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.

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

Del Webb Myrtle Beach, SC

A Del Webb neighborhood will be opening in the Grande Dunes section of Myrtle Beach. At this time, I do not have much information. Stay tuned, and I will update this blog as I know more. Here is what I do know…

Del Webb Myrtle Beach, SC

  • Located at 62nd Avenue north and bordered by the Intracoastal Waterway
  • Amenities include a swimming pool, clubhouse, fitness center and a dedicated activities director
  • Access to all Grande Dunes amenities
  • 6 single family home floor plans (1600-2600 square feet, 2-4 bedrooms, 2-4 bathrooms)

If you would like to be added to my list for updated, please email me at Kathy@TeamRukat.com. Thanks!

Ocean View One Bedroom Condos in Myrtle Beach

Many ocean view one bedroom condos in Myrtle Beach are currently for sale. These condos can be great to purchase as an investment property or as a vacation spot for your family.

Ocean View One Bedroom Condos in Myrtle Beach

 

2000 S Ocean Blvd Unit 202 Myrtle Beach
Front View of 2000 S. Ocean Blvd., Myrtle Beach

Currently, I have 2000 S. Ocean Blvd., Unit 202, Myrtle Beach listed for sale at $49,000. This condo is located in the Bluewater Villas I on the south end of Myrtle Beach. Blue Water Villas I is across the street from Hurl Rock Park and the beautiful Atlantic Ocean. As an owner of a condo at Blue Water Villas, you have access to all the amenities at the Villas plus the amenities at the Tower. HOA fees ($402/month) include all utilities in your condo (electricity, phone, cable, internet, water/sewer and trash). This condo is accessible by stairs or the building elevator. Parking is allowed in the parking lot around the Villa and in the parking garage behind the building. Once inside Unit 202,

2000 S Ocean Blvd Unit 202 Myrtle Beach
Bedroom Area

you will notice a good size living room complete with sleeper sofa and flat screen TV. The living room connects to the bedroom, smaller sitting area and dining area by the galley kitchen. The full bathroom is located off the kitchen. In the bedroom area, you will have room for  queen-size bed, sitting area and dining area. You could also fit two queen-size or double-size beds if you removed the small sitting area. Off the bedroom is the spacious balcony with a great view of the Atlantic Ocean. Tile floors and “beachy” paint colors are throughout the condo. Laundry facilities are located in each Villa and across the street in the Tower. At the Villa, you will find a lazy river and outdoor pool. Additional water amenities, decks, a game room and restaurants can be found at the Tower.

Bluewater Resort Condos For Sale

Listings are updated daily. See something you like? Call/text Kathy Rukat right away at 843-267-2710.

“Helping You Find the Sandcastle of Your Dreams!”

Myrtle Beach

Myrtle Beach History

Myrtle Beach history dates back hundreds of years. The Myrtle Beach area was originally inhabited by the Waccamaw and Winyah Indians. You will notice driving around town that several places have names pointing to Indian heritage. The native Indian tribes named the land that is now Myrtle Beach “Chicora” meaning “the land”. Attempts to colonize the area failed until the English colonists settled here. Because of supply shipments, pirates soon followed and the coastal inlets proved to be great hiding spots. Local legends include Blackbeard and Drunken Jack, and their history is woven through the history of Murrells Inlet.

 

In the early 1900s, Myrtle Beach was not well inhabited but used, instead, as an area to farm timber. The first hotel, the Seaside Inn, was built in 1901. Amazingly, at the time, ocean front lots were sold for $25 a piece! If you built a home valued at $500 or more on the lot, you got a 2nd lot free! The land that we now know as Myrtle Beach was previously known as Long Bay, Withers and New Town. Still today, you will see the names Long Bay and Withers used throughout Myrtle Beach. The name was changed to Myrtle Beach after a local newspaper held a contest to change the town name. Myrtle Beach was chosen after the wax myrtle trees that grew wild in the area.

 

More development came about in the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s. The area’s first golf course, now known as The Pine Lakes International Country Club, was created along with the Ocean Forest Hotel. Not only was Pines Lakes the first golf course in Myrtle Beach, but Sports Illustrated was started there! At the time, the Ocean Forest Hotel was one of the finest hotels on the east coast and definitely the finest hotel in Myrtle Beach. The hotel was ocean front, 10-stories tall and consisted of 202 guest rooms, ballrooms, convention rooms, dining rooms and theater. The Ocean Forest Hotel was torn down in 1974.

