There are those of us who love a good rom-com, prefer the door locks double-bolted, and like to keep talk of spirits either at the bar or church on Sunday.
Then there are those who go on the Conway Ghost Walk.
It’s spooky, it’s spine-tingling, but mostly it’s just pretty, interesting, and a great taste of some Lowcountry history.
Conway, a short jaunt down Route 17 from Myrtle Beach is a historic touchstone in the Grand Strand, with a charming, revitalized downtown. You’ll find restaurants, shops, a picturesque river walk — and, of course, the Conway Ghost Walk: Spirits of the Lowcountry (Conway Ghost Walks) and its hair-raising tales of hauntings.
One of which is about the long-deceased Beaty children, some of whom allegedly paid a post-mortem visit to their mother. The Beaty house was front and center in downtown Conway and the grave sites of the children still stand today.
(Gulp.)
While scary stories are abundant, it’s a pleasant way to see the town in a way that you might not if you were walking around solo. The annual tour capitalizes on this rich regional history, and the majestic moss-covered live oaks so common down south might take on a more sinister look — like they’re draped in ghastly shrouds, or weeping.
(Again, gulp.)
Multiple storytellers spin yarns as old as the town, as frightful as All Hallow’s Eve itself. The walk is immensely popular every year and tickets go fast.
Conway Ghost Walks will be held nightly Thursday, October 23, Friday the 24th and Saturday the 25th. The first tour starts at 7 p.m. and will leave the box office every subsequent 15 minutes until 8:30 p.m. Prepare to walk about a mile over the course of an hour. Make sure to wear comfortable shoes and weather-appropriate clothes. Adult tickets are $15 and kids 12 and under are $7. Register by calling (843)248-6260 or click here (Register for Conway Ghost Walk).
The box office can be found at the Conway Visitor Center, 903 Third Avenue in downtown Conway.
(And without further ado, we present the final gulp of the night.)
So, now you’re thoroughly freaked out and need something to do to shake off the cobwebs and calm your racing pulse. Remember that talk of keeping spirits at the bar? Well, we love the one at the Crafty Rooster on Third Avenue right there in Downtown Conway. Dig in to some bog or a burger, and wash it down with a seasonal delight on draft. They offer a number (Crafty Rooster Facebook Page) of autumnal craft beers and ciders, but we love a good pumpkin ale — try Smuttynose Pumpkin out of Portsmouth, N.H., or a Cottonwood Pumpkin, made by Foothills Brewery in Winston-Salem, N.C., slightly closer to home. Hints of cinnamon, nutmeg, real pumpkin and a decent booze factor will warm that chill in your bones.
And for those longing to keep the frights going all night? Imbibe in a New Holland Ichabod pumpkin ale. The Michigan brewery’s nod to the gourd boasts an eerie image of the Headless Horseman and his red-eyed steed on the label, so it’s hard not to stay in the mood with these. But be careful not to have too many, or else you’ll wake feeling a little hollow-headed yourself.
Now that’s scary.
What about y’all? Have you ever been on the Ghost Walk? What’s your favorite story? Also, what’s your favorite autumn beverage?
(Posted: 9/29/14)
(Photo Courtesy: conwayscchamber.com)
