Myrtle Beach Saltwater Fishing Tips for Rookies

Be sure to get a license! South Carolina requires anglers 16 years old+ to obtain a Saltwater Fishing License. A two week permit for a non resident is $11; a SC resident is $5.  Licenses are available at our front office. You may also obtain your license online from the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources website.

Early morning surf fishers

Be familiar with regulations! Most shark species are not allowed to be kept and there are limits to how much fish you can take. SCDNR provides a Hunting and Fishing Manual that will get you up to speed on what’s legal. You may access the manual online by clicking here.

Check out our Camp Store for supplies! From poles to live bait, during the season our store is stocked with everything you need for fishing.

Fishing Section of the Camp Store (seasonal)

Go in the early morning hours! Beach goers typically start setting up their sunbathing spots around 9am (sometimes even earlier in the summer). Fishing in a way that puts swimmers ‘at risk’ is not permitted. 

Locals prefer spring and fall for the best times of the year to fish. 

Fishing from a top local pier is a great alternative to surf fishing because the entrance fee includes a permit and you won’t have to worry about fishing around sunbathers. PirateLand is located near Myrtle Beach State Park Pier, Springmaid Pier, Surfside Pier, and the Pier at Garden City.

The Myrtle Beach State Park Pier is about 1 mile north of PirateLand

 

Keep a good distance between you and the next fisherman to avoid tangled lines.

Local anglers say the best type of bait to use in this area is fresh shrimp, live/cut mullet, mud minnows, and sand fleas. Keep in mind specific types of fish may have a preference. Keep your bait covered so birds stay away, and cold to preserve its appealing odor. 

If you are “catch and release” fishing, SCDNR recommends using circular hooks because they are most likely to catch the fish by the mouth as oppose to its gills, which will increase the chance of the fish living. Also, non-stainless steel hooks are best because they disintegrate. 

What other tips do you have for surf fishing?

The Fall has It ALL in Myrtle Beach

With great lodging rates and beautiful weather, autumn has become a favorite time of the year for many Myrtle Beach visitors. The pace is a little slower, but there is still much to do and see around here. Whether you’re in to arts, shopping, eating, or simply relaxing and having a good time, the fall has it all! Here’s a list of upcoming area events and festivals (click the links for more info):

St John’s Greek Festival – September 27 - 30

St. John's Greek Orthodox Church of Myrtle Beach, located off Highway 17 Bypass in Myrtle Beach, celebrates Greek culture with traditional Greek food, music and family activities. 

Atalaya Arts and Crafts Festival – September 28 - 30

Hosted at the Atalaya Castle at Huntington Beach State Park in Murrells Inlet, this festival features works from more than 100 artisans. The unfinished, Spanish style castle is the perfect scenic backdrop to the beautiful art, delicious food, and live music available.  

Arts and Crafts Festival 2011

 

Oktoberfest at The Market Common – September 28 - 30

Located just a couple miles north of the campground in Valor Park, Oktoberfest at The Market Common celebrates German heritage with vendors, games, music, food, inflatables, and a large selection of German beer. 

Oktoberfest at Market Common in 2011

Irish Italian Festival – September 29

From 10am to 4pm Main Street in North Myrtle Beach will transform into a multi-European cultural center where thousands of attendees celebrate with food, music, street performers, and art/craft vendors.

Fall Bike Week – October 1 - 7

“The Ride” is the theme of this year’s Fall Motorcycle Rally. Participants party and vendors set up in the same locations as the Spring Rally: SBB, The Beaver Bar, Jamin’ Leather, Spokes and Bones Saloon, etc. The fall rally is a little more laid back, with less traffic and a shorter duration. 

Ocean Boulevard’s Oktoberfest – October 6

From noon to 11pm, 8^th Ave North to Mr. Joe White Ave, Ocean Blvd. will be closed to host a celebration of German food, beer, and wine with live music and kid’s activities.  

Surfside Beach Family Festival – October 6

This family oriented event will have food, vendors, live entertainment, and activities for kids. Located on Surfside Drive, just a few miles south of the campground. 

Family Festival on Surfside Dr.

 

Art in the Park – October 6 & 7, November 3 & 4

From 10am to 4pm at Chapin Park in Myrtle Beach exhibitors will display and sell original art from all around the southeast in mediums such as paint, woodwork, metal, fabric, pottery, and photography.  

Taste of the Town – October 9

Located at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center, this event features booths from more than 50 restaurants from all over the Grand Strand offering samples of their cuisine. In addition to food sampling, there is live music and awards are presented to participating area restaurants. All proceeds benefit St. Michael’s Catholic School. From 4pm to 10pm. 

