That IS the question — a question that is asked on a regular basis by vacationers hitting Myrtle Beach.  Many ask if they can bring their own grills and, can you grill on the beach in Myrtle Beach?  Unfortunately, the answer is NO.  (And NO, you can’t grill on the balcony of a condo either. MAJOR fire hazard there.)

“It is illegal to build a fire or use a propane-fired grill or other cooker on the beach.” Beach and Boating Regulations, Local laws and ordinances, Sec. 5-16. http://www.cityofmyrtlebeach.com/beachlaws.html

Of course, there are SOME, not very many, but some resorts that have barbecue grills on the premises, but they are few and far between. Please check with the resort to see.

There ARE a couple places that have public access to BBQ  grills or grilling areas  in the North Myrtle Beach and Myrtle Beach area.

McLean Park 

93 Oak Drive, North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582.
Located in the heart of the city, this 10 acre, two acre lake Park is  considered to be the most beautiful in the community. It has walking paths, two playgrounds, meditation area, covered picnic areas, and usually even the local ducks that hang out in the pond.

Contact the City of North Myrtle Beach at (843) 280-5570 for more information on grilling in the park.

Myrtle Beach State Park

4401 S. Kings Hwy, Myrtle Beach, SC 29575.
Admission is required to enter the park : $5 adults; $3.25 SC seniors (age 65 & older); $3/ child age 6-15; Free for children 5 and younger.   Hours of operation are:   Daily 6am-10pm, March-Nov.;  Daily 6am-8pm, Dec.-Feb.  The Park is located on one mile of beach and includes a fishing pier, miles of hiking trails, as well as picnic facilities.  For additional information on where grills or grilling areas can be found, contact the Park at (843) 238-5325.

If you simply must grill, these are two options you won’t go wrong with.  If you go, let us know!

If it is pirates yee seek, you’ve come to the right place. Ahoy Mateys! Nearly a year ago Dolly Parton’s Pirates Voyage opened, following a successful 19 season run of the popular Dixie Stampede.

Well now, the second season of Pirates Voyage is underway this year and last night I had the opportunity to visit the attraction I have heard so much about. My companion and I were treated to a pirate’s feast while seated in front of a 15 foot deep lagoon. We watched and cheered on two pirate rivals, Crimson Pirates, and the Sapphire Pirates, as they “battled” it out through various ariel acts, races, and a little bit of swordplay.

The Sea Lion came on stage to perform his act during the pre-show AND the main show.

Pirates Voyage is an $11 million production that includes a spectacular and talented crew (the pirates).  Plus, being a huge animal lover, I enjoyed seeing various species in the arena doing their thing. My personal favorite was a wonderfully trained sea lion named “Salty”. (who came out during the pre-show AND the main show.)  The dog water relay races were entertaining, too and a big hit with the audience. There were even relay races they got participants from the audience! Many daring acrobatic feats were performed over and into the lagoon. We were fortunate enough to be seated in the front row. If you want to be right up close to the action, this is the place to be! (But alas matey, the top row has it’s perks too, you get to see the entire arena and everything going on much easier.)  The show lasted approximately an hour and a half.

The Pre-Show gets everyone geared up for the main attraction!

Prior to the main event, there is a pre-show for those who would like to get a jump start on the debauchery. It’s mainly a big singalong (and clap-along) as the pirates perform on stage and in the audience. There is also a juggling act and audience participation on stage as well. A bar is located along one side of the grand feasting hall with both alcoholic (oh yee Rum) and non-alcoholic beverages. Musicians were on stage entertaining and getting the crowd in “pirate mode” and ready for an evening of fun!

Who should go? Anyone looking for an adventurous dining experience! It’s suitable for children but there are some loud noises, especially at the end, and scenes that might frighten timid  young ones. All the children I saw seemed to thoroughly enjoy the show, and some were even chosen to participate on the Crimson or Sapphire teams.

