Grand Strand Season, Ep. 8: Six Places, One Long Weekend

GRAND STRAND SEASON · Episode 8 · Things to do

Fall is the best time for this route: fewer crowds, open patios, and free downtown parking in Myrtle Beach (Ep. 1).

Friday: Myrtle Beach

1. Broadway at the Beach opened July 4, 1995. It covers 350 acres around 23-acre Lake Broadway, with 20+ restaurants, 100+ shops, Ripley’s Aquarium and a 156-foot observation wheel. Ride the wheel at sunset.

2. The Market Common sits on the former Myrtle Beach Air Force Base, which closed in 1993. Today it’s an outdoor town center with shops, dining, a cinema, Valor Park and the EdVenture Children’s Museum. Good for a slow dinner.

Saturday: north

3. Barefoot Landing in North Myrtle Beach is on the Intracoastal Waterway, with boat day-docking and a pet-friendly policy. Bring the dog. (Paid parking in NMB runs through Oct. 31; see Ep. 2.)

Sunday: south to Murrells Inlet

4. Huntington Beach State Park: 3 miles of beach on 2,500 acres, 300+ bird species and Atalaya, a Moorish-style winter home that’s a National Historic Landmark. Adult admission is $8; Atalaya tours are $2.

5. Brookgreen Gardens, founded in 1931 by Archer and Anna Hyatt Huntington, combines American sculpture, gardens and a lowcountry zoo. During the holidays it holds Nights of a Thousand Candles.

6. The MarshWalk: a half-mile boardwalk over the salt marsh with seven restaurants and live music. End the weekend here.

Owners and businesses

Copy this route into your guest guide or your GrandStrand.app property page, and add your own favorite stop.

GRAND STRAND SEASON is GrandStrand.app’s running guide to living, visiting and doing business on the Grand Strand, from Little River to Pawleys Island. Previous: Ep. 7. Next: Ep. 9, the shoulder-season playbook.

📚 Read the whole storyline on the Boston Made Reader → Storylines · Find parking with Spot Check.

Rules, rates and dates change. We link the official source for each fact; check it before you rely on it.