Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, was historically a modest seaside town with no more than a few charming beachside cottages to mark it as a vacation destination. Those days are long gone, and it has evolved into a dynamic coastal resort, replete with high-rise hotels and condos. The crepe myrtle trees that gave the town its name are still present - if a little eclipsed by the developments - but Myrtle Beach has become one of the region's most popular family resorts.
The town boasts a variety of activities that keep the nation's sunseekers coming back. Beaches and boating are the main stocks-in-trade, with a healthy selection of golf courses also in the mix. The beaches help give the area its nickname, the Grand Strand, the strand in question being some 60 miles of pristine sands from North Myrtle Beach down to Pawleys Island, a silk-smooth stretch that welcomes sunbathing, strolling, and biking. The Grand Strand is much more than the sum of its beaches, though, and Myrtle Beach and the surrounding neighborhoods are ripe for exploring.
Wander around lush, tropical botanical gardens, art galleries that reflect the changing colors of the region, a number of theaters showing family-friendly shows, and shopping that offers everything from high-end designer labels to seaside curios. The Southern culture here is unmistakable, apparent in the pace of life as well as the local cuisine. Menus promise succulent barbecue and some of the freshest seafood you'll find anywhere.
South Carolina has its upscale destination, with Charleston and Hilton Head delivering a sense of refinement. Myrtle Beach, though, is much more democratic, featuring a resort town that caters to a range of budgets with family-oriented attractions. Sit back among the miles of soft sands, while kids build sandcastles around you, in the shadow of the SkyWheel Ferris wheel, and know that life is good here.