Having recovered apparently from the previous days illness, we decided to drive to Myrtle Beach in the late morning on Tuesday, February 15th. It was about a 15-minute drive. We parked along 7th Avenue and walked the boardwalk from 7th Avenue to 14th Avenue and back. It was a chilly and windy walk to 14th Avenue.
Myrtle Beach Boardwalk You can tell how windy it was by looking at the flags.
Myrtle Beach Boardwalk This is the SkyWheel.
The SkyWheel is not a carnival ride, but a modern, safe observation wheel towering 187 feet or about 20 stories in the air. The SkyWheel has fully enclosed gondolas with glass windows and doors for optimal views and photography. The gondolas are heated and cooled allowing for year-round operation in any type of weather. A flight includes 3 revolutions and lasts about 10 – 15 minutes. We didn’t ride the SkyWheel. I don’t care for heights!
Myrtle Beach Boardwalk Beyond the palm tree is Pier 14.
Pier 14 provides opportunities for shopping, dining and fishing. The Pier was closed for the season.
Myrtle Beach Boardwalk This is the view from Pier 14.
With the wind behind us, it felt warmer as we walked back to 7th Avenue.
We viewed Pier 14 from the beach.
We viewed the SkyWheel from the beach too.
Myrtle Beach boardwalk This is a closer view of the SkyWheel.
Myrtle Beach Boardwalk The sculpture in front of the SkyWheel is called “The Goddess of the Sea”.
Myrtle Beach Boardwalk “The Goddess of the Sea” sculpture
On our way back to Surfside Beach we stopped at The Market Common. The Market Common is Myrtle Beach’s premiere dining, shopping and entertainment destination. We didn’t go shopping; we didn’t attend any entertainment event. We did, however, dine. We chose the Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant for lunch. Bob ordered the Ahi Tuna Salad (togarashi & sesame seed crusted seared Ahi tuna, romaine, cabbage, pickled cucumbers, wasabi vinaigrette, wonton strips, sriracha drizzle). I ordered the CBLT Sandwich (grilled chicken, bacon, Swiss, crispy onions, tomato, lettuce, fresh avocado mayo, brioche bun). Both entrees were good; the service was excellent.
After lunch we returned to our Airbnb ”Seaside Cottage”. We would be leaving for home the next day, so we packed. We relaxed too, especially enjoying the warmth of the backyard porch.
Bob and I relaxing on our back porch.
Oh, and I can’t forget the moon. We saw the moon each and every day, while in South Carolina. The moon became more and more beautiful, as the week progressed.
Bob went for a walk the morning of Thursday, February 10th, leaving the house around 6:30 am. He walked to the beach and back home. Bob saw the sunrise at the beach.
Surfside Beach Sunrise
I saw the sunrise from the front porch of our Airbnb “Seaside Cottage”.
Sunrise, as seen from the front porch of our Airbnb “Seaside Cottage”
We picked up our grocery order at Walmart at 8:00 am. We drove back home and put away the groceries. For breakfast we ate instant oatmeal and fresh fruit. It is a gorgeous sunny morning. I sat on the front porch and enjoyed the sunshine, as well as the heat from the sun, while drinking a cup of tea.
Around 9:15 am we drive to the Surfside Beach library. Bob printed the Erie Insurance auto insurance card from the website. We left the new card at home, and he wanted to be legal.
From the library we drove to the post office, where we mailed Valentines Day cards to our two granddaughters.
We returned home from the post office, where we rested and relaxed until 10:20 am. At that time we drove to our friends Marge and Neil’s condo at One Ocean Place in Garden City Beach.
Marge & Neil on the balcony of their 10th floor condo at One Ocean Place
The view from Marge & Neil’s 10th floor condo at One Ocean Place
You can see the Surfside Beach Pier (under construction) and Myrtle Beach beyond the pier.
The four of us went for a walk on the beach.
Neil, Bob and Marge in front of One Ocean Place
Marge and I We rested before walking back to One Ocean Place.
Marge likes to walk along the water edge.
Seagull, taking flight
Bob, Neil, Marge and I on the beach
Approaching One Ocean Place
After our walk we drove the short distance to River City Cafe in Surfside Beach. All of us rode in Neil and Marge’s car.
River City Cafe is known for their burgers. Burgers is what all four of us ordered for lunch.
The River City Cafe burgers are huge!
After lunch we drove to our Airbnb “Surfside Cottage” to show Marge and Neil where we are staying.
Soon we were back in the car, driving back to One Ocean Place. We parted ways at this time, making plans to possibly get together before the Super Bowl on Sunday.
Here is an interesting tidbit. Back in Pennsylvania it is an approximate 20-minute drive to Marge and Neil’s house from our house. Here in South Carolina we are an 8-minute drive only from each other.