TidBits Worth Noting

a) Your photo will be taken upon entering (you may politely decline, if you aren’t interested in this souvenir). The photo will be available for purchase later in the evening ($20). There is also a gift shop available both as you enter and as you exit the show. The soup that is part of the dinner is available for sale (a mix) in the gift shop.

Both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks are served.

b) When purchasing tickets, keep in mind there are 5 rows. The first 4 have bench style seating, while the very top has chairs. Both have advantages and disadvantages of course. It seems like the food is served (oh, chicken, pork, mashed potatoes, a biscuit, and corn on the cob) in the front row first and moves its way up. Something to note.  But they are very quick so don’t let THAT influence your decision.

c) This show is more about ariel acrobatics than actual sword-fighting and gunpowder. So don’t come expecting to be on the edge of your seat in a heated battle like you would expect at Medieval Times.

d) If you are wondering why there aren’t any photos of the main show, it’s because photography isn’t allowed inside.

I found the staff of Pirates Voyage to be very pleasant and accommodating. We encountered an employee in the gift shop who greeted us at our arrival and spoke in “pirate language” which added to the ambiance.

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Did you know that a year ago, some of Blackbeard’s secrets were revealed when his flagship, the Queen Anne’s Revenge was found off the coast of North Carolina? You can read more about Queen Anne’s Revenge here.

And plus, I even went online and got my own Pirate name at piratequiz.com! Check it out:

So you made the trip to Myrtle Beach, did ya?  You had a nice relaxing night’s sleep after your long car or plane journey. You and your family are ready to face the day, hit the beach and lay out to work on your tan.  You open the curtains to your oceanfront balcony 10 stories up and you see something…. something you don’t want to see at all….  RAIN!!!

Nothing ruins a beach day like rain.  Of course, during the summer, the Myrtle Beach rain is actually pretty warm, but even so, you could do without it, right?  Well never fear! There is still LOADS of indoor activities in Myrtle Beach when the sky is less than sunny.  Without further adeiu,  here are the top things to do in Myrtle Beach when it’s raining.

Myrtle Beach Rainy Day Activities

Ripley’s Aquarium: One of most amazing aquarium’s around, Ripley’s is South Carolina’s most visited attraction. Come see what all the talk is about! It is usually quite chilly inside though, so if you are drenched from the rain, you may want to deter to something else.  BUT it is usually less busy what it is raining as well because less people are outside at Broadway at the Beach!

Pirate’s Voyage: Enjoy a four course feast as you watch Crimson and Sapphire pirates battle each other for treasure. A great dinner and show that the whole family will love!

Medieval Times: Knights battle for the hand of the princess during your feast! One of the most popular dinner shows in the U.S.!

Medieval Times in Myrtle Beach is a fun rainy "knight" activity.

Broadway At The Beach: Leave the kids at the condo and hit Broadway at the Beach for a little clubbing and night life. Broadway has many great clubs and bars to offer such as Blarney Stone’s Pub, Senor Frogs, and Revolutions. You can save the shopping for some other time.

Palace Theater:  Palace Theater! Known for their LE GRAND CIRQUE ADRENALINE  and HOORAY FOR HOLLWOOD shows.

Coastal Grand Mall: Not only does this mall offer plenty of shopping and food, it also is host Carmike Cinema, a new movie theater and great place to catch a new flick!

Gym: Need to pump some iron while you’re in Myrtle Beach? No problem. Gold’s Gym is the place to go! Open 24 hours during the week!

North Myrtle Beach Rainy Day Activities

NMB Bowling:  A great spot in North Myrtle Beach, NMB Bowling Center is a great place to spend some free time and put your bowling skills to the test. It’s not the fanciest bowling center in the area, but it’s still quite nice. It is also open until 1am or later for you late night cosmic bowlers.

B&B Antiques:B&B Antique Mall is definitely worth visiting. It has been voted number 1 on the Grand Strand 2 years in a row! Not only do they sell antiques, they offer wicker furniture, a country store, and a fudge kitchen. It’s a huge space so you can get lost in there for a while. Great way to pass the time in the rain.

Stay out of the rain at the Murder Mystery Dinner Theater!

