Grab a cup of cocoa and snuggle in to watch these Christmas films set in Myrtle Beach area
Christmas in coastal Carolina may lack some of the holiday magic experienced in other parts of the country, like snow, but hey, that doesn’t mean it’s all Grinch-y here.
The Myrtle Beach area becomes quite festive this time of year and that hasn’t been lost on filmmakers. Several locations in Horry County have been used as settings for their holiday plots.
Kathryn Hedgepath, who gives history and information tours, with her company Myrtle Beach History Trolley & Step-On Tours, including movies that have been filmed in the area, said that there are very few movies that have been made in the area.
She does mention two, one that is set in Conway and the other, which she starred in, and was screened across the United States.
But we found a few more than that.
So grab a mug of hot chocolate and snuggle in as we offer up these hometown movies that you can watch this holiday season.
‘Christmas in Carolina’
It’s a holiday romance movie in which a career-driven woman, Elle, has given up on love and Christmas until she meets Wesley, who invites her to his hometown in South Carolina. Of course, she ends up falling in love and finds the spirit of Christmas again.
Wesley’s hometown is never mentioned in the 2020 movie, but in the movie, the characters were filmed at recognizable locations, such as having lunch at the Rivertown Bistro in Conway and a nighttime stroll along the Riverwalk in Conway.
However, don’t be surprised when they are said to be in such spots as Baltimore, when truly they are in Conway.
How to watch: Steaming on Amazon Prime Video (rent for $2.99), Peacock, Pluto TV, Tubi and The Roku Channel.
‘Christmas in Conway’
Sorry, you won’t see any South Carolina scenes in this Hallmark film, but it is set in Conway. The 2013 movie was filmed in Wilmington, North Carolina, and is about a man who loves his sick wife so much that he wants to give her one last Christmas gift before she passes away. So he decides to build her a Ferris wheel in their backyard to relive the moment when he proposed marriage.
It stars Mary-Louise Parker, Mandy Moore and Andy Garcia.
How to watch: Hallmark Movies Now, Plex and Pluto TV; rent for $2.99 on Prime Video
‘Another Christmas’
Locals can see shots of Myrtle Beach, including the Sky Wheel and boardwalk, in this 2022 movie.
The holiday romance features an elementary school teacher who gave up on love during the holiday season until her childhood friend returns home and invites her to spend Christmas with his family in Myrtle Beach.
How to watch: Streaming on Prime Video (rent for $1.99) and The Roku Channel
‘A Carolina Christmas’
This independent film released in 2020 was shot in Myrtle Beach, Loris and Conway.
Hedgepath was in the movie, which was featured as part of the Myrtle Beach International Film Festival.
“The cool thing about it, it was during COVID when all the major theater chains were shut down,” Hedgepath said. It ended up being shown in 14 different states, “which is kind of unheard of,” she said.
“It’s a delightful Christmas movie,” Hedgepath said.
It’s set in Paradise, South Carolina, a fictional coastal community that is disturbed when the newly hired city inspector hates Christmas and vows to shut it down. However, many in the community are not about to let that happen. Will Christmas be saved in Paradise?
Other locals are also featured in the film, which include former Myrtle Beach pastor John-Paul Miller and his late wife, Mica Miller. Mica Miller’s death in April has received national attention for allegations surrounding her relationship with her husband.
How to watch: You can watch the movie on the video service Vimeo.com for $2.99.
This story was originally published December 11, 2024 at 6:00 AM.
