SC has one of best, cheapest places in US to travel in December, ranking shows. It’s not Greenville

Two national travel companies teamed up to find the best deals for your holiday getaway and a South Carolina city came in first.

Myrtle Beach.

At the request of Travel + Leisure magazine, Kayak analyzed flight and hotel searches from July 1 through Oct. 27, 2025, for travel between Dec. 1 to 31.

“This year’s data shows travelers don’t have to spend big to get away,” said Kate Williams, Kayak’s travel trends expert and chief communications officer. “Affordable options span the U.S., from Myrtle Beach to Denver and Chicago.”

Some, she said, were lower than $300, like Myrtle Beach and most of the cities listed were less than $500 for flights and hotels.

Travel + Leisure said Myrtle Beach cost an average of $268. While South Carolina residents likely don’t need to fly there, many hotels have deep discounts in the winter.

Myrtle Beach has been trying to extend its season well beyond summer.

“Myrtle Beach proves you don’t need snow to feel festive,” the magazine said. “In December, visitors can expect mild 60-degree days and sunny skies. While it may not be warm enough to sunbathe, it’s perfect for a bundled-up stroll along the famous boardwalk, which transforms into a nightly winter wonderland.”

The magazine recommended Broadway at the Beach for shopping and entertainment and called out as not to miss the 50 themed trees at Ripley’s Aquarium Festival of Trees.

They also recommended Brookgreen Gardens’ Nights of a Thousand Candles. Cost of $35 for adults, $15 child 4-12 for members and non-members $40 adult $20 Child 4-12.

“Afterward, cozy up with classic Lowcountry comfort food: shrimp and grits, she-crab soup, and buttery biscuits at local favorites like Sea Captain’s House or Hook & Barrel,” the magazine said.

Sea Captain’s House was built in 1930 as a vacation cottage by Henry Taylor of High Point, N.C. Several families owned it as a seaside vacation home until Nellie G. Howard opened Howard’s Manor with nine guestrooms and three home-cooked meals daily.

The property was spared from being turned into a high rise hotel and continued as a seafood restaurant.

Hook & Barre on Kings Highway is focused on seafood with sustainability in mind.

“From using the trees that were cut down from our lot inside the building, to using unbreakable dinnerware and eco-friendly paper products, all the way down to our menu items, which are chosen based on their sustainability,” the restaurant says on its website.

Chef Heidi Vukov owns Hook & Barre as well as two locations of Croissants Bistro & Bakery.

“I love the hustle of the business, but I love the people even more,” she told Discover South Carolina. “Not just learning about where all our guests are from, but also teaching our young professionals while also learning from them. Sometimes they know better ways to get the same result or an even better plate.”

The other cities named by Travel + Leisure were:

• Denver, Colorado
• Atlanta, Georgia
• Minneapolis, Minnesota
• Houston, Texas
• Orlando, Florida
• Las Vegas, Nevada
• Portland, Oregon
• Chicago, Illinois
• Austin, Texas