A complete guide to Charleston

Charleston has some of the greatest tourist attractions in the state of south carolina.

Let’s begin with some of the top restaurants you should visit when in Charleston, followed by popular activities and hotel options.

Food is one of the greatest draws in Charleston. Some of the best restaurants in the country are here. Some of our favorite restaurants are:

1)     High Cotton

2)     Anson’s

3)     Magnolia’s

Favorites

High Cotton is unbelievably good. They have nightly specials … my favorite is the prime rib special, which also comes with a delicious squash casserole.

Anson’s … wow. Order a filet mignon at this restaurant and you’ll wish that you could lick your plate in public.

If you want really creative Southern fare, go to Magnolia’s. They have great Southern takes on traditional dishes … For example, “Fried Chicken Cordon Bleu” or “Banana Budding Napoleon.” A must-try is their pimento cheese dip appetizer.

Other Popular Spots

As for some of the other popular restaurants in Charleston … Hymen’s is ok, but it’s mostly a tourist attraction. I personally love fried fish, but you can get good fried shrimp throughout the Carolinas, so this place is mostly only interesting because of all the famous people who have eaten there.

The Peninsula Grill is excellent and world-class, but it’s a little too swanky for my tastes.

Two popular restaurants I think are decent but overrated are S.N.O.B. and 82 Queen.

Stop Here if You Have Time

If you have time, also try to make it to Hank’s (great crab cakes!) and Bocci’s (delicious Italian)

If you ever visit for a charleston vacation, you will see that restaurants in charleston are some of the best and most delicious in the united states

Lodging

I’ve stayed in some of the historic inns, and they are very beautiful and quaint. However, many of them have a musty feel due to the nature of Charleston and the nature of old buildings. Hand’s down the BEST place to stay in Charleston is the HarbourView Inn.

The HarbourView Inn isn’t historic, and it’s a little pricy (though not much more than any place else in the city … and certainly lower than a few), but it is in THE best location. Beautiful view of the river. Very close to anywhere you want to go downtown, but unlike most of the inns that are on Meeting Street or right on top of the Market, it isn’t in such a busy or noisy area. I love this inn. The location, the service, the views, the amenities … I could go on. Also they serve wine and cheese every afternoon, and milk and cookies every night. I would live there if I could. It’s also beautifully designed and overlooks the riverfront park.

These and several other great options for hotels in charleston are more reasons why a vacation to charleston are so popular

To Do

History

Charleston contains an unbelievable amount of history … history significant to our country’s formation. There is no shortage of historic tours. I do the carriage tour almost every time I’m there. It’s always a pleasant excursion, and I learn some new, fun fact every time. The walking tours are awesome too! You can get very specific about the kind you want to do: pirates, civil war, ghosts. If you do the ghost tour, do one at night. It’s very fun and a little spooky!

Popular Spots

The Aquarium in Charleston is very popular. It’s great for kids and is better than most Aquariums I’ve been to, but beyond that it’s not a huge draw for me.

The Market is another big attraction, and I do go through it at least once each time I’m in Charleston. But it’s not the end-all-be-all. Definitely go through it, but don’t make it the centerpiece of your visit. You might find a few neat items, but it’s basically a flea market.

Shopping

As far as shopping goes, you have to spend some time on King Street. It’s filled with unique stores and antique shops.

Sightseeing

Don’t forget to spend some time just wandering around in downtown Charleston. It is so beautiful. The architecture, the palmettos, the waterfront battery … It’s all like something straight out of a movie. Some of the graveyards are interesting to walk through as well. You’ll find that many famous people from history are buried behind some of those churches … including some signers of the Declaration of Independence!

Don’t forget that there are many surrounding beaches and plantations in the Charleston area. Many of these are great to visit. However I hate leaving the downtown district for any reason once I’m down there!

Have Fun!

