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82-468: NextMedia Group was established in 1999, and began acquiring stations a year later, notably from Pinnacle Broadcasting. The company failed to offer shares to investors in 2003, and stopped reporting its quarterly financial reports to the Securities and Exchange Commission during the third quarter of 2003, at which time it reported a long term debt obligation of some $ 300 million; $ 200 million of long term debt

164-603: A 20-year period before declining late in the first decade of the 21st century. Tiger Woods declared Myrtle Beach "the mecca of golf" when visiting in 1997. The majority of the area's golf courses are public. The Grand Strand is home of " Hootie and the Blowfish Day After the Masters Tournament". Extensive Chinese investment to the Myrtle Beach area golf market has resulted in a significant surge of Chinese tourists to

246-488: A 30% chance of rain. The area is susceptible to strong thunderstorms, especially in the summer months. These typically have a very short duration, although some may have intense hail with tornadoes rarely. Snowfall is extremely rare in this part of the state, but does occasionally occur, such as when Myrtle Beach received five inches of snow in January 2000. Another severe ice and snow storm struck on January 28, 2014. Prior to

328-693: A November 19, 1949 The Myrtle Beach Sun column, "From the Grandstand" and another titled "From the Grand Strand" on December 3, 1949, in The Myrtle Beach News . The area has become a major tourist attraction along the Southeastern coast, attracting 20.6 million visitors in 2019. The area, whose primary city is Myrtle Beach , is home to numerous hotels, golf resorts, and recreational centers, making it popular with families and college students during

410-528: A city ordinance. In addition, the Court ruled that the ordinance created undue confusion, and that the city itself had invalidated their own helmet law and some other ordinances in a subsequent amendment. The law had been challenged by a group of motorcyclists and a group of Myrtle Beach businesses called BOOST, Business Owners Organized to Support Tourism, who opposed the city's anti-motorcycle tourism policy. Major shopping malls in Myrtle Beach include: The area

492-478: A city ordinance. In addition, the Court ruled, the ordinance created undue confusion, and that the city itself had invalidated their own helmet law and some other ordinances in a subsequent amendment. The law had been challenged by a group of motorcyclists and a group of Myrtle Beach businesses called BOOST, Business Owners Organized to Support Tourism, who opposed the city's anti-motorcycle tourism policy. The Grand Strand area has many different stores and malls,

574-541: A continental championship. It hosted the 2010 UOA Nationals where 8 collegiate ultimate teams from 5 conferences will be represented. The area is home to numerous golf courses and mini-golf courses, along the Grand Strand and further inland. Myrtle Beach has been called the "Golf Capital of the World", because of the 120 golf courses once located there, the record 4.2 million rounds played, and many miniature golf courses. 3.7 million total rounds of golf were played in 2007. Since

656-468: A direct hit by a major hurricane is infrequent in Myrtle Beach. The last hurricane to cause significant damage in Myrtle Beach was Hurricane Hugo in 1989. The worst hurricane in Myrtle Beach's history was Hurricane Hazel in 1954. Myrtle Beach is the largest principal city of the Myrtle Beach-Conway, SC Combined Statistical Area , which had an estimated population of 463,209 in 2023, and includes

738-583: A mile of Grand Strand beach and is a prime location for camping, swimming, hiking, biking, and fishing. Pier 14 by the Boardwalk. The Myrtle Beach Convention Center is a large facility that hosts a variety of meetings, conferences, exhibits, and special events every year. The expansive center, which opened in 2003, has a Sheraton hotel and resort. Each March since 1951 during Ontario 's spring break , Myrtle Beach has hosted Canadian-American Days, also known as Can-Am Days. Tens of thousands of tourists flock to

820-403: A mile of Grand Strand beach and is a prime location for swimming, hiking, biking, and fishing. The Myrtle Beach Convention Center is a large facility that hosts an array of different meetings, conferences, exhibits, and special events every year. The center, which opened in 2003, also features a Sheraton hotel and resort. Myrtle Beach welcomed Hard Rock Park in 2008, which was themed after

