Friday, Dec. 23, 2011
You don’t have to stay inside all day on Christmas
File photo by Janet Blackmon Morgan
If you go
A sampling of places open for recreation Sunday, on Christmas Day:
HIT THE LINKS
• Tupelo Bay Golf Center, open at 10 a.m. (or maybe earlier; call to confirm) to 4 p.m., 1800 U.S. 17 Business S., Garden City Beach. 215-7888.
• Harbour View Par 3 & Driving Range, open 10 a.m.-4 p.m., 901 U.S. 17, between Little River and Myrtle Beach. 249-9117.
How much | Rates vary per site, per activity
HIT THE ALLEYS
Where and when |
• Frank Theatres’ Revolutions Entertainment, open 10 a.m., at Inlet Square at U.S. 17 Business and U.S. 17 Bypass in Murrells Inlet. 651-9400 or www.revolutionsentertainment.com.
• Little River Lanes, open 5 p.m., 300 Bowling Lane, Little River, off River Hills Drive, north of U.S. 17. 249-0055.
• North Myrtle Beach Bowling Center, might be open at 6 p.m. (call to confirm), 1105 U.S. 17 S., North Myrtle Beach. 249-2695 or www.nmbbowl.com.
• Surfside Bowling Center, open 4 p.m., 510 U.S. 17 Business N., Surfside Beach. 661-5050.
• Waccamaw Bowling Center, open 4 p.m., 101 Gray Drive, west of Myrtle Beach, off U.S. 501, just west of River Oaks Drive and the Intracoastal Waterway. 236-1020 or www.waccamawbowling.com.
How much | Rates vary per site
HIT THE HEIGHTS
What | Grand Strand tours by helicopter, with ranges starting at two miles
When | 10 a.m.-5 p.m., weather permitting
Where |
• Executive Helicopters, 2800 Terminal St., North Myrtle Beach. 427-7351 or www.executiveheli.com.
• Huffman Helicopters, 3000 S. Kings Highway, Myrtle Beach, by east end of Myrtle Beach International Airport. 946-0022 or www.huffmanhelicopters.com.
How much | Rates start at $20 for two miles
HIT THE LIGHTS
What | Shadrack’s “Christmas Wonderland,” a 11/2-mile drive-through Christmas all-LED-light and music display
Benefiting | American Red Cross, Grand Strand Humane Society, Impact Ministries and The Salvation Army
When | 6-10 p.m. (and nightly through Jan. 8)
Where | BB&T Coastal Field parking lot, 1251 21st Ave. N., Myrtle Beach, at Grissom Parkway
How much | $25.50 car or family van; $40 activity van or mini- or half-bus; $50 limousine; and $4 per person in tour or school bus; extra fees for other activities in Santa’s Village
Information | 888-321-7547 or www.shadrackchristmas.com
HIT TREES, TANKS
What | Festival of Trees, with more than 50 decorated trees, covering all U.S. states and territories, spread throughout the building, through Dec. 31
When | 9 a.m.-7 p.m.
Where | Ripley’s Aquarium, Broadway at the Beach, Myrtle Beach, off 29th Avenue North
How much (plus tax) | Free with regular admission: $21.99 ages 12 and older, $10.99 ages 6-11, and $3.99 ages 2-5
Information | 916-0888, 800-734-8888 or www.ripleysaquarium.com.
Also | Mermaid shows noon and 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, free with admission
HIT SCIENCE HEAD ON
What | WonderWorks, a playground with activities such as a bicycle that can be pedaled 360 degrees around, a bed with 3,596 nails, a wall with 40,000 pins for 3D impressions, and a bubble lab.
When | 10 a.m.-8 p.m.
Where | Broadway at the Beach, at U.S. 17 Bypass and 21st Avenue North, near the Palace Theatre
How much (plus tax) | $22.99 ages 13-54, $14.99 ages 4-12 and 55 and older price includes one ropes course; add $3 for laser-tag combo
HIT THE CASTLE
What | Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament
When | 6 p.m.
Where | Off U.S. 501 and George Bishop Parkway, just west of Myrtle Beach
How much (plus tax) | $50.95 ages 13 and older, $30.95 ages 12 and younger (Also, special through Friday: Receive one free child admission with purchase of one adult admission.)
Information | 236-8080, 800-436-4386 or www.medievaltimes.com
HIT THE BEACH
Where and when |
• Myrtle Beach State Park, 6 a.m.-8 p.m., on South Kings Highway, one mile south of Myrtle Beach International Airport, across from Seagate Village. 238-5325.
• Huntington Beach State Park, 6 a.m.-6 p.m., on U.S. 17, between Murrells Inlet and Litchfield Beach, across from Brookgreen Gardens. 237-4440.
How much | Each park: $5 ages 16 and older, $3.25 S.C. seniors, $3 ages 6-15
More information | southcarolinaparks.com
Christmas presents are found in other places besides the unwrapping of a box or package. Gifts also come to light through memories made with family and friends during an activity or outing.
With many vacationers spending the holidays, often with family, on the Grand Strand, numerous places open their doors for Christmas Day, whether for a meal, movie, golf, or what Barney Rubble on “The Flintstones” referred to as “kegling,” or bowling.
Christmas greens also mean the greens on golf courses. Sister entities Harbour View Par 3 & Driving Range, near Little River, and Tupelo Bay Golf Center in Garden City Beach will have their fairways open for another holiday.
