Myrtle Beach Opening for Business!
Dusty Rhodes • June 8, 2020
Things are finally starting to look up on the Grand Strand!
We've been cooped up and doing take-out for what seems like forever. Our favorite spots to hang out and unwind have been closed. But it's all been for a good cause - the greater good, the health of our neighbors, our friends, and our families. But let's be honest. We can't wait to get out and do the things we love, and some folks can't wait to go back to work and start making money to pay the bills. So, in honor of being OPEN for BUSINESS, here's a quick list of some of the great places you can check out and enjoy again!
SkyWheel Myrtle Beach, Ripley’s Aquarium, WonderWorks, and Family Kingdom and other amusement venues are open in Myrtle Beach.
Topgolf is open TODAY, June 8th.
The Myrtle Beach area is nearly fully open and ready for the summer tourism season as restrictions put in place by state and local governments to combat the spread of the coronavirus COVID-19 have largely been rescinded.
Topgolf Myrtle Beach director of operations Jeff Kowalski said he has been told by the corporate office to prepare the facility to reopen with sanitation and safety measures in place. Plastic barriers are being placed between each of the facilities’ 72 indoor-outdoor hitting bays and seating has been decreased in common areas, so Kowalski expects to be able to open at full capacity and still achieve social distancing between groups.
The Family Kingdom Amusement Park reopened last Monday and will maintain hours of 6-11 p.m. through Sunday.
General manager Donald Sipes said the park is adhering to government recommendations regarding coronavirus safety and cleaning procedures and will evaluate hours moving forward.
“We’re just taking it a week at a time to see how the crowds and everything is going,” Sipes said. “We hope to have a good week and we’ll kind of see what happens.”
The affiliated Splashes Oceanfront Water Park remains closed this week.
Most of the Broadway at the Beach entertainment and shopping complex is open and more will open there this week.
Ripley’s Aquarium, which currently features a penguin parade, reopened Memorial Day weekend at Broadway and has limited hours of 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Some elements of the aquarium such as glass bottom boats, touch tanks and interactives are inoperable for safety reasons.
WonderWorks reopened last Tuesday and is open daily from 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. with about 100 hands-on exhibits open. Only the laser tag arena and ropes course are closed. The affiliated Soar + Explore zipline that traverses Lake Broadway opens daily at noon.
The Crocodile Rocks dueling piano bar reopens at 7 p.m. Thursday with social distancing measures in place.
Bar-restaurants Hard Rock Café and Bar Louie are open, and Senor Frogs has been open for lunch and dinner since Cinco de Mayo, but it hasn’t been open as a post-dinner nightclub.
S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster has not allowed night clubs, concert venues and adult entertainment clubs to reopen yet.
Broadway includes the nightclubs Oz and Malibu’s Surf Bar operated by Celebrations Nightlife. Company general manager Joey Monteleone said there have been rumors of a lifting of the closure on clubs by June 15 and he spoke to the governor’s office and was told McMaster is reviewing the recommended guidelines for clubs from the accelerateSC committee and the office hopes to soon make an announcement.
SkyWheel Myrtle Beach and National Amusement Rides’ three locations in Myrtle Beach – Free Fall Thrill Park featuring the Sling Shot on Ocean Boulevard on 12th Ave North, and both Action Park and Fun Park at Broadway at the Beach – opened on or before Memorial Day Weekend.
“We’re open, we’ve got our fingers crossed and we hope the next 90 days will be good,” said SkyWheel partner and National Amusement Rides owner Bill Prescott.
Ripley’s Haunted Adventure and Ripley’s Moving Theater on Ocean Boulevard remain closed for the time being, and no reopening date has been established according to a company customer service representative.
Wild Water & Wheels in Surfside Beach opened on Saturday and Myrtle Waves in Myrtle Beach opened on May 23. If you purchased a season pass for one park by Saturday the pass is good for both parks all summer.
Shark Wake Park in North Myrtle Beach opened Saturday and will be open from noon to 7 p.m. through Sunday, then will open at 10 a.m. next week.
Rockin’ Jump Trampoline Park reopened on May 25, the Hollywood Wax Museum is open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily, and the Fun Warehouse indoor amusement center featuring go karts, roller skating and laser tag has been open since May 22.
The Comedy Cabana and Asher Theater, which is holding The Very Best of Sam Cooke and Ray Charles on June 19-20, are open and again booking acts.
