In between all the shopping and quilting and walking at the gardens, I did get some time on the beach in Myrtle Beach. DH and I walked along the shore a couple of evenings, watching the birds and the waves. The nice thing about this area is that it isn’t wall to wall people. There are visitors but it isn’t crowded.
These pictures were taken in the state park on the shoreline. It was evening, after DH had finished his work for the day, so the light isn’t the best. Remember, we are on the east coast where the prettiest pictures are at dawn. This time we were not staying at a beach hotel so I couldn’t get the sun over the water.
Seagulls vied with pigeons for tidbits on the beach.
This little guy wasn’t afraid of us, but decided to scratch his nose when I decided to take his picture.
We walked out on the pier where people were fishing. It was lovely looking back at the shore. DH used to spend some time in the summer camping in this park when he was a kid. He had lots of memories of the fun they had.
Looking down into the water, I saw a sea turtle but didn’t get the camera out fast enough. A minute later, I did get a picture of a shark. It is under the water in the upper right of the photo.
Sunset was over the land, and the clouds made an interesting view.
On another day, I went to the beach in the middle of the day. In the distance, there is a parasailing parachute.
There is something about toes in the sand that is so relaxing.
Bubbles and broken shells in the receding water made interesting patterns.
The colors here would be an interesting inspiration for a quilt, mostly shades of white and grey with a touch of apricot.
Looking back toward the hub of Myrtle Beach where the big hotels are located, it isn’t crowded. Of course, Myrtle Beach proper has its touristy side, with garish shops hawking towels and beachwear, but the northern end of town is more peaceful and relaxing. When you get to the community of North Myrtle Beach, there are free parking lots about every half-mile, and beaches are a lot less crowded.
I found a quaint shopping area, little shops and restaurants on a pier-like setting, called Barefoot Landing.
It was so pretty, with fountains and large pots of flowers. The architecture of the buildings is typical of the beach community.
There were large pots of mixed flowers all over the piers, with many benches to sit and eat or just relax.
I saw this while I was at a stop light. Looking up I was a bit surprised to see King Kong with an airplane!! It was on top of the wax museum, and had to be somewhere close to 40-50 feet high, over the building! I’ve never seen anything like it, so I had to show it to you.
Walking along the beach again in the early evening later in the week, we found a Garden by the Sea. Marigolds and pansies were blooming profusely.
Beautiful stonework retaining walls holding more flower beds. Some had not come into bloom yet.
I know this post is getting long, but there is so much to show you! There were more garden spots with lovely places to sit and enjoy the view, some public and some connected with the resorts.
This garden had wonderful foliage in purple shades.
This little spot had a quaint fountain.
It was so nice to walk in the evenings after dinner. We had a couple of really outstanding meals and I’ll show you those tomorrow.
Have you had or are you planning a beach vacation?
See these links for more about my Myrtle Beach adventure –
Thrift Store Shopping in Myrtle Beach
Sharing….
From My Carolina Home 
I spent some of my best senior high school days in Myrtle beach, a long, long time ago!! Thank you for sharing and the memories, Susan
I’m heading to The Grand Strand this weekend with a group of girlfriends. It’s peaceful at the beach and I can’t wait to relax with toes in the sand!
Looks like a great vacation! One of your pics was of pebbles in the water–reminded me of the pebble fabric you were considering for your quilt. You asked if we take oceanside vacations–we just tried to get a spot and found out it takes 6 months to get a reservation! (Insert eyes rolling and head shaking here).
I’m not a beach person (sunburn too easily), but we have an annual breakfast at Bennie’s on th Beach in Lake Worth, south of Palm Beach in late February and we go see a sunset on the beach in Venice, FL while visiting a quilting buddy. I’m sure Myrtle Beach gets much busier during spring break and the summer season. Nice to be able to visit off season.
It looks like a beautiful trip. The east coast beaches looks so different from the west coast. Stunning flowers!
In the 90’s my husband and I would go to Crescent City CA area and Brookings OR, up HWY 1 on the West Coast. Giant redwoods and ocean, oh my. When we were stationed in MD, we went to the Eastern Shore. Loved Chesapeake beaches, SOFT sand because mixed with silt, and surreal horseshoe crabs. The sand on the Delaware beaches was so sharp it hurt, and we all kept our flip flops on. We drove down to Virginia Beach, lovely little town in the off season, crazy in the summer! I grew up near Ventura CA , rocky beaches, but great tide pools. I just need a vacation, sigh. Oh, and the picture with the shark? that aqua water color is one of the trim colors I’m putting on our house! Maybe time for a watercolor quilt….
Loved your pictures! I am selfish and like the beach to myself also. I just returned from Florida. I made a stop by Bulls Island, SC to hunt for shells, then spent the night on Amelia Island, FL before travelling to Sanibel, FL. Sanibel is supposed to be one of the top 10 beaches for shells. Traveled to Marco Island, FL for a shelling tour and also took one to an outer island near Sanibel. Came home with lots of shells and loads of relaxation. Stopped by Jekyl Island, GA and spent the night before coming home on Friday. Haven’t done this in years! I also took a picture of my toes in the sand. Too funny.!
