Compass Cove’s Live Cam

Myrtle Beach took a giant step forward in 1925 when John T. Woodside, a wealthy textile magnate from Greenville, devised a plan to turn the promising resort into a playground for the rich and famous. Woodside purchased a vast tract of land from the Burroughs and quickly set to work building the luxurious Ocean Forest Hotel. Featuring chandeliers and an enormous ballroom, this classic high-rise was indisputably the most elegant building most Horryites had ever seen. (The Ocean Forest was demolished in 1974.) Unfortunately, Woodside's most ambitious plan, Arcady a recreational showplace for the wealthy never became a reality, as the stock market crash of 1929 ushered in the Great Depression. Even so, the area continued to grow- albeit slowly.

By 1954 Myrtle Beach had grown into a modest but pleasant resort. Then Hurricane Hazel ripped ashore. Ironically, the wicked lady served as a kind of urban renewal project. When people began to rebuild storm ravaged properties, they built back bigger, stronger and more lavishly than before. The hammers have not been silent since.

You won't find many cottages in Myrtle Beach proper any more. But nestled among elegant new motels, you can find smaller facilities that have built their businesses on a reputation of personal service and reasonable rates. Most of these "mom and pop" motels cater to loyal families who return year after year.

Myrtle Beach is unofficially divided into four areas. The south end of the Boulevard is a solid line of accommodations some big, some small. The mid-portion of town features entertainment and activities from the Myrtle Beach Pavilion to the Ripley's Believe It or Not! Museum. Beginning around 32nd Avenue N., there is an exclusive residential district where permanent and summer residents coexist in beautiful, expensive homes. From 52nd Avenue northward, luxury motels and condominiums dominate the landscape.

Thankfully, Myrtle Beach officials have had the vision to keep the beach open to the public. Public beach accesses, many with parking, are provided every few blocks throughout the city. The city erected blue and yellow signs along the Boulevard several years ago to help folks recognize these access sites. Handicapped access to the beach is also provided. And, thanks to the efforts of several area civic clubs, beach services now offer specially designed wheelchairs that are easy to maneuver on the sand.

Myrtle Beach hosts many annual festivals. Two of the most popular are the Sun Fun Festival (usually held the first full weekend in June), and the Canadian-American Days festival (held in March to coincide with spring break for Canadian kids).

The Sun Fun Festival, which celebrates its 45th birthday in 1996, originally served as an official kickoff for the long-anticipated summer season. Now that Myrtle Beach is a year-round tourist destination, the traditional Sun Fun Festival continues to offer four days of nonstop fun in early June. The now-famous festival frequently attracts national media attention. NBC's "Today Show" and ABC's "Good Morning America" have reported live from the festival, which features beauty and bikini contests, sand-castle building, a huge parade, children's games, musical and theatrical performances, cookouts, sailing regattas and much more.

Canadian-American Days, 35 years old in 1996, offers a jam-packed agenda too. "Can-Am," as locals call it, was developed in a visionary effort to extend the beach season by encouraging our neighbors from the Great White North to visit. During this 10-day festival, banks willingly exchange currency. Radio, television and newspapers headline Canadian news. And there are activities of every type imaginable historical tours, parades, concerts and more.