Almost anywhere you go or anything you do in Charleston is going to be fun and memorable. It’s a beautiful, charming city. The people there are incredibly nice and helpful. The food is the best anywhere, and the scenery and architecture are stunning. It is also steeped in history and legend. Have fun!

Get Up Close With The Sharks In Myrtle Beach

Slide along the glide path in Shark Tunnel, where you can watch sharks swim mere feet above your head. My little one loves to pet the sting rays and hold the horseshoe crabs.

Ripley’s Aquarium also has several live dive shows and feedings throughout the day (times are posted by the tanks). If you like to add an educational twist to your vacation the aquarium also offers various classes for all age groups.

Myrtle Beach Insider’s Tip: Although we enjoy visits all year long my favorite time is around the winter holidays when Christmas trees representing all 50 states are displayed throughout the aquarium.

What comes to mind when someone says Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, Golf, right?    Well, to a small group of hardcore anglers “SHARK” is the word that comes to mind.

Not for the Weak at Heart
The coast of the eastern seaboard from North Carolina to Georgia is prime hunting grounds for sharks, all types of sharks, and Myrtle Beach is no different. Fishing from the shores off Myrtle Beach can bring you many different types of sharks:

• Spinners
• Black Tip
• Tiger
• Sand Shark
• Lemon
• Bull
• Even an occasional Mako

And you don’t need to hire a large fishing boat to catch them. You simply need a kayak and some serious guts!

Now, lest you think shark fishing in a kayak is not a dangerous sport, consider that during the time of the fishing discussed in this article a 10 year old boy was rushed to a hospital with shark bites to the back of his head and his upper legs.

From reports, the boy did fine and recovered, but it clearly shows that this is not a sport without risk. And for the two weeks that our anglers were in Myrtle Beach this past August, red “shark warning” flags were readily seen up and down the beach. Additionally, sharks are caught daily by anglers who are surfcasting for Bluefish. The surfcasting caught sharks typically break off due to their sheer speed and strength coupled with the often pounding effects of the surf crashing against the beach, but they are caught fairly easily.

What Does it Take
During August of 1999 Charles “Chuck” Geary and his family headed down to Myrtle Beach in search of Spinner and Black Tip sharks (the two most commonly caught species). Two years prior I had the privilege to join them on their annual pilgrimage. During that year we hooked a number of sharks but failed to bring any to the beach. With a few more years of practice, Chuck and some friends have perfected the technique and have brought back pictures to prove it

Visit Myrtle Beach for all these great attractions

1110 Celebrity Circle
Myrtle Beach, SC 29577-7465
(843) 916-0888

These are the base prices for Aquarium tickets, but shop around for a deal and if you are local make sure you flash your local ID!

Single Aquarium Tickets

Adults (12 years and older) – $18.99
Children (Ages 6-11) – $9.99
Children (Ages 2-5) – $3.99

Related articles

• Myrtle Beach Offers Free Golf on Mother’s Day (eon.businesswire.com)
• Family Vacation – Coral Beach Resort & Suites, Myrtle Beach, SC – The Fun (momblognetwork.com)
• Sizzling Summer Beach Hot Spots (news.getaroom.com)

Top attractions for your Myrtle Beach vacation

Myrtle Beach is one of the best places you can visit and you go here to relax with all of your family members. Here then is a list of great things to do and why we like these activities and places – they are not too expensive and are an ideal way to spend your time on your south carolina vacation.

There are about 30 thousand residents at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina and they really enjoy the tourists. These residents open their hearts and doors to the millions of visitors who come for their Myrtle Beach vacation every single yearNorth Myrtle Beach Waves

From the beautiful beaches to the lovely golf courses, a Myrtle Beach vacation will provide you with an astounding number and quality of things to do.

This is the most exhaustive list of the favorite things to do on your South Carolina Vacation at Myrtle Beach:

Beaches and Water Sports in South Carolina

1. The Beaches of Myrtle Beach – obviously!!

There are more than 50 miles of beaches that provide hundreds of, if not more, beautiful relaxing spots to throw in your and enjoy the water and the weather. Regardless of the fact if you are just a short term visitor or a deep swimmer the sea or just a lounger you will definitely know that this is a paradise within a few hours of staying here.