Murder Myster Dinner Theater:  You are having a nice dinner and BAM, you are dropped into the middle of a “murder investigation”. A spectacular mix of professional dinner theatre, audience participation, and comedy. All at the House of Blues in North Myrtle Beach.

Everything Under the Sun Flea Market:  There is also a new flea market that opened late 2011 that you can check out.

Alabama Theatre: I am sure you have seen the advertisements for ONE The Show. Well now is your chance to see it!

Carmike Cinema NMB: Located in the Myrtle Beach Mall off of highway 17, Carmike Colonial 12 is a newly remodeled cinema where it is always movie time. Bring the family and grab a bag of popcorn and drink on the way in to your movie!

“But, I don’t like ANY of those suggestions!”  Well, you can always just stay in your condo, order a pizza or Chinese food for delivery and spend the night in! Most of our condos have DVD players, you can always hit up the local RedBox (MB | NMB) locations.

Other Myrtle Beach rainy ideas:  Visit the MyrtleBeachHotelCondo Rainy Day Blog or the North Myrtle Beach CondoLux Rentals blog for extra ideas!  And of course, view our other attractions page too for a list of area Myrtle Beach activities.

Which Floor of the Condo Building Do You Like?

High Floors Give You Amazing Views, but... it's a long way down! This one is only midway up.

Everyone has their own preferences, and with the recent real estate crash, there haven’t been any new buildings constructed for summer 2012. BUT there are still plenty, and we do mean PLENTY, of great rentals to choose from. Some like to stay on the top floor for the amazing view, but others like the lower floors to have faster access to the parking garages or amenities.  Most oceanfront condos in Myrtle Beach, SC are high-rises of at least 10 floors with the parking garage under the building consisting of the first few floors. We have one guest that stays with CondoLux that always gets the lowest floor, not because they are scared of heights, but because they can park on the floor directly below them and then just walk up one flight of stairs and skip the elevators if there is a queue.  Something to think about!

Oceanfront or Ocean View?

This may be an extreme example, but this condo DOES have an ocean view.

A common question we are asked is what is the difference in oceanfront and ocean view.  Of course, you should have already noticed the price difference, but why?  Well, a oceanfront condo in Myrtle Beach means the condo unit is directly in front of the ocean, parallel to the shore.  This gives you an unobstructed view of the ocean, up and down the coast.  This is the “prime real estate” as they say, which is what costs more.  Ocean view units may be located on the side of a building or even across the street from the ocean.  You STILL get a view of the ocean, but you may only see one part of it. (Learn more about oceanfront and oceanview condos.) There are some nice ocean view units out there though that have an amazing view of the ocean, so be sure to check out the pictures of each individual unit so you can see which view it DOES have!

Always Look at Unit Photos on the Website

Do your research and look at the unit photos.

C’mon. It’s 2012. Every reputable rental company, us included, should have photos of every unit they have on their program; so be sure you look at them before making your decision. You’ll be surprised, lots of Myrtle Beach condo rentals are decorated differently since they are individually owned and then managed by vacation rental management companies.  (And trust us, the condos with homeowners who go the extra mile to decorate it nicely are ones that are the hardest to get. They are usually booked up ASAP!)

Are You an Ocean or Pool person?

Why do we ask?  Well, depending on the resort, the pool area can be quite crowded in the summer time, so maybe your relaxing “swim” or lazy river laziness could be interrupted.   So if you are going to skip the ocean (yea we know, the seaweed brushing against your leg can give anyone the willies), make sure you pick a resort that has a large enough outdoor pool or MULTIPLE pools, just in case you want to stretch your “pool legs.”  (That was a pun on “Sea Legs” if you didn’t notice. )

To Linen or not to Linen

Something else to look out for is linens, not just for rentals in 2012, but any time really.  Rental companies (or even individuals renting their condos) in Myrtle Beach have the choice to include linens in their rentals or not. Now linens mean different things to different companies, some just include bed sheets and no towels, or maybe they include all linens.  CondoLux does include all linens in their final price, everything except kitchen towels; we also provide starters of soap and toilet paper, but it’s up to the renter to maintain that stock once they run out. It’s not like a hotel. We offer one departure maid service, so you are responsible for all the upkeep of the unit while you are there. You know, kind of like a home away from home!

