Myrtle Beach Day Trip: The Museum of Coastal Carolina and Ingram Planetarium

the museum of coastal carolina and ingram planetarium

Guest post written by Krystin Dean of Dean Team Adventures. She is an active mom of two who is documenting their adventures across the Grand Strand and beyond. If you aren't following her already then check out their website, YouTube page and Instagram.

January can seem to last forever without the jam-packed calendar we all got used to during the holiday season. If you’re ready to venture out again after a much-needed break, we found the perfect day trip within an hour of the Myrtle Beach area.

Across the state line you’ll find the Museum of Coastal Carolina and Ingram Planetarium, which are located just 10 minutes down the road from each other in Ocean Isle Beach, NC and Sunset Beach, NC, respectively. Both host family-friendly programming throughout the year including hands-on exhibits and seasonal offerings. Here is everything you need to know to plan your visit.

PRICE | Dual admission for $13 (kids) and $15 (adults). Admission to just one attraction is $8 (kids) and $10 (adults). They do offer $2 admission with SNAP card.

DISTANCE FROM MB | 30 minutes to 70 minutes

HOURS | Planetarium is open M–Sat at 10:30am from April 3–Sept 4. The museum is open M–F from 10a–4p and Sundays from 12–4p.

BEST FOR | Ages 2+ will find something to enjoy.

what to expect at the museum

There are themed galleries – Changing Tides, Waterways, Sea Shore, Ocean Reef, Coastal Plain, and Barrier Island – with dioramas and exhibits about the natural history, environment, and culture of the Coastal Carolinas. We were pleasantly surprised by the size and scope of the museum – especially the variety of interactive displays. We spent around 2 hours exploring, but the kids didn’t want to leave!

Our favorite spot was the touch tank in the Sea Shore Gallery. The friendly staff took the time to connect with us and share their knowledge about the creatures we encountered including crabs, starfish, and anemones. The most impressive room is the Ocean Reef Gallery, which features a massive diorama with life-size models of sharks, whales, stingrays and more.

Other favorite spots included the interactive sandbox, wave machine, SeaScope where we examined shells and seahorses under a microscope, and “Draw Alive!” activity where you can design a sea creature to add to the virtual aquarium.

what to expect at the planetarium

Ingram Planetarium’s full-dome theater offers a variety of family-friendly shows that cater to all age groups, along with laser music shows. Most shows, which last approximately 20-30 minutes, are followed by a live space science and star presentation. You’ll learn about which planets and constellations you can see in the night sky that evening. This part of the experience lasted around 20 minutes and, while our science-loving Skyela thought it was super cool, Holden needed to pack his patience.

A couple of notes – The best seats (super-duper comfy) are in the back of the planetarium. If you suffer from motion sickness, there may be certain points where you need to close your eyes for a moment or two.

The Paul Dennis Science Hall, which is free and open to the public whenever the planetarium is open, features some science and STEM-based activities, experiments, and displays. The kids loved building and testing their “spaceships”. There’s also a hurricane simulator for a $2 charge.

TAYLOR SWIFT LASER LIGHT SHOW

This show is offered on Thursdays at 4pm and 7pm. They are popular and will likely sell out so be sure to purchase tickets ASAP. We opted to visit the Museum of Coastal Carolina on a Thursday and purchase the dual ticket. Just be sure to call over to the Planetarium ASAP to have them put you on the RSVP list for the T Swift show you want to see that day.

The show is great but does not look awesome in photos although photos and videos in the dome are allowed (without flash). Some people may have trouble with the noise and/or lights. You can exit but will not be allowed to re-enter until the end of the show. Read more here.

the bottom line

It’s doubly worth it to make the trip to North Carolina to experience both the Museum of Coastal Carolina and Ingram Planetarium. Both locations cater to all age groups and truly make learning fun. When your kiddos need a break from Ripley’s Aquarium but still want somewhere they can play and explore, this is the perfect spot!

Check out this Vlog of our day at the museum and planetarium here.