Brighten Your Winter Getaway With Festive Events Along the Grand Strand

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Whether you’re escaping cold weather, craving the Carolina coast’s salty air or seeking a chance to knock out your holiday shopping list, there are plenty of ways to get into the holiday spirit on your Grand Strand winter getaway. The Myrtle Beach area hosts a number of annual festivals this time of year, and a stay at The Cottages at North Beach Plantation puts you in a convenient spot to attend any or all of them. During your next off-season getaway, add these fun Grand Strand festivals and events to your vacation itinerary – they’re sure to put some extra cheer into your winter retreat:

Nights of a Thousand Candles – Be sure to buy tickets for one of the area’s most talked-about events! Murrells Inlet’s magical Brookgreen Gardens glows even brighter during the holidays. More than 5,500 hand-lit candles and 100,000-plus twinkling lights illuminate the one-of-a-kind sculpture gardens, and the end result is unforgettable. Sip on hot cider as you stroll around the beautiful grounds to the tune of hand bell choirs, carolers and other musicians. This festive event runs on various nights November 30-December 17. Visit brookgreen.org for more info.

Dickens Christmas Show and Festivals – For 35 years, this award-winning tradition has brought holiday joy to the Myrtle Beach Convention Center. Returning to the Grand Strand in 2017, the event decks the exhibit hall with unique arts, crafts and gifts. It features a Victorian Era theme inspired by Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” and offers more than 300 vendors sporting period-appropriate attire. Sip and visit with friends during Victorian Teas, peruse a “Santa Through the Ages” exhibit, and even visit with the jolly old elf himself. The event runs November 9-12 at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center. Visit dickenschristmasshow.com for more info.

Intracoastal Christmas Regatta – The 33rd Annual Intracoastal Christmas Regatta in North Myrtle Beach puts a nautical twist on the traditional Christmas parade. The waterways will be aglow with a fleet of festive boats decked out in lights and brimming with holiday cheer. Crowds gather along the Intracoastal Waterway shoreline to cheer and soak in the spectacle as this boat parade makes its way from Little River Inlet to Dock Holidays Marina. The floating fun starts at 5 p.m. on Saturday, November 25. Find more info at christmasregatta.com.

More traditional Christmas parades can be found in Calabash on Friday, December 1; in North Myrtle Beach and at Broadway at the Beach on Saturday, December 2; in Murrells Inlet on Sunday, December 3; and in Conway and Surfside Beach on Saturday, December 9.

Holiday Shows – Shows along the Grand Strand are excellent during any season of the year, but there’s something particularly enchanted about live theater during the holidays. It’s as if the theaters turn things up a notch in November and December, delivering holiday merriment night after night. The top draws are The Carolina Opry’s Christmas Show of the South, Alabama Theatre’s The South’s Grandest Christmas Show and the Pirates Voyage Christmas Show.

Lighting of the Landing – Don’t miss your chance to get a glimpse of a 22-foot-tall Christmas tree adorned from top to bottom with twinkling lights and decorative ornaments. It’s Barefoot Landing’s shining centerpiece – the apex of the hot spot’s holiday celebration. This North Myrtle Beach shopping/dining/entertainment hub tops off its official holiday-season kickoff with fireworks and a visit from Santa. The festivities are set for Saturday, November 18, starting at 6 p.m. Learn more at bflanding.com.

If you are visiting the Grand Strand a bit later in the season, swing through the nearby town of Surfside Beach for its annual Christmas Tree Lighting on Thursday, November 30, at 7 p.m. More info can be found at surfsidebeach.org.

These fun-filled festivals and holiday events are just a few of the many reasons to visit the North Myrtle Beach area during the winter months. Get in the holiday spirit with us at The Cottages at North Beach Plantation – after all, there’s nothing like dreaming of a white-sand Christmas!