Enjoy the Beauty Around You from Murrells Inlet to Georgetown

You moved to an area filled with beautiful, natural surroundings and historical sites. To help you enjoy the beauty around you from Murrells Inlet to Georgetown, I created a list of a few places you should go see.

Brookgreen Gardens

Brookgreen Gardens is a 9,127 acre property located in Murrells Inlet and founded in 1931 by Archer and Anna Hyatt Huntington. It is listed as a National Historic Landmark and also listed on the National Register of Historical Places. During your visit, take in the botanical gardens, the sculptures, the Lowcountry Zoo and learn about Lowcountry history. Each season, the exhibitions  and special events change so check the website often. Nights of a Thousand Candles is a personal favorite! 

Driving Directions to Brookgreen Gardens 

Atalaya Castle

Atalaya Castle was originally built as the winter home of Archer and Anna Hyatt Huntington in the 1930s. To help the local economy during the Depression years, the Huntingtons employed locals to build the home as well as maintain the house and gardens. Anna Hyatt Huntington also used the home as her studio were she sculpted bears, horses, dogs and other animals. During World War II, Atalaya Castle was used by the United States Air Corps as barracks. Now, Atalaya Castle is part of the Huntington Beach State Park and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In addition to tours and weddings, the Atalaya Arts and Crafts Festival is held annually.

Driving Directions to Atalaya Castle


📷 Photo Credit: Kara Stovall Photography – Kara is a local photographer if you need family pictures.

Huntington Beach State Park

Huntington Beach State Park is a 2500 acre state park located in Murrells Inlet across Hwy. 17 from Brookgreen Gardens. The state park features 3 miles of pristine beaches (head to the north beach and walk north to see the Garden City Beach Point and the jetties), surf fishing, walking trails and camping. In addition to some of the best bird watching in the state, you can also spot alligators, loggerhead turtle nests and other endangered plants and animals. You can also explore the Huntington Beach State Park Nature Center. You can pay per visit to access the Park or you can purchase an annual pass that will also allow you entry into all state parks in South Carolina. 

Driving Directions to Huntington Beach State Park

Myrtle Beach State Park

The other state park in our area is Myrtle Beach State Park which opened in 1936 built by the Civilian Conservations Corps. The Park is located on the south end of Myrtle Beach near the Market Common. The highlight of the park is 1-mile of beautiful beach where you can fish from the fishing pier or surf fish. If you would like to stay overnight at the park, they have 278 camping sites and well as six cabins built by the CCC for rent. Other activities at the Myrtle Beach State Park include walking trails, playground equipment, bird watching and a nature center. You may also be able to see loggerhead turtle activity during sea turtle season. Horse back riding is allowed from the third Saturday in November to the last day of February. As with Huntington Beach State Park, you can purchase an annual pass or pay per visit. 

Driving Directions to Myrtle Beach State Park

Oyster Landing

Oyster Landing is a dirt road located just north of the Huntington Beach State Park entrance in Murrells Inlet and is named for the oyster recycling area. Keep driving past the oyster recycling area and you will reach a small parking area at the inlet. The size of the parking area depends on the tide. Oyster Landing is a great place to drop in your kayak or paddleboard, launch a small fishing boat or fish from the shore. 

Driving Directions to Oyster Landing

Hobcaw Barony

Hobcaw Barony is 16,000 acres of land that was formerly a working plantation but is now a research hub. The Hobcaw House and surrounding land is owned by the Belle W. Baruch Foundation, a private non-profit foundation. The Foundation preserves the cultural history and natural environment of Hobcaw Barony for research and education. Many notable guests stayed in the home including Winston Churchill and Franklin D. Roosevelt. Tours of the property include a two-hour bus tour, the North Inlet Boat Tour, Villages of Hobcaw Barony, several Hike Hobcaw tours, boat tour and more. 

Driving Directions to Hobcaw Barony

City of Georgetown

The City of Georgetown is full of history. Georgetown, founded in 1729, is the third oldest city in South Carolina (Charleston and Beaufort are older). Indigo and rice grew well in Georgetown and helped grow the economy. Georgetown is also well known because of the battles and unconventional warfare between Francis Marion (aka The Swamp Fox) and the British Army during the Revolutionary War. Today, learn about Georgetown’s history by walking around the Georgetown Historic District (there are some beautiful homes!), taking a trolley tour of the city or enjoying one of the other tours. When it is time to eat, try one of the many great restaurants in Georgetown. 

Driving Directions to Georgetown

I hope you have a few places from this list you would like to visit and you can enjoy the beauty around you from Murrells Inlet to Georgetown. There are many more! As you visit, let me know your favorites places and any places not on the list. I’ll share those with other clients.

See you around town!

PS…If you are up for a day trip or a short get-away for the weekend, drive south on Hwy. 17 to Charleston.

