Week One: Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; and Surrounding Points of Interest

On June 22, I embarked on a four week tour, which includes Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; Savannah, Georgia; the Gulf Coast, including Mobile, Alabama and New Orleans, Louisiana; St. Louis, Missouri, and surrounding points of interest in each region.

The first one week stop was at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; and the surrounding points of interest in the region.

Murrels Inlet and Garden City Beach

Murrels Inlet, located approximately 10 miles from Myrtle Beach, is a small fishing village converted into a boardwalk lined with restaurants and bars. The village also includes an additional boardwalk that extends out into the inlet marsh, providing a great view of the marsh and its wildlife. Murrels Inlet had a vibrant nightlife, with small vendors selling their hand-made products, and bar patios packed full.

The Murrels Inlet boardwalk. The boardwalk has a very relaxing atmosphere with plenty of restaurants and bar patios to lounge.

The inlet during low tide. I had the chance to view several species of large birds here. In the far distance, an ocean front town can be seen.

Hula dancers at Murrels Inlet marina.

Polynesian fire dance.

Garden City Beach is similar to Myrtle Beach, but on a much smaller scale. The beach has one pier with a bar and arcade. The town's main street has a few novelty shops and restaurants, which quickly give way to beach houses.

Garden City Beach along the Atlantic coastline, about a 15 minute drive from Murrels Inlet.

A great view of Garden City Beach from the pier.

Conway Riverwalk and Myrtle Beach Boardwalk

The town of Conway, about 20 miles north of Myrtle Beach, has the usual variety of shops, restaurants, cafes and bakeries. The highlight of my visit in Conway was the excellent Conway Riverwalk, a 1.5 mile boardwalk along the Waccamaw River.

The Riverwalk along the Waccamaw River.

The highlight of the Myrtle Beach region was a walk along the boardwalk at Myrtle Beach, between 10th and 2nd Avenues. I have visited several boardwalks in the past, and so far, Myrtle Beach has the nicest boardwalk among them. The boardwalk includes the traditional raised boardwalk, and also has winding brick paths lined with palm trees. I also took a walk along N. Ocean Boulevard, which is lined with restaurants, bars, clubs, arcades, and surf shops.

Myrtle Beach at dusk.

The winding, palm tree-lined path along the Myrtle Beach boardwalk. So far, this is the nicest boardwalk I have visited.

Myrtle Beach at night. The beach is sparsely populated at this time. But N. Ocean Boulevard is packed with people looking for a good time.

Me and Michelle getting ready to ride a classic wooden roller coaster. This was the first time in a long time we rode a roller coaster, and realized how much we missed them.

Ended the time at Myrtle Beach on the figure eight go-kart track. So much fun!

Brookgreen Gardens and Broadway at the Beach

Brookgreen Gardens is just a few miles from Murrels Inlet, and features several sculpture gardens, ponds, and rice fields. With its idyllic setting, Brookgreen Gardens was one of the nicest gardens I have visited yet. It was well worth the $14 admission fee. I highly recommend visiting Brookgreen gardens in the late afternoon or early evening if possible. Some sections of the sculpture gardens are not in the shade, and the South Carolina heat and humidity will wear one out fast.

One of several ponds with a statue center piece.

The beautiful live Oak garden.

The live Oak garden opens up to this pond. The statue is set with a rice patty in its background.

Broadway at the Beach, located approximately 10 miles from Myrtle Beach, can best be described as a hybrid theme park and outdoor shopping mall. The outdoor complex hosts a variety of rides, including zip-lining, stunt boats, and carnival rides. In between those rides are many shops, mostly the novelty type, and theme restaurants. The set up of the complex left me with the impression that the developers intentionally wanted the shopping to be the main focus in spite of the entertainment. But there is entertainment there to suit just about anyone's tastes.

Broadway at the Beach features many unique attractions like the one in the background.

Grand Strand Model Railroad Club and Barefoot Landing

After several days in the sun and heat, I spent a day doing more leisurely activities. I headed to the Myrtle Beach Mall to visit the Grand Strand Model Railroad Club. The railroad club features three model railroad exhibits. Each is a continuing work in progress, and the attention to detail is amazing. The hobbyist there were very friendly, and were willing to slow down or reverse their model trains to help get desired pictures.

In the evening I headed over to Barefoot Landing, another themed shopping and amusement park. It is very similar to Broadway at the Beach. Barefoot Landing even has many of the same chain-stores that Broadway at the Beach has. It gets old fast.

Georgetown

The seaport town of Georgetown is South Carolina's third-oldest town. The highlight of the town is the Harborwalk, which runs along the harbor. Along the Harborwalk, restaurants and bars serve guests on the patios. Front Street, Georgetown's main street, is in the process of revitalization, but has a long way to go. The residential neighborhood has a peaceful aura to it, and the people are friendly.

The Harborwalk at Georgetown.

Front Street.

After six full days in the Myrtle Beach region, it was time to move on to Savannah, Georgia for the second week of the tour.