Winter Tourist
With the lowering gas prices and the increasing temperatures of these wonderful Southern winters, it’s hard not to think about the first thing you’re going to do when the Spring season finally makes its return. Once we exit sweater weather, it will be back to the routine of family picnics in the park, pool parties, cookouts, and so forth and so on. That said, why wait? Why not jump in the car with your significant other or the kids or both and enjoy the sunny days as they come? Sure it’s still a little too chilly to take a swim, but that doesn’t mean one cannot enjoy the other splendors of the beach and other warm weather locales. Being that the cooler months are considered the “off season,” now is actually the perfect time to take advantage of what the South has to offer before the standard tourists come.
Considering beaches, Myrtle Beach is one great place to venture to right now. With its endless miles of white sand and plethora of resort style hotels to choose from, one will not fall short of places to stay or peaceful views to see. In addition to a less crowded beach front, Myrtle Beach offers plenty of attractions for couples or families that are looking for a little fun during the cooler months. A favorite of mine is The Original Benjamin’s Calabash restaurant which offers a 170 item buffet consisting of fried seafood, grilled seafood, broiled and baked seafood, and just about any other preparation of seafood that one could think of along with the usual sides, salads, soups and deserts. During peak season the wait just to be seated is easily an hour or more, all the more reason why taking advantage of the smaller crowd is such a great idea. Also located on Myrtle Beach is Ripley’s Believe It or Not Odditorium housing many different record breaking oddities and replicas of amazing beings like the Lizard Man and the World’s Tallest Man; the Ripley’s Aquarium where one can walk “through” the ocean while sharks and sea creatures swim above and around; and the Myrtle Beach Speedway, a NASCAR lover’s dream! At the Speedway they offer their visitors the opportunity to drive (or ride) in an actual NASCAR vehicle, and they even host the occasional concert, so celebrity sightings are highly possible! Lastly, after a great day of fun in the winter sun, enjoy overlooking the beachfront from the top of the Sky Wheel located on the pier…a breathtaking view and relaxing way to wrap up your trip.
Photo courtesy of John Piercy via Flickr.
Iesha Garvin lives in Savannah where she works as an office clerk and attends Armstrong State University in pursuit of a Bachelor’s degree in Professional Communications. Also an aspiring author, she dilly-dallies in poetry, short fiction, songs, and any other medium that happens to inspire her.
