Best Bets for the Myrtle Beach area, July 4-10

Plethora of programs at both state parks

Both local state parks, open 6 a.m.-10 p.m. daily, have a slew of programs through August, most free with admission: $5 ages 16 and older, $3.25 S.C. seniors, $3 ages 6-15.

At Myrtle Beach State Park, on U.S. 17, just south of city limits, the nature center is open 11:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays, and through Aug. 22, until 6 p.m. Wednesdays-Saturdays, and through August: 11:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Sundays. (238-0874 or www.myrtlebeachsp.com):

▪ Tuesdays – “A Crabby Experience,” 9:30-11 a.m. on pier ($5 cash to rent trap, all for catch and release; bring or buy bait); “Sharks!” 1-2 p.m. through Aug. 18 in activity center; “Sounds of Nature,” 3-3:30 p.m. through Aug. 11 in activity center.

▪ Wednesdays – “Tracks Among Us!” 9:30-10:30 a.m. through Aug. 12 in activity center, for $5 cash per plaster track made; “Urban Sea Turtle,” 1-2 p.m. in activity center; “Tale of the Whale,” 3-3:45 p.m. through Aug. 12 in activity center; “Park Jeopardy,” 4:30-5 p.m.through Aug. 19 in nature center.

▪ Thursdays – “Seine-Sational Fun!” 9:30-10:30 a.m. from pier; “‘Leaf’ Your Mark,” 1-1:45 p.m. through Aug. 13 outside nature center, for $3 cash per artwork; “Pier Predicaments,” 3-3:30 p.m. through Aug. 20 in activity center; “Sea Creature Bingo,” 4:30-5 p.m. through Aug. 20 in nature center; “Geocaching 101,” 6:30-7 p.m. through Aug. 20 in activity center.

▪ Thursdays and Fridays – “Pier Fishing,” 8-9:30 a.m. for $5 with preregistration.

▪ Fridays – “Sea Turtle Patrol,” 6-7:30 a.m. through Aug. 7 from pier; “Litter Critters,” 9:30-11 a.m. through Aug. 7 in activity center; “Legends of the Forest,” 1-2 p.m. through Aug. 14 in activity center; “Nature’s Nasties,” 3-3:30 p.m. in activity center; “Gator Gossip,” 4:30-5 p.m. through Aug. 21 in nature center; “State Park Secrets” video, 6:30-7 p.m. through Aug. 21 in activity center.

▪ Saturdays – “SpongeBob – Fact or Fiction,” 9:30-10:30 a.m. through Aug. 22 in activity center; “Feeding Time,” 1-1:30 p.m,.. in nature center; “Creature Feature,” 3-3:30 p.m. through Aug. 8 in activity center; “Marble Art,” 4:30-5:30 p.m. through Aug. 22 in nature center, for $1 cash per craft.

▪ Sundays – “Batty over Bats,” 1-1:30 p.m. in nature center; and “Hemire the Hermit Crab,” 3-3:30 p.m. in nature center, for ages 4-7.

At Huntington Beach State Park, on U.S. 17, between Murrells Inlet and Litchfield Beach, the nature center is open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesdays-Sundays, including “Feeding Frenzy,” 11 a.m. daily. (238-8755 or www.huntingtonbeachsp.com):

▪ Mondays – “Coastal Kayaking,” 10 a.m.-noon, for $35, with preregistration by 4 p.m. the previous Sunday.

▪ Tuesdays and Thursdays – “Alligators,” 10-11 a.m. from Atalaya; also 6-7 p.m. Fridays.

▪ Tuesdays – “Salt Marsh Seining,” noon-1 p.m. at Oyster Landing; “Spineless Wonders,” 4-5 p.m. in nature center.

▪ Wednesdays – “Coastal Birding,” 10-11 a.m. from causeway parking lot.

▪ Wednesdays and Fridays – “Crabbing,” noon-1 p.m. at Oyster Landing, for $3, in catch-and-release program, also 2-3 p.m. Saturdays.

▪ Thursdays – “Surf Seining,” noon-1 p.m. on beach in front of park store; and “Secrets of the Salt Marsh,” 4-5 p.m. in nature center.