2.North Myrtle Beach Waves

The North Myrtle Beach Waves waterpark provides tourists with water sports ranging from rafting to wave pools almost anything in between – just too many activities. If you kids with you, you can partake in the Bubble Bay with almost a 800 gallon volcano of water that will soak all the guests every few minutes.

You can find more information at http://www.myrtlewaves.com/

Myrtle Waves Water Park is located at the corner of 10th Ave N. & Hwy 17 Bypass near Broadway at the Beach. Our address is 3000 Mr. Joe White Ave (10th Ave N), Myrtle Beach, SC 29577.

They usually have special deals going on so check their website often.

Special discounts for groups. Admission fees are $24.95 for 7-54yrs, $14 for 3-6yrs and 55yrs and above. Admission for children younger than 3yrs is free.

3. Deep Sea Salt Water Fishing

The Sea Note Sport-Fishing Charters offers a complete guide with licensing and tackle included that allows you to enjoy a great and enjoyment full day of some deep-sea fishing along with all it’s fun and frolic. You can catch a big one while you are fishing there but be sure to take a photo here.

You can find more information at

Sea Note Sport Fishing Charter, Sea Note Sportfishing Charters

324 Flagstone Dr
Myrtle Beach, SC
riv29588-6104
Phone: (843) 655-3372

4.Apache Pier

Whether you plan to fish from the East Coast’s Longest Pier, relax on the beach, dance to nightly live entertainment, have a bite to eat at our oceanfront restaurant, enjoy Sunday services over the sound of the surf, or cruise the Strand on your Harley, you’re sure to have a memorable camping vacation!

Apache pier is the longest pier on the east coast. Many nights in the summer they have live entertainment. You can rent fishing polls and fish, or our favorite activity is watching to see what the people catch. You can see dolphins, sting rays and jelly fish in the water. They have a small arcade for the children to collect tickets and buy prizes. Very inexpensive.

During the summer season, the Apache Pier hosts lots of  live entertainment every  night from the beach and dance music events to the line dancing events and even the all fun karaoke.  The entertainment is very family and kid friendly and ensures that there are a lot of  dancers and singers drawn into the crown.  Seasonally, you will find several games such as pool etc.and  activities for kids like  tie dye crafts and the most famous of all – the fishing tournaments.

You can find more information at

http://www.apachefamilycampground.com/ or call them at

Toll Free: 800-553-1749
Local: 843-449-7323

5. Barefoot landing

Barefoot landing is situated  along the famous Intra Coastal Waterway in  North Myrtle Beach – this great and scenic place combines the beauty and the nature with  fun and the excitement of dining, shopping and lots and lots of entertainment along with special events for the whole of the family.  Waterfowl on their migratory paths, the very exotic fishes and all the wildlife call Barefoot Landing their home. This is one of the best places for your myrtle beach vacation.

The landing also has a lot of shopping, restaurants, attractions, and the famous Rocking Chairs to sit and enjoy the lovely waterway. Sometimes you may see crocodiles or you could feed the fishes, or even ride a full size carousel. While you rock on your chair, you  will see people sing and even dance.

The boardwalk is a really great place to stroll and the dock feels like an old fishing village.

Barefoot Landing is situated near some of the best North Myrtle Beach hotels and accommodations and that includesBarefoot Resort & Golf along with it’s  vast selection of condos and  beautiful golf courses.

http://www.bflanding.com

Family Activities and Dining

1. Family Kingdom Amusement Park

When on your south carolina vacation, it is recommended to set aside a day or two to visit the Family Kingdom. Here you can ride the roller coasters or take a spin on the Ferris wheel and taste many of the traditional southern food and you can then close the day  splashing in the water park.

