ReserveAmerica has released its 2008 lists of America’s “Top Outdoor Locations,” resulting in two Myrtle Beach-area landmarks being selected among the country’s elite.

Huntington Beach State Park in Murrells Inlet was included in two rankings – first, among the “Top 25 Park Beaches," drawing these accolades:

"This wide, sandy beach is the best preserved beach on the Grand Strand of South Carolina. The beach includes a well-developed dune system, and provides a habitat for diverse wildlife. There are walkways to provide access to the beach for visitors to crossover the dunes. There are also great restroom facilities for beachgoers."

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Myrtle Beach now boasts three Starbucks locations along Ocean Boulevard – all providing the high-quality “Starbucks Experience” you’d expect to find at any of their stores, but each offering its own little wrinkle that makes it a go-to java destination.

Now in its fifth year of operation and the first Starbucks to come to Myrtle Beach, the shop at Breakers Resort (Ocean Blvd. at 21st Ave. N.) boasts a central location to get your coffee or latte, then walk across the street for an early-morning stroll along the beach. Uptown, the store at Long Bay Resort (7200 N. Ocean Blvd.) offers easy beach access and features an outdoor patio in front, perfect for using the free wireless Internet connection while you soak up afternoon rays.

The latest addition comes a shade downtown, at Bay View Resort (504 N. Ocean Blvd.). Here, you can get your joe to go – or stick around, catch a seat at the high bar along the 5th Avenue North side, and enjoy the ocean view from the inside (pictured). Right now, this is the only Starbucks location along the entire Grand Strand that offers such a convenience.

And when you leave Ocean Boulevard, there are several other Grand Strand locations where you can get your Starbucks fix, including:

• Kroger at Carolina Forest (3735 Renee Drive, Myrtle Beach)
• Piggly Wiggly at Carolina Forest (right across the street)
• Target (1150 Seaboard St., Myrtle Beach)
• 547 Hwy. 17 N., North Myrtle Beach (across from Gator Hole Plaza)
• Broadway at the Beach
• Coastal Grand Mall
• Piggly Wiggly at The Market Common (former Myrtle Beach Air Force Base)
• Piggly Wiggly Murrells Inlet (4430 Hwy. 17 Bypass)
• Litchfield Beach & Golf Resort

We’ve shown plenty of sunrise shots in this segment in recent months. This time around, we thought we’d show just how folks along the Grand Strand are taking advantage of the fantastic daybreak weather we’ve been enjoying in recent days.

With the 10-day forecast calling for mostly sunny skies and mild seasonal temps heading into Easter weekend, there’s plenty of reason for you to partake in these sun-worshipping rituals, too!

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The Dunes Village Resort in Myrtle Beach has been selected by TripAdvisor.com readers as a recipient of its 2008 Travelers’ Choice Award, earning the No. 2 spot in its annual list of “Top 10 Best Hotels for Families” in the United States. Dunes Village joins select company that includes

1. Residence Inn Sea World/International Center, Orlando, Florida
2. Dunes Village Resort, Myrtle Beach
3. Embassy Suites Anaheim South / Disneyland Resort, Garden Grove, California
4. Candy Cane Inn, Anaheim, California
5. Marriott's Grande Vista, Orlando, Florida
6. Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort and Spa, San Antonio, Texas
7. Comfort Suites Maingate East, Kissimmee, Florida
8. Hilton Grand Vacations Club at Sea World Int'l Center, Orlando, Florida
9. Homewood Suites Anaheim-Main Gate Area, Garden Grove, California
10. Disney's Wilderness Lodge, Orlando, Florida

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"Good Morning, Myrtle Beach"

Among the great charms of the Grand Strand area are the unique beachside equestrian opportunities it provides in its off-season. While you can’t take Trigger for a stroll along the public beaches in July, you can now – and through the end of this month.

According to the City of Myrtle Beach Web site, horseback riding on the beach is allowed from the third Saturday in November until the end of February each year, subject to the rules listed below. No permit is required.

1. Not more than six horses and riders are to be in a single group at one time.
2. Riding across or on any sand dune is prohibited.
3. Access to the beach will be from Myrtle Beach State Park.
4. There will be no parking of horse trailers or staging on the public rights-of-way.
5. All riders will be required to clean up after their horses in all areas landward of the mean high tide line.

And from February through November, Inlet Point Plantation Stables in North Myrtle Beach boasts a private island available for both beach and trail riding. Inlet Point also offers pony rides and weekend campout opportunities. In the winter, you can bring your own horses and camping gear and enjoy its private island on specified dates (call 843-249-2989 for more information).

This ain’t your Whitman’s Sampler-type of lover’s holiday.

So instead of the last-minute, overpriced dozen roses you’ll pick up at the Kroger florist, why not put that money to better use toward a Valentine’s Day getaway package that both of you can truly enjoy?

It’s the Valentine’s Romantic Getaway special being offered at Litchfield Beach & Golf Resort in Pawleys Island. With rates beginning at $562 per couple, you can enjoy a three-night stay at the South Strand’s premier resort destination, with a boatload of extras including:

• Recreational options galore. You not only get a round of golf at nearby Litchfield Country Club, but unlimited tennis at one of the country’s “Top 50 Resorts” as selected by Tennis Magazine. You also get unlimited bicycle rentals, so you can “Bike the Neck” along one of the region’s most scenic trails.
• Your choice of either one massage or one facial per person (Monday through Saturday) – the perfect way to unwind after a day full of activity.
• Daily breakfast for two.
• Dinner for two at Webster’s Lowcountry Grill, which includes a bottle of champagne to celebrate your romantic getaway in style, and a four-course meal with entrée options including char-grilled local grouper, lemongrass-seared free range chicken breast and chateaubriand for two.

For more information, visit Litchfield’s Specials page or call 1-800-882-0684.

If you’re either not from the South or unfamiliar with entertainment culture south of the Mason-Dixon line, we’re not talking about “shagging” in the Austin Powers movie context.

We’re referring to the “Carolina shag,” and if you hang around these parts long enough you start to realize it’s got quite a loyal following.

So … what is shagging? First, here’s a look-see:

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Myrtle Beach- Top Rated Golf Destination, Vacation Spot Or Both?
By Mike D'auria

In the winter of 1990 I was contemplating planning my first golf vacation. At that time I had been playing for about 13 years, approximately once a week, either with my golf club at Marine Dunes Golf Course in Brooklyn on Flatbush Avenue or at Dyker Beach Golf Course in Dyker Heights. The course was located in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn and at the time it was the most played public course in the country.

I always wondered what it would be like to go on vacation for an entire week and be able to play golf every day if I wanted to. In conversation with my golf club comrades and reading my favorite golf magazines, Golf Digest being at the top of the list, it became clear to me that Myrtle Beach would be a great choice. I had one dilemma, my significant other was joining me on the trip and had never played golf before. So I offered her this option - Learn to play golf or wait for five or six hours, while I played, for my return. She was into sports, softball, baseball and football like myself, and athletic so she opted to learn to play. Her decision to learn posed my second dilemma, which was how to teach her to play in four or five weeks before we had to embark on our trip. A crash course with an instructor or should I take on the challenge?

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