The Myrtle Beach area is home to fantastic shopping opportunities year-round with our blend of outlet malls, specialty boutiques, national retail stores and more. But Black Friday and Thanksgiving weekend shoppers will delight in the steep discounts and early shopping hours offered to holiday customers. Just remember to pack your mask and patience! Retail stores still have mask ordinances in effect, increased sanitation practices and limited capacities. While I don’t head out shopping on Black Friday every year, I always love the energy and…

Thanksgiving is going to look very different for many people this year. But for those able to get together and get away for a long holiday weekend with family, the Myrtle Beach area is serving up creative ways to celebrate. Below is a list of events happening Thanksgiving week in Myrtle Beach, along with some of the many restaurants offering special Thanksgiving menus and buffets. Curbside and takeout options abound for those wanting to skip the cooking and cleaning this year; and outdoor, socially-distanced events will be extra enjoyable in…

While we celebrate coffee every single day at my house, it turns out that September 29 officially marks National Coffee Day! As a mom of three kids ages 5 and under, I consume my fair share of caffeine. Thankfully, the Myrtle Beach area is home to a number of great coffee shops throughout its 60-miles. In honor of National Coffee Day, I’ve put together a list of some of our favorite places to grab a morning (or afternoon) coffee: Croissants Bistro & Bakery Croissants has two locations along the Grand Strand (3751 Robert M Grissom Parkway, MB,…

While summer always shines for those visiting the Myrtle Beach area, my favorite season here will always be fall. Temperatures cool ever so slightly and it’s less humid out, making all of the outdoor activities our family loves to do even more enjoyable. While things will undoubtedly look a little different this year for fall festivals and events, there is still a lot of fun to be had. Here are a few favorites that we plan on checking out: Thompson Farm and Nursery at Brickyard Plantation We love visiting Thompson Farm this time of year! This…

This past weekend, temperatures cooled some, making it perfect weather for a long walk. While a stroll on the beach will always top my list of favorite vacation activities, there are so many other wonderful places along the Grand Strand to explore on foot. We have put together a list of some of our favorite outdoor walking trails below: The Market Common Just a few blocks from the beach, The Market Common is a wealth of recreation, including walking, biking and fitness trails, as well as playgrounds. A fitness trail with workout equipment is…

The Horry County Museum and its air conditioning are a welcome treasure this time of year, when the South Carolina heat and humidity reach their peak. This month, the museum is hosting a lecture series by director, Walter Hill, on Scuppernong and Muscadine Grapes. These local grape varieties, first discovered along the Scuppernong River in North Carolina, have long been popular ingredients in wines, pies, jams and jellies in many Southern homes and kitchens. I grew up eating them directly off the vine at my grandmother’s house but don’t know…

I grew up in the North Myrtle Beach area, and yet it took me 31 years before I learned about Ingram Dunes—that is a well-kept secret! The kids and I went for a drive yesterday (a favorite pandemic pastime) despite the afternoon showers, and we ended up coming across Ingram Dunes. I have been meaning to figure out where they were exactly located since last fall, and yesterday ended up being a good day to do that. These magnificent dunes were formed over 80,000 years ago and comprise one of the most natural green spaces on the beach side of…

This past week, for the first time since February, I ventured out to a couple of Myrtle Beach’s best kids’ attractions. We are season pass holders at Ripley’s Aquarium (located at Broadway at the Beach), so we started there. My plan was to visit right at opening on a Monday morning to ensure it would not be crowded—and we had the best time! After being home for nearly six months, the boys were thrilled to be out and about. They both wore their masks (as did I) and understood that if it was crowded, we might have to go home. However, with the…

This weekend brings two important dates for beachgoers everywhere—Saturday, June 20, is the official start of summer, and Sunday, June 21, is National Seashell Day! It’s fitting that these two dates happen within a day of each other, as summer at the beach (and especially Myrtle Beach) is the perfect opportunity to find some seashells. I’ve always enjoyed finding shells when I’ve gone to the beach, but never in the past set out with the intention to go searching for seashells. The recent quarantine due to COVID-19 changed that! Shelling is a…

As the Myrtle Beach area continues to reopen to visitors, we want to make sure our travelers are doing every thing they can to visit responsibly. Fortunately, there are many ways to safely social distance while visiting our shores! Here is a round-up of some of our favorite ways to make the most of your Myrtle Beach vacation while staying healthy: 1. Spend time on the beach! The beach is one of the easiest places to social distance, and sunbathers can enjoy the benefit of fresh air and sunshine while doing so. Just be sure to place at least 6…