Along the Atlantic coast, just about in the middle of the eastern shore of the United States, sits one of America’s most beautiful stretches of land. This area is known as the Grand Strand. And, right in the middle of this immense sandy shoreline is the bustling beach resort of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. With a total beach area of sixty miles in length, the possibilities for diverse activities are endless. Pick a spot on this huge sandy beach an sit and watch the waves sneak onto the shore. Then, search the moist sand as the wave withdraws and heads back to sea for that special seashell it left behind for you.. Or, try your luck with a fishing pole. There are eight piers along the north, central and south parts of this incredible beach where you can cast a fishing line. The only decision is which pier to cast off and try for that trophy fish. Crabbing is especially good where the rivers feed into the Atlantic Ocean. There are boardwalk activities, cultural festivals and numerous historic places to visit. Many annual sporting events happen throughout the year and there is a wonderful NASCAR approved racetrack in Myrtle Beach for the fast car racing enthusiasts. What is most wonderful about Myrtle Beach is the slow pace that you look for in any vacation time you may be lucky to take. The southern style and hospitality abound in this South Carolina beach town and whether you like lots of activity or just want to stroll the entire sixty miles of this incredibly scenic beach looking for seashells, ideal conditions exist for you to have it all here in Myrtle Beach. Although it’s crescent shaped beach is the main attraction and the reason most people visit the Grand Strand, the myriad of activities that are waiting to be experienced are the reasons people keep coming back year after year. Myrtle Beach has, over the many years it has existed, increasingly become the most visited and most revered vacation resort town in the area. There are hundreds of different things to do here. You will never run out of activities to do. There are many attractions and historic sights to see. Whether the day is sunny and warm, or rain and clouds fill the sky, you can find both outdoor activities and indoor attractions to keep you busy all day and into the night. Along with annual festivals and sporting events, there are daily fishing charters and sightseeing tours available. Parasailing, scuba diving, a water park, golf courses, tennis and theaters are all within the city limits or close by. Myrtle Beach continues to invent and attract investors who come up with more fun ways to spend your vacation time in continuous activity if you so desire. The dining is first rate at the dining establishments and the cuisine is international. Accommodations are limitless and of fine quality. Simply put, Myrtle Beach seems to lack nothing and is one of the most enjoyable vacation spots on the eastern shores.
History of Myrtle Beach

The first recorded inhabitants in the area of Myrtle Beach were the Waccamaw Native American Tribe. They traveled up and down the river named for them to the shore area to fish and hunt at the beach. There is a historic burial mound with the remains of the Waccamaw People out at the beach.

Then, in the 1700’s, the settlers of the inland plantations tried to move their crops out to the Myrtle Beach area. This was mostly an unsuccessful attempt. The sandy soil and salt air were detrimental to the crops and the area was abandoned. There were several land grants in the area but no one lived on the land until after the Revolutionary War. Then several families developed the land and the Withers family, notably William and Mary Withers lived on the Whithers’ Marsh land grant of the beach section later to be named Myrtle Beach.. In the early 1800’s, a hurricane destroyed the Whithers’ home and many of the family were killed in the storm. The remaining family left the disaster behind them and moved inland leaving the land to regain it’s natural wilderness qualities The natural sand dunes and sea grasses were home only to shorebirds and sand crabs and the only vacationing visitors were the inland wildlife who came to fish in the sea. Myrtle Beach remained a pristine wilderness for many decades.

After the civil war ended, Myrtle beach was again rediscovered and a railroad was built for the transport of lumber. The Conway lumber Company built a hotel in the early 1900’s for their company employees who would go to the beach on their days off. The hotel was named the Seaside Inn. One of the yearly visitors of a prominent South Carolina family named Burroughs won a contest to name the newly formed resort area. The name Myrtle Beach was chosen in honor of the Wax Myrtles that grow on the beach around the dunes and the name was adopted for the little beach resort.

