10 Fun Facts About Myrtle Beach and the Grand Strand
As a world-class vacation destination offering 60-plus miles of beautiful beaches and an amazing assortment of fun, family-friendly activities, the Myrtle Beach area is known to travelers far and wide as a great choice for coastal getaways. But there are a lot of fascinating facts about the Grand Strand that few beyond locals and regular visitors are aware of — and some might surprise even them.
How much do you know about the Myrtle Beach area? Read through these 10 fun facts to see if you learn anything new about the Grand Strand:
- Behind the names — The term “strand” used to refer to an area of land that borders a body of water — and with 60-plus miles of Atlantic Ocean coastline, the Grand Strand is certainly a sizable (or “grand”) one. Myrtle Beach, on the other hand, was named for the wax myrtle trees that are a familiar find in the area.
- A popular place to visit — Each year, more than 19 million people visit Myrtle Beach area. To accommodate them all, the area is home to more than 400 hotels and 180,000 accommodation units.
3. A Peak-Season Population Jump — During Myrtle Beach’s peak summer tourism season, the local population hits highs of nearly 350,000 people — a nearly 10-fold jump from the “off-season”/year-round population of just over 38,000.
- An Excellent Place to Eat — To keep all the locals and visitors well-fed, roughly 2,000 restaurants serve the Myrtle Beach area. Of course, with the Atlantic Ocean in the backyard, fresh seafood is a leading area cuisine, with “Calabash style” (lightly battered, then deep-fried to a golden brown) being a unique local cooking method. But there’s lots more than seafood to enjoy, as dishes originating from all over the globe can be found on the Grand Strand.
- A Sunny (and temperate) Seaside Retreat — The Myrtle Beach area experiences an average of 218 sunny days each year, a welcome jump from the U.S. average of 205. The area’s average temperatures throughout the year range from 60 degrees during the winter months to 85 degrees during the summer months.
- Famous Natives — Celebrities who hail from the Myrtle Beach area include Vanna White of “Wheel of Fortune” fame (born in North Myrtle Beach), award-winning director of “Primer” and “Upstream Color” Shane Carruth (born in Myrtle Beach) and “Forrest Gump” actor Christopher Jones (born in Myrtle Beach). Pro golfer Dustin Johnson, a native of Columbia, South Carolina, went to college at Coastal Carolina University in nearby Conway.
- Where a Sporting Standard Got Its Start — The initial plans for the well-known sports publication Sports Illustrated Magazine were made at Myrtle Beach’s first golf course, Pine Lakes Country Club, in 1954. A plaque memorializing the milestone, which happened during an editorial retreat in the area for a group of Time Inc. publishing executives, can still be seen on the course today.
- A Premier Park — South Carolina’s first state park, Myrtle Beach State Park, was opened in the area in 1936. It was one of 16 South Carolina State Parks that were built by the Civilian Conservation Corps, an element of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal that was designed to create jobs for Americans during the Great Depression.
- A Great Place for Golfing — Known as the “Golf Capital of the World,” the Myrtle Beach area is home to nearly 75 golf courses, a number of which are widely considered to be among the nation’s best and have made repeat appearances on national golf publications’ “top courses” rankings.
- … And Playing the Game on a Smaller Scale — The Myrtle Beach area is also a world-class destination for mini-golf enthusiasts. In fact, it boasts more mini-golf courses per square mile than any other destination, and the U.S. Pro Mini Golf Association’s Masters’ Tournament is held in North Myrtle Beach each year.
An Undeniable Winner for Grand Strand Getaways
Another fact that veteran Grand Strand vacationers can confirm: MB Resorts’ wide range of Myrtle Beach area resorts and properties can deliver the perfect accommodations for your next Grand Strand getaway. To choose the option that suits your vacation party best, book your MB Resorts stay today!