2. Ripley’s Aquarium

When you go to the Ripley’s Aquarium you can see live sharks, dolphins, sting rays and so many other marine species. Here you can get experience touching the sting rays and horseshoe crabs. If you are really up for it and are bold enough you can even  sleep with the sharks.

3. Great Family Dining and Live Entertainment

Take a step back in time and make dinner a “knight” to remember at the Medieval Times Dinner and Theater. Enjoy an exciting evening of quality family entertainment set in the Middle ages. From spectacular horsemanship to thrilling swordplay, you’ll be delighted as you savor a four-course banquet served by your personal serf or a wench.

4.River City Cafe in Myrtle Beach

This is a resturaunt that is highly recommended by locals in Myrtle Beach. It’s a great place where you actually  your name on the walls – Perfect fries and cheeseburgers – probably the best in Myrtle beach. The dress code is relaxed and fun. You can either eat on the patio or inside the restaurant. For all the fun, the place is quite  inexpensive.

5.Dixie Stampede

The Dixie Stampede is a dinner show with live horses on an indoor ring. This is the best show you will see in Myrtle Beach. During the day you can go and visit each of the horses in outside stalls and take pictures. During the show the dinner is served without silverware, and the food is awesome. All families will enjoy this outing. This place is relatively expensive but a fantastic place that you must visit.

6.The Carolina Roadhouse

This restuaraunt is one of the best resturaunts in Myrtle Beach. The best dinner rolls anywhere.
A little upscale, but not to be missed.

7.Nagato Japanese Steak House

Nagatos is an excellent cook at your table Steak House. If you have never been to a resturaunt where the food is cooked in front of you, now is the time to try it. They usually oopen at 4pm, which starts an early bird special. Your family will enjoy the entertaining cooks, along with the outstanding food. You will not regret this dinner and entertainment choice.

8.Hard Rock Cafe and Broadway at the Beach

Hard Rock Cafe is shaped like a pyramid. Lots of stuff to see, although the music is a little loud. The food is okay, but the decorations are a must see. This is located at Broadway at the Beach, which is a huge shopping complex/imax theater/ Ripleys aquarium( this is good too, but pricey)/ adventure golf.

If you go to myrtle beach, gotta see it. It is really one of the most spectacular Hard Rock Cafe’s in the world.

Golf and Sports

1. Myrtle Beach Golf/Golf Capital of the South

Seeking the perfect course, or a tournament to enjoy? Myrtle Beach is the place to be! Spend a day on the greens at one of the myriad of professionally designed courses.

2. Safari Jeep Tours

Safari Jeep Tours is another don’t-miss activity. Embark on an adventure that lets you delve into local history, nature, wildlife and more on this three and a half hour tour.

Now that you know all about the excellent things to do and see in Myrtle Beach, you probably want to visit. Check out Myrtle Beach vacation rentals or hotels for cozy accommodations throughout your stay.

3. Wacama zoo

Wacamaw Zoo is a Do Not Miss, if you love animals. It is off the beaten path and very “mom and pop” . Many peacocks roam the property. You can feed some of the animals and is one of the best kept secrets in Myrtle Beach. ( extremely inexpensive and is a good ay out of the sun. Mostly Shaded)

Nascar Speed Park

The Nascar Speed Park has a lot of racing for kids of all “sizes”. They also have an arcade. It is a fun stop. It is a little pricey.

Cultural Activities

1. Historical Sites and Cultural Activities

Whether you prefer the blues or jazz, art museums or shag dance championships, there are many activities for culture fanatics as well.

2. Go to historic charleton for the day

It is about 1.5 hours south of myrtle beach. You park in Historic Charleston and choose a tour. These tours cost about $12 per person, but they are airconditioned, guided and allow some drop-off time to explore the city on foot. The narrated tours are excellent and worth the drive. You can also tour a battleship which is close by and well worth it, if you have never been to charleston. This will take up the entire day so plan ahead. Do not miss Charleton if you go to myrtle beach.

