Myrtle Beach known for mini golf, pancake houses and beach shops. Just how many are there?
In the Myrtle Beach area, there is no shortage of pancake houses, candy shops, miniature golf courses and beach stores.
The restaurants and retail spaces are plentiful across the Myrtle Beach area, often popping up in touristy areas near the shore.
But which of these visitor hot spots have the most stores along the Grand Strand?
The Sun News used Google Maps to count the number of stores along the Grand Strand. We counted stores on the eastern side of the Intracoastal Waterway from North Myrtle Beach to Murrells Inlet.
For the most part, these businesses popular with tourists can be found along Kings Highway, Main Street in North Myrtle Beach or near the Myrtle Beach boardwalk.
These businesses have the most locations within the city of Myrtle Beach, although North Myrtle Beach and the Surfside Beach area also have numerous beach stores, mini-golf courses, candy shops and pancake houses.
Beach stores easily had the most locations when compared to candy shops, mini-golf courses and pancake houses combined.
Here is what we found.
Beach stores
Using data from Google Maps, The Sun News found 82 beach stores across the Grand Strand. There may be more depending on the classification.
We tallied beach stores as a space where customers can buy souvenirs and beach equipment like chairs and clothing. Surf shops or general stores did not count. Given the number of beach stores in the area, it’s not uncommon to see competing stores across the street from each other.
Mini-golf courses
Mini-golf is a popular activity for tourists in Myrtle Beach, with at least 30 courses in the area. Many of the golf courses have something special, such as Pop Stroke at Broadway at the Beach being backed by pro golfer Tiger Woods or having a theme. Pirates appear to be one of the most common themes for mini-golf in the Myrtle Beach area.
Pancake houses
There are about 24 pancake houses and pancake-themed restaurants from North Myrtle Beach to Murrells Inlet.
For this article, The Sun News counted restaurants that had the word “pancake” in the title. Breakfast places like Johnny D’s or Blueberry Grill did not count.
Candy shops
Candy stores are the least plentiful business on this list, with around 23 locations across the Grand Strand.
Many stores also sell ice cream inside. There is often a wide variety of candy to purchase by the pound instead of in individual bags.
