While Myrtle Beach is renowned for its 100 kilometres of coastline (with some of America’s best beaches), dozens of top-rate golf courses, shopping, and low country cuisine, the South Carolina city and its 14 distinct communities are also home to a thriving arts and culture scene, thanks to a plethora of historical museums, art galleries, beautifully landscaped gardens, tours, and live theatre.
And Fall on the Grand Strand – dubbed the “summore season” – is a great time to experience it, say city officials.
“Summer lasts a bit longer in the Myrtle Beach area, which makes it one of the best times for a visit to experience arts and cultural activities,” says Karen Riordan, president and CEO of Visit Myrtle Beach. “The Grand Strand is rich in history, creating a strong cultural landscape with endless stories to share with our visitors and residents alike.”
Here is a suggested list 10 arts and culture experiences in Myrtle Beach guaranteed to enrich any visit to the city, and expand the experience beyond the beach and golf course:
1. Take a Gullah Tour from artist and storyteller Zenobia Harper at Hopsewee Plantation. Located at the former home of Thomas Lynch, Jr., a signer of the Declaration of Independence, this tour focuses on the enslaved African experiences at the plantation and how they contributed to the wealth and influence of colonial South Carolina.
2. See new art at the Myrtle Beach Art Museum. Admission is free at this historic museum with two new exhibits featured through the end of the year: woven paintings by Chellis Baired and oil, watercolour, and coffee paintings by Reynier Llanes.
3. Learn about the indigenous Waccamaw Indian people at the Horry County Museum. The exhibit titled The Waccamaw Indian People: Past, Present and Future features the history of the Waccamaw Indian people and their enduring culture through the display and interpretation of the belongings and personal stories integral to their Native American heritage. Admission is free and the exhibit will remain open through January 2022.
4. Get a ticket to a live entertainment show. Take your pick between Motown, comedy, dance, sword fighting, pirates and more! Myrtle Beach has a variety of live entertainment options daily. As of Nov. 1, holiday themed shows are in full swing and will run through the end of the year.
5. Paddle in a kayak and learn about the pirates that traveled the historic Inlet waters. Combine history and nature with one of Black River Outdoors guided salt marsh tours. Learn about the ecology of the salt marshes in the place where Blackbeard and other pirates of the high seas stashed their treasures.
6. Visit Bees, Fiber Art and 9/11 Exhibits at Brookgreen Gardens. Considered the largest collection of American figurative sculpture in the nation and on the site of four former rice plantations, Brookgreen Gardens is a must at any time, but this scenic site also has regular rotating exhibits that make it all the more desirable for art enthusiasts.
7. Take a tour of a historic Lowcountry castle. Atalaya Castle was the former winter home of industrialist and philanthropist Archer M. Huntington and his wife, the sculptor Anna Hyatt Huntington. Located inside Huntington Beach State Park, self-guided tours are available year-round to explore its unique Moorish Revival architecture just steps from the beach. Organized tours are available through October.
8. Learn the art of glass blowing at Conway Glass. For handcrafted ornaments, holiday décor and custom goods, Conway Glass is known for their one-of-a-kind glass products you can’t find anywhere else in the area. Established in 1986, visitors can explore the glass blowing studio, venture into the gallery or take a special class to learn about the glass blowing process.
9. Ride a trolley for a historical tour of Myrtle Beach. Climb aboard a climate-controlled trolley and discover Myrtle Beach’s history through four different tours. The history, movies and music tour highlight the coming of age of Myrtle Beach in the mid-20th century with stops that include the Charlie’s Place Historic Site that was once a part of the Chitlin’ Circuit and includes a motel that was listed on the Green Book.
10. Experience harvest at the only African American historical living farm in the United States. Freewoods Farm is a 16-hectare living farm replicating life on small southern family farms owned and/or operated by African Americans between 1865-1900.
TRAVEL AGENT CONTEST
To celebrate the return of Canadians and in appreciation of the travel agents who book them, Visit Myrtle Beach is running a trivia contest for Canadian travel counsellors in which one grand prize winner will receive a $500 Visa gift card while five others will receive destination swag bags. The contest ends Nov. 30; to enter, click HERE.