Beach Renourishment in Garden City Beach SC

2019 brings another beach renourishment in Garden City Beach SC along with projects in Surfside Beach and North Myrtle Beach.

 

BEACH RENOURISHMENT IN GARDEN CITY BEACH SC INTERACTIVE MAP

 

Why is Beach Renourishment Important?

As mentioned in a 2018 blog post regarding beach renourishment, tourism supports the local economy in Horry and Georgetown Counties. Our beaches and access to our beaches are a big part of our economy. In addition to being a large tourist attraction, the beach dunes also protect valuable beach front assets and are home to many coastal plants and animals.

Who Decides to Renourish the Beach?

The Army Corps of Engineers control beach renourishment projects and timelines. Our area is served by the Army Corps of Engineers, Charleston District, and beaches are renourished every 6-8 years unless we have a major storm event during hurricane season. After major hurricanes, the Army Corps of Engineers personnel visit the area and assess the situation for erosion and create a plan of action. Erosion from Hurricane Florence in 2018 created the need for the current beach renourishment project.

Where and When?

This project started in North Myrtle Beach in May and moved to the south end of the beach (Garden City Beach and Surfside Beach) in June. During the renourishment project, small sections of the beach will be closed. However, ALL OTHER BEACHES remain opened. To keep up with where the work is happening, visit this interactive map provided by the Army Corp of Engineers. My understanding is that contractors are working 24/7 unless weather or mechanical issues cause a stop in work. They hope to have each closed section closed only for 2-3 days. You may see pipes outside of the closed sections. You can safely cross these pipes where “sand ramps” have been built.

Will My Vacation Be Impacted?

The short answer is “it is possible”. It is possible that during your stay, the beach directly in front of your rental home or condo may be effected by the renourishment work and closed. However, the crews are moving quickly and each section is planned to be closed only for 2-3 days. All other beaches will be open, so you can easily walk up or down the beach to another public beach access. Public beach access points in Horry County and Georgetown county as well as those in Surfside Beach are marked with signage. You can also find links to public beach access points at the following links…

Horry County Public Beach Access Points
Surfside Beach Public Beach Access Points
Garden City Beach (Georgetown County) Beach Access Points

What about the Sea Turtles?

One very neat thing about living in this area is keeping up with the sea turtles…new nests in the spring/summer and nest hatchings in the summer/fall. This beach renourishment project is occurring during the nesting time for sea turtles. Because sea turtles are endangered species, the contractor will have to follow the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammals Protection Act. Also, members of S.C.U.T.E. (South Carolina United Turtle Enthusiasts) have relocated some nests that were in the beach renourishment area to spots outside the renourishment project. S.C.U.T.E. volunteers also walk the beaches each morning looking for newly laid nests. To find out more about S.C.U.T.E. and follow the turtle nests in our area, follow the S.C.U.T.E. Facebook Page or the Garden City Surfside S.C.U.T.E. Group.

Videos

Below are some videos I took of the beach renourishment project in Garden City Beach.

I know the beach closures and the noise from the renourishment project can be a nuisance. Do remember that this slight inconvenience helps our community and your vacation spot out in the long run. Also, the renourishment projects pulls up all kinds of shells that you normally do not see and more shells than you normally see. Hit the beach and see what you can find!

“Helping You Find the Sandcastle of Your Dreams!”

2018 Horry County Beach Renourishment Project

Quick Facts about 2018 Horry County Beach Renourishment

  • Total cost of about $34.8 million
  • 5 month timeline
  • 1.4 million cubic yards of sand
  • 8 miles of Myrtle Beach
  • 4 miles of Surfside Beach and Garden City Beach
  • 2 miles of North Myrtle Beach

2018 Horry County Beach Renourishment Project

UPDATE - The City of Myrtle Beach has added an interactive map to their website so you can see the progress of the beach renourishment project.

Why is beach renourishment important? In Horry County, tourism supports our local economy. The beach is a large attraction for tourists. However, the beach and dunes also create a habitat for coastal plants and animals including sea turtles and shore birds. The beach also protects the ocean front structures.

The 2018 Horry County beach renourishment project started on August 1, and it is expected to cost $34.8 million. The initial stages of the project include installing the pipeline that will pump sand from the ocean to the shore. The project, run by the Army Corps of Engineers, will take approximately 5 months and will start in the Horry County section of Garden City Beach. The timeline could be extended due to bad weather or hurricanes. During the project, 1.4 million cubic yards of sand will be moved from the ocean to the beach.

Small sections of the beach will be closed during the renourishment so it is important to know where and when the renourishment will be happening.

