Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, is the center of the Grand Strand—a 60-mi/97-km strip of clean, sandy shoreline that stretches from Calabash, North Carolina, to Georgetown, South Carolina.
But if you're looking for quiet ambience, be forewarned—Myrtle Beach has more in common with Orlando than Hilton Head, with its Broadway-style theaters, shopping outlets and challenging golf courses.
Myrtle Beach has been described as noisy, tacky and a tourist mecca, but never as boring. The main thoroughfare through Myrtle Beach and neighboring North Myrtle Beach, Highway 17, is called the "strip"—and for good reason. Especially during peak seasons, it is a traffic nightmare.
Some parts of Myrtle Beach—such as the boardwalk and Pavilion Nostalgia Park—hearken back to the classic vacation days of yesteryear, but the city has since gone through a growth spurt. Once strictly a summer destination, Myrtle Beach has added prime deals on accommodations and new attractions to reinvent itself as a year-round vacation hot spot.
Shoppers enjoy the outlet stores, specialty shops, flea markets and shopping malls; golfers love a great selection of more than 100 golf courses; and children thrill at the abundance of almost nonstop activity.
It has also become a popular destination because many area resorts offer package deals and golf vacations. If family fun is your desire, Myrtle Beach gives new definition to the thrill and enjoyment of a family vacation.
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