Myrtle Beach Vacation Travel Guide | Expedia

Just a two-hour flight fromNew York or a one-hour flight from Atlanta, Myrtle Beach is the jewel of the Grand Strand, a string of seaside townsthat run down the South Carolina coastline.

Sandwiched between the Atlantic rollers and the calm waters of the Intracoastal Waterway, Myrtle Beach has grownfrom a rural backwater into a city which attracts millions of visitors annually, many of whom return year after year.

In Myrtle Beach, all footsteps lead towards the sand, all 60 miles of it! And don’t let those millions of visitors put you off, here, you’ll always find space to spread out your towel.

Myrtle Beach is not one but many fabulous beaches, each with its own blend of Southern-seaside charm.

From the downtown, follow the sands to North Myrtle’s Cherry Grove Beach, where the skyline of gleaming condos softens into a pastel haze of classic beach houses.

Just south of the downtown is Myrtle Beach State Park, where beachcombers can enjoy amellow slice of un-developed coastline.

Whichever beach you choose, you’ll discover classic piers all along the coast, special places which hang in the space between terra firma and the wild blue beyond.

Another place that bridges Earthand Sea is the Myrtle Beach Boardwalk.

Follow the mile-longboardwalk through the Entertainment District, which lights up with aspecial magic when the sun gets low.

Of course, no all-American boardwalkwould be complete without an old-school, wooden rollercoaster, so climb aboard the Swamp Fox, which has been rattling thenerves of holiday makers since 1966.

Just a few blocks back from thewaterfront is Broadway at the Beach, where you’ll find even more waysto soar through the air, get sugared up, and learn more about this incredible blue planet of ours.

While Myrtle Beach offers plenty of fun fairs, water parks and familyattractions, one form of fun reigns supreme.

With over 50 miniaturegolf courses, many of which receive mind-blowing, million-dollar makeovers each year, Myrtle Beach is the undisputedPutt-Putt capital of the universe.

When it comes to full-sized golfcourses, Myrtle Beach also hits a hole in one.

The city offers over 100 quality golf courses, many designed by some of the game’s legends, and nearly all of which opentheir daily tee-sheets to visitors.

As you’d expect, the fairways atMyrtle Beach are never far from the water.

At the end of a day ofbeachcombing, thrill seeking, and divot digging, sit down to a platter ofsome of the freshest seafood on the East Coast.

Then, make tracks to theHouse of Blues or the acclaimed Carolina Opry for a night of pure, toe-tapping Americana.

After a night on the town, you’ll find plenty of shady green spaces in and around Myrtle Beach to ease into the new day.

Be sure to stop by Warbird Park, dedicated to the men and women who served at Myrtle Beach Air Force Basebetween 1954, and its closure in 1993.

Hoist your mainsail and tack south to Murrells Inlet, which was once the lair of pirates and plunderers like Blackbeard and Drunken Jack.

After taking in the half-mile marsh walk at Murrells, continue south to Huntington Beach State Park, which offers miles of pristine dunes and some of the South’s finest bird watching.

The park is the generous legacy of the Huntingtons, who built their winter retreat here.

Explore the courtyards ofAtalaya Castle, where Anna Hyatt Huntington, a giant of 20th century sculpture, created many of her greatest works.

Then just across the highway, visit Brookgreen Gardens, which showcases works by Huntington, as well as other renowned American sculptors.

Spend an afternoonexploring this 9000-acre nature retreat, built atop the rice and indigo fields which once dominated the South Carolina coast.

To learn more about Low Countryplantation life, head to Hobcaw Barony, and take a reflective walkthrough the eerie stillness of Friendfield, an immaculatelypreserved slave village from the 1800s.

Just a few miles down the road, call into the Hopsewee Plantation and explore the plantation housewhose heart-pine floorboards have been softly creaking under the footstepsof residents and guests since 1740.

Whether it’s venturing through the past, strolling the boardwalks, or walking the greens, it’s a rare place that slows our footsteps, allowing us to share life’smoments with family and friends.

Sometimes footsteps represent a single journey, other times they are retraced, over and over.

Once you’ve felt the sandof Myrtle Beach between your toes, you might just join the manywho make the journey here time and time again.

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