One of our favorite things to do at Broadway on the Beach in Myrtle Beach, SC is to feed the fish. This huge population of carp is fattened by all the tourists who plunk down a quarter in the vending machines to grab a handful of fish kibble. All these mouths making sucking sounds that must be saying, “Feed me Bubba. Feed me!”
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Peg received a call from one of her PEZhead friends that Mr. Ed’s in Orrtanna, PA had just been stocked with the new Presidents set from PEZ. Since I don’t mind cruising Rt. 30, I grabbed my trusty iPhone for some snapshots and we were off. To illustrate how serious (crazy?) Peg is about her PEZ collecting, just remember that this is a 150 mile round trip for PEZ that will eventually be at our local Wal-Mart! But, Mr. Ed’s is a great place to pick up any current releases of PEZ and a fun little place to stop.
Both inside and out, Mr. Ed’s has all kinds of quirky elephant collectibles scattered about. It is a great place to act a little “nuts” and pose with the props. They have a great selection of candies including some hard to find varieties that were once popular in the past.
Since we were already on Rt. 30, you know we are going to swing by Desert Flower Wholesale. Just west of Gettysburg, PA, the shop has quite literary tons of concrete statues for sale and is open to the public. While the outside is remarkable with its variety of castings, you must wander inside for a colorful treat. This small building is just packed from floor to ceiling with all manner of trinkets. The place feels magical with all it glass orbs floating about the ceiling. Their selection of Día de Muertos or Day of the Dead art is second to none and I just wish I had more room in my house because I would have bought many of the items.
The PEZ in the Sun Gathering, which is held each year in Myrtle Beach, SC, is one of our favorite stops each year. It is held late enough in the season that the beach isn’t crowded and early enough so that it is still warm enough to enjoy. The spectacular view from our room at the Springmaid Beach Resort forces us to get up every morning early enough to watch the sun rise.
We like to do different things each year while in Myrtle but there are a few things that are still a must for us. The first is a trip to Bubba’s Fish Shack for some seafood and hushpuppies. Broadway at the Beach is also on our short list of must do things. Peg always hunts for quarters so she can feed the fish. All those slurping mouths are really gross! For this trip, she was feeling particularly silly and decided to make a monkey at the Build-a-Bear Workshop. She says his name is “Marvin the Love Monkey.” She actually squealed when she saw that the Ben and Jerry’s shop had “Schweddy Balls” ice cream since she has been looking for it for months. Movies, Shopping, Amusements, and great places to eat (try Amici’s Bistro) all can be found at BATB.
New at Myrtle Beach this year is the SkyWheel. Richie and Mary, the hosts of PEZ in the Sun, organized a trip to ride the huge Ferris wheel. Located at the start of the boardwalk, the SkyWheel is 200 feet high and has 42 climate controlled gondolas. Since we had well over 15 PEZheads making the trip we received a sizeable discount. Peg is extremely scared of heights (I hear Richie is as well) but she was a trooper and did it anyways. After the first couple times around she settled down and actually enjoyed the views. Well, as long as I didn’t move at all and rock the gondola. At night, bright color changing LEDs put on a great display that can be seen for miles. Hanging out at fun events like these is really what keeps us collecting PEZ.
We will probably keep going back to PEZ in the Sun every year that they have it because it is so much fun.
We are always looking for things to do while we are in Myrtle Beach and this time around we decided to head on over to Brookgreen Gardens. Located just a few miles south of Myrtle Beach off of Highway 17, the gardens are a great escape from the usual touristy vibe of Myrtle. Even though it was at the end of the season, we found enough flowers and plants to keep us happy.
The trails are well laid out (pick up a map at the welcome center) which makes all the displays inviting. A small boardwalk runs next to the rice fields and leads to the animals of the Lowcountry Zoo. I would recommend some mosquito repellant if you don’t want to feed the locals. You can also take a excursion boat ride on their 48-foot pontoon boat.
All of the native animals in the Lowcountry Zoo were either bred and raised in captivity or were obtained from a wildlife rehabilitation center after sustaining a major disability due to injury. The chickens are very inquisitive when you drop your lens cap into their pen. Don’t ask how I know. Also, the fox squirrels around here are HUGE! Be careful of the snakes; we saw two during our visit.
One great thing about going to these places in the off season is that you can relax and be your crazy self.
From the Brookgreen Gardens Website:
Brookgreen Gardens, the first public sculpture garden in America, has in its collection more than 1,400 works by over 350 sculptors. Exhibited within the gardens is the largest and most comprehensive collection of American figurative sculpture in the country, by sculptors who worked from the early nineteenth century to the present. Brookgreen Gardens is a National Historical Landmark, and is accredited by the American Association of Museums.
The combination of art, gardens, and wildlife is sure to put a smile on your face.