902-701: A new terminal were approved. In 1940, Kings Highway was finally paved, giving Myrtle Beach its first primary highway. The Myrtle Heights-Oak Park Historic District , Myrtle Beach Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Station , Ocean Forest Country Club and Pleasant Inn are listed on the National Register of Historic Places . Also listed were the Chesterfield Inn , Rainbow Court and the Myrtle Beach Pavilion , all now demolished. The Gay Dolphin Gift Cove on

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984-415: A number of amusement parks, an aquarium, an IMAX theater, retail developments and over 1,900 restaurants including seafood restaurants, and a number of shopping complexes. The area also has dinner theaters, nightclubs, and many tourist shops. Myrtle Beach has an estimated 460 hotels, with many on the beachfront, and approximately 89,000 accommodation units in total. Also in the city is Myrtle Waves , one of

1066-418: A railroad to the beach and the first inn, Seaside Inn. His widow named the new community Myrtle Beach after the local wax-myrtle shrubs. The Myrtle Beach metropolitan area is one of the fastest growing metropolitan areas in the country, with an estimated population of 397,478 in 2023. More than 104,000 people moved to the area over eight years, representing a nearly 28% growth in population. Prior to

1148-470: A town in 1938 and as a city in 1957. In 1937, Myrtle Beach Municipal Airport was built. It was taken over by the United States Army Air Corps in 1940 and converted into a military base . Commercial flights began in 1976 and shared the runway for over 15 years until the air base closed in 1993. Since then the airport has been named Myrtle Beach International Airport . In 2010 plans to build

1230-441: Is 0.16 murders, 1.43 rapes, 4.31 robberies and 10.83 assaults. The FBI reported 483 violent crimes in 2000, of which 1 was murder and 39 were rapes. Myrtle Beach's economy is dominated by the tourist industry; hotels, motels, resorts, restaurants, attractions, and retail developments exist in abundance to serve visitors. Hosting over 20 million visitors annually, the Grand Strand is home to an array of tourist attractions, and

1312-455: Is home to numerous golf courses and mini-golf courses along the Grand Strand and further inland. Myrtle Beach has been called the "Golf Capital of the World" because of the roughly 100 golf courses there, the record 4.2 million rounds played, and many miniature golf courses. 3.2 million total rounds of golf were played in 2017, down a "few hundred rounds" from a decade earlier. The number of golf courses more than doubled to over 120 over

1394-482: Is long, hot, and humid in Myrtle Beach. Average daytime highs are from 83 to 91 °F (28 to 33 °C) and average night-time lows are near 70 °F (21 °C). The coastal location of Myrtle Beach mitigates daytime summer heat somewhat compared to inland areas of South Carolina: Thus, while nearby Florence averages 65 days annually with high temperatures of 90 °F (32 °C) or higher – Myrtle Beach averages only 21. The Bermuda High pumps in humidity from

1476-504: Is not legal in South Carolina . However, Myrtle Beach residents and visitors have easy access to gambling by boat, which transports passengers into international waters beyond the reach of federal and state gambling laws. Myrtle Beach Bike Week, also called "Harley Bike Week" is a week-long motorcycle rally that started in 1940 and attracted as many as 200,000 visitors to the city every May. Black Bike Week , founded in 1980, takes place

1558-467: Is one of the largest shopping areas in the Southeastern United States , and is the largest shopping destination in South Carolina . See Horry County Schools The Grand Strand provides following college and post-secondary schools: Below is a list of private schools along the Grand Strand. Order listed by location (north to south) The closest passenger rail station to Myrtle Beach

1640-707: Is the Amtrak Station in Florence SC, about 70 miles. Southeastern Stages does offer limited bus service from the Florence Bus Station to Myrtle Beach. Within the last decade, new roads have been created to ease congestion caused by the yearly influx of visitors. Most of these roads follow the Metro Loop Road Plan , organized in 1997 to improve the traffic flow of Myrtle Beach. Some of the roads included have either been funded through RIDE I funding or through

1722-615: Is the finish point of the Bi-Lo Myrtle Beach Marathon, an athletics event held in February of each year. TicketReturn.com Field is also home of the annual "Baseball At The Beach" collegiate baseball tournament. Hosted by Coastal Carolina University each year, the tournament pits participating NCAA Division I baseball programs in the United States. From 1998 to 2009 and again starting in 2011 (no Saturday races were held in 2010),

