The Murrells Inlet MarshWalk: A Local’s Guide to Restaurants, Parking, and Events

Lifestyle, Murrells Inlet Guide

The Murrells Inlet MarshWalk is a half-mile wooden boardwalk along a saltwater marsh, lined with eight waterfront restaurants, live music most nights, and events all year. It’s free to walk, open to everyone, and the heart of what locals call the Seafood Capital of South Carolina.

If you live at Sunnyside Village, it’s also a short walk from your front door. Here’s how to get the most out of it.

What is the MarshWalk?

The MarshWalk runs along the Murrells Inlet waterfront off Business 17, between the restaurants on one side and the marsh and boat slips on the other. You’ll see fishing boats coming in, egrets and herons working the mudflats, and on a lucky evening, dolphins in the creek. Sunsets over the marsh are the main event.

There’s no cover charge to walk it. Many of the restaurants serve drinks to go, so you can grab one and stroll the full length of the boardwalk.

The eight MarshWalk restaurants

Every MarshWalk restaurant has a waterfront view, and most have outdoor decks and live music. The current lineup:

  • Bovine’s — wood-fired steaks and pizza with a quieter, dressier feel
  • The Claw House — seafood with a casual, family-friendly vibe
  • Creek Ratz — a laid-back local hangout known for its marsh-side deck
  • Dead Dog Saloon — one of the longest-running spots on the Inlet, with a big outdoor bar and live music
  • Drunken Jack’s — a Murrells Inlet institution for more than four decades, right across from Goat Island
  • Inlet Shipwreck Bar & Grill — casual bar food and drinks on the water
  • Wahoo’s — fresh seafood and one of the larger decks on the boardwalk
  • The Wicked Tuna — seafood and a sushi bar, with its own fishing fleet bringing in the catch

Local tip: for the full experience, have an appetizer at one restaurant, dinner at another, and a nightcap at a third.

Live music

Most MarshWalk restaurants have live music nightly in season and on weekends year-round. Bands play everything from beach music and classic rock to country. Each restaurant posts its lineup on its own website, and the MarshWalk’s website keeps a combined schedule.

Events on the MarshWalk through the year

The MarshWalk hosts something nearly every month:

  • February: Taste of the MarshWalk (samples from all eight restaurants) and Marshi Gras
  • March: MarshWalk Restaurant Week, with three-course menus at a set price, and Luck of the MarshWalk for St. Patrick’s Day
  • April: MarshWalk Masters, a putting crawl along the boardwalk
  • June through August: 75 Days of Summer
  • July 4: Boat parade, live music, and fireworks over the inlet
  • October 31: Halloween on the MarshWalk
  • Late November through December: Wonderland of Lights, a walk-through holiday light display, plus the Santa Crawl
  • December 31: New Year’s Eve on the MarshWalk

Check marshwalk.com for current dates before you go.

Parking

On busy summer and holiday nights, parking is the hardest part of a MarshWalk visit. Restaurant lots fill up early, and the public lots along Business 17 go fast.

This is where Sunnyside Village residents have it easy: skip the parking hunt and walk.

Goats, pirates, and the government dock

The MarshWalk comes with a few stories worth knowing.

  • Goat Island. Look across the creek from Drunken Jack’s and you’ll see goats grazing on a small marsh island. They’ve lived there in season since the late 1970s and head to a farm each fall.
  • Drunken Jack. Legend says a pirate named Drunken Jack was left behind on that island with a stash of stolen rum, and that’s how the island and the restaurant got their names. Blackbeard and Stede Bonnet are both believed to have stopped in the inlet for fresh water.
  • The government dock. Old-timers call the stretch near the fishing pier the government dock. During World War II it was a crash boat station that rescued pilots from the Myrtle Beach Air Base.
  • How to say it. Locals pronounce it “Merle’s Inlet.”

More to do from the MarshWalk

Beyond dining, the waterfront is the launch point for sightseeing cruises, fishing charters, boat and Jet Ski rentals, parasailing, and walking ghost tours. The Veterans Pier at the end of the boardwalk is a good spot to watch the boats come in or drop a line.

Living near the MarshWalk

Most visitors plan to drive in for a night. At Sunnyside Village, the MarshWalk is part of everyday life: dinner on a Tuesday, a sunset walk, or front-row seats for the Fourth of July festivities without fighting the crowd for a parking spot.

MarshWalk FAQ

How long is the Murrells Inlet MarshWalk? About half a mile of wooden boardwalk along the saltwater marsh.

Does it cost anything to walk the MarshWalk? No. The boardwalk is free and open to the public.

How many restaurants are on the MarshWalk? Eight: Bovine’s, The Claw House, Creek Ratz, Dead Dog Saloon, Drunken Jack’s, Inlet Shipwreck Bar & Grill, Wahoo’s, and The Wicked Tuna.

Is there live music on the MarshWalk? Yes. Most restaurants have live music nightly in season.

How far is Sunnyside Village from the MarshWalk? Sunnyside Village is within walking distance of the MarshWalk, in the heart of Murrells Inlet.

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