That King Kong is really something! Was it a balloon? or could you tell what it was made from?
Beautiful beach pictures 🙂
Nice photos! Thanks for sharing.
You made me remember walking after dark on the beach at Myrtle Beach, and if you shone a flashlight, there were gazillions of little sand crabs scurrying from hole to hole just before you stepped on them. I wonder if they are still so plentiful. Nature is so fascinating. Hope you come home very refreshed!!
We haven’t been back to Myrtle Beach since my husband worked in that area for three months. But we usually make a trip every year to visit friends in Fort Myers and Sannibel is about 10 miles from their home. Guess where we spend a LOT of time. I made a quilt two years ago from a line of fabric called Sannibel. Finished it three days before we left for Florida and photographed it on the beach there. A restaurant had bright colored chairs and I asked if we could move them around for a photo op. They kindly let us move the chairs and we put them back, of course. My photo sequence was interesting in the fact we caught a fast moving ocean storm behind us and a guy lowering his catamaran sails.
Your trip to Brookgreen Gardens was a memory jogger. It is much more manicured than it was years ago, but we were there in early September, so it’s probably that the trees and shrubs were fuller than in the spring.
Your photos sure brought back memories of happy times from our past. Thanks for posting about your trip!
What gorgeous photos! Thank you for sharing them. My daughter lived in Myrtle Beach for a year or so. I had one delightful visit there.
beautiful!!
It looks so beautiful and relaxing. I’ll be there with my Mom and sisters for a girls week in September. It’s been a few years since we’ve made the trip so I’m really looking forward to it. Barefoot Landing is one of our favorite spots to walk in the evenings. It looks like you had a wonderful time. 🙂
Birds, rabbits and sharks…oh my! I absolutely love the beach, it is my favorite vacation. We are in Louisiana so we go to Florida in the summer. I love the fluffy white sands! Your post is making me ready to hit the road and head to the beach!
Yes yes LOVE beach vacations!!! (I lived on Martha’s Vineyard my first summer after college….LOVED IT!!! Thanks for sharing your post/adventure with us….makes me excited for summer….though it’s still awhile away.
What a lovely place. Thanks for the photos. Go King Kong
I love a day at the beach, particularly when I get to walk along the shore and paddle in the sea. It reminds me of days out when I was a child.
Myrtle Beach is a great place to visit! Your pictures remind me that it has been too long since I have sunk my toes in the sand 🙂 Hope you enjoyed your trip, sounds like you did 🙂
My friends are in N Myrtle Beach today. She and I had made a trip to Myrtle Beach several years ago while on business for the USPS. We had a wonderful time in So and No Carolina that trip. Stayed at the Marriott Dunes Resort while im Myrtle. Love the purple foliage!! Beautiful photography, Carole.
Beautiful photos !!! I want to go back to the ocean sometime soon. I thought we would be going this month but things came up and Hubby can’t get off work 😦
Your pictures are great and I’m happy to hear that you had a good time. King Kong would have had me shaking in my boots! Thank you for sharing with us this week at Celebrate Your Story, and I hope your week is going great.
Hi Carole,
Going back through some of your e-mails on Myrtle Beach I came across the picture of King Kong and I remember that picture, do you? I remember the previews and especially an interview that the star Jessica Lang, I think was talking about the King Kong character and how scared she was since it was all mechanical and she wasn’t sure of how it worked . Don’t remember the year but I sure knew I didn’t want to see that movie and have nightmares. Had my first hummingbird at my suet feeder this morning getting some lint I put out for the birds to help build their nest, also had my little downy and the red headed wood peckers at the suet feeders Promptly filled the hummingbird feeders with sugar and water, one for the front porch and one for the back patio, so happy to see them. Its only going to be in the upper 50’s today, sure with this weather would make up its mind just what it wants.
Phyllis
Thank you for the pretty picture tour.
So beautiful! You brought back some nice memories of a place I loved visiting. My inlaws used to have a house in one of the golf plantations about an hour north of there and we would take a trip down once or twice a year. My father in law passed away 2 years ago and my mother in law sold the house so we haven’t gone back. I love that there is so much to do in the area but it’s spread out enough that you can get away from from the crowded areas whenever you want. Such a lovely place! Thanks for sharing at this month’s Take Me Away Party!
Shelley
We are heading to Hatteras in a week and half and I can’t wait to get my toes in the sand!
Gorgeous place! Love beach! What a great vacation! Thanks for sharing!
How wonderful! Really a gorgeous place, and that King Kong is amazing!! Thanks for sharing with SYC.
hugs,
Jann
These are some pretty great photos! I love Myrtle Beach and can’t wait to return. Great post!