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So there you have it! Just a few of the many tips available to have a great Myrtle Beach condo rental for 2012. We will hopefully have more of these in the future.  Make sure you join the rest of our fans on Facebook (we also announce exclusive deals just to them too!)

It has been confirmed! Myrtle Beach is the most searched for beach vacation destination in the United States. This statistic has recently been released by Google. According to the search engine giant, Myrtle Beach was the second most often vacation destination searched on their site this year, and the first and only beach destination in the top five.
The top five researched vacation destinations this year were:

1. Orlando
2. Myrtle Beach
3. Las Vegas
4. New York City
5. Chicago

This ranking comes as no surprise to anyone that has visited the Grand Strand area lately. It was only 5 years ago that Myrtle Beach was not even a consideration for many travelers. However, increased exposure to the many wonders of the area by the local Convention and Visitors Bureau has changed that opinion. Through much effort and marketing, the CVB worked continually to boost web traffic to their site and encourage people to experience the Grand Strand. Since 2008, the official Myrtle Beach site has seen an increase of 128% in unique traffic.

Pristine beaches, great golfing, cultural and artistic events, amusement areas, incredible eateries, and a breath-taking boardwalk are what make Myrtle Beach special. Warm weather, southern charm and ocean breezes make Myrtle Beach enchanting. It is no wonder that the only place that beat Myrtle Beach on the list is a place that contains a “magic kingdom.”

Well, Myrtle Beach is approaching the end of the summer season. Schools are returning, traffic is seeing a bit of a relief, and a few beach stores are advertising their annual “going out of business” sale. But summer isn’t completely over yet! Even so, we’ve noticed some interesting trends this year with the end of the Myrtle Beach vacation season upon us. Interested?

The vacation rental industry in Myrtle Beach has had its ups and downs this year. Due to the economy and gas prices, it was hard to really peg whether there would be a good season for the condo rental companies. But one thing seems consistent; many vacationers delayed their bookings until the last minute in 2011. Last year, we noticed a much larger number of bookings at the beginning of the year from those who definately knew they were going to come on vacation. This year, though, the later months seemed to really pick up!

Renters are taking advantage of the full kitchens offered by many of the condos in Myrtle Beach.

We also noticed that theaters and restaurants did not have the long lines that we are accustomed to in the summer. Of course they were busy, yet the average wait decreased this summer, telling us that people still visited Myrtle Beach yet they pinched their pennies by using the kitchen facilities more often as well as took advantage of the free or less expensive attractions. (Don’t forget, Myrtle Beach condo rentals offer FULL kitchens so you can definately save money by making your own meals.)

So what is to come?  Fall golf season is upon us! And don’t forget golfers, we offer oceanfront and ocean view condos at rates comperable to those golf course villas you see advertsised.  And right now, we have a golf special for 3 nights/3 rounds for $111 per golfer per day, WITH FREE MEALS included.

Sincerely,
Christian Valasquez
CondoLux of Myrtle Beach General Manager

Learn more about Myrtle Beach condos and condos for sale.

Three times lucky, at least that is what businesses in Myrtle Beach are hoping for the recently purchased Freestyle Music Park. The musically themed amusement park attraction first opened in 2008 under the name Hard Rock Park. The $400 million dollar investment, however, was a bust the first time around and the park subsequently closed at the end of its first summer season.

According to a local newspaper article, a new company saw the potential in the Fantasy Harbor based park, and bought the park from the bankruptcy court for $25 million, a small amount compared to the initial investment. With a little sprucing up , and a change of name to Freestyle Music Park, the park reopened in 2009 with much fanfare.

Perhaps it was the economy, or maybe something more exotic like solar flares, but despite the new owner’s best efforts, the park closed by the end of the season and entered into bankruptcy. It is has sat abandoned for the last two years, quietly waiting.

