WORLD’S TALLEST SANDCASTLE
- MYRTLE BEACH SUN FUN FESTIVAL (2006)

Myrtle Beach’s Sun Fun Festival reached new heights when it created the World’s Tallest Sandcastle. Towering at an astonishing 32.5 feet tall, the Sun Fun Festival sandcastle surpassed Parkfest’s record of 29.25 feet (Falmouth, Maine). Construction took place May 31 - June 7, 2006. An independent surveyor from DDC Engineers Inc. confirmed on June 7 that the sandcastle is indeed taller than its record-holding predecessor. The Sun Fun Festival Committee has submitted the sandcastle to Guinness World Records to officially certify and recognize the Sun Fun Festival’s sandcastle as a world record achievement. Myrtle Beach also holds the official Guinness World Record for the World’s Longest Sand Sculpture at 86,535 feet long. The World’s Tallest Sandcastle was completed by Team Sandtastic, an ambitious team of six sandcastle sculptors from Sarasota, Fla.

TRAVEL CHANNEL:
- AMERICA’S BEST BEACHES - BEST THRILLSEEKER BEACH (2006)
- BEST AMERICAN BOARDWALK (2004)
- BEST FAMILY BEACH (2003-2004)

Once again the Travel Channel has named Myrtle Beach one of “America’s Best Beaches.” Myrtle Beach was among 10 U.S. beaches chosen for the 2006 “Best Beach” designation. (The resort community also earned a spot on the list in 2003.) For 2006, Myrtle Beach was named “America's Best Thrillseeker Beach,” alternately called “America's Most Adrenaline Packed Beach” during a show being broadcast on the Travel Channel. Featured beaches are also showcased on the Travel Channel’s Web site, TravelChannel.com.

The Travel Channel named Myrtle Beach one of “America’s Best Beaches” for 2003-2004. Myrtle Beach also was singled out as the “Best Family Beach.” A review on the Travel Channel’s Web site, Discovery.com, stated, “Myrtle Beach is the East Coast’s ultimate vacation hub.” The Myrtle Beach area was showcased on the Travel Channel’s “America’s Best Beaches” program and on the Web site.

The Travel Channel bestowed an additional honor on the Myrtle Beach area in March 2004, placing our oceanfront boardwalk at the Myrtle Beach Pavilion on the list of Best American Boardwalks. A program by the same name was broadcast on The Travel Channel, and the list appeared on the Web at Discovery.com.

READER’S DIGEST:
- BEST OF AMERICA (2006)

The Myrtle Beach boardwalk has been named one of the “Best of America” by the editors of Reader’s Digest magazine. May 2006

GOLF DIGEST:
- No. 1 GOLF-HOME COMMUNITY (2006)

Golf Digest named Myrtle Beach both the No. 1 Golf-Home Community in the Southeast and America’s No. 1 Golf-Home Community. Golf Digest collected figures from the Longitudes Group, a research firm specializing in leisure activities, to rate cities on criteria such as the number of highly ranked courses, playable days per year, cost of living, off-course diversions and more.

MEETINGS SOUTH MAGAZINE:
- BEST OF THE SOUTH (2006)

Meetings South magazine chose Pawleys Plantation, in Pawleys Island, to be among the selective “Best of the South” awards, naming the resort one of the best meeting facilities in the Southern U.S., Caribbean and Yucatan Peninsula for 2006 by readers of the magazine. Selection criteria are based on quality of meeting space; guest rooms; guest services and amenities; food and beverage service; hi-tech services and equipment; recreational facilities and activities; the efficiency and helpfulness of staff; and overall value and experience.

USA TODAY TRAVEL:
- MYRTLE BEACH INCLUDED IN 10 GREAT PLACES TO GO COASTAL WITH YOUR KIDS (2005)

Stephen Leatherman (aka Dr. Beach) included Myrtle Beach on his list of “10 Great Places to Go Coastal With Your Kids,” which appeared in USA Today’s Travel section in July 2005. Leatherman is a professor and director of the International Hurricane Research Center & Laboratory for Coastal Research at Florida International University, and the author of “Beach Vacation Travel Journal” and “Dr. Beach’s Survival Guide.”

