Myrtle Beach Trip 2011

“I was dreaming last night when I got the notion to pack my bags and head out for the ocean.” -The Fantastic Shakers

David and I decided to work in a quick, semi-spur-of-the-moment Myrtle Beach trip before he started his new position that he had accepted. We left on a Saturday morning at the CRACK OF DAWN. MOST of the trip down was TERRIBLE weather. It alternated between overcast with a light drizzle to the raining-so-hard-you-can-see downpours pictured below. It did clear up as we got close to Myrtle, though.



We stopped at Shoney's in Rockingham, NC, for breakfast (one of our traditions)...



And stopped closer to the beach for gas and a stretch break at Sparky's, a colorful establishment that has also become one of our beach-trip-traditions over the past two years...



During our 3 days down there, we spent most of the mid-morning to mid-afternoon sitting on the beach and playing in the ocean. David and I both LOVE swimming in the ocean, so we have a ball!!













The sand crabs were unusually vicious on the ocean floor this year, and I was tired of getting pinched so many times. So I did what I said I would NEVER do and wore some "water shoes" so they couldn't get to me. At least I got them in Carolina Panthers colors. Take that, stupid crabs!!



We had a great oceanfront room with a straight ahead view of the beach...





One late afternoon/evening we drove North about 20 miles, back over the NC border, to Calabash NC and Sunset Beach NC for shopping and dinner. We got to see some beautiful scenery as well as walk out onto the beach there, which was of course less crowded and commercial and than Myrtle.







We stopped at an awesome group of shops, including a HUGE Christmas store in Calabash...



And ate dinner at Dockside Seafood, arguably the most popular of the authentic and famous "Calabash Seafood" restaurants in town.



After we ate, we walked out to the little dock on the inlet outside of the restaurant...very peaceful.





And yes, I know we are not centered in this one. This is what happens when you use the timer on the camera, and set the camera on an uneven surface!



Of course we also had to go to Barefoot Landing one evening, one of our favorite things to do in Myrtle. We got to see the tiger attraction, pose as "bad pirates," and just enjoy the beauty of the area...









Each evening we ended by sitting on the balcony. The moon reflected over the ocean, and there was a great band playing at the oceanfront bar at our hotel. It was great to sit out there, watch the water, and listen to the music!



And this is the 2nd Myrtle Beach trip in a row that David has snapped a picture of me sleeping. He says I look "cute" but I think he really just wants to gather material to blackmail me! ;-)



I am so glad we got to take a little summer getaway together! :-)