Guests at Long Bay Resort are surrounded by plenty of things to do and see in Myrtle Beach so you never have to travel very far to find something fun to do. But if you want to check out something different, go exploring just south of the Myrtle Beach city limits to the small beachfront community of Surfside Beach.
Nicknamed “The Family Beach” for its small town charm and family friendly activities, Surfside Beach consists of a 10 block by 35 block stretch between Kings Highway and the Atlantic Ocean. Only about 4,000 permanent residents call this town home year-round, but the summertime sees Surfside Beach swell in size as visitors come for the peace and quiet as well as the fun in the sun.
The centerpiece of the Surfside Beach community is the Surfside Pier, a wooden walkway over the ocean that is home to excellent fishing, watersports outfitters and the popular Surfside Diner where locals and tourists gather for a cup of coffee and breakfast to watch the sun rise over the ocean or a nice lunch to take a break during the heat of the day on the beach. Knocked down by hurricanes and rebuilt several times over the years, the pier represents the same can-do spirit that created this small community from sand hills and farmland in the 1950s, and just how far the town has come in the six decades since.
Once a mix of a sand and dirt road that ran along the beach, Ocean Boulevard is the main drag through Surfside Beach and is fronted by a bustling businesses district. Beachwear shops, seafood restaurants and beach bars surround the intersection of Surfside Drive and Ocean Boulevard, including popular hangouts like Bubba's Seafood Shack and Scotty's Beach Bar. One noticeable difference from other Grand Strand seaside communities is the limited number of oceanfront hotels, as the vast majority of accommodations are beach houses and cottages. This makes for a less crowded setting and a family friendly environment for a one-day getaway to Surfside Beach.
Among the many fun activities available are boat rides that depart daily from Surfside Beach Pier. Passengers can go for a short ride out to sea and experience the view of Surfside Beach from a different perspective. Several watersports companies operate from the beach, so visitors can go parasailing, jet skiing or for a Banana Boat ride just offshore. Surfside Beach is also a popular hangout for local surfers, and lessons and clinics are available for first-timers. Wild Water & Wheels waterpark is a short distance south in neighboring Garden City Beach, Myrtle Beach State Park is a few miles north, and the Waccatee Zoo is just a few miles inland in Socastee.
Golf is a popular pastime in Surfside Beach, and Tupelo Bay Golf Course offers 18 championship holes as well as other fun activities, like Mutiny Bay miniature golf course and the only soccer golf course on the South Strand. The Hudson Bay Flea Market is a great place for bargain shoppers to pick up a few deals, and Inlet Square Mall is only 5 miles south for some serious retail therapy. Enjoy excellent seafood at Surf Cafe, Crabby Mike's Seafood Buffet, or the Conch Cafe, or go for more traditional American grub at Fat Jack's Wings & Things, Dagwood's Deli or Dagwood's Deli. Enjoy the nightlife at the Sun Down Sports Pub or the Island Bar for some cold drinks and live music.
Surfside Beach is only only about 12 miles south Long Bay Resort, and guests can take Kings Highway or Highway 17 Bypass to be in Surfside Beach in only minutes. For more information about the town, visit www.surfsidebeach.org.
(Posted: 9/2/15)
