Sands Resorts runs two oceanfront properties in northern Myrtle Beach: Sand Dunes Resort at 201 74th Avenue North and North Shore Oceanfront Hotel at 201 75th Avenue North. They are one avenue apart. They share a waterpark. Guests ask us all the time which one to book.
The useful answer has less to do with the resorts than with the trip you are planning. Here is how we sort it out on the phone.
First, the things that are the same
A few points come up in almost every call, and on these two there is nothing to decide:
- The beach. Both are oceanfront on the same stretch of sand in northern Myrtle Beach.
- The waterpark itself. One Sands Resorts Waterpark serves both properties — a lazy river, waterslides, waterfall pools, a splash zone and a kiddie-pool playground. What differs is the way in: every North Shore guest gets free admission, while at Sand Dunes it is included whenever the stay is booked through Sands Resorts — directly or through a travel site. Book direct either way and it is covered. Hours are seasonal and weather permitting, so call reservations for current times.
- The Family FunZone. Both resorts have one onsite, so it is not a reason to pick between them.
- Indoor and outdoor pools. Both properties have an oceanfront outdoor pool and an indoor pool, so a rainy afternoon does not end the swimming.
- Booking direct. Rates, waterpark admission and the current specials and packages all come from booking with us rather than through a travel site.
If the waterpark is the reason for the trip, either property puts you next to it. Just make sure the booking goes through Sands Resorts — at Sand Dunes, the units let by an outside rental company are the ones that miss out.
Then, the question that actually decides it: how many rooms do you need, and how much space in them?
Book Sand Dunes when you need room to spread out
Sand Dunes covers eight buildings of villas and towers, with one-, two- and three-bedroom suites, villas and condos. The North Tower holds larger three-bedroom condos; the South Tower has one- and two-bedroom executive suites; the villas sit closer to the ocean side. That range is the point. A family of six that would be miserable in one room has real options here, and so does a set of grandparents who want their own bedroom.
Oceanfront dining is onsite. See the full accommodations list or read the resort’s own guide to a complete family vacation.
Book North Shore when the trip is smaller
North Shore runs seven room types, from oceanview rooms and studios up through one-bedroom units and penthouses. For two people, or two people and a child, that is a cleaner fit than a three-bedroom condo you will not use.
The shared Sands Resorts meeting space also sits here: 14,000 square feet in six meeting rooms, from 1,000 to 6,000 square feet, for groups of up to 400. Groups staying at either resort use it, so an event on the calendar does not decide which property you book — it only decides whether you want your party sleeping in the same building as the meeting. If you do, that is North Shore. See the meeting space, or call group sales on 843-692-5266.
And it has Salt & Lime, an oceanfront Latin American restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating and a full bar — a genuine dinner, not just a place to eat.
A shortcut, if you want one
- Two adults, a long weekend → North Shore.
- Two adults and small kids → either; decide on room size and price.
- Three generations, or two families sharing → Sand Dunes, for the multi-bedroom units.
- A week or longer with a full crew → Sand Dunes.
- A wedding, a reunion with a meal, a corporate stay → either — the meeting space is shared. North Shore if you want everyone under one roof, Sand Dunes if the party needs the space. Group sales: 843-692-5266.
- A youth sports team → call us. Team stays depend on dates and block size, and we will tell you honestly which property has the room.
Still not sure?
That is what the phone is for. Tell us who is coming, what week you are looking at and what you want the trip to feel like, and we will point you at the right property — including the times the answer is the one you were not expecting.
Call 1-800-960-9273, or compare the two side by side in our Sand Dunes and North Shore resort pages.
