Granite Countertops in Myrtle Beach, SC

For locals and those not staying in oceanfront lodging, keeping track of parking costs across the Grand Strand can be a headache.

Certain municipalities charge year-round parking fees. Others allow free parking during the winter. Several lots are totally free. And for paid lots and spots, prices range from $2 to $4 an hour.

Atlantic Beach has also changed its policy and will begin charging to park at certain lots by May 1, said town council Member John David Jr.

All parking spots allow those with a disabled placard or a Purple heart to park for free.

Here is what other towns and cities charge for parking, from north to south.

North Myrtle Beach, along with Surfside Beach, has the highest hourly parking rate. The northern city charges $4 an hour from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., except at the Sea View Lot where it costs $2 an hour, according to the city website. Parking is free from Nov. 1 through March 1.

The historically-Black town will start charging $3 an hour to park at two beachfront lots, David said. This will be enforced from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. March through the end of September, the website says.

Residents will be able to obtain a pass for $100 while non-residents can get one for $200. The pass will allow unlimited parking.

Horry County manages five beach-front lots in the Arcadian Shores neighborhood. Each parking lot costs $3 an hour to park and is enforced all day, said Horry County Spokesperson Mikayla Moskov in a text to The Sun News. Paid parking in Arcadian Shores also runs through the winter.

For beach access parking, Myrtle Beach charges $3 an hour or $15 a day to park, according to the website. Parking in the core business district, 6th to 16th Avenues North between Ocean Boulevard and Kings Highway, is $2 an hour with no daily rate.

Parking from 29th Avenue South to 6th Avenue North, and from 16th Avenue North to 67th Avenue North, between Ocean Boulevard and Kings Highway, is $2 an hour or $10 for a whole day.

There are also several free options, like Broadway Street and the parking lot behind Grand Strand Brewing Company, The Sun News reported.

Located in Horry County just outside Myrtle Beach city limits, the Nash Street Beach Access offers free parking for beachgoers, according to the county’s website.

Depending on the lot, Surfside Beach has some of the cheapest and most expensive parking. There are three kinds of parking lots: non-premium for $2 an hour or $10 a day, premium for $3 an hour or $15 a day and a premium plus lot for $4 an hour with no maximum, according to the town website.

The Surfside Beach Pier parking lot is the only premium plus lot while the non-premium and premium spots are scattered throughout the city.

The town requires payment from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. from March 1 through Oct. 31.

Horry County maintains more than a dozen beach access parking lots in the Garden City area. These lots are free, except for the Magnolia Lot which is $3 an hour from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., Moskov said.

Parking varies at the Marsh Walk in Murrells Inlet depending on the lot. The lots are privately owned so it depends on how much the land owner decides to charge, said Murrells Inlet 2020 Executive Director Stacy Johnson.

Some places, like Dead Dog Saloon, allow free parking, while Wicked Tuna charges for those not dining at the restaurant.

“It’s their property so it’s their right to lease it out to these pay to park companies,” Johnson said.

The Sun News

Emalyn Muzzy is a breaking news reporter for The Sun. She covers everything breaking and everything new in the Myrtle Beach area. She graduated from the University of Minnesota is 2022 with a degree in journalism and Spanish.

It’s been over a month since sparks first flew in the dense wooded areas of unincorporated Horry County causing a large wildfire.

That area, known as Carolina Forest, is less than 10 miles away from downtown Myrtle Beach.

The Covington Drive wildfire started on March 1, and engulfed more than 2,000 acres. The first weekend the fire was active, it came very close to residential homes in Carolina Forest, ultimately causing parts of eight neighborhoods to evacuate, melted the siding off houses and causing smoke damage.

No homes or lives have been lost due to the fire.

In mid-March, the South Carolina Forestry Commission arrested a Carolina Forest woman and accused her of starting the blaze. Since then, her lawyer has denied those claims and spoken out in his client’s defense.

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In recent days, Horry County Fire Rescue has reported flare-ups from the same wildfire.

“Most of the hot spots are located underground, essentially un-extinguishable by firefighter sprinklers and handlines,” a Facebook post from HCFR on April 15 said.

Horry County Public Information Officer Tony Casey said unfortunately these flare-ups will remain common place under these current conditions.

“Dry conditions and wind will produce the flare ups within the breaks, most likely, in which case people will see the that smoke,” he said over the phone on Thursday afternoon. “We do want people to call in 911 if they see a significant amount of smoke, but seeing some smoke there will not be out of the ordinary until we get that heavy amount of rain.”

As of Wednesday, the South Carolina Forestry Commission said the 2,059 acre fire is 90 percent contained.

“Smoke is once again present and highly visible in the general Carolina Forest area this morning, as contained flare-ups related to the Covington Drive Fire persist,” another post by Horry County Fire Rescue said. “Smoldering fire mixed with wind and dry conditions are commonly producing hot spots within the fire lines and breaks.”

On Thursday mid-morning, a group of firefighters from the Horry County Fire Department and the South Carolina Forestry Commission were in the Walkers Woods and Avalon areas of Carolina Forest, ready to combat any signs of flare-up. There were no new flare-ups as of 11 a.m., a firefighter on the scene said.

