Fourth of July Celebrations at Myrtle Beach, SC

What better way to spend the Fourth of July weekend than at the beach and what better beach to spend it at than Myrtle Beach. The Grand Strand is the place to be this Fourth of July weekend with lots to see and do. There you will find a sixty mile span of white sand beach with fabulous restaurants, two ocean side state parks, fishing, tours and shops; you're sure to find something to do until the evening when the night sky lights up with fireworks.

At the Myrtle Beach Memorial Stadium, in the heart of the city, the Long Bay Symphony Orchestra will be providing the entertainment while there will be vendors of food, drinks, etc. Other local music groups will be performing prior to the Symphony. There will be bleacher seating available and admission is free. You can also bring a blanket or lawn chair instead and bring along a cooler (no glass please) as it's going to be a hot one. The fireworks display will begin at 10:00 p.m. and plan of getting there early as it gets quite busy with well over 8,000 people attending.

The Cherry Grove Fishing Pier is also another hot spot for fireworks and entertainment. The pier is located at 3500 N. Ocean Blvd. and this event is also free. Bring a beach chair and enjoy the local entertainment and food. Plan on attending this celebration from 7:00 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. and be ready to be amazed at the fireworks shining off the ocean water beginning at 9:30 p.m.

If you prefer a parade, then check out the 18th Annual Murrells Inlet Boat Parade. Start your day early as there are over thirty restaurants to dine at and take in a stroll at Brookgreen Gardens which is open year-round from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. You can later find yourself a spot along the shoreline to watch the boat parade and many fireworks displays.

If you've got kids, then you may want to hang at Barefoot Landing located at 4898 Highway 17 South in North Myrtle Beach along the Intracoastal Waterway. Here you will find lots of shops and restaurants and plenty to do on the Fourth of July. Since this is the time for Summerfest which goes through the end of August, there is always something going on. On a nightly basis there is lots to entertain you and the kids. You may be delighted by the many entertainers roving around, including the Stilt Man, face painters, balloon artists and clowns which are wandering throughout Barefoot Landing between the hours of 7:00 to 11:00 p.m. The fireworks will begin at 10:15 p.m. Admission is free, though some of the activities available may have a fee, but there is plenty to do that won't cost extra.

Probably one of the best options for a full fun filled day is to spend it at Broadway at the Beach, which is a grand festive entertainment complex, set on 350 acres in the heart of Myrtle Beach. Here you will find over one hundred shops, restaurants, theaters, nightclubs and attractions for all sorts of fun. There are also three hotels so you can stay where you play. You may want to check out these hotels on site for prices so you have a great place to stay in close proximity of all this fun. There is a Holiday Inn with room rates of approximately $162 - $200 a night, but the rooms for this weekend are selling out quickly. The other two hotels at this location, a Hampton Inn and a Fairfield Inn, are both sold out for the Fourth of July weekend. Whether you stay there or not, plan to spend the day enjoying all the attractions this place has to offer such as Ripley's Aquarium where adults get in for $18.99 and kids 6-11 for $9.99, the Nascar Speed Park or the Myrtle Waves Water Park. The best choice is to go for the $49 Ticket to Play where you get to play at Magiquest, a round at Dragon's Lair mini-golf, five tickets to Pavillion Nostalgia Park, one admission to Ripley's Aquarium and one admission to the IMAX 3D Theater. If after all this fun and entertainment you can still handle some more, than make sure you attend the Star Spangled Celebration which is a week long celebration with two fireworks shows, one on July 1st and one on July 4th. There will also be mascot appearances, entertainers, concerts and free giveaways throughout the day.

Basically no matter where on Myrtle Beach you end up you will likely be in the midst of some form of entertainment and have a spot to see a fireworks display. Be safe and have a wonderful July 4th weekend no matter how you decide to celebrate it.