Thomas Beach Vacations keeps you connected to what’s happening across North Myrtle Beach and the Grand Strand — new openings, local events, community news, and development updates, organized monthly since 2020.

2026

July 2026

Travel + Leisure Ranks Myrtle Beach No. 8 for Affordability
The national travel publication ranked the destination No. 8 among the 10 most affordable U.S. places to visit this August, at an average of $486 for a round-trip flight and one-night hotel stay — and credited the Visit Myrtle Beach “Make More Myrtle Moments” promotion.
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Myrtle Beach Reaches Millions in National TV Travel Feature
Travel expert Emily Kaufman, known nationally as The Travel Mom, closed her South Carolina coastal road trip series on the Grand Strand — and surprised two studio audience members with a $10,000 Myrtle Beach getaway.
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First-Ever Myrtle Duck Festival to Drop Thousands of Rubber Ducks Over The Market Common July 25
A helicopter duck drop over the Grand Pond will launch a charity race benefiting Make-A-Wish South Carolina, Habitat for Humanity of Horry County, SOS Care, the Kiwanis Club, and the YMCA of Coastal Carolina, anchoring a free, full-day festival with live music, food trucks, and a custom truck show.
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Myrtle Beach State Park Celebrates 90th Anniversary With History Walks, Cupcakes and a Monthlong Scavenger Hunt
South Carolina’s oldest state park marked nine decades with cupcakes, vintage photographs and a monthlong scavenger hunt that runs through the end of July.
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Conway Moves Forward on 808-Acre Waterfront Transformation With Inland Beach, Marina and Riverwalk Extension
The former Grainger Generating Station site — once home to 300-foot smokestacks and coal ash ponds — is becoming a public waterfront with a freshwater beach, a 100-slip marina, a 3.5-mile boardwalk and a mixed-use village, backed by an $80 million financing plan approved in December 2025.
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Contour Airlines Launches First-Ever Nonstop Vacation Flight From Altoona, Pennsylvania, to Myrtle Beach
The seasonal service, operating Wednesdays and Saturdays through August 22, cuts a ten-hour drive to a 110-minute flight and makes Myrtle Beach International Airport’s tenth airline.
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June 2026

Myrtle Beach Art Museum Opens Rare Impressionist Exhibition, First in 30 Years
Fifty-eight works by 51 artists — including Cassatt, Degas, Renoir, Chagall, Matisse, and Picasso — drawn from private collections and on view at 3100 South Ocean Boulevard through September 27.
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Mathnasium Opens First Myrtle Beach Area Location with Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony July 1
The math-only learning center for students in grades K–12 opens its doors Wednesday afternoon at 2080 Oakheart Road, bringing a nationally recognized tutoring model to the Carolina Forest community for the first time.
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North Myrtle Beach to Open Cypress Nook Disc Golf Course on June 26
The City of North Myrtle Beach will open Cypress Nook Disc Golf Course to the public on Friday, June 26, with a 10:00 a.m. grand opening ceremony at the North Myrtle Beach Park & Sports Complex — adding an 18-hole wooded course to a 160-acre recreation campus that already draws athletes and families from across the region.
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Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen Coming to Little River as Impeccable Restaurant Group Expands Along the Grand Strand
One of the Carolinas’ fastest-growing franchise operators is planting its next flag in Little River, adding Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen to a busy Highway 9 East corridor already drawing new restaurants, grocery anchors, and thousands of new residents.
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Wingstop Coming to Conway’s Coastal Centre as Shopping Center Rebounds
The Texas-based wing chain will become the third Horry County location for the brand as developer Rise Partners presses forward with a $60 million transformation of the long-struggling mall on Church Street.
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North Myrtle Beach Launches Pet Supply Donation Month to Benefit Local Humane Society
The City is collecting pet food, cleaning supplies, and enrichment items throughout July at three convenient drop-off locations — with the drive kicking off at tonight’s City Council meeting.
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Original Painter’s Homemade Ice Cream Reopens in North Myrtle Beach with the Ice Cream King Back Behind the Counter
Dominic Anthony Munafo returns to the 74-year-old Highway 17 landmark after his family reacquired the business — with a rebuilt kitchen and made-from-scratch ice cream coming back to the menu.
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Sunday Fundays Are Coming to Downtown Conway This Summer
A new outdoor event series brings food trucks, live music, and family fun to the historic Town Green on five Sundays from June through August 2026.
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Myrtle Beach Native Mike Rogers Releases Debut Solo Album After Decades on Nashville’s Biggest Stages
A Socastee High School graduate who got his start at The Carolina Opry, Rogers has spent two decades playing with some of Nashville’s best — and at 50, he’s finally putting out a record of his own.
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North Myrtle Beach Urges Residents to Prepare as 2026 Atlantic Hurricane Season Begins
NOAA is forecasting a below-normal season — but city officials are reminding the community that a quieter forecast is not the same as a safe one.
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Southwest Airlines Launches Nonstop Flights Between Myrtle Beach and Houston
The new Saturday service connects Myrtle Beach International Airport directly to William P. Hobby Airport — putting Houston, the largest city in Texas, within a single nonstop flight of the Grand Strand.
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North Myrtle Beach Asks Residents and Visitors to Conserve Water During Severe Drought
City issues voluntary conservation guidelines as South Carolina’s historic dry stretch continues — no mandatory restrictions currently in place.
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Golf + Pickleball Mobility Training Clinic Coming to Little River on June 16
The Mobility Lab brings a TPI-certified physical therapist to Pin Point Indoor Pickleball & Golf for a 45-minute session targeting the exact movements that drive your swing and your game.
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Myrtle Beach Moves Closer to Free Beach Wheelchair Program
City Council approved initial funding for a 16-chair accessible beach program — and the Grand Strand is watching to see if Myrtle Beach finally catches up.
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May 2026