YAHOO! TRAVEL & NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE:
- No. 2 OF TOP 10 BEACHES (2003-2004)

Myrtle Beach beat out exotic locales such as Waikiki and St. Thomas in an online poll of favorite beaches conducted by Yahoo! Travel and National Geographic Traveler magazine in 2003-2004. The survey of more than 2,200 travelers ranked Myrtle Beach No. 2 of a list of Top 10 Beaches. Results of the survey and video highlights were posted on Yahoo!’s Web site and published in National Geographic Traveler. In a subsequent poll, Myrtle Beach remained in the Top 10.

SOUTHERN LIVING MAGAZINE:
- SECOND FAVORITE BEACH TOWN (2005)

The Myrtle Beach area again has been named a favorite travel destination by readers of Southern Living magazine. In its 2005 Readers’ Choice Awards, Myrtle Beach was named second favorite beach town. Myrtle Beach has been near the top of the list every year since the Readers’ Choice Awards were launched in 1995. Also making the list for 2005, for favorite public gardens, is Brookgreen Gardens (at No. 4).

SOUTHERN ACCENTS MAGAZINE:
- TOP 10 WINNER IN THREE CATEGORIES (2006) . . .
- FAVORITE SOUTHERN CITY FOR A WEEKEND GETAWAY
- FAVORITE GOLF/SPA DESTINATION
- FAVORITE BEACH DESTINATION

In the May/June 2006 issue of Southern Accents magazine, Myrtle Beach is a Top 10 winner in three categories of the 2nd annual Great Escapes Reader Travel Award Contest. They are Favorite Southern City for a Weekend Getaway, Favorite Golf/Spa Destination and Favorite Beach Destination.

ESCAPEHOMES.COM:
- No. 1 OF 10 MOST DESIRABLE SECOND HOME MARKETS (2005)
- No. 4 ON LIST OF TOP GOLF TOWNS

The Myrtle Beach area is No. 1 on the 2005 list of “10 Most Desirable Second Home Markets,” according to EscapeHomes.com, a Web site for second-home buyers. Following Myrtle Beach are South Padre Island, Texas; Naples, Fla.; Holden Beach, N.C.; Ocean City, N.J.; Las Vegas; San Diego; Park City, Utah; Orlando; and Santa Fe, N.M. Investors made up 62 percent of the home seekers; 18 percent were looking for a vacation home; 15 percent were looking for retirement property; and 5 percent were looking to relocate. In addition to being reported on EscapeHomes.com, the list was broadcast on CNBC’s “Town Hall” program. The Web site also placed the Myrtle Beach area fourth on its list of top golf towns.

AAA:
- No. 3 OF TOP FIVE MOST POPULAR DRIVE DESTINATIONS FOR VACATIONERS TRAVELING BY CAR (2004-2006)

For the third consecutive year, the Myrtle Beach area is among the five most popular destinations for vacationers traveling by car, according to AAA. Myrtle Beach comes in at No. 3, behind Orlando/Walt Disney World and Niagara Falls. Following Myrtle Beach are Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon.

THE TORONTO SUN:
- GOLFERS’ CHOICE BRONZE AWARD FOR BEST TRAVEL DESTINATION (2005)

The Toronto Sun presented the Myrtle Beach area with the 2005 Golfers’ Choice Bronze Award for Best Travel Destination. Winners were selected by readers of the 200,000-circulation Canadian newspaper.

SPORTS ILLUSTRATED MAGAZINE:
- SPORTSTOWN USA (2004)

The Myrtle Beach area has long been called the “seaside golf capital of the world.” Now there’s a new moniker, Sportstown USA, thanks to Sports Illustrated magazine and the National Recreation and Park Association. To mark its 50th anniversary in 2004, the magazine selected one city from each state for the Sportstown designation. Myrtle Beach was chosen because “its leaders recognize that sports are an enormous force for good in the community.” The area’s numerous parks and recreation facilities and 115 golf courses also were factors. Sports Illustrated got its start in Myrtle Beach in 1954, when parent company Time Inc. met at Pine Lakes Country Club and announced plans to launch the magazine.

PALMETTO PARENT MAGAZINE
- MOST FAMILY FRIENDLY VACATION DESTINATION IN SOUTH CAROLINA (2005)

For the third year in a row, the Myrtle Beach area was voted “Most Family-Friendly Vacation Destination” in South Carolina by readers of Palmetto Parent magazine. Winners of the 2005 Palmetto Parent Family Choice Awards were published in the July 2005 issue of the magazine.

