Summer Just Isn't Complete Without Ice Cream! Top 4 Sweet Options!

Here are 4 Sweet Suggestions for Delicious Ice Cream - All within minutes of Plantation Resort!

Cooling off with a creamy treat boosts your beach experience from enjoyable to extraordinary!  With so many shops to choose from, we conducted extensive research into the subject (see how we suffer for you? ;-)).  Here are our top picks: 

 1. The Ole Fashioned Ice Cream Parlor (665 Highway 17 S, Surfside Beach, SC 29575)

The Old Fashioned Ice Cream Parlor scoops out some of the best ice cream on the Grand Strand.  If you’re hankering for Bluebell Ice Cream, this place has got your fix.  With a Plantation Resort coupon, you can take a friend or get some discount ice cream for the whole family. 
 
2. Meyer’s Ice Cream (1906 Business 17 N, Surfside Beach, SC 29577)

Upon walking into Meyer's you’ll receive an instant sugar high.  The smell of ice cream saturates every nook and cranny of this ice cream shop and gives an enticing prelude to the flavor about to erupt in your mouth.  Keep in mind that your GPS might take you to the wrong place if you just type in Meyer’s Ice Cream or if you type in Surfside’s zip code.  You need to type in the above address (with the 29577 zip code) to be sure to make it.

 3. Painter’s (2115-A Highway 17 South, Garden City, SC, 29575)

Make your way over to Painter's ice cream just down the street. This local favorite makes their own ice cream right there on site, and nothing beats fresh ice cream!  They pour ice cream milk into a big machine to make it nice and fluffy, add the ingredients and in 15 minutes they create some of the best ice cream around.  Be aware that this Painter's is one of three local Painter's  ice cream shops owned by different people, and this one is only about a mile away from Plantation Resort!

 4. Sweet Frog (2711 B Beaver Run Blvd, Myrtle Beach, 29575)

Sweet Frog was ranked #1 best ice cream shop by WMBF in 2012!  We saved Sweet Frog for last because it is technically frozen yogurt.  Frozen yogurt is all the rage, and it’s no secret why: lots of flavors, lots of toppings, get as much as you want and pay by the ounce.  Luckily, it's only a few miles from Plantation Resort.

In fact, all of these shops are located within a short drive from Plantation Resort.  If you prefer to stay on-site, there are many ice cream options to choose from steps away from your outdoor pool lounge chair.  The Poolside Grill supplies many ice cream choices or you could try out the Sundaes on Sunday activity (warning, this link takes lots of time to download) where you can put together a sundae with all your favorite toppings.  You deserve ice cream on your vacation and whether you like it poolside or at the beach, we want to make your vacation exceptional!  For a vacation worth remembering with lots of ice cream options, give us a call at 1-800-845-5039.  We'll save a waffle cone for you!

What’s New at Ripley’s - Superheros!

Visitors look at an Optimus Prime statue made out of car parts!

Superheros and Sharkee's Playroom Make Ripley's a Must-See This Summer

Think you’ve seen all there is to see at Ripley’s Aquarium and Museum?  Look again! Ripley’s has brought in some new and exciting exhibits for you to enjoy with the whole family.

See the Superheroes

If the thought of capes and indestructible armor gets you pumped for superheros, then you need to check out the new superhero exhibit at Ripley’s Museum.  Here you'll find an Optimus Prime statue made out of car parts, a portrait of Robert Downey Jr. made out of ash, Batman and Joker made out of legos, and many more superheros put together in creative ways!  You'll also find interactive displays all around the exhibit, including a floor projection that changes when you step on it.

Sharkee’s Playroom for Kids

Ripley’s mascot, Sharkee, has a new playroom at Ripley's Aquarium and he filled it with lots of interactive fun for the little ones.  With so much to do, here is just a sampling of the exciting activities at Sharkee’s:

1. Make creative designs with glowing pegs at the Glowfish display.
2. See yourself at your wackiest in front of the fun mirrors.
3. Climb on the Crab Crawl Climbing Wall.
4. Build Lego creations at the Lego table.

Sharkee has even incorporated education into his fun house with a fish and reptile exhibit. Your kids will have so much fun, they may forget they're learning.

If you stay with us at Plantation Resort, you can buy discounted tickets to Ripley's Museum and Aquarium and see these new exhibits for yourself! For more information about our discounts call 1-800-845-5039.

Celebrate the 4th of July With Us

Fireworks like this will light up all along the beach! Photo by Jeff Golden, flickr



On the Fourth of July you can “ooh” and “aah” all along the Grand Strand as fireworks light up the night sky.  The fun doesn’t stop there!  Come celebrate with plenty of other exciting activities in the area.

Surfside Beach and Ocean Boulevard

The fireworks at Surfside Pier begin at 9:30pm with plenty of family friendly entertainment from 6:00pm. You’ll want to get there early to get started on the fun because the first 500 kids through the gate get free ice cream!  As you and your family enjoy your sweet treats, you can listen to the country music sounds of Legends in Concert's very own Garth and Friends while you wait for the fireworks to start. Best of all, it is only about a mile south of Plantation Resort (click here for directions)! 

Murrells Inlet

"Float" for the boat parade!

Locals and visitors rave about the boat parade at Murrells Inlet.  Line up along the waterfront to watch the coolest boats all decked out in this year’s theme—Palmetto Pride-Inlet Tide. The Murrells Inlet website recommends the Marshwalk, Belin Methodist Church, Nance's Restaurant, Captain Poo's Restaurant and the Hot Fish Club as the best viewing points for this activity.  And at the end of the parade, the local restaurants are sponsoring the fireworks display at Veterans Pier (5 miles south of Plantation Resort).  Fireworks begin at 10:00pm.

