Myrtle Beach Area Information

Georgetown County

Georgetown County, South Carolina, has long been a popular destination. Situated at the confluence of five major rivers and the Atlantic Ocean, the area's rich natural resources provided abundant food and shelter for Native Americans. The area also attracted early European explorers. Following an ill- fated Spanish settlement in 1526, the British settled 'George Towne' in the 1700's. During the American Revolution in the late 1760's, one of the County's native sons, General Francis Marion, the 'Swamp Fox', tormented British troops holding George Towne.

Following the Revolution, Georgetown County became the leading rice producer in the New World. Its many black- water rivers once flooded and nurtured the fields that made the commercial production of rice possible in the early 1800's. These rivers also formed a seaport that opened the market for slaves brought from West Africa to work the rice fields.

Today, the rivers still flow, but the rice field dikes are broken and the slaves' songs are silent. Yet, their descendants are still living and working here, contributing heavily to the local economy. They also have not forgotten their African traditions. The Gullah language is still spoken and the oral traditions of story telling by local griots have kept their roots fresh over the years.

Whether you are a beachcomber, bird watcher, golfer, hunter, sports fisher, tennis player or just someone who wants to get away, the recreational attractions of the Georgetown County await you.

Most every golfer in America is aware of the Myrtle Beach Grand Strand and the fabulous selection of over 100 championship courses it offers vacationing golfers. What you may not know is that nearly a quarter of them are in Georgetown County, the southern region of the Grand Strand that stretches nearly twenty miles along the coast from Murrells Inlet to the historic city of Georgetown. The land that once produced a large volume of the world's rice and indigo is now home to some of America's top-ranked golf courses, built amid the giant oaks, the tidal rivers and saltwater marshes. Many bear the names of the former plantations upon which they are built.

Getting in tune with nature is also easy in a land defined by its rivers and bays and ocean inlets. With all of this natural ecology and environment, it's easy to understand why so many species of wildlife make their home in Georgetown County. This wealth of natural resources is also why so many migrating birds and fish stop by to visit. And you're invited to commune with nature as well, on an eco-tour or on a visit to a nature preserve.

Cooling breezes invite you to play at some of the finest year-round tennis facilities on the East Coast. Whether you are rallying on our outdoor Har-Tru courts or escaping the elements on covered hard-surface courts, you'll find the area to be a tennis mecca.

Go fish! Your catch may include bass, bream and crappie in the freshwater of any of our five river systems and countless ponds; flounder, black drum and winter trout in the tidal creeks; and whiting, spots, pompano and channel bass in the surf. Offshore, dolphin, wahoo, snapper, grouper, sea bass, mackerel, tuna and perhaps a blue marlin await your arrival. Take a boat from Murrells Inlet or Georgetown to the blue waters of the Gulf Stream or the nearby offshore reefs, or try your luck along the natural beauty of the Black River in Andrews. Marine and wildlife sight-seeing tours are also available.

The combination of great golf, accommodations, shopping, dining and beautiful beaches make the Georgetown County area the perfect choice for your next vacation.