 

Myrtle Beach Intracoastal WaterwayThe Intracoastal Waterway was opened in 1936. The Waterway brought personal recreation boats and commercial shipping to the area. In the 1940s, the Myrtle Beach Air Force Base was opened to train and for coastal patrols during World War II. The base brought an influx of people and businesses to Myrtle Beach and surrounding cities like Surfside Beach. The Air Force Base was closed in 1993 and subsequently redeveloped into The Market Common. The Myrtle Beach Pavilion, an amusement park, opened in 1949. In 1949, the historic German band organ and carousel were placed at the Pavilion. The Pavilion was closed in 2006.

 

Hurricane Hazel hit Myrtle Beach in 1954 and was a turning point for the area. Welcome to Myrtle BeachDevelopment came from the hurricane’s destruction. Myrtle Beach officially became a city in 1957. The 1960s brought the golf boom to Myrtle Beach, and Myrtle Beach grew to become “the Golf Capital of the World” with 100+ golf courses.

 

Today, Myrtle Beach consists of the city of Myrtle Beach and some surrounding areas that have Myrtle Beach addresses but are not located within the city limits of the town. The northern border of Myrtle Beach is the North Myrtle Beach/Myrtle Beach line (around Restaurant Row and Barefoot Landing) and the southern border stops at Surfside Beach. The eastern border of the town is the Atlantic Ocean and the western border of the town is the Carolina Forest area and the Intracoastal Waterway.

 

Myrtle Beach has many, many things to do…both outdoor activities and indoor activities. The two biggest attractions for the area are the beach and golf. Myrtle Beach has 40 beach access points and offers beach accessible wheelchairs at no charge from lifeguard stands. Each beach access point is a different size and has a different amount of parking. Parking meters are installed and enforced March 1st – September 30th from 9:00 a.m. to midnight. You can also visit the Myrtle Beach State Park which is nestled among live oak trees and located off of Hwy. 17 Business just south of the entrance to The Market Common.  As mentioned earlier, Myrtle Beach is known as “the Golf Capital of the World” and has more than 100 golf courses. Almost all of the golf courses in Myrtle Beach and the surrounding area are public. You can pick up passes to play at different courses through Myrtle Beach Golf Passport or play individual golf courses. Here is a list of golf courses in Myrtle Beach, but you can visit my other community pages to find golf courses in Pawleys Island, Murrells Inlet, Garden City Beach, Surfside Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Conway, Longs and Carolina Forest.

  • Grande Dunes – 2 golf courses…the Resort Club with 7 holes along the Intracoastal Waterway and the 18-hole Members Club designed by Nick Price
  • Whispering Pines – 6,771 yard golf course is just across from the Myrtle Beach Airport so you can play a round of golf as soon as you get in town
  • Midway – A par 3 golf course on the south end of Myrtle Beach. Catch glimpses of the ocean while you play.
  • Pine Lakes – Known as “the Granddaddy”, Pine Lakes is the oldest golf course in Myrtle Beach.
  • Myrtlewood – Two 18-hole courses, the Pine Hill and the Palmetto, wind around the Intracoastal Waterway and condo villas.
  • Dunes Club – A private country club featuring a golf course designed by Robert Trent Jones and a tennis facility.
  • Legends – 3 courses, Heathland, Moorland and Parkland, combine to make the Scottish-themed Legends course off of Hwy. 501.
  • World Tour – Play 18 famous holes and take a trip around the world all while staying in Myrtle Beach!

 

Myrtle Beach Attractions

Even the beach lovers need things to do other than go to the beach. Myrtle Beach has some great attractions to give you something to do on rainy days or when you have had a little too much sun!

