Myrtle Beach Live Cam

Cherry Grove, just south of Little River, is one of several communities that comprise North Myrtle Beach. (Sea Mountain Highway is the only way into Cherry Grove, so watch the signs carefully.) Cherry Grove has its share of oceanfront condominiums and motels, but away from the ocean you'll find rows of stilted houses lining serpentine channels and inlets. Many Cherry Grove residents and tourists handpick this section of the Strand because they relish the special joys of catching, cleaning and cooking their own seafood.

On the ocean side of Hogg Inlet is Waties Island, a pristine piece of land donated to Coastal Carolina University's internationally renowned marine biology department. In years past, archaeologists found mysterious mounds of shells here. Although no one is certain about the history of these mounds, researchers have discovered enough pottery and well-worn arrowheads to ascertain that Native Americans once inhabited the island. Consequently, it is widely believed that the mounds were shaped by Indian hunters who pursued schools of mullet and spot up and down the coast.

Although not technically a part of North Myrtle Beach, Atlantic Beach sits between North Myrtle's Windy Hill and Crescent Beach communities. Historically, Atlantic Beach was important to blacks from the Carolinas, Georgia and Florida because, for many years, it was the only beach on the southern portion of the Atlantic Seaboard open to African Americans. Today, Atlantic Beach has a few small motels and nightspots and lots of cottages. A beloved landmark, the open-air pavilion where the motion picture Shag, The Movie was filmed, was irreparably damaged by Hurricane Hugo in 1989. Despite obvious losses, the treacherous storm served as a downtown renovation project.

Where North Myrtle ends, Briarcliffe Acres begins. Very quiet, very upscale and almost solely residential, you're likely to miss this tiny town if someone doesn't point it out. (Residents incorporated some years ago to avoid outside influence.) The easy way to find it is to look for Briarcliffe Mall on the west side of the highway. Anchored by big-name department stores like Belk and JCPenney, this mall is one of several notable shopping opportunities on the North Strand.

Another shopper's delight is Barefoot Landing, one of the state's top tourist attractions. On U.S. 17, just north of Briarcliffe Acres, this complex is built around a 20-acre freshwater lake. Barefoot Landing features more than 100 specialty and retail shops, factory direct stores, more than 1,000 feet of floating dock (on the Intracoastal Waterway), miles of boardwalk and about a dozen waterfront restaurants. Attractions include the Barefoot Carousel, Barefoot Princess Riverboat and The Alabama Theatre. More than 7 million visitors streamed through this beautiful complex last year, and the numbers keep climbing. Even locals love it- which is a sure testament to success.

When you've shopped the numbers off your Gold Card, you'll be happy to discover that the North Strand is home to Restaurant Row. South of Briarcliffe Acres, like a string of fine pearls, an impressive selection of restaurants lines either side of U.S. 17. Seafood, of course, is the expected specialty, but hearty steaks, spicy ribs, Italian favorites, Japanese selections and even down-home country cooking can be found along this renowned strip. Nearly every restaurant sports a long line of eager patrons every night, but you're sure to find the food worth the wait. Highway traffic is especially heavy during the dinner rush, which starts as early as 5 PM and continues until around 8 PM.

Closest to Myrtle Beach is the unincorporated Shore Drive area. Highly developed and densely populated, this area sports huge high-rise condominiums, lots of retiree homes, a nearly constant flow of renters and timeshare purchasers and a couple of fine residential communities.