OneBody Fitness & Yoga Hosts Free Yoga Warriors Class in Little River on May 27
OneBody Fitness & Yoga in Little River, SC is hosting a free Yoga Warriors class on May 27 led by certified instructor Michelle Schaffren. Open to all — no sign-up needed.
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North Myrtle Beach Playground Playdates Moves to McLean Park in 2026
North Myrtle Beach Parks & Recreation is hosting free monthly Playground Playdates at McLean Park in 2026 — May 19, June 16, July 21 & August 18. Perfect for preschool and elementary kids with a parent or guardian.
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Grand Strand Health Opens Little River ER on June 1
A new 24/7 emergency room opens June 1 at 1586 U.S. Highway 17 in Little River. Grand Strand Health’s freestanding ER brings full emergency care to North Myrtle Beach, Cherry Grove Beach, and the northern Grand Strand — just in time for summer season.
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April 2026

New Pediatric OT Clinic for Children with Autism and Developmental Delays Opens in Myrtle Beach
Kidz With Abilities, specializing in occupational therapy for children with autism and developmental delays, has opened in Myrtle Beach with a ribbon cutting hosted by the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce.
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New Craft Brewery Set to Open in Carolina Forest by End of May 2026
South Coast Beer Project — a family-friendly craft brewery and restaurant with house-brewed beers and 20,000 sq ft of outdoor space — is set to open at 5020 Carolina Forest Blvd. by end of May.
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Tripadvisor Ranks Myrtle Beach No. 1 U.S. Destination for Summer 2026
Tripadvisor’s 2026 Summer Travel Index named Myrtle Beach the top domestic destination for summer travel, including the No. 1 spot for Fourth of July weekend bookings nationwide.
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North Myrtle Beach City Council Gives First-Reading Approval to Beach Smoking Ban
City Council unanimously approved a first reading of a beach smoking ordinance on April 6, with a final vote scheduled for April 20. The proposed ban would cover all public beaches within city limits.
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World’s Largest Rubber Duck Returning to Myrtle Beach May 1–2, 2026
Mama Duck — the world’s largest rubber duck — returns to Burroughs & Chapin Pavilion Place for a free family event, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days of the May 1–2 weekend.
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Ole Smoky Distillery and Yee-Haw Brewing Co. Set May Opening at Broadway at the Beach
Ole Smoky and Yee-Haw Brewing are opening a 30,000 sq ft combined distillery and brewery at Broadway at the Beach this May, bringing craft spirits, house-brewed beers, and a full dining experience to Myrtle Beach.
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Horry County Schools Approves $6.3M Land Purchase Along Highway 90
The district approved the purchase of 60 acres along S.C. Highway 90 for $6.3 million — its third land acquisition in six months — reflecting rapid population growth reshaping the North Myrtle Beach corridor.
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March 2026

February 2026

January 2026

2025

Paste 2024 and earlier year entries here using the same ul.nmb-news-list structure, with a new nmb-year-divider heading for each year.

North Myrtle Beach News

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