▪ Fridays – “Beachcombing,” 10-11 a.m. from north beach parking lot; “Sea Turtles,” 4-5 p.m in nature center; “Atalaya Ghost Tour,” 8:30-9:30 p.m., for ages 6 and older.

▪ Saturdays – “Nature Prints,” 10-11 a.m. in nature center, for $3 per person; and “Snakes and Reptiles,” 4-5 p.m. in nature center.

▪ Atalaya – Open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily for self-guided tours, for $2 extra fee ages 6 and older, otherwise free; optional 45-minute audio tour, $4. Docent-led tours through Oct. 31: 2 p.m. Sundays-Fridays and noon Saturdays, included with Atalaya admission.

‘Family Summer Camp’ at Bass Pro Shops

Bass Pro Shops, on the south end of Myrtle Beach Mall, at U.S. 17 and S.C. 22, near Briarcliffe Acres, has a Family Summer Camp for free through July 26, with different activities four days weekly. All workshops is free and about 20 minutes, and after each class, children will receive a lanyard, and while supplies last, a collectible pin:

▪ Bird watching – Noon Tuesdays and 4 p.m. Saturdays.

▪ Fishing – 1 p.m. Tuesdays and noon Saturdays.

▪ Archery –2 p.m. Tuesdays, noon Thursdays and 1 p.m. Sundays.

▪ Kayaking – 3 p.m. Tuesdays and 3 p.m. Saturdays.

▪ “Backyard Adventure” – 4 p.m. Tuesdays and Sundays.

▪ Hunting and shooting – 1 p.m. Thursdays, 2 p.m. Saturdays and noon Sundays.

▪ Travel safety – 2 p.m. Thursdays and Sundays.

▪ Water safety – 3 p.m. Thursdays and 1 p.m. Saturdays.

▪ “Camping and Conservation Awareness” – 4 p.m. Thursdays and 3 p.m. Sundays.

Also, other activities are planned, including free children’s crafts, noon-2 p.m., with creating a kite photo frame Saturday-Sunday; coloring a track magnet July 7, 9 and 11-12; making a turtle sun catcher July 14, 16, 18 and 19; and creating a ladybug clip magnet July 21, 23, 25 and 26.

Details at 361-4800 or www.basspro.com.

Find ‘Fusion’ at Calabash gallery

Sunset River Marketplace will bid farewell to one woman’s exhibit and open another in the next week.

After “Finding My Balance in Brazil” by Kimberly Dawn Clayton, through Saturday, the gallery will set up “Fusion” by Jill Hope, a mixed media collection including watercolor, jewelry design, and acrylic painting, on display July 8-Aug. 1.

Also, Hope will have a meet-and-greet, noon-4 p.m. July 11.

Find the gallery, open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays, at 10283 Beach Drive S.W. (N.C. 179), Calabash, N.C.

Details at 910-575-5999 or www.sunsetrivermarketplace.com.

CCU cheer camp partners with Pelicans

Coastal Carolina University will batter up for its Summer Youth Cheer Camp, for girls and boys ages 4-18, all next Thursday.

Registration opens at 2 p.m. at Ultimate Gymnastics Academy, 1310 17th Ave. S., Myrtle Beach, with camp 3-5 p.m., taught by American Association of Cheerleading Coaches and Administrators-certified personnel and CCU Chanticleer cheerleaders. Participants then will meet at 6 p.m. at the home site of the Myrtle Beach Pelicans – TicketReturn.com Field at Pelicans Ballpark, 1251 21st Ave. N., Myrtle Beach, with parking lot entry from Grissom Parkway – for a pre-game performance at 6:30 p.m., before the Advanced-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs battles the Winston-Salem Dash, a Chicago White Sox farm club, at 7:05 p.m.

Camp cost is $35, including a ticket to the baseball game for each participant, and additional tickets for campers’ family and friends will be for sale at camp signup for $11 each and available at the Pelicans’ will-call window.

Print out and complete the registration form at www.goccusports.com/sports/c-cheer/spec-rel/cheer-clinic.html, and bring to the camp. More details from Audra Scofield, CCU’s head cheerleading coach, at 349-2867, or email ascofield@coastal.edu.

This story was originally published July 2, 2015 at 3:00 AM with the headline "Best Bets for the Myrtle Beach area, July 4-10."