  • Surfside Beach and Garden City Beach - August 15 to September 8
  • Myrtle Beach - September 12 to November 11
  • North Myrtle Beach - November 12 to mid-December

After the renourishment project is completed in your area, hit the beach and look for shells. The beach always has more shells and different shells than you normally see after a renourishment project.

Beach at Hungtington Beach State Park

Where to Watch Fireworks in Myrtle Beach and Murrells Inlet on July 4th, 2014

You’re lucky enough to be on vacation in Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Garden City Beach, Surfside Beach, Murrells Inlet or Pawleys Island for July 4th 2014. What do you do and where are the best places to see fireworks? Fortunately for you, this area has many fireworks displays and has many types of parades…think golf carts and boats.

 

Salute from the Shore returns for another year!! Salute from the Shore is a non-profit group that organizes a flyover of the beaches in South Carolina. This year is the 5th annual flyover, and each year it is a big hit. Vintage military planes will depart from North Carolina at 1:00 p.m. and head south to Hilton Head. Hit the beach decked out in red, white and blue and watch this beautiful display of military appreciation. Organizers are asking anyone that posts pictures or videos to Facebook and Twitter to use the hashtags #salute5 or #SaluteFromTheShore. These hashtags will also help keep people down the beach updated! Approximate flyover times are as follows…


1:00 p.m. – Cherry Grove Pier
1:02 p.m. – North Myrtle Beach
1:05 p.m. – Apache Pier
1:07 p.m. – 14th Avenue Pier
1:09 p.m. – Springmaid Pier
1:12 p.m. – Surfside Pier
1:16 p.m. – Murrells Inlet Jetty
1:18 p.m. – Litchfield Beach
1:19 p.m. – Pawleys Island

 

North Myrtle Beach

Check out the fireworks over the lake at Barefoot Landing (4898 Highway 17 South) in North Myrtle Beach starting at 10:15 p.m. Admission is free.

 

Farther north on the Cherry Grove Pier (3500 North Ocean Blvd.), fireworks will start at 9:00 p.m. or 9:15 p.m.

 

Myrtle Beach

Starting at 10:00 p.m., Broadway at the Beach (1325 Celebrity Circle, Myrtle Beach) will start their fireworks display. Admission is free.

 

Family 4th at The Common is a first 4th of July celebration for The Market Common. The event kicks off at 4:00 p.m. and ends at 9:00 p.m. While there will be no fireworks, there will be face painting, musical entertainment, balloon artists, a beer garden for adults and food vendors lining the streets. No 4th of July event is complete without a parade of some sorts. This parade will be in typical beach lifestyle…a parade of golf carts! The event will end with “The Field of Dreams” showing under the stars in Valor Park.

 

Croissants Bistro and Bakery is again holding their cupcake eating contest. Starting at 4:00 p.m. on July 4th, contestants will have 4 minutes to eat as many cupcakes as they can. The winner will take home $500+ in tickets to Myrtle Beach area attractions and restaurants.

 

Surfside Beach

The Town of Surfside Beach will be celebrating the 4th of July at the Surfside Beach Pier from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. You will be entertained by “Garth and Friends”, t-shirts will be available for purchase, the first 500 kids get free ice cream and fireworks will start at 9:30 p.m. Be sure to bring a beach chair!!

 

Murrells Inlet

One of my favorites is the Murrells Inlet Boat Parade. The start time of the parade varies from year-to-year and depends on the tide. This year, the parade will start at The Point in Garden City at noon. The parade will weave around through the inlet and The Marshwalk and end at the Jetty View Walk (behind The Hot Fish Club and King Street Grille). The best places to watch the boat parade are on The Marshwalk, Belin Methodist Church and the Jetty View Walk. Get there early…the spots closest to the water fill up fast!! If you want a t-shirt to commemorate the parade, Boy Scout Troop 396 will be selling them at Booty’s Outdoors and Garden City Realty.

 

After you enjoy your afternoon and dinner, come back to The Marshwalk for the fireworks display starting at 10:00 p.m. Again, anywhere on The Marshwalk, Belin Methodist Church and the Jetty View Walk are good spots to catch the show. You can also see the fireworks well from the Morse Park Landing (next to The Hot Fish Club) and the Marlin Quay Marina.

 

Pawleys Island

The 48th annual Pawleys Island 4th of July Parade will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Watch the parade by lining the streets of Myrtle Avenue or enter your “float” (boat, truck or car as long as it is decorated in red, white and blue!!) into the parade. To enter a float in the parade, contact the Pawleys Island Town Hall.

 

I hope everyone has a wonderful and safe 2014 July 4th!! Where will you be watching fireworks this year? From North Myrtle Beach to Myrtle Beach and south to Murrells Inlet and Pawleys Island, there are plenty of fireworks, parades and flyovers to see!!