This past week the theme park emerged from the shadows and was purchased during a foreclosure auction for $ 7 million. The company, FPI US LLC previously held the mortgage on the theme park and is now interested in re-opening the park. It is currently looking for a partner to operate the enterprise and hopes to open it for the 2012 season.

Businesses around Myrtle Beach are holding their breath, hoping that the third time is a charm. The vacant amusement park has led to a decline in the appearance of the surrounding businesses. They believe that the park, once re-opened, will bring back vitality to this area.

Many people in the tourism industry believed that the previous failures of this particular park were due to the recession. The park opened during a period when people were forgoing vacations, and if they were taking one, did so with a very tight budget. Other people believe that the theme park may have been charging too much for entry in comparison to other attractions in the area. FPI has stated that it will carefully evaluate all these factors before opening the park again next year.

View other Myrtle Beach area attractions. Or visit some of our condo rentals that are close to the park’s location, such as Bay View on the Boardwalk Condos or Anderson Ocean Club in Myrtle Beach.

The Myrtle Beach Boardwalk has recently been ranked #3 in the country by National Geographic on their list of the best boardwalks. This is incredible news for a boardwalk that is only a year old! The Myrtle Beach Boardwalk ranked in after Coney Island and Atlantic City, both of which were established in the late 1800’s. Travel and Leisure magazine has ranked the boardwalk as #2, second only to Coney Island.

The Myrtle Beach Boardwalk is a 1.2 mile long extravaganza situated on the Grand Strand that is filled with entertainment, shopping, and the very soul of Myrtle Beach.

At any given time when you are walking along the boardwalk you can encounter stilt-walkers and other street performers. You can shop at one of the many unique shops, dine at a beach side café, or simply play some video games at the arcade. Each week you will find live entertainment somewhere along the boardwalk, and once a week there is a fabulous fireworks display.

The Boardwalk extends between the 2nd Avenue Pier and the 14th Avenue Pier. The boardwalk itself has three distinct features. Between 2nd and 8th Avenues, the boardwalk is the promenade area, complete with benches that you can use to enjoy the ocean view. Between 8th and 14th Avenues, the boardwalk is lined with shops and cafes. At 14th Avenue, the boardwalk eases into a park, complete with landscaped sand dunes and a wooden deck. The boardwalk is near our quite a few of our condos, including Bay View, Oceans One, Caribbean Cove and Atlantica.

Fun Facts About The Myrtle Beach Boardwalk
• Over 770 thousand board feet of lumber was used to create the boardwalk
• Over 300 thousand nails were used to put the boardwalk together
• Nearly 600 thousand screws were used for the project
• Over 50 thousand beach grass seedlings were used in the landscaping
• Over 600 palmetto trees were planted
• It took 9 months to complete construction at a cost of nearly 7 million dollars.

When you think of the Grand Strand you automatically think of the beautiful beaches, the fabulous golfing and, of course Myrtle Beach. But why is this area called the Grand Strand, and how does it relate to this wonderful beach community? To find this out, you have to go back nearly a hundred years.

Near the turn of the 20th century a turpentine company, Burroughs and Collins (now Chapin), purchased extensive amounts of the beach area in Horry county. Shortly after this purchase was made, train tracks were laid out to this area enabling people to reach this once uninhabited area. By 1901 the area was known as Long Bay due to the 60+ miles of pristine beaches and what would later became known as “Myrtle Beach” was simply “New Town”. Later, as the town became more populated The Horry Herald ran a contest to determine what New Town should officially be named. The contest was won by Mrs. F.E. Burroughs, wife of the founder of the turpentine company. She selected the name Myrtle Beach because of the abundant Myrtle trees in the area.

By the 1920’s the Long Bay area was becoming quite a popular resort area. Many new resorts were built and golf courses began to enter into the picture. The pristine beaches, fabulous weather and friendly people made the area perfect for vacationing.

