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put in place by state and local governments to combat the spread of the coronavirus COVID-19 have largely been rescinded.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.
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