South Carolina was really off our radar until 2009 when we took a trip to Myrtle Beach. That initial trip was with a lousy hotel that soured us for that trip but in subsequent years we made many a pilgrimage to that area and its beautiful beaches. It has become one of our favorite destinations, our go-to location, and we go most every year.
Cutest state sign yet
I grew up as a kid swimming in the ocean off Long Island, a section called Jones Beach which sported small waves. We went there often as a family and it was always fun and crowded. Spending time on the beach that first time in Myrtle Beach reminded me of those days and my wife loved it as well. She grew up as a kid going swimming in Champion Beach, a small lake, but the fond memories are the same. Myrtle Beach was definitely a tourist destination but we found that if you planned correctly it wasn't always so crowded. Whenever we go we spend hours sitting on the beach under an umbrella, getting out in the water and jumping waves, and walking up and down the beach looking for sea shells. We find it one of the most relaxing things we can do.
We tried out different seafood places up and down the coast
Checking out the piers
People love finding seashells
The beach is a great place for relaxing, even if it means just sitting on the beach under an umbrella and enjoying the wind in your face and the sound of the water. You can't quite get the same experience anywhere else and it's always worth the effort to get yourself there. The waves at Myrtle Beach are much smaller than those I remember up in New York, but two or three feet at least keep it interesting. The most exciting experience we had was last year when a lifeguard driving a Jeep up and down the water's edge shouting at people to get out of the water. We finally heard her exact words when she said "shark!" and we thought she must be joking, but sure enough five minutes later about twelve of them arced their way town the beach in a little parade. They never did get any closer than 50 yards but that was closer than we liked. It did make us appreciate those lifeguards.
Savannah was a picturesque place, some say haunted
Fire engines and police and ambulances, oh my
On another trip my wife wanted to check out the other two larger towns on the coast, Charleston and Savannah. I think we only drove around Charleston but we stayed several nights in downtown Savannah and walked around the area during the day. One morning we heard the fire alarm go off in the building and announcements telling us to quickly get down the stairs and outside. My wife told me to wait for her while she finished getting ready as she didn't want to be seen in her jammies. By the time she was ready all the trucks and cars were leaving and a small fire was handled. Had it been a large fire then we'd have perished for want of looking good.
Brookgreen Gardens
Bird sculptures
We also took a day to walk through Brookgreen Gardens, a collection of flowers and sculptures and animals. There were many cool things to take photos of and we did. A friend of ours had a relative there and got us tickets so it was an enjoyable trek. South Carolina has many worthwhile places to visit and it's right next door to Georgia!
Until next time,
Arktander
(aka David Andreasen)
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