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Smiling Faces...Beautiful Places -
Myrtle Beach ,South Carolina |
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Never has a license plate read so accurately. The phrase “Smiling Faces...Beautiful Places” found on South Carolina’s license plates turned out to be true. Myrtle Beach (named after the Wax Myrtle trees found here) is a city of 27,000 people on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean. It’s known as the Golfing Capital of North America because of the 100 and still counting courses.
No Golf for us Okay, let me make it clear from the start, my lady and I didn’t come for the golfing, we came for the sand and the sun. You see, where’re from cold nasty Canada where winter never seems to end. After picking up our vehicle at U-Save (www.USAVE.com) we were ready to unwind.|
Where to Stay
We
choose to spend the week at two different Endless Fun Resorts, The Sea Watch
Resort and the Caravelle Resort. Our large condo style rooms had character and the
moment we arrived we knew our decision was a good one. We had superb views from
our balconies of the Atlantic Ocean and at the end of the day lulled to sleep by
gentle lapping of waves. In the morning we made a beeline for the white sandy
beach to begin our serious suntans ( they turned out to be more like burns) and
a dip in the Atlantic. When
it was time to play outside the hotel we continued our adventure along the Grand
Strand. (For additional information about either of these hotels, to make a
reservation, click on
Getting Away Accommodations Information and Reservations.) North Myrtle Beach and the Shag To the north of Myrtle Beach is North Myrtle Beach (makes sense) where we stumbled on Fat Harold’s. When we entered we felt right at ease with the fifty and up crowd who were doing this laid back dance called the Shag. The Shag is South Carolina’s official state dance. As hard as I tried I couldn’t master the sliding graceful moves across the wooden floor. Margaret and Will Crawford of Virginia had it down pat and traveled each year to dance the night away doing the Shag. Margaret between dances told me, “ it’s like a very lazy jive, almost like walking to a beat’. |
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Legends in Concert
Another top draw and a cut above the rest for pure entertainment is The Legends in Concert (www.legendsinconcert.com) show along the Grand Slam in nearby Surfside Beach. There’s an intimacy in this small theatre where top celebrity impersonators perform their greatest hits. The evening that we attended we even had a chance to shake our booties in the isle while Steve Fairchild, an impeccable Garth Brooks clone did his thing. Tina Turner, Elvis, Elton John and The Blues Brothers rounded out the fun evening.|
The Grand Strand
At
first, the expression confused us, but we soon learned the Grand Strand was the
area that encompasses 30 miles of coastline and some 50 miles inland. We
discovered a hoard of exciting different communities and thing to do along this
stretch.
The Carolina Opry One
of the hottest tickets in town is for The Carolina Opry
in Myrtle Beach. The Good Vibrations show was playing the evening we arrived.
With music and dance from the 60's,70's and 80's it was just the thing for us to
shake the sand from our sandals. On other nights the place is a Mecca for
country music fans .This long standing show reviles anything Branson has to
offer. Where to eat There’s lots of coupon books for all kinds of attractions and restaurants but do yourself and your pocketbook a favor and head to K W Cafe’s .Locals brought us up to speed on this regional restaurant. Here you can eat as much as you would in a posh restaurant at half the price without the coupons. The cafeteria, believe it or not, had the warmth and comfort of home. If you want to spoil yourself and like seafood Capt Dave’s Dock Side (www.captdavesdocksiderestaurant.com) was the perfect place to dine ( notice I said dine, that’s means it’s fancy). It’s easy to get to, take Business Highway 17 to the fishing community of Murrels Inlet (locals pronounce it Merles), not far from the Legends in Concert show. Later we took a moonlight walk along the Marsh Walk. Delicious evening! |
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Georgetown, South Carolina
A half-hour drive north of the city is another adventure. When we arrived at this coastal town of Georgetown we moseyed on down to the water front and took a 4 hour colourfully narrated cruise aboard a pontoon boat with Captain Rod, a wonderful storyteller and a southern gentleman with Southern Flavor. Traveling the river bank was like stepping back in time. We saw and heard about plantations (many now abandoned) that lined the shoreline .We stopped on an unspoiled barrier island at the tip of the Atlantic and gathered ocean shells. When we returned we walked the lazy town free from big-box retailing and 21st- century hurry-up ism. Where to Shop This is a shoppoholics paradise. Two stand-out finds were Barefoot Landing and Broadway on the Beach. After picking up or mandatory Myrtle Beach T-Shirts and back scratchers for friend s and family back home ( okay we’re cheap) we took time to visit a fascinating half-hour show at the Ghosts and Legends Theatre at Barefoot Landing. Spooky! Broadway at the Beach has over 350 acres of shops ,restaurants and nightclubs. We enjoyed the Ripley Aquarium where we felt at times that we were swimming with the fish as we walked through a cool, crisp transparent bubble below the aquarium. It’s easy to see why so many fall in love with Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Wherever we went we were greeted with smiling faces and beautiful places. We’ll return.
For More information: www.visitmyrtlebeach.com or 1-888-886.9232.
Written and Photographed by George Bailey, Member Travel Media Association of Canada 5146 Morrison Street Niagara Falls, Ontario Canada L2E 2E1 905-356-2326
The view from the balcvony of The
Caravelle Resort, Myrtle Beach.
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The Grand Strand
Poolside at the Caravelle Resort.
Fat Harold's where Caroliana's official
dance, The Shag began.
Gloria Cousineau and george Bailey, "Horsin'
Around" at Barefoot Landing in Myrtle Beach.
Captain Rod of Low Country Tours.
Dismebarking Captain Rod's pontoon boat
at an island near the tip of the Atlantic Ocean.
Searching for seashells along an
Atlantic Ocean Beach.
Big Tuna Restaurant, Georgetown, South
Carolina.
George Bailey is "trap[ped" inside
Ripley's Aquarium!
In the "bubble" under Ripley's
Aquarium, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