Shopping

And there’s a shop for everyone! From outlet malls to specialty shops and flea markets, you are certain to discover something you’d like to take home as a memento of your vacation.

Related articles

• Sizzling Summer Beach Hot Spots (news.getaroom.com)
• Family Vacation – Coral Beach Resort & Suites, Myrtle Beach, SC – The Fun (momblognetwork.com)
• Scenic Myrtle Beach Vacation Video
• Beach Vacations in North Myrtle Beach

A Myrtle Beach Vacation to cherish

Myrtle Beach is the home of the South Carolina Myrtle Beach Pelicans and the Carolina Opry and the pretty and very popular Convention Center. This is a very family oriented city and it features over a 1000 restaurants, over 100 golf courses and over 60 miles of soft, wide and wonderful beaches.

Myrtle beach is a top vacation spot for over 100 years and it boasts of plenty of premium shopping outlets and many ultra fine luxury department stores. With over 14 million folk visiting the Myrtle Beach area yearly, it is not really any wonder that this area is one of the more premier family vacation location for people all over the world.

The Broadway at the Beach – is a beautiful area that features over 350 acres of dining, shopping nightlife and hotels . You should stop in at Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville for a quick lunch or drink as you shop in great stores like Brook Street candy, and M.R. Ducks.

And when the sun sets here Broadway at the Beach really does come alive. The Celebrity square mixes many clubs in a single place. There is everything here – from country music, to electronica music and can be found in 4 adjacent rooms. And for the shopping essentials you have the Tanger Outlet Malls – the place to find cheap bargains.
There is the Adidas store, several Gap stores, Kenneth Cole, Land’s End – all these can be discovered at Tanger with their two convenient locations in the Myrtle Beach area.

Now for more fun – Myrtle Beach is sometimes known as the golf capital of the world

You can experience a few of the world’s most challenging golfing courses – many of which are designed to defend the natural habitat and the native wildlife of the area. With courses like these – for all experience range of golfers – Myrtle Beach offers a year-long weather for golf with great golf courses and greens that are made by internationally famous architects like Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Robert Trent Jones, and Greg Norman.

Family fun is the focus of Myrtle Beach with an abundance of activities that are designed to keep everyone interested during a Myrtle Beach vacation. There is the Ripley’s Aquarium, some Children’s Museum, several miniature golf grounds, and even a NASCAR raceway, all minutes away from your vacation hotel.

Brookgreen Gardens in Murrells Inlet is another great place – a short drive south from Myrtle Beach. Here you can discover the quintessence of the low country as you pass through historical marshlands and many other unincorporated areas. Murrell’s Inlet offers tourists many recreational pursuits in a lovely inlet setting and this includes deep sea fishing charters, individual ship rentals, scuba swimming, boat tours, parasailing, kayaking and jet skiing. There are two very popular annual events and they are the Fourth of July Ship Parade and the Blessing of the Inlet. The Mire Walk is a marsh-front setting and it offers spectacular views and wildlife.

Pawley’s Island is the southern most part of The Grand Strand and is often known as the oldest summer resorts on the east coast.

Pawley’s Island continues to be renowned for its shoeless, untroubled, relaxed life-style, which includes crabbing in the opposite streams, fishing, the stories of spooks, the rope hammocks and the untouched, unsophisticated, casual, pleasant stretch of wide beach and sand dunes. A vast array of local eateries and specialist shops are splattered throughout . Be certain to check out Pawley’s Island Hammocks and the Crab Cake lady shop.

When selecting your next holiday spot, don’t hesitate to plan a Myrtle Beach Vacation.

Myrtle Beach Vacation Spots – more than just a beach

Myrtle Beach has some of the most beautiful beaches in the world, but a Myrtle Beach Vacation does not only mean lounging on a beach – there is so much to do for you and your family.