Myrtle Beach Speedway’s Wheels of Destruction

This kid-friendly show begins at 5: 00pm and will have your whole family on the edge of their seat as they watch stunt drivers maneuver their cars into heart-stopping situations.  See explosions and cars leaping unbelievable distances!  After watching cars blow up you can see even more colorful explosions in the fireworks display after the show (13 miles north of Plantation Resort).

More Fireworks

Since there are so many choices for fireworks all along the Strand, here is a list of some of the best shows so you can plan accordingly.




Notice how they look like Palmettos! Photo by Bayaasa, Flickr

Cherry Grove Pier  – begins at 9:30pm (30 miles north of Plantation Resort).

Myrtle Beach Ocean Front Boardwalk – begins at dark (7 miles north).

Second Avenue Pier – begins at 10:00pm.  With shows every Wednesday night at 10:00pm until the end of August (7 miles north).

Broadway at the Beach – begins at 10:00pm.  Every Wednesday and Friday in July excluding the 5th.  For a full schedule click here (10 miles north).

Pier at Garden City – begins at dark (4 miles south).


All of these events occur within a short drive of Plantation Resort.  Call 1-800-845-5039 to see how you can make the best of your 4th of July vacation with us!

Hop Over to Frogmore Stewsday - A Pool Party to Remember!

Yummy Food + Great Music + Dancing and Lots of Fun = Frogmore Stewsday,  A Pool Party to Remember!

Strap on your giant bib and your dancing sandals and join us for Frogmore Stewsday, a night of mandatory fun while you eat Frogmore Stew!  Don’t worry, no frogs were injured in the making of this southern classic dish.  Perhaps you're more familiar with Frogmore’s northern cousin, the clam bake, but instead of clams we add a few of our own ingredients with southern flare.  Our chef says you can expect fresh shrimp, small red potatoes, newly shucked corn on the cob, smoked sausage with just the right amount of spices in our stew.  It is cooked poolside so you can count on it being fresh.  We've also cooked up some comfort food (creole mac and cheese) to go on the side.  Enjoy all of this yummy food at the pool with your family where swimsuits are the recommended attire.  We hope you'll partake in Frogmore Stewsday every Tuesday this summer.

Do a Little Jig

Dancing Poolside

Hula Hoop Contestant

No Frogmore Stewsday is complete without dancing, so we'll be pumping out the music for you to dance to, in and around the pool. Our staff has been brushing up on their "Electric Slide" and "Cotton-Eyed Joe," but we don't want to dance alone!  Join us around the pool and show us your moves.  And if you really want to swing your hips, jump into the hula hoop competition too!  See how many hoops you can keep twirling!

Not hungry?  No worries, come enjoy the party!  But be warned, the lure of the stew's delicious scent cooked in front of you is too much for many to resist!  And if you change your mind or work up an appetite dancing, step up to the buffet line and claim your plate.

A Little History

So why on earth would we call it Frogmore?  The name comes from a tiny town on the Island of St. Helena in Beaufort County, South Carolina.  Beyond geography, though, there are many who claim the origins of this culinary dish that represents the best of South Carolina's Lowcountry cuisine.  Some tell of a poor fisherman from the island who had a lot of shrimp and a lot of guests, so, in his pot, he combined all the ingredients he could find.  Others argue that Frogmore Stew came from a civil war campaign on the island when soldiers needed to make food without creating lots of smoke to give away their location.  Wherever it came from, most people agree that the Frogmore Stew recipe was worth saving.



This little guy dressed for the occasion. Check out his floaties!

Some of you might have read the ingredients and thought, “This isn’t Frog-a-ma-thingy, it's a Lowcountry boil!” or even a “Beaufort boil!”  Well, whatever you call it, we hope you call 1-800-845-5039 for your reservation, so you can come on Tuesday to our Frogmore Stewsday event, and maybe between mouthfuls you can tell us what you call it.  But we think you'll agree, we can all describe it best with just one word... "Delicious!"

Come see our new front desk!

Before and After with our New Canopy, Rails and Shutters

It's been months in the making and it's finally finished!  The front desk has changed dramatically since December. Our outside now matches the recently renovated inside with new lamps, railings, shutters and a new canopy; we also pushed out the front wall and expanded the inside.  Our Chief Engineer, Don Kight, expressed his excitement about the new changes, "We're elated for our owners and guests to see the improvements we've made.  It's nice to see things come together as well as they did.  Everything looks great!"  

Painting a picture

As you pull into the parking lot to check in for your vacation at Plantation Resort, you may notice an extra spot of blue that you’ve never seen before.  Thank you for noticing our new canopy!  It provides shade for up to 12 feet before you reach the door. With it, we welcome you to your restful stay with the Plantation Resort logo on the front as reassurance that you arrived at the right place. 


Workers installing the new rails!

 As you enter the front door, go ahead, take hold of the new hand rails and feel a bit safer.  Now, we have a wrought iron look for the two new hand rails that adorn either side of the entrance.


Our new shutters!

But as you step through the door something else may seem different.  You may feel like you have more air to breathe or like you took a few extra steps toward the desk.  It isn't your imagination—there really is more space.  We've expanded the front desk area by moving the front wall out a whole six feet.  That’s right, take a good long stretch after all that sitting in the car, there’s room.  

And when you open your eyes you may notice that the lighting is a little different. Thanks to our new shutters, the sunlight filters in with a gentle warmth to make you feel more welcome than ever.

Come see it for yourself!

Checking in to your "home away from home" is more comfortable than it has ever been, so come experience the improvements for yourself.  Reserve your stay by calling 1-800-845-5039 today.  Keep an eye out for an upcoming video about these front desk renovations.