2 days Ago
Vacationers headed to the Grand Strand are usually ready to jump right into the wide variety of tourist attractions and fun activities available in the heart of the Myrtle Beach — but some are hoping for the more laidback vibes served by up some quieter beach towns nearby. “It is a slower pace and we’re very different from our very large tourism neighbors Myrtle Beach and Charleston — that sort of is the beauty of it,” said Mark Stevens, director of tourism development for the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce. "I think that’s sometimes what people are looking for.
That doesn’t take away from anything that our neighbors are — they are unique in their own way." From the Georgetown County line up into Horry County to the North Carolina border, a more relaxed vacation awaits in beach towns like Pawleys Island, Murrells Inlet, Garden City, Surfside Beach, Atlantic Beach and Cherry Grove. Known as part of the Hammock Coast, the towns of Pawleys Island, Litchfield Beach, Murrells Inlet and Garden City sit in and along the edge of Georgetown County about 70 miles from Charleston and 25 miles south of Myrtle Beach.
“It’s a very generational vacation destination,” said Stevens. “There are people coming back here that their grandparents — and even in some cases their great-grandparents — came here. They stay in the same houses, eat at the same restaurants .
.. it’s a very family-oriented vacation.
” The Pawleys Island area was settled by rice planters in the 1700s and 1800s and still holds some history. With no hotels, only a few inns, but a number of rental properties, the possibilities for a relaxing spot are endless. Stevens said Pawleys Island is the oldest seaside resort in the country, which adds to its appeal.
Visitors to Pawleys also have the option of many eco-activities such as crabbing, kayaking and fishing, or just checking out the beautiful beaches from one of nine public beach access points along its coast. “An interesting thing we have seen and that people talk about — often people start with young families in Myrtle Beach and as everyone grows older, they almost graduate to coming down a little to the south,” Stevens said. A bit further north on the map, you’ll find Garden City, Murrells Inlet and Surfside.
Garden City straddles the line between Horry and Georgetown counties and offers access to where the inlet meets the ocean. Crabbing, fishing and watersports are popular on both sides. Many families come back to Garden City as a tradition each year, renting one of the many pastel-colored beach houses or condos along the shore.
The Garden City Pier is a popular place for families and fishermen alike, and sometimes a spotlight for live music and entertainment on warm nights. Family-friendly activities like the ever-popular golf cart parades are also on the calendar each summer. Murrells Inlet is well-known for its delicious seafood and the picturesque Marshwalk.
The area offers great watersport options and boat tours from the marina. The famous Brookgreen Gardens is down the road, as well as the popular coastal preserve of Huntington Beach State Park. Surfside Beach — sometimes called “The Family Beach” — encompasses two miles of oceanfront just south of Myrtle Beach.
The area was also named an autism-friendly travel destination. Twelve of the beach town’s 36 beach access points have showers and a restroom, making a family beach outing especially convenient for those with small children. Surfside hosts multiple festivals throughout the year, including a new Hula and Fire Dancer Show and a popular fireworks show for the Fourth of July, Up past the hustle and bustle of Myrtle Beach is Atlantic Beach, the first Black-owned beach community in South Carolina, according to the town’s website.
Dubbed the “Black Pearl” because of its rich Black history and wealth of Black-owned businesses, Atlantic Beach spans a four-block section of the north end of the Grand Strand between Myrtle Beach and North Myrtle Beach. Atlantic Beach was originally a beach dedicated as a Black community for those residents denied access to the other beaches in the area during the time of segregation. A number of Atlantic Beach residents are descendants of the Gullah Geechee community and the area is also dedicated to preserving their cultural history.
The beach is also famous for its yearly motorcycle rally, the Black Pearl Cultural Heritage and Bike Festival, that takes place during Memorial Day weekend. Heading further past North Myrtle Beach towards the North Carolina border lies Cherry Grove Beach, a three-mile stretch of beach that includes the 985-foot Cherry Grove Pier. Off that pier boasts some of the area’s best fishing, and a fantastic family-friendly fireworks show each July.
Cherry Grove boasts a handful of great beach eats as well as more upscale seafood establishments as well as Boulineau’s, a longtime staple store of the beach community. The two-story store has been a staple of the area in many forms since the late 1940s, and carries just about anything beachgoers might need, including fuel, hot food and clothing. “I think there is something about a beach that you call ‘your’ beach.
Once you’ve found your place ...
there’s something about that,” Stevens said..