In the several decades following the naming of Myrtle Beach, an area at the north part of the beach was being developed into an elite country club and the areas first golf course opened. Golf has since become an important tourist draw in Myrtle beach and is considered to have world class courses. In the early 1930’s, the Intracoastal Waterway was completed in the South Carolina area attracting yacht and pleasure boat owners. Commercial vessels could bring goods and supplies into Myrtle Beach. This added to the options for entertainment and increased the people who could come to the seaside communities. This allowed people from all over to visit the town. In 1938, Myrtle Beach was incorporated. In the early 1950’s, much of the town buildings were completed. But, again mother nature pummeled the resort town with another hurricane, Hazel. The townspeople picked up the pieces, rebuilt, and in 1957 the City of Myrtle Beach was born.

Between the years of 1960 to the present date, the City of Myrtle Beach has continued to grow until it is now considered one of the country’s fastest growing areas. Just in the last twenty years, the permanent population has tripled in size. Yearly, the increase in vacationing visitors continues to increase. And, it is no wonder. The Myrtle Beach area is quite beautiful and much has been left untouched by progress. The sixty miles of beach still glisten in the sun and are pristine and beautiful.
Activities in Myrtle Beach

The first activity you think of when considering a vacation in Myrtle Beach is heading for the Atlantic Ocean. There are sixty miles of oceanfront splendor in the Grand Strand. You can simply spend the day gathering seashells or laying in the sun. Myrtle Beach has many wonderful areas to dip your feet into the water or go swimming. There are also many sports activities to choose from. You can parasail or go windsailing. You can choose to go scuba diving or learn the sport by licensed PADI divers. Consider Dolphin watching tours or rent a kayak. Express Watersports does it all. The address is 4042 Highway 17, Murrells Inlet, SC 29576. The main phone number is 1-866-566-9338. One of the activities Express watersports offers that is a must try is banana boat rides. Another local Myrtle Beach company offering both scuba diving tours and sport fishing charters is Coastal Scuba. There are PADI diving lessons and shipwreck diving tours. They offer 40 to 90 foot vessels that are designed for both diving and fishing. The company also offers charters of the Little River Fishing Fleet. Reservation are needed and can be secured at 1-800-249-9388. For activities involving your kids and entire family, you can go to an oceanfront amusement park. The Family Kingdom Amusement Park is an old-fashioned fun park by the sea that offers over thirty rides and go-karts and South Carolina’s largest ferris wheel. The ferris wheel towers over the beach and faces the Atlantic Ocean for fantastic views and an exciting ride. There is no admission charge to the Family Kingdom amusement park. It is located at 300 South Ocean Blvd., Myrtle Beach, SC. The phone number is 843-626-3447. The Family Kingdom also has a water park across the street from the amusement park. Another fun place to go has been entertaining the public for decades. The carousel first opened at the Myrtle Beach Pavilion in the 1900’s and is one of a few of this type left operating in the United States. The pavilions carousel is a beautiful and colorful ride and you can sit on giraffes, lions and ostriches as you listen to the old-fashioned musical extravaganza. There is a huge pipe organ with over 400 pipes and wooden figures that dance and twirl to the music. This is a wonderful place to spend a lazy afternoon and eat corndogs and funnel cakes like your grandparents did. There are so many options for your enjoyment in Myrtle Beach. Some other things to do are listed below.

MAGIQUEST is an entertainment option that you can become immersed into for the better part of a day. It is like going into another world and exploring and interacting with the magical entities in a castle environment. This live-action experience is for the whole family to enjoy. Grandparents and children under four can enter for free if not playing this other worldly adventure. The address is :
1185 Celebrity Circle
Broadway at the Beach
Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
Phone: 843-916-1800.

HARD ROCK THEME PARK will not be open in Myrtle Beach until the spring of 2008 but is well worth a mention here. Only steps from the ocean there will be a theme park unlike any other. The Beatles Magical Mystery Tour Bus will be there along with a fun take-off on Mt. Rushmore with the likenesses of John Lennon, Elvis Presley, Jimi Hendrix and Bob Marley. Look for more info toward the spring of 2008. This is sure to be a ’gas’.