The Ripken Experience Myrtle Beach baseball and softball park with nine fields is set to reopen on June 14. Ripken park senior general manager Bobby Holland said about 400 teams from around the country are expected for eight weeks of baseball tournaments.
“There have been some [cancellations] but nothing extensive. I think people are excited to play baseball,” said Holland, whose park will announce next week the safety and sanitary protocols that are being instituted.
The Myrtle Beach Convention Center is open for business but because of cancellations the next scheduled event isn’t until the Showstoppers National Dance Competition from June 29-July 5.
Event producers or managers are responsible for following coronavirus health guidelines, and convention center officials have added space to help the Showstopper organizers promote social distancing.
The Myrtle Beach Sports Center is also open and the next event is the National Travel Basketball Association Girls National Championship from June 24-28.
The Myrtle Beach boardwalk has been open and the Murrells Inlet Marsh Walk reopened on May 13.
Dusty Rhodes Properties is the Best Realtor in Myrtle Beach! We do everything in our power to help you find the home of your dreams. With experience, expertise, and passion, we are the perfect partner for you in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. We love what we do and it shows. With more than 22 years of experience in the field, we know our industry like the back of our hands. There’s no challenge too big or too small, and we dedicate our utmost energy to every project we take on. We search thousands of the active and new listings from Aynor, Carolina Forest, Conway, Garden City Beach, Longs, Loris, Murrells Inlet, Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Pawleys Island, and Surfside Beach real estate listings to find the hottest deals just for you!
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If you’re a homeowner getting ready to move , one question usually comes first: should you buy your next home before you sell, or sell your current house before you start looking? There’s no single right answer. The best call depends on your finances, your local market, and your timeline. And a trusted agent can help you weigh all of it. But in a lot of cases these days, selling first puts you in the stronger spot. The Advantages of Selling First Selling is usually the trickier half of a move today, so getting it done first clears your biggest hurdle. And that’s especially true right now , because there are more homes for sale than there are buyers, which means houses are taking longer to sell than they did a year or two ago. So how does leading with your sale pay off? Let’s start with the money. 1. You Won’t Get Stuck Paying Two Mortgages Buy before you sell, and you could end up carrying two mortgages at once. And especially since houses are staying on the market longer these days, that overlap may drag on for more time than you’d planned. And if unexpected repairs come up, it could get even more expensive. Selling first takes that risk off the table, so you’re not multitasking homeownership. As Ramsey Solutions puts it: “It’s best to sell your old home before buying a new one to avoid unnecessary risks and possible headaches.“ 2. You Can Use Your Equity To Fuel Your Move This is always true, but one of the biggest perks of selling first is that you’ll know exactly how much money you’re walking away with. And one of the big figures that matters in that conversation is how much equity you have in your current place. Equity is basically your house’s value minus what you still owe on your mortgage. And it adds up fast. According to Realtor.com , homeowners who’ve been in their home for 5 years have about $180,000 in equity on average. And those who’ve had their home for 6-10 years? They have over $340,000. After you sell, you can use that money to cover your down payment or even buy your next home in cash. And knowing that profit up front helps you plan your next move. 3. Your Offer Will Be Hard To Pass Up When your house is already sold, you don’t have to make your offer contingent on that sale. In a market where buyers are taking their time, that’s exactly what a seller wants to see. Picture it from the seller’s side. If their house has been sitting for a while, they’ll gravitate toward the offer most likely to close without a snag. That can also give you room to ask for a little more, like repairs, since a motivated seller would rather keep things moving than lose you and wait for another offer to come in. Your agent can help you make the most of your upper hand in that scenario. Is There a Catch? Selling first has its tradeoffs too, and it helps to see the pros and cons side by side before you decide. Here’s a quick breakdown based on information from Zillow (see visual below) :
Online listing photos often shape a buyer’s first impression of a home. They want to understand the home’s setting, the size of the lot, and what makes the property unique before deciding whether it’s worth a visit. That’s one reason real estate drone photography has become a popular addition to many listings. That said, aerial photography isn’t a must-have for every home. Whether you’re selling a home in Houston, TX or listing a rental in Asheville, NC , knowing when to use this style of professional photography can help highlight the features that matter most to buyers. Here are seven situations where real estate drone photography can make a listing more compelling. Key takeaways: Best for homes where the setting is part of the selling point. Shows lot size, layout, and nearby amenities at a glance. Helps buyers visualize features that aren’t visible from the ground. Less valuable for standard homes on small lots. Should be performed by a licensed drone operator following local regulations. 1. The property sits on a large lot or acreage Large properties are difficult to capture from the ground. Aerial photos show the property’s full footprint and help buyers appreciate how much land they’re getting. Bradley Harkey, owner at LuxRE Photos , says drone photography is especially valuable for homes with room to grow. “Drone photography can really be essential when you are selling a home with a lot of land. A view from above can showcase the potential even when it’s not exactly obvious from the ground.” He says buyers often struggle to picture what an undeveloped yard could become. “Oftentimes an unprepped backyard can just look like a bunch of weeds to a potential buyer, but when seen from above, you can visualize where that pool can go, or that basketball hoop, or that go-kart track you always wanted as a kid. Some homes have so much potential, but it’s hard to see between the weeds.” Whether it’s acreage, an equestrian property , or simply a spacious backyard, aerial images help buyers see the property’s potential. 2. The home has waterfront views or scenic surroundings Some of a home’s best features aren’t visible from the front yard. Waterfront access, mountain views, wooded privacy, and distinctive architecture all benefit from an elevated perspective. Doug Smith, principal and founder of Houzpics LLC , explains, “Aerial photography is especially valuable for waterfront or estates with large, feature-rich lots, multi-story architecture, and homes with scenic surroundings. Aerial images help buyers understand the property’s layout and highlight features that traditional ground-level photos may not fully capture.” Rather than focusing only on the home, aerial photography showcases the entire setting.