In 1949, Claude Dunnagan, a popular columnist for The Myrtle Beach Sun, referred to the area as the “Grand Strand,” a German term for “Long Beach,” and the name has stuck ever since.

In 1954 Hurricane Hazel made landfall in Myrtle Beach, leaving much destruction and chaos. However, the local people saw this devastation as a way to make Myrtle Beach an even better resort community. Debris was cleared and new resorts were built. By 1957 Myrtle Beach was incorporated into an official city, and the 1960’s saw a building boom that shaped what you now see today.

The Grand Strand officially stretches from Little River, South Carolina to Winyah Bay or Georgetown, South Carolina. Covering over 60 miles of beaches and stretching across two separate counties. Several other communities often attach themselves to the Grand Strand name, but they are not officially recognized as part of the Strand.

Interested in learning more history? Check out these links:

Myrtle Beach WikiPedia Page
History On VisitMyrtleBeach.com

Thanks for reading! CondoLux of Myrtle Beach is a vacation rental company specializing in oceanfront and ocean view condo rentals and vacation homes.

South Wind 701 OceanFRONT Balcony View

It’s vacation planning time, and you already know where you’re going. The fine, sandy beaches, world-class golf courses and Calabash-style seafood of Myrtle Beach have been calling your name for months. The only thing left to do is decide where you’re going to stay. The best choice? A Myrtle Beach oceanfront condo!

If you’ll be to Myrtle Beach before for more than a night or two, you probably already know you want to stay in a condo. Once you get used to eating breakfast in your own full kitchen every morning and slipping off to your own bedroom for some private time after a long walk on the beach or a soak in the hot tub, it’s a little hard to get back into the habit of cramming everybody into a hotel room.

But there are a lot of condos in Myrtle Beach. Golf course condos. Ocean view condos. Oceanfront condos. Narrowing them down might seem like too much work right now, but when you get here, the type of condo you picked when you didn’t think it really mattered much will make a big difference in how much of your precious vacation time you are really able to enjoy.

You already know that all condos have full kitchens, living areas and balconies. Efficiency units are available and are perfect for singles or couples without children, but units are available with as many as five bedrooms and multiple bathrooms. Some units have jacuzzi bathtubs, dishwashers and their own washers and dryers.

The key difference in condos is the view. Some very nice condos have views of the street or the parking lot or even the balconies of the condos across the street. That’s fine if you don’t plan on being in your room during the day and you’re going to fall into bed at night without even opening the drapes. But let’s admit what everybody knows: At Myrtle Beach, the Atlantic Ocean is the star of the show, so a Myrtle Beach oceanfront condo is you ONLY bet on the perfect view up and down the coast.

If you have to leave your room and walk around the building to see the water, then you’re missing out on a lot of what you paid for in the first place. The same goes for having to sit sideways or crane your neck to get a glimpse of the waves from an “ocean view” unit.

Not Directly on the Ocean - But still a beautiful oceanview condo at Royale Palms 2405

Oceanfront condos in Myrtle Beach, on the other hand, give you exactly what you came for, 24 hours a day, throughout your entire stay. Oceanfront condos face directly into the ocean with nothing but the beach and perhaps a cool blue swimming pool between you and the Atlantic. All you have to do is open the drapes and you are right on the ocean. People pay a premium to dine in a restaurant with a direct view of the water, but you can have every meal at the best table in the house, even if you’re only eating a Pop-tart or take-out pizza.

Oceanfront condos are really perfect for getting the most out of a beach vacation. Elderly or handicapped guests who have a hard time making it out to the sand can enjoy the sun and surf just by going out onto the balcony. With an oceanfront unit, the sights, sounds and smells of the beach are all yours every day, and nothing on earth can compare to watching the sun rise over the Atlantic from your own balcony.

Some of the oceanfront condos we offer are: Atlantica, Bay View on the Boardwalk, Camelot, Club Regency at Regency Towers, Grand Atlantic, Oceans One, South Wind on the Ocean and PLENTY more.

View ALL of the oceanfront condos we have available!