Here’s a list of the top 10 places to celebrate the holiday on the Grand Strand, ranked from north to south for your convenience so you can hit as many as you can. Good (Irish) luck:

10) Get the party started early at the 24th annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Festival in North Myrtle Beach. Crowds line Main Street at 9 a.m. as the floats and convertibles ride by and wave and throw out candy, so this is one of the few kid-friendly events on the Strand. Live music, food booths and, of course, green beer are available from vendors.

9) Just crawling distance away from the parade is one of the best Irish pubs on the Strand - Flynn’s Irish Tavern, formerly known as The Pale. Owned by an Irish family, Flynn’s offers authentic draft beer from all over the U.K., but the Guinness will be flowing for this celebration, which features great Irish food like Shepherd’s pie and live Irish music.

8) Also on the north end of the Grand Strand, residents of Little River flock to Pat and Mike’s Irish Pub for a full day of good food, beer, music and times. Pat and Mike’s rolls out authentic Irish music for this occasion and serves up its usual tasty Irish dishes. But the main course for this holiday is green beer, as it should be.

7) Working our way south, one of the best St. Paddy’s Day celebrations on the Strand can be found at Finn McCool’s Irish Pub on Lake Arrowhead Road. This place puts on the party every year, with the crowds usually spilling out onto the porch and the parking lot. Lots of good food and cold beer are on tap and live music for those lucky enough to get a seat inside.

6) The next stop on our Tour de Strand is Broadway at the Beach, where all the clubs of Celebrity Square and beyond will be celebrating St. Paddy’s Day into the next morning. Pub-crawl your way around the usual bars of Celebrity Square, like Froggy Bottom’s, Malibu’s, Sharkey’s and Crocodile Rocks, and check out some new hot spots like Carlos and Charlie’s, the Tilted Kilt and Wet Willie’s.

5) Downtown Conway has gotten into the St. Paddy’s Day spirit and will again this year with the second annual Gathering of the Green at the Conway Farmers Market. The event begins at 5 p.m. and will feature live music, a costume contest and other entertainment for the whole family. In addition to the good food and fun, of course, green beer will be on tap. It’s worth the trip to Conway.

4) The newest St. Paddy’s party to the Grand Strand scene has quickly become one of the biggest. The third annual Downtown Myrtle Beach St. Patrick’s Day Celebration has become one of the biggest block parties of the year, with Ocean Boulevard being closed for food, beer and dancing in the streets. This year’s headliner, Rusted Root, is sure to induce plenty of the latter. There’s also an alcohol-free kids’ zone featuring rides and games.

3) Next on our venture south is another growing celebration is the third annual Irish Fest. Held in Valor Park at The Market Common, this festival features Irish food, beer and entertainment as well as lots of activities for the kids. Best of all, patrons can walk (or crawl) a short distance to more St. Paddy’s Day parties at Market Common’s many bars and restaurants.

2) Another newcomer to the Strand has quickly become one of the can’t-miss places to celebrate St. Paddy’s Day. O’Keefe’s Irish Pub gets the indoor/outdoor festivities started before anyone else on the Strand with its “Kegs and Eggs” party bright and early at 9 a.m., followed by a full day of Irish food, beer and music. Last year’s inaugural event was a blast, but not necessarily memorable.

1) Celebrate St. Paddy’s Day in true Lowcountry style at the Murrells Inlet Marsh Walk. This walkway along the inlet allows patrons to pub crawl to restaurants and bars located up and down the Marsh Walk, including the Dead Dog Saloon, Bubba’s Love Shack, Creek Ratz and Drunken Jack’s. Relax by the waterfront, enjoy the live music and drink in the green beer.

The weekend-long event features several races so runners of all levels can get in on the fun. A huge post-race bash is held at the House of Blues in North Myrtle Beach after the marathon.

Here are the planned events:

Bi-Lo Myrtle Beach Marathon - 6:30 a.m. Feb. 18, 2012

The main event, the Bi-Lo Marathon, is a USATF certified race and is a qualifier for the Boston Marathon. Runners enjoy the flat, fast-pace of the course as well as the beach view. The course starts at 21st Avenue North in Myrtle Beach and winds through The Market Common before heading north up Ocean Boulevard. All finishers in the race receive a finisher’s medal, and awards are also given for the top three female finishers, top three male finishers as well as the top three male and female master’s finishers.

The record finishing time for the race (2:28:33) was set in 2008 by Garick Hill of Winston Salem, N.C. Last year’s race was won by Kathleen Castles of New Providence, N.J., with a finishing time of 2:40:11. Registration for the Bi-Lo Myrtle Beach Marathon is $120, and the event is limited to 3,000 participants.

