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Is it true that to get a great credit score u have to take out actual loans and not just use and pay your credit cards?

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Somewhat. They are looking for good credit mix. Having an auto loan, two credit cards, a mortgage, and a student loan all paid on time and not just recently opened is close to ideal. Every situation is different, though. In general, it will help if you get a good mix of obligations without overdoing it (after the initial dip for having a new account).

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I never ever had a real loan until I got a mortgage two years ago. Paid for the cars with cash. Never had checked my credit score. All I had was >20 years of credit card debt that I always paid off monthly and essentially never carried a balance on ('cept for like the 0% APR for 9mo offer). My credit score ranged from 790 to 820 from the three agencies.

So no, you don't have to have real loans to have a good credit score. But I'd wager a mix of credit that you've handled responsibly will get you there faster.