Rita Kreutter, manager at Harbour View, which includes two 18-hole miniature golf courses, said of her nine years of employment there, she remembers only one or two Christmases when the place was closed, because of the weather.
She said opening for the day lets people stretch more than their legs.
“We see a lot of people who have new golf clubs,” Kreutter said. “They can’t wait to try them out.”
Families with grandparents also might engage in a round of miniature golf, just to get out of the house for a while, and singles also find an outlet on the links.
“We have people who come in every Christmas,” she said. “They come down to visit Grandma and Grandpa or whomever. It’s sort of something they do.”
Subhead
Gary Diley, general manager of Little River Lanes, said keeping Christmas among its days its open every year, the staff usually sees “more couples and families” turn out for the evening.
With the alleys “fully decorated” in yuletide and Hanukkah decorations, bowling provides an opportunity for “quality family time,” Diley said.
Plus, after a day together inside, families often hit the lanes because “after dinner, they need to get out of the house. … People want to get out and do something.”
Ripley’s Aquarium, at Broadway at the Beach in Myrtle Beach, opens every day of the year, including Christmas.
“Everything runs as normal as any day here at the aquarium,” said Jessica Mula, marketing assistant. “We do see a good portion of families that come out, or those that do not celebrate the holiday. Other than that, it is pretty normal.”
Ripley’s annual Festival of Trees and its hourly dive shows, including mermaids at noon and 4 p.m., continue like always.
All of Ripley’s Ocean Boulevard attractions, except the Haunted Adventure, will also be open regular hours for Christmas, Mula said.
A holiday high
Some people (especially the kids) might want a taste of what Santa Claus might have seen from the sky as he was dropping off presents on Christmas Eve. Jeremy Bass, president of Huffman Helicopters in Myrtle Beach and Executive Helicopters in North Myrtle Beach, said families make up the bulk of business on Christmas Day, the trend at this time of year anyway, away from the big groups and single passengers that help fill the seats in summertime.
Midday, traffic picks up, Bass said.
“By lunchtime, they’re pretty much Christmassed out,” he said, meaning no disrespect for the holiday. “They’re getting cabin fever.”
The employees organizing the rides go festive for the day, too, by wearing “fun Christmas hats,” Bass said, painting the day “as more of a laid-back atmosphere.”
Selling gift certificates for presents, “We have quite a few people who come in to redeem the gift certificates” on Christmas, Bass said, especially because the memory and occasion from such a flight “does last a lifetime.”
Bass said people come back “year after year” on Christmas.
“They expect us to be open,” he said. “It’s a tradition. I plan on seeing certain faces on Christmas or the days before or after.”
Meals and movies
Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament, just west of Myrtle Beach, always serves Christmas dinner, in a castle decked out with Christmas cheer.
Jennifer Hawk Willard, marketing and sales manager, said in her 61/2 years there, Christmas Day shows have made up a tradition, and in contrast from the summer, with tourists making up nearly all the patronage, “a nice mix of families,” or maybe residents entertaining friends, turn out for the holiday night.
The staff goes all out as well, Willard.
“Everybody’s always in the spirit,” she said, “and we’re always happy to be there. I think for the most part, we’re like a big, happy family anyway.”
The 21 horses in the show, the majority of which are Andalusians, don’t miss out on the cheer, either. Their treats might include a “stocking of extra apples,” Willard said.
Christmas also weighs heavily on another type of theater, the silver screen, with two movies premiering Sunday: “War Horse” and “The Darkest Hour,” after several others opened nationwide this week.
Duane Farmer, general manager of the Grand 14 Cinema at The Market Common in Myrtle Beach, sees an obvious link in the ticket buyers on Christmas, after the doors open at noon, on “one of our busiest days of the year.”
“First and foremost, it’s family,” he said, “from the 2-year-old to the 97-year-old grandmother. Sometimes they all go to see a heartwarming favorite movie; sometimes they go their separate ways.”
Farmer laughed, too, observing, “You’d think they’d be full, but they hit the concession stand.”
He said he understands the need to get out to round out the holiday. He also remembered his eagerness as a youngster, “going out, riding my bicycle” on Christmas.
Although Farmer has never seen a movie on Christmas, he has spent the last 12 years working on the holiday. Yet he gets presents to open early in a sense, with peeks at films before they play.
“I’m lucky in that I get to screen them,” Farmer said.
Beach breezin’
Both state parks – Myrtle Beach and Huntington Beach, the latter in northeast Georgetown County – are open every single day.
Gerald Ives, Myrtle Beach State Park’s manager, said Christmas draws its own crowds.
“A lot of people bring extended families,” he said, “especially if they’re visiting from up north. We see a lot of families with grandparents, and that sort of thing.”
Ives said the pier shop stays open, so visitors “can get coffee if it’s cold out.”
Like at golf courses, weather predicates the traffic at the park.
“I’ve seen Christmas days where the pier parking lot is full,” Ives said. “It’s kind of a down day for everybody, after doing shopping and being busy with cooking and other things this season. It’s a chance for them to get out and get some peace and quiet.”
Ives said park personnel also feel festive, thanks to many customers who extend Christmas greetings, whether at the gate or shop – reaffirming a niche the state parks fill in society.
“Most folks will say ‘We really appreciate you being here,’ ” Ives said. “It’s a positive day for us.”
Contact STEVE PALISIN at 444-1764.
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