Author: Stan Deatherage | Published: December 31st, 2009

The "Redneck Riviera" is a Wonderful Respite in the Early Off Season

    Myrtle Beach is a wonderful vacation destination, but somehow better, when most of the summer tourists have long left for home. Few adults, even less children, and still some nice days; some warm enough to swim in the ocean. That is why I will always love the off season, and will try to make Myrtle Beach a vacation destination during that time period.


    On a lovely Saturday, with the temperature about 78 degrees, you see that there not too many folks on this beach: Above. I went swimming that Saturday, October 10, 2009. This seagull takes a break from breaking shells open on the beach to pose for his cameo: Below.


    Not only is there a dearth of folks, there are some good bargains in housing and at the restaurants. I always use timeshare, and whether it is weeks or points, one can always respectively make a better trade or use less points this time of year. Hotel rooms are also less expensive, with some offering golfing package deals. Restaurants usually offer special happy hour bargains or early bird specials, but in the off season, they tend to make the happy hours are little longer and they broaden the specials offered. In the off season, the early bird specials end at a bit later, with more restaurants offering bargains.


    A good many of those bargains are at The Market Commons, which occupies part of the grounds of the closed Myrtle Beach U. S. Air Force Base on Farrow Parkway in southern Myrtle Beach. The Market Commons, as the center point of this new community, is a classic use of space dedicated to commerce, with adjacent city parks and residential space above the shops / restaurants, and adjacent to the commercial area and the city parks.

    Click on the map above for much larger map of the northern South Carolina coast.

        Our time share units are predominately in this immediate area, therefore, we spend a good deal of our eating out, some shopping, and going to the movies at The Market Commons. One of our favorite hangouts, regardless of the season, is Gordon Biersch. Gordon Biersch is a microbrewery in the middle of The Market Commons that has 1/2 price appetizers, and discounted drafts. The night we were there, as we were leaving after some sweet glazed chicken wings, kalamari, tapas, some Oktoberfest specialty beers and a hefeweisen, my wife and I were present for the beginning of a trivia contest amongst multiple team teams of merry makers competing for a first, second and third prizes. We joined in the competition, let the other teams do the drinking, and walked away after a two hour delay, with some fun filled memories and a decent prize - 50.00 toward my next meal at Gordon Biersch. Finally, our having heads full of useless knowledge pays off. Of course, one could easily make the argument that Lynn and I beat a room full of drunks.


    The food and hotel deals, the small prize winnings notwithstanding, I go to the beach to withdrawal from the 70 hour workweeks fro some much needed rest, get some new material to share with all of you and enjoy the unique beauty of a familiar, but totally different locale than what I am use to.

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    This article provided courtesy of our sister site: Better Travelers Now.

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