The Complete Guide to Group Bus Transportation for Carolina Country Music Fest (CCMF)

Carolina Country Music Fest draws 35,000-plus fans per night to a compact, oceanfront stretch of Myrtle Beach that was not built for that kind of crowd. The venue is 18 acres. The streets surrounding it close days before gates open.

And every rideshare car in the 843 area code is already booked by Friday afternoon. The single question that separates a smooth CCMF weekend from a chaotic one is simple: how does your whole group get in, get out, and get back to the hotel in one piece?

This guide answers it with the specifics most other transportation articles skip — the exact rideshare drop zone address, the road closures that kick in before setup even starts, what the official parking shuttle actually covers, and why a private Myrtle Beach charter bus is the cleaner answer once your crew grows past a few cars' worth of people. Party Bus Myrtle Beach runs these festival-weekend trips every June, so the logistics below come from doing it, not from the CCMF website alone.

What Is CCMF and Why Does It Matter for Transportation Planning?

Carolina Country Music Fest is the East Coast's largest four-day outdoor country music festival. Since the premiere event in 2015 drew 20,000 fans, it has grown to peak nights topping 37,000 — with a Saturday Morgan Wallen show hitting that number in 2024. All of that crowd funnels into a corridor between Kings Highway and Ocean Boulevard, between 8th and 9th Avenues North, on an 18-acre oceanfront site that has exactly one rideshare drop zone and one parking shuttle loop feeding it.

The 2026 edition runs June 4–7 at Burroughs & Chapin Pavilion Place (812 N Ocean Blvd, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577), with headliners Blake Shelton, Post Malone, Luke Bryan, and Riley Green sharing the bill alongside Justin Moore, Lauren Alaina, Cole Swindell, Chris Janson, and more than a dozen additional artists across the weekend. Thursday gates open at 3 PM; Friday through Sunday gates open at 1 PM and the grounds close at 11:30 PM. Unlimited re-entry is allowed each day, so groups coming in and going out across the afternoon are normal — which means the drop zone and pickup corridor stay active all day, not just at showtime.

For out-of-town groups driving in from Charlotte (174 miles), Columbia (148 miles), Raleigh (193 miles), or Charleston, coordinating everyone's arrival independently sounds manageable until you hit the Kings Highway slowdown on Thursday afternoon and discover street parking in the festival corridor has been gone since May 28. That is the specific friction a Myrtle Beach charter bus rental solves — and the rest of this guide covers exactly how.

The Road Closures Nobody Warns You About in Advance

CCMF's road closures begin before the music does — well before. Based on the City of Myrtle Beach's published traffic patterns for the festival, Ocean Boulevard between 8th Ave N and 9th Ave N closes at 8 AM on May 28, more than a week before the first gate opens on June 4. The closure runs through 5 PM on June 11.

Eighth Avenue North between Kings Highway and Ocean Boulevard closes under the same schedule, along with Chester Street between 7th Ave N and 8th Ave N, and Ninth Avenue North between Kings Highway and Ocean Boulevard.

What that means operationally: street parking on Ocean Boulevard, 8th, and 9th Avenues near the venue is completely unavailable for the duration of your CCMF trip. There are no meters to feed, no spots to hunt, because the pavement itself has been closed and repurposed for festival infrastructure. Groups who drove separately and planned to "find a spot near the beach" are going to find a police barrier instead.

Traffic on Ocean Boulevard is diverted up 7th Avenue North westbound to Kings Highway, where all traffic is funneled into the inside lane heading south. Between 11:30 PM and 12:30 AM nightly — the post-headliner mass exit — all traffic leaving the area is routed onto Kings Highway southbound and US-501 westbound. If your group is in a rideshare or a private car at that moment, you are in that queue.

Every night. For four nights.

The City of Myrtle Beach recommends non-attendees use Highway 17 Bypass or Robert Grissom Parkway instead of Kings Highway during festival hours. For attendees, the only practical paths to the venue on event nights are the official parking shuttle from 2400 N Oak Street or the designated rideshare and bus drop zone on 9th Ave N. A private charter bus uses the same drop zone — but your bus is already there when you need it, not stuck waiting for a rideshare to navigate the Bypass detour and find you.