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1804-619: The American Revolution , the area along the future Grand Strand was essentially uninhabited. Several families received land grants along the coast, including the Witherses: John, Richard, William, and Mary. This family received an area around present-day Wither's Swash, also known as Myrtle Swash or the Eight-Mile Swash. A separate grant was granted to James Minor, including a barrier island named Minor Island, now Waties Island , off

1886-530: The Boardwalk was built in 1946 and sells seashells and Myrtle Beach souvenirs. It claims to be the "nation's largest gift shop". Myrtle Beach has been separated from the continental United States since 1936 by the Intracoastal Waterway , forcing the city and area in general to develop within a small distance from the coast. In part due to this separation, the area directly northwest of Myrtle Beach, across

1968-574: The Myrtle Beach , SC area) created by the interactive arm NextMedia 360. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina Myrtle Beach is a resort city on the East Coast of the United States in Horry County, South Carolina . It is located in the center of a long and continuous 60-mile (97 km) stretch of beach known as the " Grand Strand ” in the northeastern part of the state. Its year-round population

2050-416: The buttocks ) are not permitted in public in Myrtle Beach, including all beaches. Violators of the ban may be arrested, jailed, or fined. The city's "thong ordinance" has been in effect since the 1990s. Myrtle Beach Bike Week, also called "Harley Bike Week", is a week-long motorcycle rally first held in 1940, the same year Kings Highway was paved. The event has attracted as many as 200,000 visitors to

2132-402: The plantation system outward toward the ocean. Records are sparse from this period, with most of the recorded history pieced together from English colonial land grant documents. These settlers gained mixed results, producing unremarkable quantities of indigo and tobacco, the two major commodity crops. The coast's soil was sandy and most of the crop yields were of inferior quality. Prior to

2214-401: The plantation system outward towards the ocean. Records are sparse from this period, with most of the recorded history pieced together from old land grants documents. These settlers were met with mixed results, producing unremarkable quantities of indigo and tobacco as the coast's soil was sandy and most of the crop yields were of an inferior quality. Prior to the American Revolution ,

2296-461: The 60s and 70s. The beach season in Myrtle Beach normally runs from late April through late October. Sea surface temperatures are often in the lower 80's (26–28 °C) off South Carolina in summer and early fall. The temperature range measured in Myrtle Beach has historically ranged from a record high of 104 °F (40 °C) on June 26, 1952 and August 5, 1954 to the record winter cold of 9 °F (−13 °C) on February 18, 1958. In spite of

2378-560: The City of Myrtle Beach was settled in 2006 without the city paying damages, but with the agreement police would use the same traffic control rules during both the black and the white motorcycle rallies. The South Carolina Supreme Court in June 2010 unanimously overturned one of the 15 ordinances, which had required all motorcyclists to wear helmets , on the grounds that the state law, requiring helmets only for riders under age 21, cannot be preempted by

2460-466: The City of Myrtle Beach was settled in 2006 without the city paying damages, but with the agreement police would use the same traffic control rules during both the black and the white motorcycle rallies. The South Carolina Supreme Court in June 2010 unanimously overturned one of the 15 ordinances, which had required all motorcyclists to wear helmets , on the grounds that the state law, requiring helmets only for riders under age 21, cannot be preempted by

2542-563: The City of Myrtle Beach. RIDE II plans include the third phase of S.C. Highway 31 , a graded separation of Farrow Parkway and US 17 Bypass at the back gate of the former Air Force base, and many other projects. The county is currently debating where to allocate the $ 400 million generated through a proposed 1-cent sales tax . Other road projects in Horry County, including some in Aynor and Conway , will be included when voted upon. Plans exist for

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2624-526: The Florida and northeastern beaches. Burroughs died in 1897, but his sons completed the railroad's expansion to the beach and opened the Seaside Inn in 1901. Around 1900, a contest was held to name the area, and Burroughs's wife suggested honoring the locally abundant shrub, the southern wax myrtle ( Myrica cerifera ). The Withers post office changed its name to "Myrtle Beach" soon afterward. It incorporated as

