Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

Myrtle Beach, located in South Carolina, is famous for beach towns, barrier islands, freshwater and deep sea fishing. The city of Myrtle Beach is a place that offers a variety of recreation and activities for everyone. It has many attractions and offers mouth watering dining, water and amusement parks, live entertainment theaters, cultural activities, adventurous water sports, historic sites and many more.

For shoppers there are several shopping malls, specialty stores, flea markets and boutiques. One can say it is an amazing travel destination for those who desire a fully fledged family vacation. It is also a place for a relaxing weekend getaway or a perfect business trip. 

Myrtle Beach is a well developed tourist destination in southeastern United States. It has an international airport which is located on the south side of the town. The economy of the city is dependent on the tourist industry as it is a major contributor. Over the years, Myrtle Beach has been a major tourist destination for visitors across the world.

Myrtle Beach has a lot to offer those who enjoy city life as well as the outdoors. There are intriquing options in entertainment, education, affordable living and many other benefits the city offers its residents. Many businesses in the city also thrive.

Myrtle Beach History

The city of Myrtle Beach has an interesting history with amazing facts. The name Myrtle Beach comes from the Wax Myrtle trees that grow along the beaches and surrounding areas. The natural beauty of Myrtle Beach has attracted visitors across the world.

The history of Myrtle Beach began when a group of businessmen started building a beach get away named Arcady. Today, it is known as Pine Lakes Country Club which is the oldest golf course in the city. The first inhabitants of the area were Waccamaaw and Winyah Indians. They used to call the area 'Chicora'. Conway businessman F.G.Burrough, bought a major portion of the land. The businessman had a vision to develop real estate in that area. The area was hardly populated until 1900. However in 1900, Burrough introduced the new town to the rest of the world. A railroad was built between Myrtle Beach and Conway in the 1908. This railroad connected other towns as well and made sure that people can easily reach it. The town was renamed as Myrtle Beach.

In 1901, the first hotel, Seaside Inn, was built. Slowly, the town began to grow and many small cottages were built beside the coast. These cottages served as summer resorts for tourists. It became a popular tourist resort attracting many visitors. In 1925, a textile magnate was responsible for building Ocean Forest Hotel near the beach on highway 17, which was a grand hotel with over three hundred rooms, a ballroom, swimming pools, a golf course, a tennis court and horse riding. It was considered a 'playground' for wealthy people. The hotel was a major attraction for beach life.

In 1954, a powerful hurricane hit the shore and caused lot of damage to the city. However, the storm made the development of the resort bigger and stronger. The surrounding areas began to grow as many families relocated to the area and the city became a major tourist attraction. In 1947, motels were built on the highway 17, which dominated the resort landscape of Myrtle Beach. In 1948, the Dunes Club was built and today runs as a private club. By 1970, many buildings were constructed near the Grand Strand which resulted in the origin and development of Myrtle Beach.

About Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

Myrtle Beach is situated in South Carolina. It is one of the fastest growing metropolitan areas in the United States. The city is spread over an area of 16.8 square miles. The climate of Myrtle Beach is humid subtropical and is heavily influenced by the Atlantic Ocean. It experiences rainfall throughout the year and 30% chances of rain almost every day. The summers are hot and winters are mild.

It is the principal city in Horry County. The other cities and towns which surround Myrtle Beach are Grand Strand to the east, North Myrtle Beach to the north, surfside Beach to the south, and Conway to the west. The city has mixed nationalities of Asian, African-American, Caucasian, and Pacific Islander.

There are many schools and colleges in Myrtle Beach which offer quality educational facilities for students. The famous schools and colleges in the city include Horry - Georgetown Technical College, Cathedral Bible College, and Golf academy of America. The city is well connected by road and railways. The Waccamaw Coastline Railroad is the largest rail line that connects Conway and Myrtle Beach. The major highways which run across the city are US 17, US 501, SC31 and Grissom Parkway.

Some of the attractions in the city are golf courses, amusement parks, seafood restaurants, IMAX theaters, shopping complexes and soft sandy beaches. The Carolina Opry is a major attraction which has various comedy, music, dance and entertainment shows and a variety show called LIGHT - a laser extravaganza, Good Vibrations which shows the best of yesteryears. It is the main event which is performed as a Christmas special.

The other places of attractions include Myrtle Beach Convention Center which hosts different meetings, conferences and special events. Myrtle Beach State Park - a place for swimming, fishing, biking and hiking, and Myrtle Beach Boardwalk.

The city has many shopping centers and is considered as one of the largest shopping destinations in South Carolina. The best shopping places include Coastal Grand Mall, Myrtle Beach Mall, Tanger Outlets and the Market Common Myrtle Beach which features several shops, theaters, restaurants, food courts and night clubs. Myrtle Beach is the home place for many golf courses. Some of the golf courses and resorts are Arrowhead Country club, Burning Ridge golf course, River Oaks golf Plantation etc.

About Horry County, South Carolina

Horry County is located in South Carolina and includes the city of Myrtle Beach. It is situated between North Carolina and the Atlantic Ocean. Myrtle Beach is the largest city in Horry County and is a popular tourist attraction. Conway is the seat of the County. The major tourist destinations are Georgetown County and Grand Strand County which are shared by Horry County. The Horry County is spread over an area of 1,255 square miles. Horry County is surrounded by Columbus County towards northeast, Brunswick County towards east, George County towards northwest, Marion County towards west and Dillon County towards northwest. The county is protected by Waccamaaw National Wildlife refuge.

The principal cities and towns in the county are Conway, Myrtle Beach, Atlantic Beach, Aynor, Briarcliff acres, Garden City and Surfside Beach. Horry Counyt was originally a part of colonial Craven County, Prince George Winyah, Prince Fredrick and other Saints parishes. The County is well connected by roadways, railways and airlines. The highways running across the County are US Route 76, US Route 378, US Route 501 and US Route 701.

Horry County has many developed industries which provide employment opportunities in the field of art, entertainment, food services, retail trading, education, health services, construction, social services and many more. There are many historical museums, public libraries and churches to visit. The museums in the county exhibit historic and regional features and show how the inhabitants of the county have adapted to the environmental conditions from past to present. One can find many farming tools, household items, clothes, items from old country stores, wildlife specimens and photographs and many more in these museums. The museums which are of tourist's interest are Ripley's "Believe it or not", Country Farm Museum, Horry County museum and children's museum of South Carolina in the city of Myrtle Beach.

The famous libraries in the county are Chapin Memorial library, situated in the city of Myrtle Beach, Horry County memorial library, South Carolina digital library.