Where Your Bus Drops Off and Picks Up at CCMF

Here is the detail that matters most, and the one the CCMF transportation page makes refreshingly clear. The official rideshare, taxi, and private vehicle drop-off and pickup zone is on 9th Avenue North between Broadway Street and Kings Highway. The address to give any transportation service, including a charter bus, is 506 9th Ave N, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577.

Rideshare vehicles enter that zone via the eastbound lane from Broadway Street and exit using the southbound lane on Kings Highway, per the festival's published traffic pattern. That approach is the same one a charter bus follows for drop-off. From the 9th Ave N zone, your group walks one block east along 9th Avenue toward Ocean Boulevard — straight to the festival entrance.

The walk is short. The congestion on Kings Highway heading back toward the Bypass, by contrast, is not.

For pickup after the headliner, the same zone and approach apply — but timing is everything. The 11:30 PM mass exodus sends thousands of fans toward Kings Highway simultaneously. A charter bus rental for CCMF works best when your group sets a clear post-show pickup window with our team before you go in, so the bus is waiting and ready rather than circling in the late-night funneling pattern.

Pre-agreeing that the group meets at the 9th Ave N zone at 11:45 PM, say, is far simpler than trying to coordinate 20 people across a surge-priced rideshare queue at midnight.

The Official Parking Shuttle: What It Covers and What It Doesn't

CCMF does run its own official parking and shuttle program. The lot is the former Myrtle Beach Mall site at 2400 N Oak Street, and a pre-purchased parking pass gets your vehicle in and includes shuttle service for everyone in that vehicle back and forth to the festival grounds. Shuttle service runs Thursday from 2 PM to midnight, and Friday through Sunday from noon to midnight.

The shuttle drop-off and pickup point is adjacent to the parking deck at the corner of 9th Ave N and Chester St — the same corridor as the rideshare zone.

That shuttle is genuinely useful for groups driving in together in one or two vehicles who want a single, pre-paid solution. But it covers one scenario: you drove to the lot, you park there, you ride the shuttle. It does not cover groups staying at hotels spread across the Grand Strand, groups with members arriving from multiple directions, or groups traveling from out of town who have no interest in paying per-car parking on top of four days of wristbands.

For those groups, a chartered Myrtle Beach party bus or minibus handles every leg of the trip — hotel pickup, festival drop-off at 9th Ave N, and post-show return to wherever your crew is staying — in one vehicle, for one coordinated rate.

We always recommend checking the official CCMF transportation page before your visit to confirm current shuttle times, the parking lot address, and any updates to the drop zone — these details shift slightly year to year.

CCMF Transportation Options Compared

Myrtle Beach is not a city with deep public transit options, and CCMF weekend stresses even the rideshare capacity on the market. Here is the honest comparison for a group heading to the festival.

The honest read: for a couple heading down from a nearby hotel who already bought a CCMF parking pass, the official shuttle makes perfect sense. But once your party grows past a car or two's worth of people — or once you factor in that everyone is staying at different hotels spread across Ocean Boulevard — the coordination math tips hard toward one bus. One pickup time.

One drop zone. One post-show meeting spot. No drawing straws for who stays sober enough to drive back to the resort at midnight.

What Size Bus Does Your CCMF Group Need?

CCMF draws fans from across the Carolinas and beyond, and group sizes vary widely. Here is how our fleet breaks down for a festival weekend run.

The right pick comes down to your headcount and how the weekend is structured. A group of 20 college friends splitting a beach house can move comfortably in a 25-passenger party bus, with the pre-game energy building on board on the way down Ocean Boulevard. A larger corporate outing or a multi-family reunion spanning 40-plus people is the natural fit for a full-size charter bus, where the undercarriage bays hold coolers, beach bags, and anyone who wants to change shoes before the post-show walk back to the hotel.

ADA-accessible vehicles are always available — just let us know before your departure date.

Coming From Out of Town? What Groups From Charlotte, Raleigh, Columbia, and Charleston Should Know

The majority of CCMF's crowd travels in from out of state or from South and North Carolina's interior. Here are approximate drive times from the cities CCMF attendees most commonly depart from, before accounting for the summer Friday traffic on US-501 and US-17 heading into Myrtle Beach.