2706-586: The Grand Strand area to be eventually served by two interstates, Interstate 73 and Interstate 74 . The Robert Edge Parkway will connect I-74 to downtown North Myrtle Beach . The Grand Strand is home to the Myrtle Beach Pelicans , a Carolina League baseball team and Chicago Cubs farm franchise. TicketReturn.com Field is the home field of the Myrtle Beach Pelicans and is located in Myrtle Beach. It opened in 1999 and seats 6,500 people. It

2788-422: The Grand Strand's rapid growth, most of the television stations licensed to Florence have moved their operations to the Grand Strand. The Sun News is the largest daily paper published along the Grand Strand, with a readership base extending from Georgetown, South Carolina , to Sunset Beach, North Carolina . The paper has been in existence since the 1930s and was published by Knight Ridder before that company

2870-823: The Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC Metropolitan Statistical Area (Horry County) and the Murrells Inlet, SC Micropolitan Statistical Area (Georgetown County). As of the 2020 census , there were 35,682 people, 13,817 households, and 7,678 families residing in the city. At the 2010 census , the population of Myrtle Beach was 27,109. At the 2000 census , there were 22,759 permanent residents in Myrtle Beach, 10,413 households, 5,414 families, 1,356.5 per square mile (523.7/km ), with 14,658 housing units at an average density of 873.5 per square mile (337.3/km ). The city's racial makeup was: Hispanic or Latino residents, of any race, were 13.7% of

2952-543: The Southern states during his term, traveling down the King's Highway . He stayed a night at Windy Hill (part of present-day North Myrtle Beach ) and was led across Wither's Swash to Georgetown by Jeremiah Vereen. The Withers family remained one of the few settlers around Myrtle Beach for the next half-century. In 1822, a strong hurricane swept the house of R. F. Withers into the ocean, drowning 18 people inside. The tragedy made

3034-443: The Southern states during his term, traveling down the King's Highway . He stayed a night at Windy Hill (part of present-day North Myrtle Beach ) and was led across Wither's Swash to Georgetown by Jeremiah Vereen. The Withers family remained one of the few settlers around Myrtle Beach for the next half-century. In 1822, a strong hurricane swept the house of R. F. Withers into the ocean, drowning 18 people inside. The tragedy made

3116-627: The United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 23.69 square miles (61.4 km ), of which 23.42 square miles (60.7 km ) is land and 0.27 square miles (0.70 km ) (1.14%) is water. According to the Köppen climate classification , Myrtle Beach has a humid subtropical climate or Cfa – typical of the Gulf and South Atlantic states. The city enjoys abundant sunshine year-round with more than 2800 hours annually. The summer season

3198-461: The Withers family decide to abandon their plots along the coast. Left unattended, the area began to return to forest. The Burroughs and Collins Company of Conway , predecessor of modern-day Burroughs & Chapin, purchased much of the Withers family's land in 1881. The growing community was called "New Town" around the start of the 20th century. A post office named "Withers" was established to serve

3280-477: The Withers family decide to abandon their plots along the coast. Left unattended, the area began to return to forest. On February 28, 1899, Burroughs and Collins, predecessor of modern-day Burroughs and Chapin, received their charter to build the Conway & Seashore Railroad to transport timber from the coast to inland customers. The railroad began daily service on May 1, 1900, with two wood-burning locomotives. One of

3362-540: The air base closed in 1993. Since then the airport has been named Myrtle Beach International Airport . In 2010 plans to build a new terminal were approved. In 1940, Kings Highway was paved, giving Myrtle Beach its first primary highway. The Grand Strand's economy is dominated by the tourist industry, with tourism bringing in millions of dollars each year. Hotels, motels, resorts, restaurants, attractions, and retail developments exist in abundance to service visitors. There are over 100 golf courses in and around Myrtle Beach as

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3444-403: The airport is well connected for both domestic and international tourists. It also serves as a seasonal gateway to and from the likes of Chicago, Dallas and Toronto. The city is between Wilmington, North Carolina and Charleston, South Carolina with U.S. Route 17 serving as the main transport link for those journeying between those cities. Thongs (or any swimwear revealing any portion of