CHERRY GROVE PIER has a two-story observation deck and 985 feet of pier to stroll along. You can fish all day and try to catch that huge trophy fish. There is a fee payable at the tackle shop. This covers your day of fishing and no license is required as long as you fish from the pier. The tackle shop carries necessary fishing supplies and bait. You can get cold beer and soft drinks and there are numerous ocean-themed souvenirs sold there. This pier has been open since the 1950’s and has been rebuilt several times after hurricanes destroyed portions of it. Each time the Cherry Grove Fishing Pier has been rebuilt, it has been expanded and more amenities were added. There is also a restaurant on the pier if you get hungry from all the day’s activities on the pier. Definitely a fun excursion. The address is:
3500 North Ocean Blvd.
North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582
Phone: 843-249-1625

RIPLEY’S has been in Myrtle Beach since 1976. It all started with the well known Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum and is presently offering five different entertainment opportunities in the city area. The museum is full of one of a kind oddities from all over the world. There is a Ripley’s Haunted Adventure with high-tech special effects and three floors to scare you. This attraction is not recommended for small children. The Ripley’s Moving Theater is an interactive movie ride that you feel as well as see on a surround sound and giant screen ride. Inside the museum is a family arcade and the Ripley’s Aquarium is 87,000 square feet and has thousands of marine life enclosed within the area with an underwater moving walkway. The aquarium has many interactive exhibits and educational shows. Many other offerings are available from Ripley’s. For more information call: 800-734-8888.

The above attractions are just a small sampling of the things you can do in Myrtle Beach and surrounding area of the Grand Strand in South Carolina. For more information on things to do and see, call the Myrtle Beach Visitors Bureau at 800-356-3016 or 1-877-332-2662.
Accommodations

There are many different options while staying in Myrtle Beach. The oceanfront hotels are full of amenities with ocean views. There are condo rentals which are sometimes a good choice for a family. Smaller motels are more cost effective for short and more frequent trips to the beach and you can rent luxury spas. Some options are listed below. Whether you want to see the Grand Strand every morning , sit on the veranda and enjoy your breakfast, rise early and get going to to the fishing or scuba charter you hired you can find any accommodation to fit your lifestyle within the Myrtle Beach area.

Embassy Suites Myrtle Beach-Oceanfront Resort
This oceanfront resort offers tennis, two-room suites with ocean views and private balconies, golf and a health club.
9800 Queensway Blvd.
Myrtle Beach. SC 29572
1-843-449-0006

Sea Mist Oceanfront Resort Hotel
This oceanfront complex offer several different options in accommodations. You have your choice of oceanfront rooms, ocean view rooms or no ocean view. Ask for your preference. You can rent rooms, suites, condos and beach bungalows.
1200 South Ocean Blvd.
Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
1-800-793-6507
Landmark Resort
There are waterfalls and wading pools at this resort offering efficiencies, single rooms, executive suites and penthouse accommodations. There is a nine-hole putting course next to the resort with lush landscaping.
1501 S. Ocean Blvd.
Myrtle Beach. SC 29577
1-800-845-0658

Dayton House Resort
This hotel resort has an oceanfront lawn, indoor and outdoor pools, a ftness room and video game room for the kids. The rooms have kitchenettes with full-sized refrigerators and microwaves. All rooms are smoke-free.
2400 north Ocean Blvd.
Myrtle Beach. SC 29577
1-877-605-3359

Island Vista Resort
This oceanfront resort has all suite accommodations with a washer and dryer in each suite, three pools and a river on the grounds. There is a restaurant serving fine cuisine in an oceanfront dining room.
6000 N. Ocean Blvd.
Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
1-800-854-5426

Dunes Village Resort
This resort boasts the only indoor water park with two adult sized slides. The accommodations are oceanfront condos and is family centered with an adventure pool with games and a river in the waterpark area.
5300 N. Ocean Blvd.
Myrtle Beach. SC 29577
1-877-828-2237

Coral Beach Resort and Suites
This resort offers an on site game room with bowling, video arcades and pool tables. There is a store and fitness room and live entertainment.
1105 S. Ocean Blvd.
Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
1-800-556-1754

There are numerous other fine accommodations in Myrtle Beach. The only difficult part of coming here is which resort to choose!
Restaurants

Myrtle Beach has a wonderful assortment of cuisine styles to choose from. You can try a different taste sensation every night of your vacation and never run out of different places to go. There are surf and turf restaurants with seaside ambiance and there are authentic Mexican dining options with colorful decor. Good old-fashioned American hamburgers and hot dogs fill the ocean air with mouthwatering aromas. International cuisine is an exciting option for an evening of dining adventure and experiencing an oceanfront dining establishment is romantic and relaxing. There is an endless list of fine dining choices. Following are some of the choices available.