Those are the off-peak numbers. On a Thursday afternoon in early June, with 30,000-plus people all converging on the same 18-acre strip, US-501 from Conway into Myrtle Beach backs up significantly, and US-17 through Garden City and Surfside Beach is no faster. Groups driving separate cars from Charlotte or Raleigh should plan for those times to stretch by 30 to 60 minutes on arrival day — and then factor in that there is nowhere to park when they get there.

A Myrtle Beach party bus rental booked from Charlotte, Columbia, or any of the cities above flips that equation. Your group loads at a single central spot in your home city, rides down together, and the bus handles the US-501 backup while everyone else debates which artist they want to catch first. You step off at 506 9th Ave N already in festival mode.

For groups staying in Myrtle Beach for the full weekend, the bus can run multi-day loop service from the hotel blocks on Ocean Boulevard to the 9th Ave N drop zone — Thursday through Sunday, each evening, with a set post-show pickup time that means nobody is hunting for a rideshare at midnight when demand peaks.

What Does a CCMF Charter Bus Rental Cost?

There is no single sticker number for a CCMF party bus rental in Myrtle Beach, because your quote depends on a handful of clear factors. Here is what shapes it.

• Vehicle size — a 56-passenger charter bus and a 14-passenger Sprinter limo are meaningfully different rates.
• Total hours — how long the vehicle is dedicated to your group, including hotel-block pickup loops and the post-show return run.
• Origin point — a group picking up in Myrtle Beach itself costs less per trip than a round-trip charter from Charlotte or Columbia; longer originating routes are billed as point-to-point mileage runs.
• Festival night vs. afternoon runs — Friday and Saturday nights, when Blake Shelton and Luke Bryan headline, are the busiest nights for local transport. Book early.

As a real anchor for planning: 14-passenger Sprinter limos run $170–$344/hour; 15–20 passenger party buses run $204–$378/hour; 20–30 passenger party buses run $244–$414/hour; 35–50 passenger party buses and minibuses run $294–$490/hour; and 40–56 passenger charter buses run $150–$300/hour or $1,200–$2,500/day for longer all-day charters. Pricing depends on mileage, time of year, and vehicle type, and you will know the exact price before you ever book — no surprises in the final invoice.

The per-person math usually wins the argument. Split a 40-passenger charter bus across 40 people and the per-head number is modest — often comparable to two one-way rideshare fares on a surge-pricing Saturday night, and that is before accounting for the parking pass, the Kings Highway backup, and the designated-driver math. Call 854-233-7065 any time for a free, all-inclusive quote, or use our online tool for instant availability.

How Far in Advance Should You Book for CCMF?

Earlier than you think. CCMF weekend is the single most demand-intensive transportation window in Myrtle Beach every year — 35,000-plus fans per night, most of them traveling from out of state, many of them in groups that would rather not figure out the Kings Highway closure at 11:45 PM on a Saturday. The right-size vehicles for CCMF weekend are typically booked well before the festival lineup announcement in January.

The booking urgency breaks down like this:

• Large charter buses (40–56 passengers) for CCMF weekend: book as soon as your group has a headcount. These are the first vehicles to go, and the demand window for June 4–7 opens the moment the festival dates are announced. Waiting until May means paying a premium rate for whatever is left.
• Party buses and minibuses for Saturday night (Luke Bryan headlining): Saturday is the highest-demand night of the weekend, every year. Book Saturday at the same time you buy your wristbands — ideally four to six months out.
• Multi-day hotel-loop service Thursday through Sunday: coordinate this at the same time as the first booking. Running a bus for four consecutive evenings takes more planning and needs to be confirmed early.

The cost comparison is stark. A party bus for 30 people booked in January runs one price. The same vehicle booked the week before CCMF — if it is still available — runs significantly higher or simply is not available.

Locking in your CCMF bus as soon as your group confirms is the single easiest way to control transportation costs for the weekend.

A Real CCMF Weekend Example

To put numbers behind the planning, here is a trip structure we arrange regularly for CCMF groups. A 34-person group from Columbia booked a 40-passenger party bus for Friday and Saturday nights. Pickup at the group's rental house on 17th Ave N at 5:30 PM Friday, at the 9th Ave N drop zone by 5:50 PM — well ahead of the 7 PM gate rush.

