If you love honky-tonk boardwalk activity and endless water parks along with your ocean waves, the vacation destination known simply as Myrtle Beach has it all. It's just about ten miles up the pike from quiet Murrells Inlet… past the already-mentioned Surfside Beach that we liked so much. But, Myrtle Beach State Park is yet another story. We thought to check it out today, before the widely reported polar plunge hits the entire east coast. After falling in love with Huntington State Park, I was super skeptical as to what I could possibly find to like about this. Surprise, surprise.
First comes a ride through gorgeous woods and a very busy campground. IN JANUARY!!! Yet another long beach with boardwalk trails and a huge pier awaits beachcombers. Wow! The South Carolina lowland coastline has some mighty impressive surf 'n' sand to offer.
Now it's time to hunker down for the arctic blast. It's supposed to plunge into the twenties tonight… clearly the talk of the town. It'll seem like a heatwave, compared to what good ole Monti is experiencing. Still, I worry about the amazing camellia flowers beginning to open here. Again - IN JANUARY! Look! How gorgeous IS this bloom…
My Dad defied all odds of having this warm-weather shrub survive in the northeast. Yes. We had one in Massapequa, planted against the house where enough heat must have escaped to keep it warm during winter months. It was gorgeous with its white blooms. Of course, it bloomed in the spring, when Dad would ceremoniously bring the first flower to open into the house and present it to Mom. I remember that so vividly. Ah, memories are made of this.