Big Daddy’s
American Cuisine
306 Broadway St
Myrtle Beach
843-448-3458

Café on the Pier
European Cuisine
3200 S. Ocean Blvd.
Myrtle Beach
866-764-8501

Flamingo Seafood Grill
Seafood Cuisine
7100 North Kings Highway
Myrtle Beach
843-449-5388

Haiaiian Bar-B-Q
Hawaiian Cuisine
1210 N. Kings Highway
Myrtle Beach
843-440-0042

Loyal Thai Restaurant
Thai Cuisine
710 Main Street
Myrtle Beach
843-444-4384

Gilligans Oceanfront Bar & Grill
Surf and Turf Cuisine
1206 N. Ocean Blvd.
Myrtle Beach
843-448-8438

Filling Station Restaurant
Pizza
1913 10th Ave North Myrtle Beach
843-626-9435

El Cerro Grande
Mexican Cuisine
108 S. Kings Hwy
Myrtle Beach
843-946-9562

E Noodles
Chinese Cuisine
400 20th Ave South
Myrtle Beach
843-916-8808

Fusco’s Restaurant
Italian Cuisine
5308 N. Ocean Blvd.
Myrtle Beach
843-497-0440

New York Prime
Steakhouse Cuisine
405 28th Avenue North
843-448-8081

RJ’s of Myrtle Beach
Cajun Cuisine
1004 Chester Street
Myrtle Beach
843-448-6439

Sugami Express
Japanese Cuisine
1715 N. Kings Hwy
Myrtle Beach
843-626-5551

The Cow Store
Ice Cream and Desserts
5920 Highway 17 Business South
Myrtle Beach
843-477-1307

The Melting Pot
Fondue Cuisine
5001 N Kings Highway
Myrtle Beach
843-692-9003

Five Guys Famous Burgers & Fries
American Cuisine
1772 Pine Island Drive
Myrtle Beach
843-839-9973
Festivals and Annual Events

Myrtle Beach is busy all year long with parades and festivals. There is always something going on. Every month literally is filled with a parade, contests, festivals of all sorts and expos and shows. Pick a month, pick a week, it doesn’t matter when you go to Myrtle Beach. You will never be without some fun activity to participate in. The climate in Myrtle Beach is usually mild in winter and is not so overwhelmingly hot in the summer. Any time is a good time to see an outdoor concert or festival. One of the annual events and festivals is the Grand Strand Fishing Rodeo. This is a big event and people come from all around to try to hook the big one. This huge event takes place in early December and is well worth the trip to Myrtle Beach to partake or observe. There are over $20,000.00 in cash and prizes awarded. For more information on this fun event, call 800-356-3016.

Another fun and tasty festival that takes place over the Labor Day weekend in Myrtle Beach is the Beach Boogie & BBQ Festival. This Barbeque competition is such a big event in South Carolina that people flock to Myrtle Beach to enjoy all the festivities. There is live music, rides for the children and a car show. There is an international group of competitive eaters trying to make a record for eating BBQ Sandwiches and of course, the BBQ cook off makes the entire beach area smell delicious for two days. For a small fee of $3.00 you can get a BBQ sandwich and with all the fixin‘s it costs $7.00.

In June, The Sun Fun Festival is put on by Hawaiian Tropic. There are bathing suit competitions and concerts on the beach. There is a parade and air show put on by the U>S> Army’s parachute team, the Golden Knights. This is another fun event with lots to do. Some other events in Myrtle Beach are the annual Myrtle Beach Marathon in February, The Shagdance festival toward the end of February, The annual South Carolina State Bluegrass Festival in November and the Intracoastal Christmas Regatta when boats are decorated with Christmas lights and parade through the waterway for all to enjoy. These are only some of the events. More information on annual events and festivals in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina can be obtained by contacting the area Chamber of Commerce and Visitor information line at 800-356-3016.