  • Broadway at the Beach – Shopping, restaurants, shops and night life
  • Adrenaline Adventures – Experience the adrenaline rush of a zip line with views of the Atlantic Ocean
  • The Market Common – An urban shopping experience that includes clothing shops, home decor shops, restaurants, spas and movie theater. The Market Common also features a 1.1 mile lake, sidewalks throughout and sporting fields.
  • Pier 14 – The only restaurant and lounge directly above the ocean.
  • 2nd Avenue Pier – Open air bar and grill and the anchor of the Boardwalk
  • Carolina Opry – Calvin Gilmore’s Carolina Opry has been voted the #1 show for 27 years. Live shows 7 days a week.
  • Pirate’s Voyages – “The Most Fun Place to Eat” features a show filled with acrobatics, animals and new music by Dolly Parton.
  • The Boardwalk – The Boardwalk spans from 2nd Avenue North to 14th Avenue North.
  • The Skywheel – Get a panoramic view of Myrtle Beach and the Atlantic Ocean from the 200-feet above sea level on the Skywheel. The Skywheel is part of the Myrtle Beach Boardwalk.
  • Palace Theatre – Located at Broadway at the Beach, the Palace Theatre features many live shows, Broadway plays and musicals each year including Jersey Nights, Ron White, Christmas on Ice and Illusions of Magic.
  • Children’s Museum of South Carolina
  • Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament – Travel back in time to the 11th century and enjoy watching royal guests as they joust and entertain while King Don Carlos and Princess Catalina preside over a four-course meal.
  • Movie theaters at The Market Common and Coastal Grand Mall
  • Ripley’s Aquarium – Watch fish being fed, see sharks, stingrays and colorful fish while traveling on the moving walkway and touch stingrays
  • Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum
  • Family Kingdom Amusement Park – Myrtle Beach’s only ocean front amusement and water park
  • Myrtle Beach Pelicans – Enjoy a night or afternoon at the ballpark. The Myrtle Beach Pelicans are a Class A farm team for the Texas Rangers.

 

Myrtle Beach Shopping

  • The Market Common – A urban shopping experience with restaurants and shops. Market Common in Myrtle Beach
  • Coastal Grand Mall – Located just off Bypass 17, Coastal Grand Mall has many of your favorite stores
  • Tanger Outlets – Two convenient locations…Hwy. 501 and Hwy. 17 at Hwy. 22
  • Pink Cabana – Find Lilly Pulitzer, Vineyard Vines, Southern Proper, Southern Tide and High Cotton here
  • Ooh La La – A stationary store and shoe boutique.

 

Myrtle Beach Dining

Whether you are a yer-round resident or someone here on vacation, you will not go hungry in Myrtle Beach. Myrtle Beach has a mix of inexpensive restaurants and 4 star restaurants as well as different types of food. Here is a short list of some of our restaurants.

 

Myrtle Beach Grocery Stores

For nights when you would rather stay in and cook, you can pick up what you need at one of our local grocery stores.

  • Food Lion with locations on 13th Avenue South, the Myrtle Beach Flea Market shopping center (across from the Myrtle Beach State Park), Hwy. 501, 62th Avenue North, 76th Avenue North and Carolina Forest)
  • Lowes Foods on 82nd Avenue North and Carolina Forest)
  • Piggly Wiggly at The Market Common
  • Bi-Lo at 38th Avenue North

 

As you can see, Myrtle Beach as a lot to offer full-time residents and visitors. Myrtle Beach also has many different types of properties available – condos, townhouses, single family homes and vacation properties. Get the latest information about real estate for sale in Myrtle Beach by contacting Kathy Rukat at 843-267-2710. Sign up on my website to get the latest homes for sale in Myrtle Beach emailed to you.

 

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

 

Homes for sale in Myrtle Beach

Condos for sale in Myrtle Beach

 

Myrtle Beach Map

“Helping You Find the Sandcastle of Your Dreams!”

 

 

 

 

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!!

January Myrtle Beach Area Real Estate Market Update

January 2014 Myrtle Beach Market Update:
Single family homes sold include only detached homes. Condos include condos, townhouses and duplexes. The areas included are Conway, North Myrtle Beach, Myrtle Beach, Surfside Beach, Garden City Beach, Murrells Inlet, Litchfield Beach and Pawleys Island. 

224 single family homes were sold. The sale prices for those homes ranged from $39,000 to $1,840,000 with the average sale price being $237,426. These homes had an average days on market of 159 days.
 
199 condos were sold. The sale prices for these condos ranged from $26,000 to $1,025,000 with the average sale price being $146,303. The average days on market was 175.
If you have any questions about buying or selling real estate in the Myrtle Beach area, contact me by phone/text at 843-267-2710 or email me at Kathy@KathyRukat.com. Have a great day!
My goal for 2014 is to help 50 people buy or sell real estate in the Myrtle Beach area this year. If you have a friend, family member or neighbor with a real estate need in Myrtle Beach, would you recommend that they call me?

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.

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Kathy makes herself available at your convenience. She is exceptional about staying in contact with her clients and making sure they have all they need for their real estate transactions!

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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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