A ‘winter wonderland’ arrives in Myrtle Beach the day after Thanksgiving
Long known as a summer tourism destination, Myrtle Beach might not be the first place that comes to mind when you think about wintry fun.
This year, the city and local chamber of commerce are trying to change that. Myrtle Beach’s first “Winter Wonderland at The Beach” festival opens Friday, the day after Thanksgiving.
The event features an outdoor ice-skating rink and a walk-through light show.
This region doesn’t get snow like the northeast — so why not bring the frosty fun directly to the people?
“We’ve had many requests for ice skating and are happy to provide an outdoor rink this winter for the whole family to enjoy,” Myrtle Beach mayor Brenda Bethune said in a press release announcing the event. “It’s a must-do destination for our winter vacationers, who enjoy Myrtle Beach in the off-season, and a great activity for local residents. Real ice, right on the Boulevard, will be real nice, especially with the light show for that special holiday flare. Many thanks to the business community for making this possible.”
“Here at the beach, we swap the snow for sand and icicles for seashells — and we couldn’t be merrier about it,” the chamber’s holiday guide says.
Winter Wonderland is located downtown right next to the Myrtle Beach Boardwalk, in between Ocean Boulevard and Highway 17 Business. It runs from Nov. 26 to Jan. 2 and is closed on Christmas.
Winter Wonderland at The Beach tickets are available at the gate: $7 for adults, $5 for kids aged 5-12 and those 4 and under get free admission. Ice skating costs $20 with a skate rental or $15 if you bring your own. The festival runs seven days a week — 3-9 p.m. on weekdays and noon to 10 p.m. on weekends.
“Myrtle Beach is the place to be for families who are looking to get away this winter and incorporate a new tradition into their holiday plans during this unconventional year,” chamber CEO Karen Riordan said in a press release. “All along the Grand Strand, visitors will find glittering light shows, events and performances to make this an exceptional holiday season that will undoubtedly become an annual tradition.”
Last month, Travel + Leisure magazine named Myrtle Beach as one of its “25 Festive Christmas Towns to Visit for the Holidays.”
The Winter Wonderland festival arrives as Myrtle Beach expects one of its strongest years for off-season travel, according to booking data tracked by the chamber. Expedia announced earlier this fall that Myrtle Beach was the No. 7 top destination to visit for Thanksgiving. And at the end of October, the chamber said vacation rental bookings for the 60 days ahead were higher than usual, nearly 7 percentage points ahead of 2019 and 2 percentage points ahead of 2020.
Need more to do? Here’s some of the other holiday events happening this season, all of which have dates starting in November through end of the year. Full details for them can be found online.
- North Myrtle Beach’s Great Christmas Light Show
- Brookgreen Garden’s Nights of a Thousand Candles
- Ripley’s Aquarium’s Festival of Trees
- Carolina Opry’s “The Christmas Show of the South”
- Christmas at Pirates Voyage in Myrtle Beach
- The South’s Grandest Christmas Show at Alabama Theatre
This story was originally published November 24, 2021 at 12:00 AM.