3526-467: The area along the future Grand Strand was essentially uninhabited. Several families received land grants along the coast, including the Withers: John, Richard, William, and Mary. This family received an area around present-day Wither's Swash, also known as Myrtle Swash or the 8-Mile Swash. A separate grant was granted to James Minor, including a barrier island named Minor Island, now Waties Island , off of

3608-536: The area and also resulted in 25+ golf courses being owned and/or operated by Chinese nationals. Grand Strand The Grand Strand is an arc of beach land on the Atlantic Ocean in South Carolina , United States, extending more than 60 miles (97 km) from Little River to Winyah Bay . It is located in Horry and Georgetown Counties on the northeastern South Carolina coast. The term Grand Strand dates back to

3690-499: The area for a week's worth of special events. Myrtle Beach is also home to Coastal Uncorked, a food and wine festival held in the late spring annually. In June, recently graduated high school seniors come to Myrtle Beach for Senior Week . With numerous professional fireworks displays along the oceanfront, Myrtle Beach is recognized among the top destinations for Fourth of July travel. Priceline.com ranked Myrtle Beach among its top 20 destinations for Fourth of July in 2010. Gambling

3772-440: The area for a week's worth of special events. Myrtle Beach is also home to Coastal Uncorked, a food and wine festival held in the late spring annually. The city hosts Sun Fun Festival early each June. Later in June, Myrtle Beach is a popular destination for recently graduated high school seniors for Senior Week . Carolina Country Music Fest (CCMF) is an outdoor country music festival that takes place in June of each year and

3854-627: The area hosted the Bi-Lo Myrtle Beach Marathon presented by Chick-Fil-A , every February featuring (since 2004) the Friday night Royal Bank of Canada 5K and the Saturday Dasani Half Marathon and Bi-Lo Marathon (from 1998 until 2008, a relay was held but dropped because of the popularity of the other events). Marathon day draws the limit of 6,000 runners annually (2,500 full, 3,500 half) and results usually in an unusual dawn as

3936-737: The area receives a large influx of visitors during all seasons. It is estimated that nearly 100,000 visitors a year are international travelers, including tourists from Canada, Germany and the United Kingdom. Myrtle Beach hosts a variety of special conventions, events, and musical concerts. The area's attractions include its beaches and courses, amusement parks, an aquarium, Legends in Concert , retail developments, shopping complexes and over 1,900 restaurants including seafood restaurants. The area also has dinner theaters, nightclubs, and many tourist shops. Myrtle Beach has approximately 425 hotels, with many on

4018-470: The arrival of Europeans, the Long Bay area was inhabited by the historic Waccamaw tribe. The Waccamaw used the river for travel and fished along the shore around Little River . Waties Island , the primary barrier island along Long Bay, has evidence of burial and shell mounds, remains of the visiting Waccamaw. The first European settlers along Long Bay arrived in the late 18th century, attempting to extend

4100-464: The arrival of Europeans, the Long Bay area was inhabited by the native Waccamaw Tribe. The Waccamaw used the river for travel and fished along the shore around Little River . Waties Island , the primary barrier island along Long Bay, has evidence of burial and shell mounds, remains of the visiting Waccamaw. The first European settler along Long Bay arrived in the late 18th Century, attempting to extend

4182-593: The beachfront, and approximately 157 accommodation units in total. The area is also home to over 80 golf courses and over 30 miniature golf courses. Live shows are offered year round at theaters including the Alabama Theatre , Carolina Opry , Asher Theater, Calvin Gilmore Theater, Legends in Concert , and Medieval Times Family Dinner Theater. Several shows offer special holiday themed shows. The Myrtle Beach Boardwalk opened in 2010 and has been recognized as

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4264-583: The city every May. Black Bike Week , founded in 1980, takes place the weekend around Memorial Day Weekend and is the largest African American motorcycle rally in the US and attracts as many as 400,000 visitors. The event was created in response to a history of discrimination against African-American visitors and riders to Myrtle Beach and the Grand Strand Area. The Myrtle Beach government created 15 new laws aimed at preventing all sanctioned motorcycle events within

