No vacation to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina is complete without a stroll down the Myrtle Beach Boardwalk, which is home to some of the Grand Strand’s most iconic attractions. From thrill rides to fishing piers and other fun-themed venues, visitors can find it all along the 1.3-mile wooden walkway that parallels the Atlantic Ocean shoreline.
Guests at Compass Cove Oceanfront Resort can experience a true taste of Myrtle Beach in the downtown district, as well as the Hot Summer Nights Festival that features live, nightly entertainment and weekly firework shows all summer long. Here’s a look at some of the can’t-miss amusements and outlets located along the Myrtle Beach Boardwalk:
* Arcades: There’s something special about the games people play on the Boardwalk, particularly at the famous open-air arcades. Fun Plaza Family Fun Center and the Gay Dolphin Arcade have entertained generations of vacationers in the heart of downtown. Featuring a collection of antique pinball machines, old-school carnival amusements like Skee-Ball and retro-cool video games like Pac Man and Galaga, these arcades have also kept up with the times by adding the latest, high-tech and virtual-reality video games. Save up your tickets and trade them in for a souvenir.
* Fishing Piers: Enjoy the Atlantic Ocean without getting wet at one of two fishing piers on the Boardwalk. In fact, the 1.3-mile walkway has piers as bookends – the northernmost point at Pier 14 and the southernmost spot at Second Avenue Pier. Visitors can rent fishing gear and purchase bait and license on site, but the piers offer much more than angling. Both feature popular restaurants, and Second Avenue Pier has a cozy rooftop bar where you can relax and look out over the ocean.
* Restaurants/Bars: Since the completion of the Boardwalk, several new dining options have opened to give guests more opportunities for seaside dining. But some of the most popular venues are the ones that have stood the test of time, such as Peaches Corners’ iconic burgers and shakes and Oceanfront Grill’s fresh seafood. The same is true of watering holes, and none have been around longer than Duffy’s and neighboring honky-tonk The Bowery, where country music super-group Alabama served as the house band back in the 1970s.
* Rides: The beach is the perfect place for an adrenaline rush, and the Boardwalk is the place to find it. Towering high above the Myrtle Beach skyline is the Sling Shot, a jumbo-sized bungee cord that hurls passengers up to 300 feet in the air at speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour. For those who prefer their thrills a little less thrilling, the iconic Myrtle Beach SkyWheel provides panoramic views of the ocean and downtown district from the safety and comfort of enclosed gondolas that climb 190 feet above the beach. The Myrtle Beach Zipline gives guests the chance to fly like a seagull.
* Shops: Remember your trip to the Boardwalk forever by picking up some souvenirs at one of the many beachwear stores in the downtown district. The most famous is the Gay Dolphin Gift Cove, the first of its kind by opening in its current location in 1946. The shop has expanded over the years to encompass more than a million items spread over 26,000 square feet and seven levels. Work your way to the top and check out the spectacular views from the crow’s nest on top of the building, and be sure to pick up some seashells and other souvenirs to take home.
There is plenty more to do and see on the Boardwalk, and guests at Compass Cove Oceanfront Resort can catch all the excitement this summer. Book your summer vacation plans today and soak up all the action on the Boardwalk.
