Myrtle Beach is a prime destination for vacationers and adventurers due to its brilliant white sand beaches and vibrant nightlife. In addition to these exciting characteristics, Myrtle Beach differentiates itself from other beachside towns with its rich local history and wealth of exotic wildlife native to its Lowcountry waters. You won’t find these four things to do in Myrtle Beach anywhere else in the world!
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Plantation Rivers Tours & Airboat Tours
A couple of miles south of Myrtle Beach, you’ll come across the Waccamaw River, home to at least six different rice plantations dating back to the 1800s. Plantation River Tours & Airboat Tours invites you to embark on the Waccamaw Lady for a two-hour sightseeing tour of these noteworthy landmarks dotting this magnificent river. While a local historian tells stories and teaches you about the historical significance of the plantations, slave cabins and trunk gates, you’ll also get a chance to see native plants and wildlife in their natural habitat. Aboard the airboat tours especially, you’ll get to see osprey, alligators, cypress trees and moss-laden oaks up-close throughout the Waccamaw, Black and Pee Dee Rivers. Enjoy the sights, sounds and fresh river air during a sunset cruise or private charter with up to 35 of your guests.
Hopsewee Plantation
If you continue south for a few more miles, you’ll get a chance to see history in person at the Hopsewee Plantation. As the birthplace of Thomas Lynch, Jr., a signer of the Declaration of Independence, this National Historic Landmark now stands a vestige of the free American spirit of the 1700s. On the other hand, it is also a humbling reminder of our not-so-distant history of African American enslavement. Over the course of a full attic-to-cellar guided tour of the property, you’ll learn about the original owners of the property as much as the slaves who brought sweetgrass basket weaving to the region. In particular, the Gullah tours provide fascinating insight into how African slaves built up colonial South Carolina and influenced the evolution of Lowcountry culture.
The Hurricane Fleet
Only in Myrtle Beach can you take an air-conditioned sportfishing boat on a charter to catch fresh ocean fish and spot dolphins. The Hurricane Fleet was one of the first to offer such an exclusive experience when they bought their original charter boats in 1948 to better serve their restaurant clientele. Their expert fishermen and skippers have the modern fishing gear and the practical knowledge to find the ideal fishing locations of the day so that you can catch your biggest fish ever. Additionally, their scenic dolphin cruises are an affordable way to get out on the water and watch playful dolphins come to feed on the scraps coming off of working shrimp boats. Not only will you get an unexampled fishing experience in true local style, but you’ll enjoy the thrill of riding through the waves and making a few dolphin friends.
Coastal Scuba
Coastal Scuba is North Myrtle Beach’s go-to scuba diving facility and underwater tour guide. Learn the basics of scuba diving or advance your skills to the next level at their 80,000-gallon PADI-certified training pool under the guidance of their professional divers. Most notably, you can choose between 15 different sightseeing charters offered at Coastal Scuba. You’ll encounter shipwrecks overwhelmed with aquatic life such as The Sherman, a post-Civil War relic dotted with buckles, buttons, fossils and other artifacts, and The Pipe Wreck, a mysterious unidentified paddle wheeler from the 1800s. Keep an eye out for marine wildlife like grouper, snapper, sand tiger sharks, spadefish, barracuda, Southern stingrays and more.
There is no better place to experience the natural and cultural history of the Lowcountry than in Myrtle Beach. Historical sightseeing tours embark on the water, on land, and even deep into the water for unconventional and highly immersive experiences. At the same time, you’re guaranteed to witness a diversity of intriguing wildlife species, from dolphins to exotic fish to alligators and more. Extraordinary tours such as these make Myrtle Beach so much more than just a hotspot for sunbathing and partying.
