It seems like there’s always something new going on around the Grand Strand year after year, and this year a big change is taking place in downtown Myrtle Beach. A brand new world-class boardwalk is set to be completed in Myrtle Beach this June! Visitors will be able to enjoy a 1.2-mile beachfront stroll between the 2nd Avenue Pier and 14th Avenue Pier.

Three sections will make up the new boardwalk. The northern section will be a calming walkway on a raised wooden deck, surrounded by peaceful views of dunes, palm trees, and the ocean. The central section will adjoin plenty of beachfront stores, sidewalk cafes, and shops for a fun atmosphere. The south section will be a wide park promenade winding between the beach and natural landscaping. Beach access points will be located all along the boardwalk and promenade.

Want to keep an eye on the progress? View the Boardwalk and Promenade construction cameras here!

Today it’s sunny and warm in Myrtle Beach, but on Saturday we had a rare sighting of snow! The winter storm which brought flurries all across the south arrived on the Grand Strand late last Friday night, leaving 3.5 inches of fluffy snow in Myrtle Beach and North Myrtle Beach by Saturday morning. Locals and visitors enjoyed the treat by building snowmen, having the traditional snowball fights, and heading down to the beach to see snow on the sand and palm trees. The area’s warm winter temperatures melted off most of the accumulation by Saturday afternoon, with none left by Sunday.

Snow is usually an infrequent event in Myrtle Beach, with flurries being sighted only once every couple of years. Inches of snow on the ground is even scarcer, with major accumulation happening only once every ten years: 5.8 inches on December 23 1989, 3 inches on January 25 2000, and Saturday’s snowfall. So those of you who book Myrtle Beach winter rentals to escape from the snow have very little to worry about!

We’ll be preparing for our next major snowfall sometime around 2020! Until then, we’ll be saying goodbye to the last of our near-freezing weather as high temperatures start heading into the 60s for a warm and comfortable spring.

One of the many questions we get regarding our Myrtle Beach condo rentals is what is the difference between an oceanfront condo and an ocean view condo.  If you take the words literally, they both mean the same thing. If the condo is oceanfront, then obviously you have a view of the ocean.  No?  These aren’t literal definitions though. Let’s explain.

Oceanfront Myrtle Beach condos are parallel to the ocean, meaning you are facing the ocean while standing on your balcony. Simple as that. The building is not tilted, nor do you have a side unit that has a VIEW of the ocean.  When you look out your balcony door, the ocean is directly in front of you looking straight ahead.  This added luxury is why oceanfront condos are usually more expensive – the view is spectacular.  The photo below is an example of an oceanfront condo rental:

Oceanfront Condo - Notice How the Beach is Parallel to the Balcony?

Myrtle Beach condo rentals that have an ocean view, on the other hand, might still have a very nice VIEW of the ocean, but your balcony might be on the side of the building, rather than in the front (or back, for that matter). These condos generally are less, simply because you are not paying for the view.  There is no difference in actual quality of the unit itself. You can still expect your tiled floors, jacuzzi tubs, and granite countertops – just not the view.  Keep in mind, there are other types of an ocean view condos as well. If there is a home or condo on the second row, there still might be a good view of the ocean – but you might need to walk an extra 100 feet to get to the beach.

Ocean View: You can still see the ocean, but it's not directly in front of you.

We have a wide assortment of both oceanfront and ocean view Myrtle Beach condo rentals. Summer is already booking up fast though. Don’t hesitate too long. The best condos are already sold out!

Thanks to a tweeter on twitter, I found nice article about the Grand Strand area in U.S. Airways Magazine (yea, I know, odd).  I, for one, have not seen a U.S. Airways magazine in the past, even though I have flown with them on many occasions.

Even so, it’s not just one article, but a few good ones about the different aspects of Myrtle Beach, from golf to business to a “best of Myrtle Beach section”.  Let’s start with the fun stuff, shall we?

The named the Best Golf Hole as “The Gambler”. It’s at MBN’s Kings North course. Par 5, designed by Arnold Palmer. They say the best route is just a roll of the dice.  Best Ice Cream? Despite a mixture of good and bad reviews on the Myrtle Beach Restaurants website, Painters Homemade Ice Cream in North Myrtle holds the title for excellent ice cream.  Best Souvenirs? The Gay Dolphin on the ocean drive section of Myrtle Beach. And Collector’s Cafe brought the title for fine dining.

Now I have to throw facts out at you about Myrtle Beach. Some of these are pretty staggering.  The Grand Strand area has more than 47,000 hotel ROOMS, 1,700 restaurants, 1,800 golf holes, 15 million annual visitors and 60 miles of beaches.  Pretty nifty huh? There were also 3,387 marriage licenses issued in 2008 from Horry County, according to the article.

New Boardwalk

One of the articles even touched on the new Boardwalk that should open next summer. It will be 1.2 miles and connect the two piers in the downtown Myrtle Beach area.  The boardwalk will be broken down into three sections, a) a nature trail, b), a “nostalgic reverie with mom-and-pop shops and restaurants”, and c) the promenade, which will have larger areas for special events and concerts. This new boardwalk should add another who dynamic to the Myrtle Beach vacation. And since it is close to many Myrtle Beach hotels and condos, access to it will be quite easy for the tourists.

Some Pavilion History

Ready for a Myrtle Beach history lesson? Did you know the Myrtle Beach Pavilion was lost in a fire, not once, but twice? The first in 1920 (rebuilt in 1925) and then again in 1944.  Then in 1948, Burroughs and Chapin rebuilt it for the third time, but used reinforced concrete walls. The park was host to 40 seaside rides, including a carousel that was 1 of 15 in the United States. It also included South Carolina’s tallest, fastest, and longest wooden roller coaster.

Like I said, these articles covered quite a bit in the Myrtle Beach area and were well written. It’s good to see Myrtle Beach noted and on the map.  We don’t  just have Myrtle Beach condos and hotel rooms, but a history of golf, games, amusement and much more.

Myrtle Beach always does Christmas right! There are plenty of events and activities here for those of you staying with us in one of our winter condo rentals.

Live Shows
Get into the spirit of the season by catching special Christmas performances. The Carolina Opry’s Christmas special is an old favorite with comedy, music, and fun for the whole family. The Palace Theatre will be featuring the famous Twelve Irish Tenors singing holiday classics all month long, along with award-winning performers Michael W. Smith December 3rd-5th and Debbie Reynolds December 8th-12th. If you’re looking for humor, Atlantic Stage will be presenting David Sedaris’s hilarious Stantaland Diaries. And don’t miss Myrtle Beach’s own Long Bay Symphony Orchestra performing Handel’s Messiah on December 6th at Myrtle Beach High School.

Holiday Events
Start off the month with the Christmas tree lighting in Surfside Beach on December 3rd. You can enjoy holiday parades at Broadway at the Beach on December 5th, and at Surfside Beach on December 12th. Market Common will have free carriage rides every Saturday, along with ice skating in the last two weeks of December. There’s a Winter Arts & Crafts Show at Springmaid Beach Resort this weekend, and don’t miss the Christmas Towne Holiday Festival at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center on December 13th. And round off the year at Broadway at the Beach’s New Year’s Eve Party!

We here at CondoLux would like to thank you for another great year, and look forward to seeing you on your vacation again in 2010! As always, you can check out our Myrtle Beach vacation rentals.