The bus waited nearby during the show and was back at 9th Ave N at 11:45 PM for a smooth post-headliner return, bypassing the 11:30 PM Kings Highway southbound backup by getting there before the mass exit. Same itinerary repeated Saturday. Two-night, all-inclusive arrangement: $2,800 total — about $82 per person across both nights, with zero rideshare surge exposure, no parking cost, and no one navigating the Chester Street closures in the dark.

You just arrive and you just leave.

CCMF Tips Every Group Needs Before They Go

A few logistics every group should confirm before festival week, pulled from the official CCMF policies and the city's traffic management plan:

• Clear bag policy is strict. CCMF enforces a clear bag policy: one clear plastic, vinyl, or PVC bag no larger than 12″ x 6″ x 12″ (or a one-gallon Ziploc), plus one small non-clear clutch no larger than 4.5″ x 6.5″. Backpacks, hydration packs, and coolers are prohibited. Official CCMF clear bags are available at merchandise outlets on the grounds.
• No outside food, drinks, or unopened water bottles. Everything except empty reusable tumblers stays outside the fence. Stock up, hydrate before gates, and plan to buy on site.
• Wristbands are non-transferable. Once applied, your wristband is your ticket for the weekend — re-entry is allowed each day, but you scan out when you leave and scan back in when you return. Keep it on.
• Parking passes must be printed in advance. If your group is using the official lot at 2400 N Oak St, the pass needs to be in hand before you arrive — there is no buying it at the gate.
• Road closures begin May 28. If anyone in your group planned to park on Ocean Boulevard or 8th/9th Ave N, those spaces are gone more than a week before CCMF starts. Street parking near the venue is not an option.
• Dress for June on the Carolina coast. The venue is oceanfront, which means sun, heat, and afternoon humidity before the evening breeze kicks in. Sunscreen, light clothing, and comfortable shoes for a multi-hour day on a grass-and-sand site make a significant difference by the time the headliner takes the stage.

For the complete list of allowed and prohibited items, review the official CCMF festival rules and policies page before your group arrives.

Building the Rest of Your CCMF Weekend Itinerary

CCMF gates open at 1 PM on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday — which leaves the morning hours open for the groups who want more than four days of music. A charter bus running a morning-to-festival loop can cover the boardwalk, Broadway at the Beach, or the Restaurant Row stretch on US-17 before dropping the group at 9th Ave N ahead of the 3 PM opening act. Here is a quick orientation to what is within easy range.

Broadway at the Beach (1325 Celebrity Circle, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577) sits about two miles from the venue along US-17 Bypass and anchors the city's entertainment district — restaurants, shops, Ripley's Aquarium, and a full evening's worth of options if your crew wants something before the gates open. A minibus from the hotel block to Broadway and then to the 9th Ave N drop zone handles that loop cleanly.

The Myrtle Beach Boardwalk runs along Ocean Boulevard just south of the festival site — your group is already within walking distance of it from the festival entrance, and a lot of CCMF attendees build in boardwalk time between afternoon sets and headliners. The bus handles the return leg to the hotel block after the late set when nobody wants to figure out the one-way Ocean Boulevard detour on foot.

North Myrtle Beach, with its stretch of bars along Main Street in Ocean Drive — the original home of the Carolina shag — is about 12 miles north via US-17. For groups staying multiple nights who want a pre-CCMF Thursday or post-CCMF Sunday option, a minibus run up to Ocean Drive and back is a natural add to the weekend. The crowd there skews country, the music fits, and the parking situation is considerably less complicated than the festival corridor.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does a charter bus drop off at Carolina Country Music Fest?

The official drop-off and pickup zone for rideshares, taxis, and private vehicles is on 9th Avenue North between Broadway Street and Kings Highway. The address to give your transportation service is 506 9th Ave N, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577. Vehicles enter from Broadway Street eastbound and exit via Kings Highway southbound.

From that drop zone, your group walks one block east to the festival entrance on Ocean Boulevard. For current zone details, review the official CCMF transportation page before your visit.

Where is the CCMF parking lot and how does the shuttle work?

The official festival parking lot is at 2400 N Oak Street (the former Myrtle Beach Mall site). A pre-purchased parking pass is required — none are sold on arrival — and the pass includes shuttle service for everyone in that vehicle. Shuttle service runs Thursday from 2 PM to midnight and Friday through Sunday from noon to midnight.

