Many longtime Myrtle Beach visitors know only two roads – Highway 501 that carries them in and out of the city, and Highway 17 that takes them north and south. Anything off those streets requires asking for directions, or missing it all together.
You can still get almost anywhere in Myrtle Beach using those two main thoroughfares, but a lot of new roads have been built in recent years to lead visitors to new attractions. A concerted effort to promote “connectivity” on local roads has made it possible to avoid those busier highways by using back roads and new accesses that serve as time-saving short cuts.
Several of the newer roads are beneficial for guests at Compass Cove. Here are five tips for getting around Myrtle Beach:
- Farrow Parkway: Here's a little trivia fact that some locals can't answer: What road does Ocean Boulevard become if you follow it all the way south? Farrow Parkway, which crosses over Kings Highway and runs through the Market Common district. Compass Cove guests can turn left out of the resort and go directly to Market Common, but recent renovations have also made it a nice access to Socastee, at the corner of Highway 17 Bypass and Highway 707.
- Harrelson Boulevard: This recently opened and extended roadway begins at Kings Highway near 21st Avenue South, just a couple of blocks away from Compass Cove. It can be a useful route for guests going to Myrtle Beach International Airport, Coastal Grand Mall and all of the attractions on the north side of town without having to sit in traffic on Kings Highway. Harrelson Boulevard directly connects to Robert M. Grissom Parkway (more on that later), Seaboard Street, Highway 17 Bypass and Fantasy Harbour.
- Mr. Joe White Avenue: Known to locals simply as “The Joe,” this four-lane road was named for a popular local shoeshine man at nearby Woody's Barbershop. The east-west connector runs from Ocean Boulevard at Plyler Park (Ninth Avenue North) to The Ripken Experience and Myrtle Waves on 10th Avenue North Extension. But the biggest help is the easy access between Highway 17 and Bypass 17, especially when Highway 501 is busy.
- Robert Grissom Parkway: Locals refer to it as “The Bob” and as a lifesaver for folks trying to move north and south through Myrtle Beach without using Highway 17 or Bypass 17. Named for a former mayor of Myrtle Beach, “The Bob” splits between the two 17s and provides easy access to Highway 31 (Carolina Bays Parkway) as it crosses over the Intracoastal Waterway to Carolina Forest (the name changes to International Drive). The Bob also runs south Harrelson Parkway so Compass Cove guests can take advantage of the four-lane parkway. If your trip takes you to the corner of the Bob and the Joe, at least you will be on a first-name basis.
- Superhighways: These relatively new expressways are better for going in and out of town, but they can come in very handy for those looking to explore the Grand Strand. Highway 22 (or the Conway Bypass) allows guests to visit Conway and Aynor without using Highway 501, while Highway 22 (the Carolina Bays Parkway) runs north- and-south from Socastee to North Myrtle Beach. Both are divided, 65-mph freeways with limited exits, and there’s no quicker way to get to North Myrtle Beach or the North Carolina border than Highway 31.
Of course, all these new roads still lead to your vacation home away from home at Compass Cove Resort. If you want to stay on site and enjoy the cozy accommodations and first-class amenities, you might not need to use any of these roads. But if you want to see the Grand Strand without all the traffic, these short cuts are right up your alley.
