The Atlantic Ocean at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina!
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina | 3/20/22 - 3/27/22
After visiting with the family in Georgia we headed east into South Carolina. We spent one night in the back parking lot of the Cracker Barrel in Columbia, SC (don’t need to do that ever again!), and the next day finally arrived at the Atlantic! Mike had never seen the Atlantic ocean and it was on the bucket list for sure. We arrived on March 20th and stayed at Briarcliffe RV Resort in North Myrtle Beach, which was very clean and comfortable. Myrtle Beach is a well established vacation destination and was quite lovely, colorful, and quirky. Briarcliffe had a walking path to the nearby development of Barefoot Landing, which has great shops and restaurants around a lagoon. We did some sightseeing and shopping and enjoyed some good seafood. All up and down the main drag you see the same recurring businesses: Miniature golf extravaganzas, multi-story beachwear shops, massive seafood buffets with kitschy lobsters or ships out front, over and over, literally on every block. We wondered how many tourists must come in the summer to support all these businesses!! There were dozens of mini golf courses - it is a thing in Myrtle Beach I guess (see pictures below)! We played an exciting round at the Peter Pan-themed mini golf in South Myrtle Beach before a seaside dinner and stroll on the beach. There are MILES of broad beaches in Myrtle Beach (and all along the mid-Atlantic coast) but unlike Galveston, the ocean is rarely visible from the street because of all the huge condos and hotels built along the beaches. The beaches were level with the water and very clean and white, We still had to bundle up however because the temperatures were still in the 60s. Our travels were keeping us at the front edge of spring as we moved along!
After enjoying a relaxing week-long visit, we were ready to continue our journey north toward New England.
You can actually stay overnight in a Cracker Barrel Parking lot for free but it feels like you are homeless! (ha ha) Mary noticed the sweet smell of wisteria, which was growing on the slope above the retaining wall next to us! So not all bad ;-)
Had breakfast at the Cracker Barrel - their breakfast is a bit better than lunches.
Harvey (our RV) can be seen in the background, behind the Cracker Barrel.
Mike thinks this is the last time he is eating at Cracker Barrel...(never did master the peg puzzle on the table - the best we managed was 3 pegs left)
First time entering the beach area to see and feel the Atlantic Ocean!
The Atlantic Ocean!! We've come a long way!!
Mike at Mega Tsunami beach wear store, typical of every mile of Myrtle Beach
fun photo op at Barefoot Landing shopping area
Bocci court at the Crooked Hammock at Barefoot Landing- we played!
from Barefoot Landing, North Myrtle Beach
extra large chess and checkers games on the grass...the checkers pieces were about a foot wide.
The mini golf courses were very complex and we wished we could have visited more of them. Myrtle Beach has 50 mini golf courses!
good seafood dinner with a view of the Atlantic, at the Sea Captain's House
one of the many elaborate miniature golf courses
another staple of Myrtle Beach: SUGAR!
sometimes the rv spaces where we camp require us to park sideways - it can be tight.