Dasani Half Marathon – 6:30 a.m. Feb. 18, 2012

The Dasani Half Marathon’s course is part of the full marathon’s route. Finishers also receive a finisher’s medal, and awards are given to the top three men and women as well as the top three masters’ men and women. Age group awards are also presented.

Registration for the Dasani Half Marathon is $110, and the event is limited to 5,000 runners. Expo registration is discouraged as the race often sells out before the expo.

RBC Bank 5K – 7 p.m. Feb. 17, 2012

The RBC Bank 5K takes runners around the Broadway at the Beach complex, ending at Coastal BB&T Field.

Registration is $35, and the event is limited to 2,000 runners.

Ripley’s Family Fun Run – 5:30 p.m. Feb. 18, 2012

The Ripley’s Family Fun Run is a one-mile course open to runners of all ages. The event starts and ends in front of Ripley’s Aquarium at Broadway at the Beach. The event supports Horry County Schools, and the school with the most participants receives a traveling trophy. Seaside Elementary in Garden City Beach has won the trophy every year.

The entry fee for the Fun Run is $15.

Representatives for Coastal Uncorked Food, Wine & Spirits Festival announced Monday the schedule of events for the 2012 festival. April 22-29, 2012 will mark the third annual Coastal Uncorked Food, Wine & Spirits Festival with events including: a restaurant week; specialty wine, spirits and beer dinners; Oceanfront Grand Tasting Tents; a Sip, Savor & Stroll at The Market Common; and The Chef's Challenge and Tasting Finale. Tickets are now on sale and can be purchased online at www.coastaluncorked.com.

To kick off the 2012 festival, the "Second Annual Coastal Uncorked Oyster Roast" will be held on February 26 at Sea Captain's House from 1 to 4 p.m. Attendees will enjoy the oceanfront view while listening to live music and sampling a variety of prepared oyster dishes, wine and spirits. Tickets are $25. Festival attendees can enjoy sampling food and wine from participating Market Common restaurants, while strolling the streets of The Market Common during "Sip, Savor & Stroll" on Thursday, April 26, 2012 from 5 to 7 p.m. Tickets are $10.

Ticket holders of the "Oceanfront Grand Tasting Tents" will enjoy the ocean view while listening to live entertainment and sampling food, wine and spirits on Friday, April 27, 2012 from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m.; Saturday, April 28 from 12 to 3 p.m. and 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. This event will be located on Ocean Boulevard between 8th and 9th avenues North. Ticket holders will have access to the festival grounds on Friday and Saturday, but must have a ticket for their designated tasting session. Tickets are $30 for each tasting session.

The Festival's final event, "The Chef's Challenge and Tasting Finale" will be held on Sunday, April 29, 2012 at 6 p.m. Festival attendees can watch local chefs battle it out to win the food challenge competition, enjoy live entertainment and sample food, wine and spirits. Tickets start at $50. This event is rain or shine. Patrons can opt to purchase a "Grand Combo Pass," which will allow guests unlimited access to all three of the Oceanfront Grand Tasting Tent sessions, plus a seat at the Food Challenge and Tasting Finale. Tickets start at $100 and limited tickets are available.

"Wine Dinners" will be held nightly throughout the festival at participating restaurants, where guests will enjoy a multi-course dinner paired with different wines for each course. Tickets range in price from $60 - $120 and will be available for purchase later this month.

Beer connoisseurs will enjoy nightly "Beer Dinners" which will feature a multi-course dinner paired with different types of beer for each course. Ticket pricing will vary for each participating restaurant and will be available for purchase later this month.

"Three Course $20.12 Chef's Tasting Menus" will be available daily, April 22 – 29 with each participating restaurant creating their own fixed menu. Visit www.coastaluncorked.com for up-to-date information on participating restaurants and menus.

"We are pleased to announce the schedule of events for the 2012 Coastal Uncorked Food, Wine and Spirits Festival," said Heidi Vukov, founder of Coastal Uncorked. "We have a few new events this year that we are excited to unveil, which we feel will better enable us to grow and thrive as a food and wine festival. We have a variety of events for everyone and every budget. Continue to check our website for up-to-date information as the Festival draws near."

For more information about Coastal Uncorked Food, Wine and Spirits Festival, visit CoastalUncorked.com or Facebook.com/CoastalUncorked.

This spring we're offering some exciting added value to your stay so that you can get more bang for your hard earned buck in 2012! Guests of Beach Cove Resort can now book your vacation and tickets to two of Myrtle Beach's most popular attractions - Alabama Theatre and the NEW WonderWorks - at an incredible deal.