4346-605: The city in response to controversy including accusations of racism by African-American riders during their event and complaints of lawlessness and poor behavior during all highly attended events. Several lawsuits by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) against Myrtle Beach businesses were settled with agreements that discrimination cease, compensation be given to some plaintiffs, and employees be given diversity training. The NAACP suit against

4428-489: The city in response to controversy including accusations of racism by African-American riders during their event and complaints of lawlessness and poor behavior during all highly attended events. Several lawsuits by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) against Myrtle Beach businesses were settled with agreements that discrimination cease, compensation be given to some plaintiffs, and employees be given diversity training. The NAACP suit against

4510-496: The coast near Little River. Mary Withers's gravestone at Prince George Winyah Parish Church speaks to the remoteness of the former Strand: "She gave up the pleasures of Society and retired to Long Bay, where she resided a great part of her life devoted to the welfare of her children." As the American colonies gained independence, the area remained essentially unchanged, and the coast remained barren. George Washington scouted out

4592-443: The coast near Little River. Mary Wither's gravestone at Prince George Winyah Parish Church speaks to the remoteness of the former Strand: "She gave up the pleasures of Society and retired to Long Bay, where she resided a great part of her life devoted to the welfare of her children." As the American colonies gained independence, the area remained essentially unchanged, and the coast remained barren. George Washington scouted out

4674-880: The core radio business. On October 10, 2013, NextMedia Group announced all 33 of their radio stations, and presumably NextMedia 360, had been sold to Dean Goodman's Digity, LLC. The transaction was consummated on February 10, 2014, at a purchase price of $ 85 million. Stations are listed by state and market below. Station self-designated titles are denoted in quotations where applicable followed by actual cities of license and format in parentheses followed by frequency and effective radiated power. For AM stations, both daytime and nighttime power are listed. San Jose Aurora Joliet Waukegan Saginaw New Bern Jacksonville Kinston Southport Wilmington Washington Canton Myrtle Beach Sherman/Denison Kenosha NextMedia owns and operates coupon and deals websites Rocketgrab.com (serving their radio markets) and CouponCrab.com (serving

4756-597: The country. Located along the historic King's Highway (modern day U.S. Route 17 ), the region was once home to the Waccamaw people. During the colonial period, the Whither family settled in the area, and a prominent local waterway, Wither's Swash, is named in their honor. Originally called alternately "New Town" or "Withers", the area was targeted for development as a resort community by Franklin Burroughs , whose sons completed

4838-406: The engines was dubbed The Black Maria and came second-hand from a North Carolina logging operation. A community named "Withers" post office was established at the site of the old Swash. After the railroad was finished, employees of the lumber and railroad company would take train flatcars down to beach area on their free weekends, becoming the first Grand Strand tourists. The railroad terminus

4920-534: The golfing industry represents a significant presence in the area. A manufacturing base produces plastic, rubber, cardboard, foam, and ceramic products usually in small scale. Hosting 20.6 million visitors in 2019, The Grand Strand is home to an array of tourist attractions, and the area receives a large influx of visitors during the spring and summer seasons. The Grand Strand hosts a variety of special conventions, events, and musical concerts. The area's attractions include its beaches and many golf courses, as well as

5002-640: The heat of the day – followed by brief and intense downpours. On average, September is the wettest month, with August close behind, due to the combination of thunderstorms and tropical weather systems that peaks these months. Myrtle Beach has mostly mild winters of short duration: Average daytime highs range from 57 to 61 °F (14 to 16 °C) and nighttime lows are in the 36 to 38 °F (2 to 3 °C) from December through February. Winter temperatures vary more than summer temperatures in Myrtle Beach: Some winters can see several cold days with highs only in

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5084-458: The largest water parks on the eastern seaboard. The Myrtle Beach Boardwalk opened in 2010 and has been recognized as the nation's #3 boardwalk by National Geographic and one of the best US boardwalks by Travel + Leisure magazine. Opened in May 2011, The Myrtle Beach Skywheel features glass gondolas that look over the Atlantic Ocean. Myrtle Beach State Park , established in 1935, has just under

