31 Best Nightlife in South Carolina, USA

Step back to a bygone era when you enter the jukebox front door of this hip-movin' shag spot that's constantly hosting shag contests. Two different dance floors guarantee you can find a melody that gets you dancing, or just hang along the edges and take in the action. The Shag City Grill sells burgers and sandwiches.

This venerable local beer hall opened in 1995 as the city's first microbrewery and serves an excellent selection of beer and a menu of elevated pub fare and pizza. It also hosts occasional live bands. There's a second, larger location 3 miles south of town in a restored airplane hangar.

If you're up for a rowdy evening of entertainment (and a worthy basket of grub for dinner), grab a spot in the backyard April–September for the annual free Sunday summer concert series featuring national touring acts; on Friday check out free local acts. It's quite a sight, as fleets of boats anchor for a waterway view of the stage and the landlocked crowd packs the bank to relax and sip on pales and lagers from the on-site brewery, Independent Republic.

Dubbed the "Barmuda Triangle" by locals, the little cluster of bars and restaurants located just off Sea Pines Circle is a fun spot to grab a drink, eat wings and burgers, watch a game, or meet up with friends in the various outdoor areas. Reilley's Grill & Bar is the area's cornerstone, with a big outdoor bar, seating area, and delicious food. Elsewhere, the Lodge has great beer and games like pool and shuffleboard; the Boardroom is open late with live music; One Hot Mama's has tasty wings and burgers; MidiCi Italian Kitchen has wooden tables and open-air seating; and Brother Shucker's Bar & Grill serves up fun with raw oysters, vodka specials, and trivia nights.

A Myrtle Beach show staple since 1986, the Carolina Opry is a polished, action-packed variety show featuring live country, light rock, show tunes, and gospel music, plus comedy skits. There's also a "Time Warp" show that pays tribute to the '60s, '70s, and '80s, and a celebrated Christmas Special.

The elegant supper-club atmosphere at this popular spot makes it a wonderful setting in which to enjoy an evening of jazz, swing, or blues. There's a special martini menu, an extensive wine list, and a late-night menu.

The club fills up quickly, so make reservations.

The popular Salty Dog Cafe has been drawing crowds for more than 30 years with its lively atmosphere and outdoor bar and seating area overlooking scenic Braddock Cove at South Beach Marina. Serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner, guests can sit inside or outside and enjoy items such as crab dip, fish sandwiches, fried shrimp, and Jake's hush puppies. Adults can relax with a cocktail from the extensive drink menu and kids can hop over to the Salty Dog Ice Cream Shop located next door. Don't forget to bring home a T-shirt with the trendy Salty Dog Cafe logo at the nearby store.

This 21-and-older complex features three clubs, including a 6K DJ video system in the main nightclub, Envy. There's also Bourbon Cowboy, with live bands, and Club Rewind, which features songs from the '80s--'00s.

The 2,250-seat Alabama Theatre has a regular variety show of singing and dancing with a wonderful patriotic closing; the theater also hosts guest music and comedy artists during the year and a holiday-themed show.

In the hopping Vista neighborhood, this funky spot has neon-painted walls, colorful string lights, and a lively crowd, making it the perfect setting for karaoke and dancing to live bands.

This South Pacific–theme bar and restaurant features live music, a great selection of craft beers and cocktails, and a lunch and dinner menu serving up tasty tacos and burgers. Located on the second story in Coligny, there's indoor and outdoor seating.

Husband and wife Patrick and Fanny Panella ply their guests with selections from more than 130 bottles of wine and 40 varieties of cheeses and charcuterie, freshly baked breads, contemporary art, and tasteful antique furniture. All of it is imminently available, too, from the Sauvignon Blanc and Shiraz to the tables and chairs. Cast in low lighting, the wine bar serves as a comfortable backdrop for a pre- or postdinner drink or for an entire evening.

Touring comedians—some of whom have made cable TV appearances—make their way to this little comedy club that's inspired belly laughs for over 20 years on the north side of town. There's an on-site restaurant serving pizza and burgers.

Several nights a week this lounge brings top-flight comedic talent to Hilton Head. There's a light menu of appetizers and sandwiches, and a full bar. General admission tickets are $39.50 per person.

Book ahead online because the shows sell out fairly quickly.

You can dance the shag and take lessons from the pros at this classic club that hosts shag events throughout the year for dedicated and novice dancers. There's also an on-site café.

This happening waterfront joint is set up for a backyard party, featuring live music on the gazebo stage every Friday and Saturday night. There's also an excellent menu of steamed, fried, and broiled seafood.

This giant shed (quite literally—its exterior facade is rusty corrugated steel) showcases up-and-coming talent and national names in blues, rock, jazz, country, and R&B in its 2,000-seat concert hall and on stages in its Southern-style restaurant with patio. The Sunday gospel brunch is a great deal, and there's free live music on the deck every evening.

This venue features high-energy shows by impersonators of pop stars like Bruno Mars, Dolly Parton, Elvis, Garth Brooks, and the Blues Brothers.

A late-night waterfront hangout, Luther's is casual and fun, with a young crowd watching the big-screen TVs or listening to live music. There's also an appealing lunch and dinner menu with favorites such as Brewsky's burger and teriyaki wings. The decor features exposed brick, pine paneling, old-fashioned posters on the walls, a great bar area, and plenty of outdoor seating.

You can have a drink, watch boats come back from a day of fishing, hear live music, and enjoy the evening breeze with a stroll along the Murrells Inlet Marsh Walk, a picturesque boardwalk that connects eight waterfront bars and restaurants, from Drunken Jack's on the north end to Wicked Tuna at the Crazy Sister Marina on the south end. On the Fourth of July, the Marsh Walk serves as your front-row seat to the wildly popular Boat Parade. Also included along the way are colorful waterfront stops with fanciful names like Dead Dog Saloon, Creek Ratz, Bubba's Love Shak, and Wahoo's.

This place might be small, but it's big on the shag moves, cold drinks, and fish baskets. It has four pool tables and karaoke every Thursday and Sunday.

This Dolly Parton–owned production features a 15-foot-deep water lagoon staged with pirate ships Crimson and Sapphire. Ye families will enjoy a four-course feast while watching swashbuckling fights, pyrotechnics, acrobats, high dives, and mermaids in flight.

A sophisticated spot for cocktails in the early evening, the Santa Fe Cafe is also a great place to lounge in front of the fireplace or sip top-shelf margaritas at the rooftop cantina.

A '50s-era neon sign welcomes revelers into this classic dance hall inside the Ocean Drive Resort, where DJs and a regular rotation of rock and beach music bands perform every weekend. The Shaggers Hall of Fame is also located here, in the OD Beach Club.

Dine and dance the night away aboard the wide-beamed, motor yacht Spirit of Carolina. Dinner is three or more courses and includes a choice of five entrées, from shrimp and grits to New York strip. Live musicians perform blues and beach music during the cruise. This three-hour excursion appeals to an older crowd, but everyone enjoys seeing the twinkling lights of the harbor. The ship departs from Patriots Point in Mount Pleasant. Reservations are essential for evening cruises.