If you are looking for excitement, then look no further than Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, less than an hour’s drive from most of the Brunswick County Beaches. Ranked as the second most popular beach n the United States by USA Today, the beach experience here is like none other. The Grand Strand encompasses miles of wide sandy beaches. Myrtle Beach is also home to 120 of the most fabulous golf courses in the US. There are eleven live entertainment theaters, with shows to match the highest Las Vegas-style and New York productions. And with over 1700 full service restaurants, there is something for everyone here. Shopping is also a sheer delight, especially for those seeking the thrill of a bargain. Myrtle Beach has more than 300 outlet shopping stores with every sought after name brand available. Accommodations range from high rise condos and plush resort hotels to small beach cottages and even camping.

Myrtle Beach Facts:

The International Association of Golf Tour Operators named the Myrtle Beach area the established golf destination of the year for 2000. Destinations are rated on customer satisfaction, support from suppliers and airlines, quality of golf courses and accommodations, and access to tee times.

Myrtle Beach is second most popular beach in the United States, according to USATODAY.com Travel Guide, an affiliate of the newspaper USAToday. The 2001 Beach Guide Top Ten Beaches were based on responses from more than 3,000 readers.

In 2001, Restaurant Business magazine ranked the Myrtle Beach area No. 1 in the U.S. for growth potential. The area's market is growing nine times faster than the national average, and twice as fast as its closest competitor, Flagstaff, Ariz.
The Myrtle Beach Metropolitan Statistical Area is the 13th fastest growing area in the nation, according to U.S. Census Bureau statistics released in April 2001. The area grew 36.5 percent over the past decade.

The Myrtle Beach area recorded a 9.1 percent annual growth rate for all goods and services produced between 1990 and 2000, resulting in a tie for fifth place in a national report on growth. The U.S. Conference of Mayors commissioned the report.