5166-617: The last recession, around 30 courses have closed to make way for real estate developments, bringing the total to down to 90. The majority of the area's golf courses are public. Some of the notable golf courses and resorts include: The Grand Strand and Florence, South Carolina share a common defined market by Nielsen Media Research in Horry , Marion , Dillon , Darlington , Marlboro , and Florence counties in South Carolina and Scotland and Robeson counties in North Carolina. Due to

5248-428: The mild winter averages, ice days have been recorded, albeit rarely. The coldest daily maximum was 25 °F (−4 °C) in January 11, 1962 whereas the normal year between 1991 and 2020 had the coldest maximum average of 37 °F (3 °C). Overnight lows can be extremely hot and muggy, although the record warm low of 88 °F (31 °C) on July 12, 1942 is some way above the means of 81 °F (27 °C) for

5330-425: The nation's #3 boardwalk by National Geographic and one of the best US boardwalks by Travel + Leisure magazine. The Myrtle Beach Skywheel opened at the boardwalk in May 2011, and is a 200-foot (61 m) observation wheel, similar to a ferris wheel, with glass gondolas that look over the Atlantic Ocean. This is the first wheel of its kind in the U.S. Myrtle Beach State Park , established in 1935, has just under

5412-530: The popular Hard Rock Cafe chain. After financial issues, the park became Freestyle Music Park for the 2009 season. The park features attractions themed after different genres of music, such as the British Invasion . The park closed permanently after the 2009 season due to financial and legal issues. Each March since 1951 during Ontario's spring break , Myrtle Beach has hosted Canadian-American Days, also known as Can-Am Days. Tens of thousands tourists come to

5494-455: The population. Of the total Myrtle Beach population: Crime rate levels in Myrtle Beach are high compared to the rest of South Carolina. The FBI reported 583 cases of violent crime in the year 2016, of which 5 were murder, 46 were rape and 139 were robbery. Aggravated assault 348, property crime 4395, burglary 469, larceny theft 3555, motor vehicle theft 371, and arson 10 were also reported. The average number of crimes per thousand population

5576-708: The race starts before dawn (6:30 AM) in order to finish by 2:30 PM. NASCAR -sanctioned stock car racing is held at Myrtle Beach Speedway , a .538-mile (0.866 km), semi-banked, asphalt-paved oval track located on US 501 . Drivers in the Late Model classes will compete (against those of Greenville-Pickens Speedway ) for the South Carolina Championship in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series . South Carolina Champions' scores will be calculated against other state and provincial champions for

5658-411: The railroad was finished, employees of the lumber and railroad company would take train flatcars down to the beach area on their free weekends, becoming the first Grand Strand tourists. The railroad terminus was nicknamed "New Town", contrasting it with the "Old Town", or Conway . Around the start of the 20th century, Franklin Burroughs envisioned turning New Town into a tourist destination rivaling

5740-399: The site of the old Swash in 1888. On 28 February 1899, Burroughs and Collins received a charter to build the Conway & Seashore Railroad to transport timber from the coast to inland customers. The railroad began daily service on 1 May 1900, with two wood-burning locomotives. One of the engines was dubbed The Black Maria and came second-hand from a North Carolina logging operation. After

5822-438: The summers and winters. According to Köppen climate classification , the Myrtle Beach area has a humid subtropical climate that is heavily influenced by the Atlantic Ocean, giving the area a more oceanic feel. The city experiences cool winters and hot, humid summers. Rainfall is plentiful throughout the whole year, but most concentrated during the summer months, where it is not uncommon for almost every day to have at least

5904-433: The tropical Atlantic toward Myrtle Beach, giving summers a near-tropical feel in the city. The warm Atlantic Ocean reaches 80 °F (27 °C) or higher in the summer months off Myrtle Beach, making for warm and sultry summer nights. Summer thunderstorms are common in the hot season in Myrtle Beach, and the summer months from June through September have the most precipitation . In summer, thunderstorms normally build during

