It’s no secret that the North Myrtle Beach area offers plenty of well-known attractions, including beaches, great fishing spots, and various shops and restaurants to keep visitors busy for their entire vacation stay.
But the area features some hidden gems, as well. Waites Island is one. Only reachable by land on horseback, Waites Island has been called “a vacation from your vacation.” Known for its wildlife, Waites Island is a natural habitat for creatures such as bald eagles, blue herons, marsh hens, osprey, and ducks.
Waites Island is just one of the North Myrtle Beach attractions that might not be as well-known to the public, but that should be. Here are eight more:
Heritage Shores Nature Preserve
Blue herons, pelicans, and ospreys. Continuing on the habitat theme, Heritage Shores Nature Preserve is known to birdwatchers for sightings of wildlife critters such as those. But nature trails and elevated boardwalks are also a key feature of Heritage Shores. The scenic one-mile trail loop winding through the preserve’s seven acres, along with various interpretive viewing stations, will appeal to hikers of all ages and skill levels.
Those hiking around the marshland might also see crabs and white tail deers. Heritage Shores is also a popular spot for marsh kayaking.
Alligator Adventure
Described as one of the largest facilities for reptile life in the world, Alligator Adventure showcases much more than just alligators to visitors. The attraction known as “the reptile capital of the world” promises to bring visitors face to face with nature’s fiercest and most beautiful animals. Visitors to the 15-acre self-guided reptile zoo can see more than 230 different types of species, including lizards, frogs, snakes, turtles, tortoises, macaws, flamingos, owls, spotted hyenas, bobcats, squirrel monkeys and lemurs. The attraction also features live daily shows.
Shark Wake Park
Greg Norman Jr. grew up with a passion for water sports. The son of Hall of Fame golfer Greg Norman was a professional kiteboarder and wakeboarder, and he geared his passion toward those sports when he opened Shark Wake Park. Cable wakeboarding, kneeboarding, a floating obstacle course with slides, and climbing towers are just a few of the activities and attractions featured at the site.
Rockefellers Raw Bar
Another Barefoot Landing favorite, Flying Fish is renowned for its fresh-caught seafood. And during its happy hours held daily from 4 to 6 p.m., you can reel in deals on menu favorites like fried pickles, oysters on the half shell and even sushi rolls, along with bar offerings including beer, wine and cocktails like the Pom-Peach Margarita. Explore the full happy hour menu at flyingfishmarket.com.
Brisket
Brisket’s custom-made smoker holds 750 pounds of meat! And Brisket cares about that meat. The restaurant smokes its brisket for 12 to 14 hours, and chicken is smoked for 3 to 4 hours. Also, the restaurant smokes all of the meats in-house every day with a simple rub, no sauce. Brisket also features a full western-style bar, sides, sauces, and desserts.
Duplin Winery
The winery includes many varieties of wine, including reds, whites, specialty wines, and no-alcohol options. Peppermint cotton candy and blackberry are just two of many specialty wine offerings.
But it’s much more than just a winery. Duplin Winery services include weddings and event hosting, and additional features include cheesecake and wine pairing; a pantry featuring dips, jellies and marinades; and gifts. The offerings include recipes such as Frank’s Favorite Salad with ingredients such as arugula that play well against sweet and salty elements such as pomegranate, raisins, almonds and cheese.
Twelve 33 Distillery
With spirits such as Mullet Creek Rum and Carolina Peach Vodka, Twelve 33 Distillery allows visitors to experience premium craft spirits that are “uniquely South Carolina.” The small-production, craft distillery located just north of North Myrtle Beach offers tours every day. A VIP tour includes an overview of the distilling process, allowing guests to see the “behind the scenes” operation of a craft distillery.
Crooked Hammock Brewery
Come for the beer, and stay for the swaying palms and bar swings. At Crooked Hammock Brewery, the 30-barrel system makes seasonal brews for all locations and cranks out the year-rounders. The brewery offers events, brewery tours and a food menu, but it’s known for beer choices such as Beach Escape, which is a crisp session IPA brewed with citra and El Dorado hops and ripe tangerine peel.
Find A Gem When Staying at North Beach Resort & Villas
At North Myrtle Beach’s North Beach Resort & Villas — with an array comfortable room and villa options and a scenic location just steps from the Atlantic Ocean shoreline — we provide an ideal place to stay while seeing well-known attractions and additional hidden gems in the area. Check availability and book your stay today — and start planning your perfect Grand Strand getaway!
