Top 3 things to do in Murrells Inlet, SC: A bit off the beaten path attractions…

 

Murrells Inlet Marshwalk, SC

Our pack (my wife, myself and our Pomeranian Toby) was very fortunate to spend 3 months in Murrells Inlet, South Carolina from December 2021 until February 2022.  When we were researching for a place to stay via AirBnB or Vrbo, we couldn’t believe our luck at finding something that was near Myrtle Beach, that also allows dogs.

The last time we visited Myrtle Beach was in November of 2003.  We had sold our condo in New York City, and was getting ready to leave for Hawaii.  Before leaving for Hawaii, we wanted to visit popular East Coast destinations like Myrtle Beach, Hilton Head Island, Orlando, Miami, Key Largo, and Key West.

We had made a quick stopover on our way down to Orlando (and on our way up to New York) that November.  We rented a one bedroom condo high rise and we thoroughly enjoyed our stay overlooking the majestic ocean laid out in front of us. We always had fond memories of Myrtle Beach area as we ate some delicious Japanese food & seafood during our stay.  We longed to go back, and this was our chance to do just that!

When we booked the stay, we initially thought the monthly cost was a bit high at around $1430.  However, we weren’t finding anything else that fit our criteria for our 3 month stay which include: somewhere south, allows pets, near a major destination, and has at least 1 bedroom.

We were lucky to find this particular rental that fit all of our criteria.  When we checked in on December 1st, we fell in love with the place.  The place was much bigger than the photos on the rental listing!  We knew there were 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms, but we didn’t realize how big the condo actually was until we went inside.

The photos did not do justice to how big the place is!

We were tired from the drive down from our parent’s place in New York City that day, but we absolutely loved our would be temporary home for the next 3 months.  After unpacking that night as well as for the next day or so, we set about exploring the surrounding areas near Murrells Inlet.

Murrells Inlet is about 8 miles south of the famous Myrtle Beach, and the village is known as the “Seafood capital of South Carolina”.  Murrells Inlet is a historic fishing village, and it still caters to sea-loving outdoor enthusiasts to this day.

Along the Business 17 highway, many seafood restaurants (as well as other restaurants) dot the landscape.  The drive along the highway is simply beautiful with views of the saltwater estuary and the marsh.  We were so happy to be visiting the ocean again, after our trip to Atlantic Beach (NC) from December 2020 until February 2021.

With this introduction out of the way, please see our top 3 things to do in Murells Inlet:

• Murrells Inlet Marshwalk

Murrells Inlet Marshwalk is a half mile wooden boardwalk along a saltwater estuary on Business 17 highway.  This is a popular local/visitor destination and is a must see attraction when visiting the area.

When we drove to the Marshwalk, we noticed the parking fee was waived during the off-season.  We simply pulled in to the parking area and got out to check out the Marshwalk.

We first let Toby, our spoiled rotten Pomeranian, sniff his way around the new environment, then let him do his business of marking his territory.  We were greeted by awesome smells of the sea and by beautiful waterfront restaurants inviting visitors to stop by.

Because it was during the Christmas season, restaurants displayed festive lights and decorations, which we all loved.  We got our bearing, then immediately headed towards the famous boardwalk directly in front of the parking area.

The boardwalk was absolutely beautiful and well maintained.  We saw plenty of boats docked and we saw several workers doing maintenance on some of those boats.  We also saw plenty of sea fowl, pelicans, egrets, and cranes.  What a sight!

Walkway leading to the boardwalk 

Pretty bird!

Pretty pelicans!

We noticed pelicans were gathering near the boat that was being maintained thinking maybe there’s some free food, but that wasn’t the case.  We got to enjoy the beautiful birds up close thanks to that though!

We ran into many locals and visitors along the boardwalk enjoying the scenery all around us.  We also did the same, stopping along the way multiple times to take in the beauty…

End of the boardwalk!

Facing north towards Myrtle Beach 

We loved the Marshwalk for all the bird watching we did in that short trip!  Beauty of the place is unmatched, and we were glad to have stopped by…

• Freewoods Farm

Freewoods Farm is the only African-American historical living farm museum in the United States and it is dedicated to recognizing and perpetuating the contributions of African-American farmers.  The farm provides education, documentation and preservation of the activities and practices of these farms.  

Freewoods Farms is located in Myrtle Beach, but it is actually much closer to Murrells Inlet than to Myrtle Beach.  In fact, from our rental, it was only a 5 minute drive.

We heard about the Freewoods Farm from our friendly neighbors at our condo subdivision who agreed to take us there in their car!  We agreed and off we went.

We decided to visit on a Saturday morning and we noticed there was a flea market that was open for business at the farm.  We met the gracious host/owner of the farm, Ms. G, who helped us with our purchase.  We bought fresh pecans in a shell, cabbage, and sweet potatoes.