CHARLOTTE PARENT MAGAZINE:
- BEST FAMILY WEEKEND GETAWAY (2005)

Myrtle Beach was named “Best Family Weekend Getaway” in Charlotte Parent magazine after earning the most votes from readers in the second annual Family Favorites awards. As a 2005 Family Favorite, Myrtle Beach earned a “Reader Approved” seal.

GROUPTRAVELPLANET.COM:
- No. 3 OF TOP GROUP VACATION DESTINATIONS WITH SPECIAL HOTEL RATES

The online group travel booking Web site GroupTravelPlanet.com placed Myrtle Beach in the No. 3 spot on its list of “Top Group Vacation Destinations with Special Hotel Rates.” “This desirable beach destination is a great place for groups of families, friends or anyone looking for some sun and fun this summer,” the site proclaims.

GREATFAMILYRENTALS.COM:
- No. 3 MOST SEARCHED DESTINATION FOR JULY 4TH FAMILY VACATION (2005)

Myrtle Beach was the third most-searched destination for a 2005 July 4th family vacation on the GreatFamilyRentals.com Web site. Orlando and Kissimmee, Fla., held the top two spots.

VACATIONSPOT.COM:
- TOP BEACH SPOT (2005)

VacationSpot.com, which lists condos, suites, bed-and-breakfasts and private homes available for booking online, named Myrtle Beach the “Top Beach Spot for 2005.”

TRAVEL 50 & BEYOND MAGAZINE:
- ONE OF 10 GREAT RETIREMENT TOWNS (2004)

Travel 50 & Beyond magazine included Myrtle Beach on its list of “10 Great Retirement Towns” in a 2004 article.

RESTAURANT BUSINESS MAGAZINE:
- No. 1 IN UNITED STATES FOR GROWTH POTENTIAL

In 2004, Restaurant Business magazine ranked the Myrtle Beach area No. 1 in the United States for growth potential for the fourth consecutive year. The magazine rates the nation’s top restaurant markets based on overall sales, sales as a percentage of income and local per-capita sales.

WHERE TO RETIRE MAGAZINE:
- ONE OF 100 BEST RETIREMENT TOWNS IN AMERICA

Where to Retire magazine named the Myrtle Beach area one of the “100 Best Retirement Towns in America.” The magazine cites the Myrtle Beach area for its low cost of living and calls it one of the best beach towns in the nation. Editors traveled to all 50 states to compile the list.

BYWAYS MAGAZINE:
- No. 4 OF 50 MOST POPULAR MOTORCOACH DESTINATION

The Myrtle Beach area ranked No. 4 on a list of 50 of the most popular motorcoach destinations of the decade in Byways Magazine. The publication is produced for the National Motorcoach Network, a marketing group of more than 2,000 motorcoach tour operators. Others in the top five were Branson, Mo. (1); Washington, D.C. (2); Nashville, Tenn. (3); and New York City (5).

D.K. SHIFFLET & ASSOCIATES:
- ONE OF NATION’S TOP VACATION SPOTS FOR RETIRED AMERICANS
- No. 5 IN NATION FOR LEISURE DESTINATIONS

The Myrtle Beach area was named one of the nation’s top vacation spots for retired Americans age 55 and older, according to a study by tourism researchers D.K. Shifflet & Associates. The company also ranked the Myrtle Beach area No. 5 in the nation for leisure destinations.

THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF GOLF TOUR OPERATORS:
- ESTABLISHED GOLF DESTINATION OF THE YEAR (2000)

The International Association of Golf Tour Operators named the Myrtle Beach area the established golf destination of the year for 2000, and in subsequent years the area has remained in the Top 10. IAGTO, recognized as the global trade association for golf tourism, has more than 700 members in 60 countries.

FORBES MAGAZINE:
- No. 29 OF 200 BEST PLACES FOR BUSINESS AND CAREERS

Forbes magazine ranks the Myrtle Beach area the 29th best place for business and careers among 200 U.S. metropolitan statistical areas.

GOLF DIGEST:
- No. 9 OF 50 GREATEST GOLF DESTINATIONS IN THE WORLD

Myrtle Beach is No. 9 on Golf Digest’s list of the “50 Greatest Golf Destinations in the World.” The list resulted from a survey of more than 700 low-handicap American golfers.

In his book “The Great Towns of America: A Guide to the 100 Best Getaways for a Vacation or a Lifetime,” author David Vokac lists Myrtle Beach as “one of the 100 most outstanding communities in the country.”