Five Great Day Trips Within an Hour’s Drive of North Beach

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One of the best things about staying at North Beach Plantation is that you can enjoy your entire vacation without ever leaving the resort. Featuring first-class accommodations and amenities — like our spacious oceanfront pool deck and award-winning swim-up bar, fine dining at 21 Main and a full-service spa and salon at Cinzia Spa — North Beach is really among the best places to be on the Grand Strand.

But guests who love to go exploring — even beyond all the great attractions, shopping, dining and nightlife the Myrtle Beach and North Myrtle Beach areas have to offer — are still in the right place. Within a 60-mile radius of North Beach, you’ll find some unique locations that seem a world away from mainstream Myrtle Beach. Here are five of our top recommendations for day-trip destinations:

Conway: This historic city is located about 20 miles west of North Beach and is easily accessible via Highways 22 and 90. As the area's original inland settlement and located on the banks of the Waccamaw River, Conway ran on timber and turpentine for ship-building in the post-Revolutionary War era, and many of the older buildings and trees from that period still stand in the downtown district. The Riverwalk offers a scenic stroll along the Waccamaw, and the city sidewalks provide nice opportunities for shopping and dining. The new Horry County Museum features an impressive collection of artifacts that tell of the natural and human history of the region.

Georgetown: Located about 40 miles south of North Beach on Highway 17, historic Georgetown is reached via a bridge spanning the confluence of the Waccamaw River and the Great Pee Dee River at Winyah Bay. Dating back to the late 1700s, Georgetown was once the largest rice-supplying port in early America and has preserved that heritage in its Rice Museum and other historic homes and churches. The waterfront district features shops and cafes, and former plantations like Hobcaw Barony and Hopsewee Plantation can be found just outside the city.

Murrells Inlet/Pawleys Island: On your way to or from Georgetown, be sure to stop off at these charming coastal communities. The fishing village of Murrells Inlet, known as the “Seafood Capital of South Carolina,” features the famous Murrells Inlet MarshWalk and a dozen restaurants on the waterfront, the ideal spot for lunch or dinner. Pawleys Island is a historic seaside resort with great shopping at the Hammock Shops. Situated between the two towns are the beautiful Brookgreen Gardens and Huntington Beach State Park.

Southport, NC: Meander up the Carolina coast for about 45 miles to this fishing village, which has also developed into an upscale resort town with excellent shopping and dining. But the best find is a short ferry ride across Cape Fear Inlet, where Blackbeard and his crew hid out from pirate hunters, to Bald Head Island. Visitors can climb Old Baldy, the historic lighthouse that still stands in the harbor, play golf, enjoy the natural barrier island beaches or just rent a golf cart and explore the island.

Wilmington, NC: Located 60 miles north across the North Carolina border, Wilmington offers visitors a wealth of history and Southern charm. The downtown district runs along the Cape Fear River and features boat tours, horse-drawn carriage rides and a large warehouse district that has been converted from housing tobacco and cotton to shopping and dining. The USS Battleship North Carolina is moored on the waterfront and offers guests the chance to tour the World War II vessel. Tour historic homes, visit museums and parks, and get a good taste of life in neighboring North Carolina.

After a fun and exciting day trip to one of these nearby locales, return to North Beach Plantation for a relaxing night at the resort. It’s the perfect way to spend your time when you’re not on the road.