Myrtle Beach is a vacation and retirement community located in Horry County, South Carolina. Although Myrtle Beach is known for its many activities during the warmer months, you'll also find many unique activities during the winter. In addition to the popular attractions that are often visited during the summers such as NASCAR SpeedPark, Myrtle Waves Water Park and Ripley's Aquarium, winter visitors to Myrtle Beach enjoy birding, horseback riding and a range of musical events.
Enjoy horseback riding on the equestrian trail in Myrtle Beach State Park. The trail is accessible for horseback riding from the third Saturday of November through the last day of February. You must pay a fee for a permit for each horse that enters the park as well as an entrance fee to the park. In addition, horses are not allowed to stay overnight and you must present Negative Coggins papers for each horse before you are allowed to ride your horse in the park.
Myrtle Beach State Park
4401 S. Kings Highway
Myrtle Beach, SC 29575
843-238-5325
southcarolinaparks.com/park-finder/state-park/795.aspx
Huntington Beach State Park is less than 30 minutes from Myrtle Beach. According to its Web site, it is "considered by many to be the best birding spot in South Carolina." Wintertime is the optimal time for bird sightings since this is the birds' migration period.
Winter is among the best times of year to spot the federally endangered piping plover at the beach. Watch herons, egrets and other birds from the observation tower on the saltwater pond.
Huntington Beach State Park
16148 Ocean Highway
Murrells Inlet, SC 29576
843-237-4440
southcarolinaparks.com/park-finder/state-park/1020.aspx
During winter, watch the annual Christmas Show produced by the Alabama Theatre. The theater's official Web site boasts that the show, which runs from the first week of November through the finale in January, is "the south's grandest Christmas show." It has also been voted Myrtle Beach's, "Most Outstanding Holiday Show" by The Myrtle Beach Herald. The musical combines traditional classics and contemporary holiday songs and is suitable for the entire family.
Alabama Theatre
4750 Highway 17 S.
Barefoot Landing
North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582
800-342-2262
alabama-theatre.com
The South Carolina State Bluegrass Festival is held at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center each November. The three-day event features musical performers throughout the day from around noon until the evening. Daily tickets are available as is a three-day ticket. Children 6 years old and under are admitted for free.
Adams and Anderson LLC
P.O. Box 98
Dahlonega, GA 30533
706-864-7203
aandabluegrass.com/Festivals/SouthCarolinaStateBluegra.html