For some residents whose homes abut the now charred forest, the wildfire still affects their daily lives.

Tim Bazinet, who lives in Walkers Woods, said he and his family are still running their air purifiers. Smoke continues to be bad at nights, he said, and the warning light on the air purifiers blinks bright red.

His neighbor, Bridgette Scholl’s siding melted off the backside of her home as a result of the flames.

“That’s crazy that it’s basically still going on,” Scholl said over the phone on Wednesday afternoon. “I am currently displaced because of the restoration and renovations and stuff, whatever that they’re having to do with my house.”

In addition to damaged siding, Scholl said she had broken windows and a lot of smoke damage. She is so incredibly grateful to the firefighters who worked so hard to save her home.

“I have no idea when I’ll be able to to go back home and stay forever,” Scholl said. “I’ve been told that they couldn’t start on some of the interior repairs and stuff due to the smoke.”

Dealing with insurance claims has also been difficult. As of Wednesday, Scholl said she hasn’t seen any money come through yet.

“It’s like, ‘It’s a new day,’ and then, there’s another smoke flare up,” she said. “So, as much as I try to stay positive, it breaks me sometimes.”

The latest South Carolina Department of Agriculture restaurant inspections in Horry and Georgetown County found expired meat stew, unsafe food temperatures, black build-up and more.

In general, SCDA gives restaurants scoring between 88 and 100 points A grades, restaurants scoring 78-87 points B grades and restaurants scoring 77 points or fewer C grades.

However, the department sometimes lowers grades for restaurants that have consecutive violations, are under enforcement action or are under pending enforcement actions, including imminent health hazards, permit suspensions or permit revocations.

Of the 66 restaurant inspections conducted in Horry and Georgetown County between April 4 and April 8, SCDA gave four restaurants B grades and one restaurant a C grade. All five establishments scored below 88 points. Here’s what inspectors found.

Mi Mexico

3839 Socastee Blvd., Unit C, Myrtle Beach, SC 29588

Score: 71

At a routine inspection of Mi Mexico in Socastee on April 4, the inspector observed meat stews past their marked expiration dates, foods like cheese and deli meat without dates marked, ready-to-eat pork stew held at an insufficiently hot temperature, pans of raw chicken stored under raw beef and salsa and chicken stored at inadequately cold temperatures.

Other violations included improperly cooled salsa, “black build-up” on cutting boards, dishes that weren’t sanitized after washing and a meat saw which wasn’t cleaned at least once every four hours. The inspection report also noted a dirty bakery sink, hood filters broken and missing, carbon build-up on the sides of the flat grill and accumulations of debris on plastic trays and the floor.

A follow-up inspection was required on or before April 14, but no subsequent report is yet publicly available.

Between the Antlers

100 Wood St., Georgetown, SC 29440

Score: 78

In response to a complaint, SCDA conducted a routine inspection of Between the Antlers on April 5. The inspector observed oysters without sale dates marked on tags kept out of chronological order, a lack of soap and paper towels at multiple sinks, boxes of food stored on the floor of the walk-in freezer and tuna thawing in its vacuum-sealed packaging, which is a botulism risk.

The report also noted dishwashing issues, as the dishwasher had no chemical sanitizer and an inaccurate temperature gauge, and the facility didn’t have a plate thermometer. Other violations included deep grooves in cutting boards, debris accumulation on the floors and exterior of “all cooking equipment” on the cookline and warewash area, as well as exterior kitchen doors that weren’t tightly sealed, which SCDA considers a risk for rodents and insects.

A follow-up inspection was to be performed on or before April 15, but a report hasn’t been made publicly available.

El Chepo Taqueria

4979 Socastee Blvd, Myrtle Beach, SC 29588

Score: 80

At an April 8 routine inspection of El Chepo Taqueria in Socastee, oyster tags weren’t marked with sales dates or maintained in order of sale, foods like shrimp ceviche and raw sausage were stored at insufficiently cold temperatures, open foods were stored in plastic grocery bags and staff served ice from a cooler that wasn’t properly drained.

Other violations included uncovered food pans stacked in a refrigerator, grime built up on a can opener blade and a lack of hot water at sinks throughout the facility. According to the inspector’s notes, the priority violations may be referred to the enforcement division.

A follow-up inspection is to be performed by April 18.

Due South

7300 N. Ocean Blvd., Myrtle Beach, SC 29577

Score: 82

A routine inspection of Due South on April 8 found several violations, including ready-to-eat foods like cooked sausages and deli ham without dates properly marked to ensure safe consumption, eggs and butter stored at insufficiently cold temperatures and boxes of single-use cups and containers stored on the floor.

The inspection report also notes that the dishwasher had no chemical sanitizer, staff couldn’t verify that the dishwasher sanitized dishes with hot water, there was an accumulation of grease on the floor and the back door didn’t close tightly to prevent contamination from rodents and insects.

According to the inspector’s notes, a follow-up inspection will be conducted on or before April 18.