We couldn’t believe how big the cabbage was!  It was literally the size of a human head, easily weighing 7-10 pounds!  We bought that cabbage for $5.  The pecans were $7, while sweet potatoes were $5 as well.

My wife and I had pecans before, but nothing like what we had from Freewoods Farm!  They were so fresh and delicious!!!  Same for the cabbage.  We made some fresh salad out of that huge cabbage and was  delighted with the taste and the freshness!

The farm stand at Freewoods Farm

Ms. G recommended us to take a short walk to check out the farm animals and we couldn’t say no.  We got to the barn where a huge mule was hanging around.  We’ve never seen a mule that big in our lives!

View of the mule barn

The huge mule eating!

We moved on to see the chickens in their coop and we enjoyed that as well!  There were several of them walking around, eating, and fighting.  That was awesome!

Right next to the chickens were the hogs!  We smelled them before we saw them.  We thought there was a huge boulder just inside the hog pen, but that was actually a hog!  We marveled at the immense size of the hog!

There were a total of 3 hogs in the hog pen and we got see each of them fairly close.  Despite their size, they were very cute!  Well, maybe not their smells…We were surprised some of them were quite active which is not something we’re used to seeing…

Italian bread for the hogs!

Very active!

This one was just sleeping

After our brief visit with the hogs (thanks to their wonderful fragrance), we got back to where we had started, then continued on to check out the flea market.  Already by that time of the morning, the place was packed with vendors and shoppers.

We noticed the sweet smell of barbecue wafting from the barbecue pit and were drawn to it even though we no longer eat meat.  Our bodies remembered that awesome smell even if we weren’t eating them anymore…

We made our way inside the barn where the flea market was going on.  There were many vendors selling home made sweets (candies, chocolates, cakes), clothing, arts/crafts, and of course, the barbecue!  My wife bought some home made sweets which she shared with our friendly neighbors.  My wife commented on how good they were…

After several minutes of mindlessly walking around the market, we slowly headed back towards our car for some lunch.  We all decided Mexican food sounded really good.

We stopped by at El Cerro Bar & Grill in Murrells Inlet.  The place actually had vegan options, which we wholeheartedly tried!  My wife had the vegan enchiladas and I had the vegan fajita.  Both were tasty and filling!  Thanks to our awesome waiter Antonio, we really got to enjoy the experience at the restaurant.

• Wacca Wache Public Boat Landing/Marina

Wacca Wache (translated ‘happy, happy’ in Waccamaw Indian language) Public Boat Landing/Marina is a popular local/visitor freshwater public landing/marina located in Murrells Inlet.  It features a beautiful waterfront area with a restaurant and various marina amenities.  

Our friendly neighbors (again) took us to this area on a beautiful day and we were grateful they did.  The landing/marina is only a 5 minute drive from our rental but it felt miles away!

We arrived at the marina with views of the Waccamaw River opening up before us, and we saw plenty of oak, palmetto and cypress trees.  There were boats moored at the harbor and were glistening in the afternoon sun.

We took some time wandering about the waterfront and to check out the boat launch ramp to get a closer look at the river.  It was a peaceful sight!

Noticed the fuel prices were higher than at a gas station…

Waccamaw River view at Wacca Wache Public Boat Landing 

Boat launch ramp

The restaurant and the marina area

Wacca Wache Public Boat Landing sign

We were so thankful our neighbors took us to this public landing.  We got to see the beautiful Waccamaw River and the waterfront.  It was a real nice change of pace from where we were staying, which was a golf course, with no views of the water.

Honorable mention:

On our way back from the Wacca Wache Public Landing, our neighbors took us to their friend’s home nearby.  We stopped by unannounced but they were gracious hosts.  They stopped what they were doing to talk story with us for about 2 hours!

They are both retired but have a huge passion for growing camellias along with other flora like the pecan tree and oak trees.  We learned so much about the camellias in particular, but also about all the rest.  We loved their infectious smile as well as their enthusiasm when meeting new people!

We absolutely loved their home and their garden, especially the tangerine tree!  The owners were gracious enough to pack a dozen sweet and juicy tangerines to take home.  I’ll admit I begged them for one initially so I can taste one straight from the tree.  Wow, so good!  Whoever gives me delicious food is my best friend!

In conclusion:

When anyone thinks of Murrells Inlet, usual places like the Huntington Beach State Park, Marshwalk, or Brookgreen Gardens come to mind.  As nice as these places are, I wanted to show a side of Murrells Inlet that is a bit off the beaten path.

I believe both the Freewoods Farm and Wacca Wache Public Boat Landing are certainly that.  I highly recommend all three places when visiting Murrells Inlet, SC.

Happy trails and thank you all for reading!

Jake

Wandering Money Pig 

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