Ever since 20th century lumber workers began heading out to the Myrtle Beach coast for their weekends, this town has been synonymous with coastal recreation. Today the water is still the main draw—with dozens of group-friendly recreation and charter companies—but award-winning golf and other Earth-bound pursuits balance out the equation.
Golf
Long known as a golfer’s haven, the Myrtle Beach area sports 102 courses, many of them by top designers such as Jack Nicklaus and Robert Trent Jones. A few of the award-winning courses are
Litchfield Country Club, Willbrook Plantation Golf Club and River Club (866.442.8417). If you are planning a golf-intensive trip, be sure to contact the CVB or the respective golf courses in advance for reservations.
Water Sports
For groups looking to spend some time together out on the water,
Enchanted Charters (843.283.4873) offers everything from sailing lessons to overnight sails to nearby Bird Island. To bring in an experience with nature, Blue Wave Adventures (843.651.3676) operates an extremely popular dolphin-watching trip, and can run private charters as well.
For more active groups, Jet Ski rentals with Thomas Outdoors Watersports (843.280.2448) is an ideal option, and they can even combine the experience with a dolphin tour. Scuba divers will find plenty do to in Myrtle Beach as well. Nu Horizons Dive and Travel (843.839.1932), a full-service dive facility, offers a number of classes for newbies and a wide range of charters for those with certification.
Fishing
Fishing is another major draw in Myrtle Beach, and there are plenty of local charter companies that can rig up a group and let them try their hand at the big fish waiting just off the Atlantic Coast. Outfits like
Captain Ricky Long (843.249.1889) or Lucky Strike (843.249.2049) can take out small groups of about a dozen for a chance to catch challenging fish such as sea bass, barracuda and shark. For serious anglers visiting during April and October, planners can sign them up for the Grand Strand Fishing Rodeo (800.356.3016), a competition sponsored by the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce that offers prizes totaling more than $20,000.
Inland Pursuits
Of course, not everyone loves the water, and Myrtle Beach is not about to leave those people behind. Both the Myrtle Beach Pelicans (843.918.6000), as part of the Atlanta Braves franchise, and Myrtle Beach Thunderboltz (843.626.7444), an ECHL hockey team, play regularly throughout the year, and groups can reserve seats in advance for front-row action.
Lastly, the Broadway at the Beach (843.444.3200) complex offers recreation options such as an amusement park, a zip-line course and the MagiQuest live-action fantasy game.
—Hunter Holcombe