5 de Mayo Restaurant

603 S. Kings Highway, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577

Score: 85

At a routine inspection of the 5 de Mayo Mexican Restaurant food truck on April 4, there was no certified food handler, the inspector couldn’t verify the certified food protection manager certification, staff didn’t have a food thermometer and the door was propped open during operation, which SCDA considers a risk for rodents and insects.

The inspector also observed that the only cooler wasn’t working to maintain adequate refrigeration and foods like raw beef and chicken were stored at insufficiently cold temperatures. According to the inspection report, 5 de Mayo voluntarily closed because of the lack of refrigeration.

A follow-up inspection was required on or before April 14, but no report is yet publicly available.

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The Sun News

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Maria Elena Scott writes about trending topics and what you need to know in the Grand Strand. She studied journalism at the University of Houston and covered Cleveland news before coming to the Palmetto State.

Discussions remain underway about a potential new ordinance that could require short-term rental owners to adhere to new policies in North Myrtle Beach.

On Tuesday, city council members met in executive session for a legal briefing about the short-term rental ordinance, according to their annual budget retreat agenda.

The legal briefing followed previous workshop sessions in November and January about what the ordinance could entail. At the time, interim city manager Ryan Fabbri said adding additional staff and resources to ensure rental enforcement for these short-term rental properties could cost the city close to a million dollars, if passed.

“It’s a privilege to do business, to use your house as a rental property,” Fabbri said at a workshop presentation in front of city council in November 2024. “But you’ve got to do it the right way, otherwise that luxury is taken away from you. We have no mechanism to do that now.”

According to numbers Fabbri presented in November, approximately 1,700 of the 5,400 short-term rentals in North Myrtle Beach do not have local responsible parties.

On Jan. 7, city council held its second workshop about short-term rentals in the area. A recording of the nearly 90-minute meeting is available here.

At that meeting, Fabbri said much of the previous narrative around short-term rentals comes from a draft ordinance presented by a local business, Elliot Realty.

Brandon Cox, Elliot Realty’s chief operating officer, also presented to the city council at the January workshop.

There has been some public backlash to Elliot Realty ’s involvement in the workshop, with some claiming it’s a conflict of interest since the business could benefit from the proposed ordinance.

Following the workshop, Cox sent the following statement to The Sun News via email on Jan. 16:

“We were happy to participate in a recent workshop along with other members of the public and business community to offer suggestions and find solutions for the city or residents to know who to call when problems arise at a short-term rental. The intent of the draft ordinance is simple--to require that someone who is local be able to respond physically if needed whether it be the local owner, a local rental management company, or a local individual that meets minimum professional certification requirements. We appreciate the city’s transparency in providing an open forum. The goal is to provide solutions that protect our community by balancing individual property rights with quality of life for residents.”

The Sun News reached out for additional comment on Tuesday and left Cox a voicemail.

Until the annual budget retreat this week, short-term rentals were not mentioned on any regular city council meeting agendas since the Jan. 7 workshop meeting.

The proposed new ordinance could allow the city to add potential permitting requirements and enforcement mechanisms for short-term rental owners and operators. As of Tuesday afternoon, no official draft of the proposed ordinance was on a city council meeting agenda.

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April 14, 2025 5:00 AM

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April 14, 2025 5:00 AM

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The Sun News

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Elizabeth covers local government and politics in Myrtle Beach and holds truth to power as the accountability reporter. She’s lived in five states and holds a masters degree in Journalism.

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The developers for Guy Fieri’s planned Downtown Flavortown restaurant at the Myrtle Beach Mall provided an update on when the eatery plans to open to the public.

The new emporium will look like its sister property in Tennessee that features food, arcade games and a colorful experience that over-stimulates the senses.

Demolition on the former JC Penney site started in early 2025 and has since concluded. A spokesperson for the mall told The Sun News that concrete pouring for the future 50,000-square-foot restaurant should begin in April 2025.

They added that the work should not disrupt parking at the mall site. The spokesperson for the location’s owners said they had no comment when asked about plans for the Myrtle Beach Mall aside from the Downtown Flavortown.

The spokesperson said the restaurant could open in late 2025 or sometime in 2026. The turnaround time on the mall follows the developers’ first announced the Guy Fieri project in October 2024. The location will feature a tiki bar, bowling alley, arcade and other amenities. The Downtown Flavortown restaurant concept is Fieri’s second eatery, the first opening in Tennessee in 2022.

The mall and its future have been sources of interest for Grand Strand locals since selling for $7.8 million in April 2023.

The mall’s previous owner discussed plans to re-develop the property into a mixed-use development, Market Common-esque property in 2019 before its most recent sale. Traditional mall sites serve as ideal locations for mixed-use developments due to the expansive size of the existing properties.

Called ‘The District’, the mall met approval from county officials that re-reviewed the plan.

“Even disgruntled Yankees like to shop,” an engineer working on the project said at the time.

Those efforts never came to fruition, and now a significant portion of the mall resides unoccupied.

The Myrtle Beach Mall’s current ownership group has yet to release any additional plans for the site after completing the Downtown Flavortown.

This story was originally published April 14, 2025 at 5:00 AM.