Over the past decade, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina has become one of the leading tourist destinations in the United States. Each year, nearly 14 million people flock to this coastal oasis of 25,000 residents that is known for its beaches, fine resorts, historic treasures, picturesque golf courses and shopping and entertainment. It is nestled along a 60-mile stretch of white sand beaches known as the Grand Strand. Starting in North Myrtle Beach, and working your way south along Highway 17 to communities like Garden City and Murrells Inlet, there are a diverse range of activities that the entire family can enjoy.
Barefoot Landing (4898 Hwy 17 South, North Myrtle Beach), is a shopping complex that offers shopping, entertainment and dining in the native setting for waterfowl, wildlife and colorful fish. This complex looks out over a 27-acre lake, has over 100 stores, 14 restaurants and a host of unique attractions for all age groups. Children and adults are sure to enjoy the T.I.G.E.R.S. Preservation Station. It is a free wildlife habitation and living tiger museum that's home to Bengal, Siberian, Royal White and the Golden Tabby tigers. For those of you who enjoy Vegas type shows or concerts, you can take in a production at the Alabama Theatre.
One of the largest entertainment complexes in South Carolina is Broadway at the Beach (1325 Celebrity Circle, Myrtle Beach). It has more than 350 acres that adjoin a 23 acre lake. It features 100 specialty stores and boutiques, 20 different restaurants and 15 attractions. Celebrity Square is home to some of the hottest nightspots in the Myrtle Beach area like the Hard Rock Cafe, Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville or Fat Tuesday's.
A million visitors passing through the doors of Ripley's Aquarium (1110 Celebrity Cir Myrtle Beach,) which is open 365 days a year. This aquarium is home to thousands of captivating and colorful marine creatures, including eels, stingrays and massive sharks. The highlight of your visit is sure to be a ride on the 320 foot moving sidewalk that goes through an underwater acrylic tunnel.
Carolina Opry Theater (8901 Hwy 17 N, Myrtle Beach) has dotted the Myrtle Beach landscape for 23 years. It has been instrumental in putting the city's entertainment on the national radar with commendations from The New York Times, CNN and others news outlets. It has a 2,200-seat Theater with state-of-the-art lighting and sound. Generally, there are three or four nightly shows revolving around comedy, music, and dance.
The Family Kingdom Amusement Park (300 South Ocean Blvd, Myrtle Beach) is an oceanfront amusement park and water park. It is rated as one of the top five amusement parks in the United States. It offers more than 30 awesome rides, including the Slingshot Drop Zone, which has a freefall of 110 feet. There is also a 100-foot Ferris wheel and the Swamp Fox wooden roller coaster. The Water Park has rides for kids of all ages, including 100 foot drop wild water flumes speed slides and intermediate speed slides.
Approximately eight miles south of Myrtle Beach is the town of Garden City (Hwy. 17, Garden City.) This charming town of 10,000 has the Atlantic Ocean as its eastern boundary; on its western boundary are an array of inlets and creeks. There are numerous family-oriented activities, including tennis, boating, walking, shopping, golfing, fishing, crabbing and surfing. The Pier at Garden City is a 668 feet long fishing pier that spans the salt marsh. It is a great place to fish or enjoy an evening walk along the creek. You can also watch local fishermen or enjoy a drink at the bar. Each night, there is live music in the rain shelter, which is located at the end of the pier.
Murrells Inlet (Hwy. 17, Murrells Inlet) is a historical fishing village located south of Garden City. In recent years, it has been developed into a scenic residential community that is comprised of stately oak trees, creeks and waterways. It is known as the "Seafood Capital" of South Carolina because of the dozens of sea food restaurants within a three mile area. Also in Murrells Inlet is the Brookgreen Gardens, a not-for-profit museum that has a world-wide reputation for its spectacular gardens, sculptures and other natural attributes. The first public sculpture garden in the America has more than 300 acres of garden open to visitors.
Complementing the more than 2000 species of plants are 1200 works of art created by 350 different artists. There is also a 50 acre wildlife trail and 50 minute pontoon boat excursions along the waterways. The Low County Zoo is also housed at this location. Adjacent to Brookgreen Gardens is Huntington State Park. It is a place the whole family is sure to enjoy. There is over 2500 acres of flora and fauna and observation decks. Visitors can camp, fish and hike and enjoy over three miles of pristine beach.
Further south on US 17 is Bulls Island. It is the largest of the four barrier islands, which make up the 62,000 acre Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge. For bird watchers, there are over 277 species of birds, including pelicans egrets and herons. Visitors can watch dolphins, hike 16 miles of inlet trails, or simply take in Bull Island's rich natural resources and wildlife, including reptiles and mammals. There is also a relaxing 30 minute passenger ferry ride with a Naturalist who takes you through rich salt water marsh creeks.
Whether you are planning a family vacation or a quick week-end getaway, Myrtle Beach is a warm and pleasant year-round location. It is particularly inviting during the spring and summer months when there are loads of festivals and free-entertainment for the entire family. For many of the locations mentioned in this article, you can easily plan your entire day around the destination. All are within an hour drive from the city of Myrtle Beach. However, before you plan an outing, you should call ahead to verify the operating hours.BookIt.com is an online travel company determined and dedicated to becoming the leader in providing travelers with the most intuitive online booking experience full of relevant information, helpful guides and travel tips. There are many myrtle beach hotel deals to choose from so how can you determine which is right for you? Visit online today and we'll help you narrow down the selection.