This Halloween promises to be a big one on the Grand Strand, thanks to a little help from the calendar. Oct. 31 falls on a Saturday this year, allowing for a full weekend to celebrate the spookiest holiday of the year. It only happens an average of once every seven years, so a kid may only experience a Halloween on a Saturday night once in their trick-or-treating career. Make the most of it with a Halloween weekend getaway to Myrtle Beach and a relaxing and fun stay at the Bay View Resort, which is right in the middle of all the Halloween excitement. Whether you want to take the kids trick-or-treating at one of the major attractions and festivals around town, or let them experience Halloween the traditional way by going door to door for candy, our top five list has you covered:
Broadway at the Beach: Myrtle Beach’s most popular entertainment, shopping and dining complex goes all out for kids for Halloween, and the event starts early enough that families can move on to attend other events later in the evening. From 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., participating stores at Broadway will hand out free goodies to children dressed in costume, and other Halloween activities will be held. Broadway also happens to be the ultimate hot spot for adults after hours, so maybe the parents can come back later after tucking their little monsters in the bed.
Howl-O-Scream: This new event has quickly become the Halloween highlight for families on the Grand Strand. Held at the new North Myrtle Beach Sports & Recreation Complex, this festival features a costume character for all age groups, holiday-themed arts and crafts projects, games and activities. Inflatable playground equipment, hayrides, pumpkin decorating and trick-or-treating are among the many options, and Howl-O-Scream also offers a “Scare-Free Zone” where smaller and more sensitive kids can have a good time. Concessions include roasting marshmallows and making S’mores. Admission is $5 per vehicle so pack in the whole family for a good time in the great outdoors.
Myrtle Beach Boardwalk: Halloween night is the grand finale of Boardwalk Fright Nights, a month-long Halloween celebration that includes zombies and other costumed characters roaming around Plyler Park like a scene from a bad horror movie. The fun culminates Saturday night with free trick-or-treating, costume contests and live music. Visitors can also check out some of the Halloween-themed attractions, such as Ripley’s Haunted Adventure and the Nightmare Haunted House.
Neighborhoods: Planned Halloween activities are great, but there’s something to be said for the old-school style of trick-or-treating. Of course, guests at the Bay View Resort might not be familiar enough with Myrtle Beach to feel comfortable picking a neighborhood at random, and some areas are filled with vacation homes that are vacant this time of year. For maximum candy and minimal walking, here are a few local hot spots where families can celebrate in a safe and fun environment: the Dunes, Pine Lakes and Ocean Forests sections between 48th Avenue North and 82nd Avenue North, and Plantation Point neighborhood across from Broadway at the Beach.
Spooktacular Halloween Bash: If you and your family are up for a double dose of Halloween fun, head out to Thompson Farm & Nursery in Conway on Friday, Oct. 30, for an authentic fall festival in the country. Enjoy hayrides, costume contests, a corn maze, a makeshift drive-in movie theater and roasting marshmallows over the open fire pit. Family activities give guests a little taste of life on the farm, and visitors are treated to candy and a fireworks show at the end of the evening.
Tell your kids it’s not a trick; they’re going to Myrtle Beach for Halloween and staying at Bay View Resort for a real treat.
(Posted: 9/23/15)