When you need a break from the hustle and bustle of Myrtle Beach's busy attractions and entertainment venues, make plans to head to the great outdoors from some R&R. The Myrtle Beach area is surrounded by brilliant natural landscapes as well as several great park areas where you can enjoy a variety of outdoor recreational activities while you relax with nature.
The Myrtle Beach State Park covers an expansive 312 acres and runs along the gorgeous Carolina coastline. This state park is popular for swimming on the spectacular beaches, as well as strolling along the hiking trails and enjoying the wide variety of native plants and animals that call the area home. The Myrtle Beach State Park permits beach front tent camping and also offers beach front cabin rentals. To add to your experience at the park, you will also find a fishing pier, a gift shop, and picnic areas here.
Plyer Park is located in the heart of Myrtle Beach right along the coastline. This scenic park is popular for beach-goers to bask and enjoy the sun or hop in the waves for a swim. You can also find a number of special events taking place at Plyer Park. Or you can simply sit back and watch the people go by, from joggers on the beach to sand castle sculptors, Plyer Park is filled with plenty of interesting people going about their business. The Annual Sun Fun Festival is the traditional way Myrtle Beach starts off its summer season, and has featured such performers as Mario Lopez, Mean Joe Green, and Dora the Explorer.
Huntington Beach State Park is a gorgeous natural area that boasts some of the best bird-watching on the East Coast. With the beautiful beach area as well as a freshwater lagoon, a salt march, and a coastal forest, this state park is popular with people as well as wildlife. While you are at the Huntington Beach State Park, be sure to take a tour of the historic Atalaya Castle, a gorgeous home where American sculptor Anna Hyatt Huntington vacationed in. At the Education Center on-site, you can stroll along a boardwalk and enjoy a number of educational exhibits, including a saltwater touch tank and a live baby alligator exhibit.
The Hampton Plantation State Park gives you a fabulous opportunity to explore the great outdoors while enjoying a bit of history. This state park is home to the Hampton House, a gorgeous house that was built in the early 1700s by Archibald Rutledge. The home sits on 300 acres that have served as everything from rice fields to a safe haven for the affluent during the Revolutionary War.
Make plans to take a break from your busy vacation and enjoy the great outdoors in Myrtle Beach with some time at these and the other fine parks in the area.
