Memorial Day in the Myrtle Beach area may look different this year. Here’s what to expect
The coronavirus has slightly changed the way Memorial Day will look in the Myrtle Beach area next weekend, though businesses are reopening and road traffic is heavy compared to the last month.
Atlantic Beach Bikefest being postponed is one of the biggest changes to this year’s Memorial Day weekend. The annual event was postponed to Labor Day weekend in September.
Many visitors flocked to the Grand Strand this past weekend as restaurants reopened indoor dining services and more amenities are allowed to reopen Monday.
Businesses reopening this week include salons, tattoo services and public and commercial pools. As of Sunday, attractions including Family Kingdom the SkyWheel, remain closed. The attractions will be able to reopen after South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster lifts those restrictions.
Nearly 59 percent of vacation rental properties are reserved or blocked through Friday in Horry and Georgetown counties, according to the Coastal Carolina Lodging data. This time last year, about 65 percent of vacation rental properties were reserved, according to the data. At the start of May, about 31 percent were reserved, compared to that time last year at 69 percent, records show.
This week’s weather outlook
Tropical Storm Arthur is lingering offshore, but the Myrtle Beach area should not see any big impacts from the storm, forecasters with the National Weather Service say.
The week is forecast to start off will rain, which is expected to last on and off through Wednesday, the NWS reports. By midweek, the tropical storm should have moved away from the Carolinas.
According to Sunday’s weekly outlook, forecasters say later in the week will be partly cloudy, and Saturday is expected to be sunny.
Planning a beach day?
Health officials still encourage people to practice social distancing to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus. If you are headed to the beach, city officials ask beachgoers to practice social distancing and limit large gatherings.
The city also has other guidelines that were put in place well before the pandemic. Here are rules to follow:
- Alcohol and glassware are not allowed on the beach.
- From Memorial Day through Labor Day, only circular umbrellas up to seven-and-a-half feet in diameter are allowed, according to the city. Umbrellas must be in line with or behind the lifeguards’ line of umbrellas or landward of the mean high tide line.
Tents and canopies are allowed until Memorial Day in Myrtle Beach. After that, tents and canopies are prohibited until after Labor Day.
Between May 1 and Labor Day, dogs are only allowed on the beach before 10 a.m. and after 5 p.m.
This story was originally published May 17, 2020 at 10:39 AM.