The shuttle drop-off and pickup point is at the corner of 9th Ave N and Chester St, adjacent to the parking deck.

What road closures affect CCMF weekend?

Ocean Boulevard between 8th Ave N and 9th Ave N closes at 8 AM on May 28 and stays closed through June 11. Eighth Avenue North between Kings Highway and Ocean Boulevard closes on the same schedule. Ninth Avenue North between Kings Highway and Ocean Boulevard is also closed.

At 11:30 PM nightly, all departing traffic is routed onto Kings Highway southbound and US-501 westbound. Non-festival traffic should use Highway 17 Bypass or Robert Grissom Parkway. Check the City of Myrtle Beach website for the current traffic pattern before your visit.

How much does a party bus rental cost for CCMF?

CCMF party bus rental prices in Myrtle Beach vary by vehicle size, total hours, and whether your group is originating locally or chartering in from Charlotte, Columbia, or Raleigh. As a guide: small party buses (15–20 passengers) run $204–$378/hour; mid-size party buses (20–30 passengers) run $244–$414/hour; 35–50 passenger party buses and minibuses run $294–$490/hour; and full-size charter buses run $150–$300/hour or $1,200–$2,500/day. Call 854-233-7065 for a free, all-inclusive quote based on your specific dates and headcount.

How far in advance should I book a charter bus for CCMF?

As far in advance as possible — and realistically, as soon as your group confirms attendance. CCMF weekend is Myrtle Beach's highest-demand transportation window of the year. Large charter buses for Saturday night (the highest-demand night) are typically booked months out.

Book when you buy your wristbands, which go on sale months before the event. Waiting until May means working with whatever inventory remains, at peak-demand rates.

Can a charter bus pick up our group at different hotels?

Yes. A minibus or charter bus can run a multi-stop hotel-block pickup loop along Ocean Boulevard before dropping the group at 506 9th Ave N. This is especially useful for large friend groups or corporate groups split across multiple properties — everyone gets into one vehicle for the evening instead of coordinating separate rideshare arrivals. Just share your hotel addresses with our team when you request a quote and we will build the pickup loop into the itinerary.

What is the CCMF bag policy?

CCMF enforces a clear bag policy. Allowed bags: one clear plastic, vinyl, or PVC bag no larger than 12″ x 6″ x 12″ (or a one-gallon Ziploc), plus one small non-clear bag no larger than 4.5″ x 6.5″. Backpacks, hydration packs, and coolers are not permitted.

No outside food, drinks, or unopened water bottles are allowed inside the festival. Review the full list of allowed and prohibited items on the CCMF festival rules page.

Is there a public bus or shuttle from Wilmington or other nearby cities to CCMF?

There is no public transit connection from Wilmington, Charleston, or other regional cities to CCMF. GO GROUND's Book-A-Seat service offers coach seats from select markets (Savannah, Charleston, Charlotte, Raleigh, Greenville, Columbia, and Fayetteville) for a per-seat fee, but availability is limited and does not include hotel-to-festival service once you arrive. A private Myrtle Beach charter bus rental from your originating city gives your group control over pickup time, luggage space, and return timing that shared coach services do not.

Does the bus stay with our group during the festival?

It depends on how you structure the booking. For same-day Myrtle Beach hotel-to-festival runs, the bus typically drops the group at 506 9th Ave N, waits nearby or returns to a designated spot, and meets the group at a pre-agreed pickup window post-headliner. For longer multi-day charters originating from out of town, we work out the plan when you book.

The key is confirming your post-show pickup time with our team before you go in, so there is no scramble at midnight when the 9th Ave N zone fills.

Book Your CCMF Charter Bus Today

The easiest way to do CCMF is with your whole group in one vehicle — hotel-block pickup, one clean drop at 506 9th Ave N, and a staged return that beats the midnight Kings Highway backup every night of the festival. Party Bus Myrtle Beach has access to a fleet of party buses, minibuses, charter buses, and Sprinter limos sized for every group from a dozen friends to a full corporate outing. With Blake Shelton, Post Malone, Luke Bryan, and Riley Green headlining June 4–7, 2026, the right vehicles for CCMF weekend will book up early.

Call 854-233-7065 now for an all-inclusive price quote, or use our online tool for instant availability.