February 1 - March 15 all guests will be able to receive one free ticket to WonderWorks with additional adult ticket purchase. After opening in April, 2011 WonderWorks quickly became one of the hottest tickets in town. Dubbed as an Amusement Park for the Mind, WonderWorks offers over 100 hands on exhibits including the Hurricane Shack, Xtreme 360 Bikes, Anti-Gravity Chamber, BubbleLab, the Bed of Nails and dozens of other mind bending, interactive activities. Be sure to take advantage and check out WonderWorks during this one time, great deal!

During February, March and May all Beach Cove Resort guests that can take advantage will receive one free ticket to the acclaimed Alabama Theatre's ONE: The Show with additional adult ticket purchase. Alabama Theatre's ONE: The Show, voted #1 Live Theatre Attraction by both Myrtle Beach Locals and Visitors, delivers an incredible entertainment experience to audiences night after night. ONE continues to evolve year after year as it introduces breath-taking and awe-inspiring dance and visual elements to hit songs from many musical genres.

Book your tickets NOW because these offers are subject to end at any time. Simply book your tickets during the online booking process after selecting your accommodations, or by calling us at 1-800-369-7043.

All tickets in both of these great deals must be booked directly through Beach Cove Resort prior to arrival, limit one free ticket per reservation for each venue.

Beach Cove Resort is excited to announce that we have kicked off a fundraiser and toy drive for Toys for Tots during the Christmas season. Guests of Beach Cove Resort will be offered the ability to contribute $1 or more to Toys for Tots at the time of booking a reservation and at check-in between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Beach Cove and the Beach Cove resort group will match all donations up to $1,500, making a total contribution of up to $3,000 for the 2011 Christmas season. Beach Cove will also be a toy drop-off location for new, unopened toys that are donated to Toys for Tots.

"Christmas is especially difficult this year with the difficult economic times that we're in. We have over 4,200 children in our area that we are taking care of this year," said Butch Raynes, volunteer for the Murrells Inlet chapter of Toys for Tots. Butch notes "Now that we are taking online requests for the first time, the number of children in need keeps growing. I'm getting many new requests every week, and we're doing everything we can to try to help each child."

Beach Cove is hoping to help Butch reach Toys for Tots goal to reach every child. "We realize that we are fortunate enough to assist those who are in need, and the ownership, management and staff of all of our resorts were resoundingly in favor to help this wonderful cause as much as we can," said Matt Klugman of Beach Cove. "Our resorts generally make an effort to cater specifically to families, so we felt that this was a natural extension of who we are to help as many families as we can during the holiday season. We're excited to give our guests the opportunity to double their donation to this great cause by matching every dollar up to $1,500."

While all guests will be given the opportunity to make a donation at the time of booking and at check-in, all others who are interested in making a donation, however big or small, to the Toys for Tots fundraising drive can call Beach Cove at 800-845-0893 to do so. Beach Cove is also welcoming donations of new, unopened toys at our front desk.

Click here for more information about Toys for Tots.

Kick back and relax this New Year's Eve! Javatini’s at Beach Cove Resort will be open at 5:00pm on New Year’s eve. Entertainment will start at 8:00pm until 1:00am.  No Cover charge, party favors and a champagne toast at midnight.

New Year's Eve Party at Celebrity Square at Broadway at the Beach

Ring in the New Year at Celebrity Square at Broadway at the Beach with entry into some of Myrtle Beach's Hottest Clubs: Crocodile Rocks, Malibu Surf Bar, Club Boca, Froggy Bottomz and Revolutions. Buy tickets with your reservation for the discounted rate of $30. Rate includes admission to all clubs on New Year's Eve, balloon drop, confetti cannons and champagne toast.

2001 New Year's Weekend 4-Night Extravaganza

 December 28 - 31st, 2011. Doors open nightly at 8:00pm. Buy tickets with your reservation for the discounted rate of $30. Includes party favors, champagne split, 2 live bands, 3 DJs, and admission all four nights! See the flyer below for full party information!

Black Friday has become an annual tradition in Myrtle Beach as families head our way to enjoy the Thanksgiving holiday and get a jump on their Christmas shopping with some amazing deals. Die hard shoppers love the once a year chance to take to the streets in the middle of the night and many others just like to browse and shop at more traditional hours while soaking in the sights and sounds of the season. Myrtle Beach's wide range of shopping choices makes for the perfect Black Friday destination. Here's a list of where to head for deals as well as a sneak preview of some of the hottest big brand Black Friday deals of the year.

