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Myrtle Beach Pictures
I just spent the last nine days in Myrtle Beach. It was a welcome vacation.
Myrtle Beach has been called the "Redneck Riviera" due to the fact that it is convenient to the Bible Belt and is known as a lower cost family resort vacation.
I think the term is a little overdone. Myrtle Beach, located in the southeastern United States, is a good example of what happens when government gets out of the way of progress. As somebody who has been coming every year or so for the past forty years, it's been interesting watching things change.
South Carolina is not a rich state, but it does have beautiful beaches. For some reason unknown to me, the city fathers of Myrtle Beach decided not to have overly restrictive zoning regulations. They decided to let the place grow like it wanted to grow. What happened next was an interesting experiment.
At the beach, ready to rock-and-roll
At first, the only sign that things were out of control were, well, the signs. Billboards went up everywhere, and flashing and blinking signs soon followed. Businesses sprang up anywhere, like weeds.
Next came the hotels -- hundreds of them, from little family establishments to huge complexes. Hotels were everywhere. Houses were gradually eased out, replaced by more profitable condos and rental homes.
Then came the restaurants. Restaurants chains love the beach because of its intense seasonal peaks.
Then the shows came. The band Alabama located here. Dolly Parton, a famous Country and Western singer, followed. There were magic shows, medieval shows. Lots of shows.
Here something interesting happened. Instead of strip joints and gambling, local mores dictated family-oriented fare. Amusement parks flourished. Day tours and other family services grew. For a long time, Myrtle Beach was just a cross between a tourist trap and a family place to rest. A little course, but mostly geared towards good, clean fun.
But sometime within the last twenty years it became obvious that Myrtle Beach was a gold mine. Huge chains came. Shopping. Gourmet food.
Then we started seeing organized crime. Strip joints, escort services, gambling -- Myrtle Beach was looking more and more seedy with each trip.
Sunrise over the ocean on the east coast is always beautiful
This trip we saw lots of "gentlemen's clubs" and other not-for-kids material. There was boat gambling, high-interest loans, the whole shebang.
It seems that one thing in life is certain: wherever there is lots of money, there are going to be people that have no morals and will make a buck at any cost. It's true in Iran; it's true in Russia, it's true in China, and it's true here, sadly.
I still like Myrtle Beach. She's like an old friend who has not aged gracefully. God knows there is an incredible amount of business that goes through there. But mostly, I am tired of busy family vacations. Myrtle has too much stuff to do: we spent nine days running from event to event. I told Melissa that I'd like to find a place with a house, a hammock, a dock, a boat, some snorkeling, and no distractions.
Here's hoping we get that next year.
Childhood's End
Well of course the government in South Carolina is out of the way. It's in Argentina, to be exact! I prefer to hang around North Myrtle where things are a little more like what I remember as a kid.
There are not many places like Myrtle Beach left. The greedy investors have turned most pristine places into building sites or luxurious spa hotels few people can afford.