10 Things You Didn’t Know About Myrtle Beach

Planning a trip to Myrtle Beach? Here are a few fun Myrtle Beach facts you might not know!

1. Myrtle Beach is an island! It was man made and has been separated from the mainland by the Intracoastal Waterway since 1936.

2. The area has more than 100 golf courses, claiming to be the “golf capital of the world.”

3. Myrtle Beach is also the “mini-golf capital of the world” with more mini-golf courses per square mile than anywhere else in the world.

4. Sports Illustrated was founded in Myrtle Beach in 1954.

5. Myrtle Beach State Park was the first state park in South Carolina.

6. Myrtle Beach is home to one of the tallest ferris wheels in the country, the Myrtle Beach SkyWheel.

7. The popular swing dance known as the “Shag” was born along these beaches in the 1940s.

8. Myrtle Beach is one of America’s top vacation destinations.

9. The beach town is named after the Sweet Myrtle Tree, a native tree to the area.

10. The Waccamaw and Winyah American Indian tribes were the first people to live in the area.