I was traveling back from Florida and had a chance to walk around Myrtle Beach, South Carolina on a Sunday morning when there was not much of a crowd. The beach is big and beautiful and there seems to be a wide vairety of hotels / resorts all up and down the beach.
The boardwalk and the main street near the pier area is heavily fortified with bars, gift shops, and other ways for tourists to spend money. Even on a Sunday morning, it was a little too sticky and stinky for me to hang there. The pier is a nice breath of fresh air and gives you great views of the beach. I think it cost one or two dollars and well worth it.
You can see all of my photos on my website page: http://kimbriggs.com/photo/us-southeast/sc-myrtle-beach-boardwalk
It really is a great spot on the ocean. I may do some more research at some point and find someplace to stay that is not so close to the boardwalk area.