Where memories are made for life
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or nearly two decades, the month of March meant removing snow tires, rooting closets for bathing suits and beach towels, and prepping for the annual family trek from Western New York to Myrtle Beach. Most years there was still snow on the ground, and we often drove through a storm or two before crossing the Mason Dixon Line and hitting the coast with its welcoming, warm salty air. There, we would hunker down in our mom and pop motel. Only once do I recall leaving Myrtle Beach’s Grand Strand to hastily drive to Charleston for a day, a 90-mile jaunt down a ribbon of highway, through a landscape very unlike the ones in the anchor cities at either end. Making that trip just once was our loss, because between Myrtle Beach and Charleston is a charming series of towns that make up the Hammock Coast, an area the locals consider “halfway,” geographically and culturally. The “Fab Five” — Garden City, Murrells Inlet, Litchfield, Pawley’s Island and Georgetown — occupy a 25-mile stretch along Highway 17 between the Atlantic Ocean and the Waccamaw River in Georgetown County. The road may be a busy fourlane, lined with beach shops, shopping plazas and restaurants, but a simple turn left or right leads to harbors, sandy beaches, golf courses, enchanting rivers and a slower, more laid-back style of life. The Hammock Coast is unequalled in places to see and things to do and provides the perfect day trip escape from the hustle and bustle of Myrtle Beach or Charleston. It’s even better to rent a condo or home and spend a week away from it all. Each locale has a personality all its own and something unique to offer. Garden City White, sandy and less crowded beaches are just a few blocks over the causeway that leads to Garden City’s most famous attraction, The Pier, a massive
White, sandy and less crowded beaches are just a few blocks over the causeway that leads to Garden City and some of the finest sunsets on the East Coast. Photo by Chris King
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