefoot Landing. Park once. The lot is big enough that you won’t circle, and everything is walkable from here.

5:15 PM — Walk the boardwalk along the ICW. The late-afternoon light turns the water amber. Browse shops. Let the kids hit IT’SUGAR while you duck into Monkee’s or Ron Jon. Nobody’s rushed — that’s the pace here.

6:00 PM — Dinner. Greg Norman’s for a steakhouse date with a sunset patio view. LuLu’s for family fun where the kids burn energy on the ropes course between courses. Crooked Hammock for craft beer flights and cornhole in the yard.

7:30 PM — Post-dinner stroll. The string lights are on now, reflecting off the water. Ice cream from one of the shops. Alligator Adventure if there’s still daylight (check closing times — they stay open late in summer).

8:30 PM — Catch a show at Alabama Theatre or House of Blues. Or skip the tickets and grab a nightcap at Big Chill’s rooftop — the ICW at night, boat lights drifting, the air still warm.

One car trip. An entire evening of dining, shopping, entertainment, and waterway views. And the drive home is eight minutes.

Practical Details

Park Once at Barefoot Landing — But You’ll Need Somewhere to Sleep

String lights over the water. The smell of woodfire from Greg Norman’s patio. A bag from IT’SUGAR that your kid guards like pirate treasure. That evening at Barefoot Landing is 8 minutes from our 3BR/2BA condo at 601 Hillside Dr N in Ocean Keyes — and 0.65 miles from the beach where you’ll spend the morning before doing it all over again.

One car trip. An entire evening. A full week of this waiting for you.

Check Availability & Book Your Stay

Combine your Barefoot Landing evening with a morning on the beach, an afternoon on the golf course, or a round of mini golf on the way home. See the full things to do guide for more.