Once we returned to our Airbnb, we were in for rest of the afternoon and evening. We ate dinner at 6:00 pm. Dinner was tuna casserole, green peas, grapes and chocolate pudding.
We returned home from vacation the afternoon of February 17th. This blog post and several that follow provide written and photographic details of our South Carolina vacation.
We were on our way out of Warren at 6:30 am on Tuesday, February 8th. When we left home, snow was falling, possibly mixed with sleet or freezing rain. The temperature was 19 degrees.
We ate breakfast at Station 61 Family Restaurant in Youngsville PA. At 7:20 am, after a hearty breakfast, we were back on the road.
It was still snowing when we hopped onto I-80 in Barkeyville PA. It was still snowing when we hopped onto I-79. Thankfully each road surface was good, clear of snow and ice.
The snow essentially stopped falling near Pittsburgh PA, although there were short bursts of snow flurries and spitting snow for several miles afterward.
We had snow flurries in Morgantown WV, with very little snow on the ground. There was a little bit of snow on the ground, mostly wooded areas, as we drove through the WV mountains.
At 1:00 pm we stopped briefly at Young’s Monument Scenic Overlook. The overlook is on the northbound side of Route 19, a few miles north of Summersville, WV. The overlook is located on Powell Mountain, south of Birch River, with a view of the Powell Creek Valley to the east and further north, the Birch River Valley can be seen.
Young’s Monument Scenic Overlook
Look at that blue sky! It was still chilly here (37 degrees), but was nice to feel the sunshine.
There is an official West Virginia Historical Marker that stands near the entrance to a rest area at the overlook. The marker reads: “Off Young’s Monument Rd. (.3M) is grave site of Henry & Lucinda Young. A Confed. militiaman or sympathizer, he was killed by Union troops nearby on 8 Sept. 1861. Details of Young’s life and death are scant and confused, symbolizing divided loyalties, tragic times and enduring saga of Civil War in WV, when state was pitted against state and brother against brother. New road in 1970 required reburial.”
We stopped at the Northside Drive Car Wash in Summersville, WV. Bob says it was the best self serve car wash he has ever used. The water pressure was strong; the soap suds were plentiful; and he had enough time to do a spotless rinse, spending less money than he does at home.
We arrived at Comfort Suites in Wytheville, VA around 4:00 pm in the afternoon. We will spend the night here and continue our drive to Surfside Beach, SC tomorrow.
We checked into our room. Bob set up the Internet. Then we went out to dinner.
We ate dinner at Cracker Barrel, which was located about 2 miles from the hotel and easy to drive to.
I liked where the hostess seated us — at a table in front of the fireplace.
Bob ordered grilled catfish with hash brown casserole, broccoli and biscuits. I ordered meatloaf with hash brown casserole, fried apples and corn bread muffins. Both meals were delicious. After dinner we returned to our hotel, where we stayed for rest of the evening.
The next day we ate a complimentary hot breakfast at our hotel. Because of COVID precautions implemented by the hotel we were not free to get desired foods ourselves. An attendant got the food we desired. Bob had eggs, bacon and a muffin with coffee and OJ. I got a waffle with diced peaches with tea and OJ.
We departed Comfort Suites Wytheville at 8:15 am, en route Surfside Beach, SC. The temperature was 27 degrees.
I saw a few snow patches near Wytheville.
Approaching the VA/NC state line, we lost a lot of elevation and saw the last of snow patches.
We ate lunch at Magnolia on Main Cafe in Bennettsville, SC. Bob ordered homemade chicken salad on a bed of lettuce served with pita chips, pasta salad and a frozen fruit cup. I ordered turkey, lettuce and tomato in flat bread … like a turkey wrap but toasted … with pasta salad. We shared a slice of pineapple cake. Our meals were delicious.
After lunch, we wandered around the Marlboro County Court House grounds.
Marlboro County Court House
Confederate Civil War Monument
We arrived in Surfside Beach around 2:00 pm, with about 2 hours to kill before we could check in to our Airbnb “Seaside Cottage”. We drove to the nearby Walmart to see the location of their curbside pickup. We have a scheduled pickup between 7:00 and 8:00 am on Thursday morning. We, then, took a ride along the ocean to Garden City Beach. We stopped at the Azalea Ave public access to the beach, where there was free parking. We walked out on the beach, where we saw the Garden City Pier.
Garden City Pier
A few minutes past 4:00 pm we checked in at Airbnb “Seaside Cottage”. Bob carried in the stuff from the car. I organized the kitchen and put away my clothes / toiletries. Around 5:30 pm I made dinner – Campbell’s Chunky New England Clam Chowder, with crackers, and fruit cocktail. Neither of us were very hungry.
We went for a short walk in the neighborhood, after dinner. We walked about 1/3 of a mile. The neighborhood appears well cared for and quiet. In the evening we watched “The Cleaning Lady” on Hulu TV.
The Beauty Around Us 