Myrtle Beach Month (February 2025)
We were originally planning to come for the month of January, but because of Tammie’s mom’s surgery, we postponed until February. Our last monthly stay was also at the Anderson Ocean Club in December of 2023. We got a very good offseason and monthly rate. The Anderson has a well-equipped fitness center, suites have full kitchens, nice ocean view balconies, indoor and outdoor pools, and indoor and outdoor hot tubs. Parking is a slight issue. You drop off your luggage under the hotel and then have to drive half a block to the parking garage. The path from the parking garage to the hotel is well-lit at night but in bad weather it can be an inconvenience. They own their own miniature golf course between the hotel and the parking garage. However, the miniature golf course is closed during the offseason (November-February) which is when we usually visit. They also have a spa which we have never visited. We have stayed here on four or five occasions and have always had a good experience. This year we booked a one-bedroom condominium.
Fitness Center and Beach Walk
I usually started my mornings with 2 0r 3 hours of exercise. When we are travelling this is difficult to accomplish. But staying at one place for a month means I get to develop a daily schedule for exercise. In Myrtle Beach I started my mornings by taking the stairs from the 17th floor to the Fitness Center on the 3rd floor. I would then ride the recumbent stationary bike for 30-45 minutes, lift dumbbells every other day for about 30 minutes, then walk on the treadmill for 2 miles. I would then walk back up the stairs and eat breakfast and then head out for a 4.5 mile walk along Ocean Boulevard, the Myrtle Beach Boardwalk, and the beach. Often in the late afternoon and evenings we would stroll the beach for an additional mile or two. I have been tracking my steps since I retired. This month at the beach was the only month, so far, that I’ve averaged over 20,000 steps per day.
Besides our morning exercise, we also established an afternoon pattern that included swimming in the indoor pool and taking turns relaxing in both the indoor and outdoor hot tubs and reading out on the balcony overlooking the ocean. Occasionally, we would walk the beach or play pickleball.
Since our condo had a full kitchen, Tammie would cook 3 or 4 nights a week, and we would go out to eat 1 or 2 nights a week. Restaurants we have enjoyed going to in Myrtle Beach include Moe Moons, Big Mike’s Soul Food (love their shrimp boil), and Luigi’s Trattoria.
Murder Mystery
We took an opportunity to attend our first murder mystery show while in Myrtle Beach. We went to the Riga Tony’s Murder Mystery Dinner Show. It is a mafia themed audience participation show. While the show is going on they feed you a typical Italian style dinner consisting of tomato bisque, toasted garlic bread, penne pasta topped with marinara and a meatball, and hand-pipped cannoli. It was pretty good, and the show was entertaining. It would be more fun if you went with a group of friends.
Murder Mystery Show
During our month in Myrtle Beach we took two trips to the Conway, SC Riverwalk. The Riverwalk consists of both boardwalk and paved trail along the Waccamaw River in Conway, SC about 30 minutes north of Myrtle Beach. Our first trip was during a foggy day at the beach. We also discovered a new restaurant, Bonfire, which was right on the Boardwalk. We had a delicious lunch and shared a "small" dessert.
Our second trip to the Riverwalk was on Valentine’s evening. The Riverwalk was lit and it was a very romantic setting.
Sunset Beach NC and Kindred Spirit Mailbox
We took a day trip across the North and South Carolina border to Sunset Beach. The temperature was in the low 60s and it was a beautiful day for a beach walk. We stopped at the Kindred Spirit Mailbox. This mailbox on the beach is maintained by volunteers. They place notebooks and pens in the mailbox. Strangers write notes telling about their loss, their fears, and their dreams. The mailbox is located on Bird Island and is about a 1 1/2 mile walk from the pier at Sunset Beach. Continue walking another 1/2 mile and you will cross back into South Carolina where you will see a jetty where Little River reaches the Atlantic Ocean.
Barefoot Queen Riverboat Cruise
One evening we drove to Little River, SC and took a dinner cruise down the Intercoastal Waterway. On the Barefoot Queen you are assigned a table for dinner. When you arrive, the salad is plated at your table. After the boat leaves the dock they open the buffet. The buffet menu included lemon pepper chicken, dijon pork tenderloin, carrots, potatoes, chocolate cake and sweet tea. The master of ceremonies talked about the history of the Intercoastal Waterway and pointed out some of the homes of famous people as we passed by. He also sang several songs during the cruise. The tour up and down the Intercoastal Waterway took about 3 hours.
We visited the Hopsewee Plantation on the North Santee River about an hour south of Myrtle Beach. We had a great tour guide who told us the house was built in the mid 1700s by one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Lynch. After the tour we ate lunch at their Tea Room.
Last Day at the Beach
Our last day at the beach started with a beautiful sunrise and included a walk on the Boardwalk with a beautiful woman. The month passed very quickly. We enjoyed it so much that we are making plans to come for another month in November.