5986-564: The upper 40s F (7–9 °C), while other winter days can see highs in the upper 60s and low 70s F (19–23 °C). Myrtle Beach averages 33 days annually with frost , though in some years less than 15 days will see frost. Snowfall is very rare in Myrtle Beach; however, at least a trace of snow falls a few times each decade. In February 2010, a rare 2.8 inches (71 mm) of snow fell in Myrtle Beach. The spring (March, April and May) and fall (September, October and November) months are normally mild and sunny in Myrtle Beach, with high temperatures in

6068-409: The warmest annual minimum. Summer thunderstorms are typically brief, but severe thunderstorms do occur on occasion. Tornadoes are rare, with the most significant event occurring in 2001 when multiple tornadoes touched down in the area. Tropical cyclones occasionally impact Myrtle Beach, though weaker tropical storms and weak tropical lows are more common. Like most areas prone to tropical cyclones,

6150-517: The waterway, remained primarily rural for a while, whereas its northeastern and southwestern ends were bordered by other developed tourist towns, North Myrtle Beach and Surfside Beach . Since then, the inland portion of the Myrtle Beach area has developed dramatically. Myrtle Beach is 67 miles (108 km) by highway southeast of Florence, South Carolina , 94 miles (151 km) northeast of Charleston, South Carolina , and 74 miles (119 km) southwest of Wilmington, North Carolina . According to

6232-412: The weekend around Memorial Day Weekend and is the largest African American motorcycle rally in the US and attracts as many as 400,000 visitors. The event was created in response to a history of discrimination against African-American visitors and riders to Myrtle Beach and the Grand Strand Area. The Myrtle Beach government created 15 new laws aimed at preventing all sanctioned motorcycle events within

6314-455: Was 35,682 as of the 2020 census , making it the 13th-most populous city in South Carolina . Myrtle Beach is one of the major centers of tourism in South Carolina and the United States . The city's warm subtropical climate , miles of beaches, 86 golf courses, and 1,800 restaurants attract over 20 million visitors each year, making Myrtle Beach one of the most visited destinations in

6396-426: Was founded in 2015 by Charlotte-based company Full House Productions. Due to concerns surrounding the coronavirus pandemic the festival wasn't held in 2020, but is scheduled to return in 2021 and take place on 10–13 June 2021. Myrtle Beach International Airport serves the city and surrounding area. With regular flights to and from destinations such as Atlanta, Boston, Detroit, Fort Lauderdale, New York and Washington,

6478-491: Was held to name the town and Burroughs' wife suggested honoring the locally abundant shrub, the Southern Wax Myrtle ( Myrica cerifera ). So the town was named Myrtle Beach. In 1937, Myrtle Beach Municipal Airport was built, however it was promptly taken over by the United States Army Air Corps in 1940 and converted into a military base . Commercial flights began in 1976 and shared the runway for over 15 years until

6560-501: Was nicknamed "New Town", contrasting it with the "Old Town", or Conway . At the turn of the 20th century, Franklin Burroughs envisioned turning New Town into a tourist destination rivaling the Florida and northeastern beaches. Burroughs died in 1897, but his sons completed the railroad's expansion to the beach and opened the Seaside Inn in 1901. After its founding, New Town continued to grow until 1957, when it incorporated. A contest

6642-626: Was refinanced in 2006. On January 1, 2004, NextMedia acquired outdoor displays in the Myrtle Beach, SC region from Clear Channel Outdoor in an asset exchange. In July 2004, NextMedia Group purchased the Wilmington, NC stations WRQR, WAZO, and WMFD from Ocean Broadcasting, and WKXB and WSFM from Sea-Comm Inc. Co-founder of the Company, Carl Hirsch, left in 2007 to become a founding partner of GoodRadio LLC based in West Palm Beach, FL. NextMedia Group

6724-485: Was then owned by several private equity firms. In 2008, NextMedia Group announced to sell Wilmington, NC stations to Capitol Broadcasting Company . NextMedia Group filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on December 21, 2009, which transfers 95% of equity in the company to second-lien holders. On May 27, 2010, NextMedia emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. In late 2012, NextMedia sold its outdoor advertising assets to Lamar Advertising Company , to focus on

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