Garden City Beach, SC

Garden City Beach is an unincorporated town partially in Horry County and partially in Georgetown County. Garden City Beach is just south of Surfside Beach (South Ocean Blvd. in Surfside Beach become North Waccamaw Drive). The borders of Garden City Beach are Surfside Beach to the north, the Murrells Inlet tidal creek to the west, the mouth of Murrells Inlet and the jetties to the south and the Atlantic Ocean on the east. Garden City Beach is only a few miles long and not even a ½ mile wide. While Garden City Beach does not have a governing body, the Garden City Beach Community Association organizes several events throughout the year and also works on town beautification.

Garden City Beach, SCThe main attraction in Garden City Beach is the beach! Because there are not many high-rise hotels…especially on the south end of Garden City Beach, the beaches are not as crowded as the beaches in Myrtle Beach. Watch out at high tide though…there’s not much beach! Many days when crossing the marsh on Atlantic Avenue, you will see people crabbing in the marsh or fishing off the marshwalk. Surfers get together at the Garden City Pier for surfing competitions throughout the year or just to catch a few waves. Leave the beach long enough to walk up to Sam’s Corner to grab a hot dog or hamburger and a drink.

After a long day at the beach, you can eat at one of the local seafood restaurants, Sara’s J’sMarsh in Garden City Beach, SC and Gulfstream Cafe. Both offer beautiful views of the marsh! At Gulfstream Cafe, you can dine while watching the sunset over the marsh and listen to live music. Sara J’s is a family owned seafood restaurant and serves local seafood along with steaks. In the summer, visit the Garden City Beach Pavilion, Arcade and GiGi’s Grill, a go-cart track and a few carnival rides in the summer. Drinks can be found at any local restaurant to the Garden City Beach Bar and Grill or Causeway Grill and Raw Bar.

The Marlin Quay Marina is a full service marina offering charter fishing, parasailing and extreme blaster jet boat rides. The marina also has a convenience store so you can pick up snacks and drinks to take with you for you day on the water and their grill opens each year in May for lunch.

If you need to go grocery shopping and do not want to venture out on Business 17, drive your golf cart up Atlantic Avenue to Kroger’s. You’ll be able to get all the groceries you need for a great weekend or week at the beach and a cup of Starbuck’s to go! While you are out, visit the Village Surf Shoppe for all your surfing needs and a new pair of Rainbow flip flops, a much needed accessory in Garden City Beach. After a long, lazy day at the beach, visit Painter’s Ice Cream at one of their two Garden City Beach locations (one of Business 17 and one on The Pier).

For the golfers and putt-putters in your group, visit the Tupelo Bay Golf Center. There you will find an executive course, a lighted Par 3 course, driving range, putting green and 2 18-hole miniature golf courses.

The ocean, tidal creeks and marsh land of Garden City Beach is now home to many full-time residents and the short-term home of people from across the country looking for some relaxation. In Garden City Beach, you can purchase anything from a small condo to use for your vacation home to a 7+ bedroom oceanfront beach house. Properties here can have views of the water, both ocean and marsh, and often are dotted with Spanish moss covered oak trees that are hundreds of years old or Palmetto trees to remind you that you are at the beach. Prices on condos and single family homes range from $64,000 to $2,500,000. Get the latest information about real estate for sale in Garden City Beach by contacting Kathy Rukat at 843-267-2710. Sign up on my website to get the latest homes for sale in Garden City Beach.

Start your search now and find your dream home. When you are ready to buy real estate in Garden City Beach, Kathy Rukat is here to provide you with the best service and make you a client for life.

“Helping You Find the Sandcastle of Your Dreams!”

Map of Garden City Beach

About

Kathy Rukat Smith with Palmetto Coastal Homes serves all the areas of the Grand Strand.

  • North Myrtle Beach
  • Myrtle Beach
  • Surfside Beach
  • Garden City Beach
  • Murrells Inlet
  • Litchfield Beach
  • Pawleys Island
  • Carolina Forest
  • Conway

 

Kathy Rukat Smith is a resident of Murrells Inlet and loves everything living at the beach has to offer. She has been selling real estate since 2004.

Kathy uses her local real estate knowledge, technical skills, local connections and strong internet presence to exceed your exceptions and help you succeed in the fast-paced Myrtle Beach real estate market.

Reviews

Cathy and Jim Hurt

Kathy was so friendly and outgoing. Working with her was an absolute pleasure. She was prepared and knowledgable. She even prepared us for the transition to life in South Carolina, including how and when to go to the DMV. Our previous home was 500 miles away and she took the time to create a virtual tour of our new house so that we could watch the progress. Thank you Kathy for all of your hard work!

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Contact

Kathy Rukat Smith with

Palmetto Coastal Homes

4214 Mayfair Street, Suite F, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577

(843) 267-2710
Kathy@TeamRukat.com

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