Shopping Centers:

Barefoot Landing
4898 Hwy 17 South
North Myrtle Beach, SC
OPENS: 10:00am Friday, November 25th

Broadway at the Beach
1325 Celebrity Circle
Myrtle Beach, SC
OPENS: 10:00am Friday, November 25th
Plus enjoy the firework spectacular on Saturday, November 26th at 8pm.

Coastal Grand Mall
2000 Coastal Grand Circle
Myrtle Beach, SC
OPENS: 6:00am Friday, November 25th

Inlet Square Mall
10125 Hwy 17 Bypass
Murrells Inlet, SC
OPENS: 8:00am Friday, November 25th

Myrtle Beach Mall
10177 North Kings Highway
Myrtle Beach, SC
OPENS: 5:00am Friday, November 25th

Tanger Outlet Center - Highway 17
10835 Kings Road
Myrtle Beach, SC
OPENS: 12:00am Friday, November 25th

Tanger Outlet Center - Highway 501
4635 Factory Stores Blvd
Myrtle Beach, SC
OPENS: 12:00am Friday, November 25th

The Market Common
4017 Deville Street
Myrtle Beach, SC
OPENS: 10:00am Friday, November 25th
Stay for the Tree Lighting Ceremony later that evening with free carriage rides, hot chocolate, live entertainment and more.

Black Friday Store Ad Previews:

Bass Pro Shops
OPENS: 12:00am Friday, November 25th
Get your picture taken with Santa!
Preview Bass Pro Shop Sales

Belk
OPENS: 3:00am Friday, November 25th
Preview Belk Sales

Best Buy
Includes an outdoor 9pm FREE screening of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2 on Thanksgiving night!
OPENS: 12:00am Friday, November 25th
Preview Best Buy Sales

Dick's Sporting Goods
OPENS: 5:00am Friday, November 25th
Preview Dick's Sporting Goods Sales

hhgregg
OPENS: 12:00am Friday, November 25th
Preview hhgregg Sales

JCPenney
OPENS: 4:00am Friday, November 25th
Preview JCPenney Sales

Kohl's
OPENS: 12:00am Friday, November 25th
Preview Kohl's Sales

Lowe's
OPENS: 5:00am Friday, November 25th
Preview Lowe's Sales

Old Navy
OPENS: 12:00am Friday, November 25th
Preview Old Navy Sales

Sears
OPENS: 4:00am Friday, November 25th
Preview Sears Sales

Target
OPENS: 12:00am Friday, November 25th
Preview Target's Sales

Toys R Us
OPENS: 12:00am Friday, November 25th
Preview Toys R Us Sales

Walmart
SALES START: 10:00pm Thursday, November 24th
Preview Walmart Sales

 Almost everybody around the world wants to go to the beach if given the chance. Every occasion are better celebrated on the beach. Birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, valentines, and many other occasions can be celebrated there. A beach theme is easy and the clothes are easier to get. Your guests will not find it hard to dress themselves for the occasion. If there is no occasion, then it is still a great idea to go to the beach for a getaway. All of us get tired from the challenges of our everyday lives. Work, school, love; all of these things get us down every now and then. It is not a crime to take a break and get away from it all. All of us deserve a break. Even pets get a break because they, too, get tired. Humans need it more. The beach is a great place to get some rest and relaxation. It calms us down and takes our stress away. Just listening to the sound of the waves is soothing. It can even put most of us to sleep. When you go swimming, it is like your troubles are a thousand miles away. It can make you forget temporarily and for a few days, you can actually allow your mind to take a rest and not think of all the problems you have.

If you have made up your mid to get away or celebrate an occasion, then you can go online and book at hotels in Myrtle Beach. Why Myrtle Beach? Because it is the most beautiful beach in the country and it has the most activities that you can think of. Myrtle Beach will take all your troubles away. You will be at peace that you will also have time to think about what is troubling you. You will not have many distractions which mean that you can think clearly. If you do not want to think about it anymore then you can go and explore your surroundings. There are plenty of shopping centers that can entertain you the whole day. The next day, you can do some water sports and spend the entire day out in the sea. You may also go to several entertainment bars that can take your mind off some things. You do not have to go to the same restaurant every meal time because there are over two thousand restaurants in the area. You will never tire eating just the same meals. You can then end your day looking out as the sun sets and then have beer.

Hotels in Myrtle Beach will give you not only good accommodation but great ones. They are known for having world class rooms and amenities. This is why many people go there. They are popular for having good hotels and services. You will never go wrong for choosing hotels in Myrtle Beach. It is your home away from home. There are so many to choose from but you will surely choose the one that is best for you or the one that you think is suitable for you