Medieval Times at Myrtle Beach

While you are on your South Carolina Vacation – you must make it a point to visit Medieval Times  at Myrtle Beach – This place will take you back in time to a different era. One’s vacation in Myrtle Beach is not complete until one visits this spectacular entertainment show which happens live and has some of the most amazing special effects you will see and some real competitions. For more than 25 years Medieval Times and the nine castles that it operates all over the world has entertained people with their Hollywood style presentations. They have very authentic medieval tournaments – this place will take you back to the 11th century.

With your colorful coat of arms, you will sit in one of the many areas of their massive arena. And you can enjoy the four-meal course that is for royalty – and you will be implored to cheer for the knight that is wearing your coat of arms fighting for you. Before the main event, you can enjoy some beautiful stallions that are displayed and  some of the other smaller shows that are staged before the evening’s joust.

The excitement of all this will rise as you feast on a four course meal while you enjoying the fight for the title of champion – so you can honor your knight.

Fishing on your Myrtle Beach Vacation

Going fishing on a Myrtle Beach Vacation is very fun and it be done either off-shore or on-shore, just depends on what is more convenient for you. The channels and the creeks that go into Atlantic Ocean are mostly salt water based and hence Myrtle Beach is popular for saltwater fishing – not as much for freshwater fishing.

For this fishing trip, you will need a pyramid shaped weight to keep your rig based on the  bottom with a very different type of bait and tackle and since this salt water we are talking about here you must remember to rinse your reel with the fresh water every time it is used to prevent damage. The common kinds of fishes you can expect to catch here are  flounder, pompano, whiting, spot, bluefish and the channel bass- there are plenty of catches here because of the surf and because of the beach is accessible throughout the year.

The months of the fall season is usually a good time for fishing since it is less humid and is considered. You will see that deep-sea fishing at the Myrtle Beach area is a thrilling experience and a great adventure. You should know that some of the biggest and most well known fish catches can be traced to Myrtle Beach area – it is not surprising as the fishing is so great here.

Fishing on your Myrtle Beach vacation can be an enjoyable experience.

Visit Myrtle Beach Parks on your South Carolina Vacation

You can enjoy a great family picnic in some of the most scenic parks and recreational facilities on your Myrtle Beach Vacation. There are beautiful parks where you can experience a relaxing bike ride or enjoy some action packed horseback riding along the numerous nature trails and bike trails.

You can also find several baseball fields and tennis courts in most of these parks and there are recreational facilities were you can enjoy a game with your family and your friends. For the children there are Myrtle Beach parks like Hill Street Park that offer playgrounds and other activities.

For those sports fans, the J. Bryan Ford Recreation Center has four soccer and baseball and softball fields, indoor and outdoor basketball courts, roller hockey rink, four tennis courts and more. There are many parks that allow you to set up your tent and enjoy a great camping experience. There is plenty to do while on vacation in Myrtle Beach – other than just lounging around on it’s beautiful beaches.

Go Shopping at Myrtle Beach

You might feel your stay is too short once you get a chance to see the wide variety of shopping options available at Myrtle Beach. From shopping malls to factory outlets and even flea markets, Myrtle Beach is full of interesting places to purchase anything you can imagine. Delight in beautiful store windows and visit quaint shops along the miles and miles of boardwalk shopping that awaits avid shoppers. Or, you can go treasure hunting at one of Myrtle Beach’s fascinating flea markets.

Shopping venues in North, South and Centr

al Myrtle Beach can also be enjoyed when barefoot. And , you certainly can’t miss the endless streets of Grand Strand shopping communities like Little River, Windy Hill, Crescent Beach, Ocean Drive and Murells Inlet. There’s a special store that’s waiting for you in each of these small towns along the sixty-mile stretch of sandy beaches. Plus, you don’t have to worry about the non-shoppers; they’ll have plenty to do on the beach, golf courses or excellent amusement parks that can be found on Myrtle Beach.

These are some of the best know shopping places in Myrtle Beach area:

Next Page »