What makes Myrtle Beach and the Grand Strand of South Carolina a great place to live? Let see - - - could it be the sixty-plus miles of wide, soft sandy beaches - - - and the temperate climate that allows residents to be outdoors all year-round. Or how about the many arts and cultural activities available? Maybe it is the over 100 golf courses, or other outdoor activities such as boating and fishing. For some, it might be the exciting nightlife, including world-class theatre productions, or the over 2,000 restaurants, or the many outlet malls, specialty stores or even ongoing flea markets. The fact that the area's residents are friendly, welcoming and anxious to help could certainly be a consideration.

Whether you are looking for an oceanfront home or condo, a home in a beautiful golf community, or a secluded getaway overlooking the many inlets and marshes, you will find it here. Myrtle Beach and the Grand Strand are special.

The Myrtle Beach area is a wonderful place to live, work and play. For complete information on life in the Myrtle Beach and Grand Strand area, visit our Area Information section or Contact Myrtle Beach Life.

Communities

North Myrtle Beach, sometimes referred to as the "North Strand" is known for its beautiful sparkling beaches and breathtaking scenery, and as a wonderful place to live, work, retire or own a vacation home. Nowhere else will you find people more willing to share and develop friendships. Made up of the Windy Hill, Crescent, Ocean Drive, Tilghman and Cherry Grove Beach sections, North Myrtle Beach is a thriving community that allows residents to choose their lifestyle. Whether you want lots of activity, or just a quiet place to lie back, you can do it in North Myrtle Beach and the northern Grand Strand.

Little River is just a couple of minutes north of North Myrtle Beach. Once a quiet little fishing village, Little River has become a destination for many people throughout the country with its many waterway, marsh and golf course communities. The town still maintains it fishing village charm, with many shrimp boats, charter fishing boats, Calabash Style seafood restaurants and specialty retail stores.

The "South Strand" is made up of Surfside Beach, Garden City Beach, Murrells Inlet, Litchfield Beach and Pawleys Island, and includes Myrtle Beach and Huntington state parks. While virtually attached to Myrtle Beach, this area of the Grand Strand is much more tranquil and laid back than Myrtle Beach and the North Strand, and is almost like being in a completely different part of the coast.

The entire Myrtle Beach area is a most popular destination for new residents, and many communities have been developed throughout the area, providing golf, water and other recreational activities for their residents. While the beaches are very popular summer vacation spots, there are many opportunities to enjoy a laid-back coastal atmosphere year-round. For complete information on Grand Strand communities and what they offer, visit our Area Information section or Contact Myrtle Beach Life.

Education

The Horry County School District is the third largest in the state, serving over 37,000 students. . The district has 26 elementary schools, eleven middle schools, nine high schools, two career & technical academies, a Scholars Academy, an Early College High School and an alternative school.

The Scholars Academy, in conjunction with Coastal Carolina University, offers advanced students the opportunity to accelerate their education at a rate and level of academic of instruction commensurate with their abilities. Early College High School was created "to provide a personalized education to maximize student potential for becoming socially responsible, productive citizens". Connect is an alternative secondary school program designed to ensure success for students who may have encountered learning barriers in the past. An International Baccalaureate Program is also offered, which allows students interested in becoming involved in creating a better and peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect.

Of the several institutions of higher learning, Coastal Carolina University stands out. CCU, founded in 1954, is a dynamic, public comprehensive liberal arts institution located in Conway. Over forty baccalaureate programs are offered, including programs in marine science, resort tourism and professional golf management. Graduate programs include an MBA as well as master's degrees in education and coastal marine and wetland studies.

For more information on all Horry County area schools & colleges, visit our Area Information section or Contact Myrtle Beach Life.

Health

Myrtle Beach and Horry County are served by five hospitals, the most prominent of which is the Grand Strand Regional Medical Center. Grand Strand Regional Medical Center is a 219-bed acute care hospital serving residents and visitors of Horry and surrounding counties, and is the only hospital in Horry and Georgetown counties providing cardiac surgery services. Grand Strand Regional Medical Center is also a designated trauma center.

Other area hospitals are located in Conway, Loris and Murrells Inlet. Among the services offered at these facilities are emergency care, general surgery, diabetes management, pediatrics, women's health, hyperbarics and wound healing, radiology, sleep studies, and physical rehabilitation.

Less than ninety minutes away is the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), one of the finest medical research and teaching facilities in the country. For more about the services and facilities at MUSC, click here.

For more information on healthcare in the Myrtle Beach area, visit our Area Information section or Contact Myrtle Beach Life.

Arts & Culture

It would not be practical to try to list all of the cultural and arts programs in Horry County. Included are festivals, special events, arts and crafts groups, museums, galleries, visual and performing arts, including the acclaimed Long Bay Symphony.

Commercial venues such as the Palace Theatre, Alabama Theatre and the Carolina Opry provide world-class entertainment throughout the year.

For more information about the arts and cultural offerings along the Grand Strand, visit our Area Information section or Contact Myrtle Beach Life.

Myrtle Beach, Grand Strand and Horry County Real Estate

No matter what you are looking for in a residence, Horry County property choices are as diverse as any area of the country. Offerings include oceanfront homes and condos, historic homes, golf front homes and condos, homes and condos overlooking rivers or marshes and more. Prices range from condos below $100,000 to single family homes over $1,000,000. No matter where you live in Horry County, people are friendly and caring and everything is convenient.

Contact Myrtle Beach Life to learn more about real estate and properties available in Myrtle Beach, the beaches and surrounding communities of Horry County. You may also visit our Property Search section to view all of the properties currently available through our multiple list service.