Some people enjoy the beach. Others seem drawn to it. They choose beach vacations over city breaks. They find excuses to visit the coast whenever they can. They feel calmer the moment they hear waves crashing or catch sight of the ocean on the horizon. Friends and family may joke that they're "obsessed" with the beach, but psychology suggests there may be more happening beneath the surface. For many people, a love of the beach is not simply about sunshine, swimming, or beautiful views. Research suggests that coastal environments may provide something the modern brain desperately needs: a chance to recover from constant mental demands. Attention Restoration Theory may explain the attraction to the beach One of the most influential explanations comes from Attention Restoration Theory, developed by environmental psychologists Rachel Kaplan and Stephen Kaplan. The theory suggests that everyday life requires large amounts of what researchers call directed attention. This is the mental effort people use to focus during meetings, answer emails, ignore distractions, make decisions, navigate traffic, and manage responsibilities. Over time, directed attention becomes fatigued. Natural environments appear to affect the brain differently. The Kaplans proposed that nature creates a state known as soft fascination. Instead of demanding concentration, environments such as beaches gently hold attention without effort. As a result, the brain gets an opportunity to recover from mental fatigue . For frequent beachgoers, this may help explain why a few hours by the ocean often feels more restorative than an entire day spent indoors. Research on blue spaces supports the idea Psychologists and public health researchers often use the term blue spaces to describe environments that contain visible water, including oceans, lakes, rivers, and coastlines. Over the past decade, a growing body of research has linked blue-space exposure to improved psychological well-being . A 2020 research, Blue space, health and well-being: A narrative overview and synthesis of potential benefits, led by environmental psychologist Mathew White has found that people who spend more time near coastal environments often report better mental health and higher life satisfaction. The authors propose that water environments may improve mental health through several connected pathways: Increased physical activity (people walk, swim, or move more near water) Psychological restoration (reduced mental fatigue and stress) Social interaction (waterfronts often encourage gathering and recreation) Environmental effects such as improved air quality and aesthetic satisfaction Importantly, the review also highlights that blue spaces share similarities with green spaces (like parks and forests), but water environments may have unique psychological effects due to their sensory characteristics and emotional associations. Why the ocean feels different from other environments Many people report feeling calmer almost immediately when they arrive at the beach. Psychologists believe part of the reason may be the unique combination of sensory experiences. The sound of waves is rhythmic and predictable. The horizon creates a sense of openness. The movement of water captures attention without overwhelming it. Unlike social media feeds, traffic, news alerts, and crowded urban environments, the beach provides relatively low levels of cognitive demand. In simple terms, the ocean gives the brain less work to do. That reduction in mental effort may help explain why people often describe feeling lighter, calmer, or more clear-headed after spending time near the water. Place Attachment Theory says beaches can become part of identity For some people, the connection goes beyond relaxation. Psychologists study a concept known as place attachment, which refers to the emotional bond people develop with specific locations. Certain places become connected to family memories, childhood experiences, important life events, or feelings of belonging. Over time, the beach may become more than a destination. It becomes part of a person's identity. This may explain why some individuals return to the same stretch of coastline year after year, even when countless other travel options are available.
