This Beachy City Was Named The No. 1 Summer Destination For US Tourists In 2026

California and Hawaii, step aside: TripAdvisor has released its Summer Travel Index, and the statistics show that travelers are leaning toward East Coast beach destinations for summer vacations in 2026. At the top of the list, taking the number one spot as U.S. tourists' most searched-for destination, is the iconic yet affordable Myrtle Beach.

TripAdvisor's report is based on behavioral data recorded on its own platform. The study analyzed summer travel-focused searches that U.S.- and U.K.-based users conducted between February 1 and April 10, 2026. Myrtle Beach was the hottest search term in two key categories. The first is "Top 10 Domestic Destinations for U.S. Travelers," in which other beachy East Coast destinations like Key West and Maryland's classic resort city, Ocean City, also placed. The second category is "Top 5 Domestic Trending Destinations for 4th of July Weekend" — and right behind Myrtle Beach in the rankings were Clearwater, Florida, and the lovely East Coast beach destination of Virginia Beach, which also claimed a spot on the list of top trending searches for Memorial Day Weekend. 

It stands to reason that Myrtle Beach would be a popular choice among travelers, especially in the summer months, when the coastal city sees abundant sunshine and temperatures in the high 80s through low 90s during the day. But what else makes Myrtle Beach so sought-after by travelers in the summer of 2026?

Accessibility and family-friendliness are the key, says TripAdvisor. These two factors are crucial to understanding how several East Coast beach destinations, including Myrtle Beach, were among the platform's leading domestic travel searches. "These accessible coastal destinations offer family-friendly appeal and activities that cater to travelers of all ages, from water parks and beach activities to cultural attractions and local entertainment," reads the press release attached to the Summer Travel Index.

By those metrics, Myrtle Beach certainly delivers. One of its best features is the 1.2-mile-long Myrtle Beach Boardwalk, an open-air promenade lined with shops, restaurants, and family-friendly attractions like the iconic SkyWheel, a Ferris wheel with the city's best views. Standard tickets start at $20 per person. The Myrtle Waves Water Park, the largest public water park in the state, offers 20 acres of water slides, a wave pool, a lazy river, a FlowRider surf machine, and more (tickets start at $50 for adults and $40 for kids, and it's free for children ages two and under). And then there's the beach, of course: 60 miles of wide, sunshine-drenched shoreline, and it's all completely free to enjoy.

Finally, Myrtle Beach is easily accessible to many U.S. tourists because it's within driving distance of many parts of the country. Visit Myrtle Beach put together a list of driving distances from major U.S. cities (it's 364 miles from Atlanta and 685 miles from New York, for example). It's an especially appealing prospect in the summer of 2026, when the cost of air travel is higher than usual — as more and more travelers say goodbye to Caribbean vacations, they're apparently looking for affordable beach destinations to explore.