Taste of the Town 2011

RIOZ - 2011 Winners People's Choice Favorite Entree

National Sculpture Society 79th Annual Awards Exhibition– Now until October 28

On display in both galleries of the Rainey Sculpture Pavilion at Brookgreen Gardens in Murrells Inlet, the Sculpture Expo features works from many master sculptors. The collection includes a variety of animal and human subjects. Entrance is included with Brookgreen’s general admission ticket.  

Harvest Home Weekend – October 13 & 14

Harvest Home Hayride

Brookgreen Gardens continues its annual fall tradition with a weekend full of family fun activities including storytelling, crafts, pumpkin painting, hayrides, musical performances, and other demonstrations. Join the PirateLand Recreation Crew for a group day trip to Brookgreen on Saturday October 13. Click here to visit our activities page for more details and sign up information. 

Little River ShrimpFest – October 13 & 14

Here’s a good reason to visit the Little River waterfront area on Mineola Avenue. On the very North end of the Grand Strand, this event showcases seafood and music in a quaint small town setting. They will also have arts and crafts, kid’s activities, and a Shrimp and Grits Cook-Off.

 

Myrtle Beach Wine Fest – October 20

From 11am to 7pm located at The Market Common, the Wine Fest has pay-as-you-go sampling of over 100 wines from the U.S. and other countries. There will also be specialty vendors, food, and live music. 

Annual Arts and Fall Festival at Broadway at the Beach – October 20

Local talent from area shows are featured in this festival focused on dance, music, and theatre. In addition to performances, there are tons of shops and restaurants to visit at Broadway, and they’ll have a fireworks show at the end of the night. 

PirateLand’s Annual Spooktacular Celebration - October 26 & 27

We’re celebrating Halloween and family fun here at the campground with a festival of our own! Our guests will enjoy activities throughout the weekend, but our Spooktacular Festival is Saturday evening. This FREE festival includes homemade carnival games such as pumpkin bowling, zombie doss, duck guess, pin the patch on the pumpkin, candy corn guess Carved pumpkin contest and Trunk-or-Treating. Hotdogs and drinks will be sold for $1 each. At the end of the night be sure to visit our FREE Haunted House. We also have a special campsite rate of 3 nights for $90.00. Please note: this event is for PirateLand registered guests and residents only. 

One of our resident's carts at our 2010 Spooktacular Festival

Haunted House helpers in 2011

One of our Pumpkin Carving entrants

Our Haunted House Hostess in 2011

S.C. State Bluegrass Festival - November 22 - 24

Hosted at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center, this annual Thanksgiving tradition showcases some of the biggest names in Bluegrass. Just to name a few; Longview, JD Crowe & The New South, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, and Bobby Osborne & The Rocky-Top Xpress will be in attendance. A complete line-up is available by clicking here. And if you’re looking for a place to stay during the Bluegrass Festival, check out our 4 night campsite special for $90.00!

Self Insured = Rest Assured

We want you to have the best possible vacation here at the campground. Accidents may happen anywhere and self-insurance is the best way to protect you, your family, and your property. Here are some tips to help you self insure on vacation!

First things first: familiarize yourself with the campground rules. Communicate to your children how important it is to follow the park rules and general road rules; that the rules are in place to insure guest safety. In the summer, traffic is heavy and all motorists should use caution and patience when traveling around the campground. 

Bikes, Scooters and Skateboards

The buzz of bicycles, scooters and skateboards is constant in the summer. We allow electric scooters and they must be single seat with a handle bar at least 36 inches high. Skateboarding is restricted in some areas so be sure to look for posted signs.  Any equipment being used at night must have lights. The campground is low lit, conducive with a camping atmosphere, and motorists without lights may not be seen by others. Also, cyclists and scooter operators should follow the rules of the road. Buzzing through a stop sign at an intersection is very dangerous.   

Golf carts

Oh what fun it is to cruise around the park in a golf cart! It’s becoming a “must-do” for beach camping. It’s not always the case, accidents happen of course, but too often we see folks “fooling around” on carts and sometimes injuries result because of it. From all the things we’ve witnessed as crew, the biggest tips we can give you: sit on your bottom, hold on, follow the rules of the road and the rules for cart rental, and most importantly PAY ATTENTION! A lot of the roads in the park are one-way so follow the posted signs and carry a park map on your travels. It’s also imperative to report any reckless driving you witness because we can’t see everyone all the time, so jot down the cart number and call us at (843) 238-5155.

The crew often commiserates about teens driving carts. We often stop teens to check licenses and usually, they are of age. This just makes us feel old of course lol! If an underage driver is stopped, or other violation of the rules occurs, we confiscate the cart and there is a fee to get privileges back. If another violation occurs, cart privileges are lost. Our plea is to parents. Please understand it is your children we are trying to protect. Please keep your children from driving carts if they’re not of age and/or are not licensed. On any given summer day, there may be 6,000+ people in our park; this is not a desolate area, this is not a country road, and this is not the place to teach your child how to drive.

Vehicle and Unit Parking

The park was here long before motor homes reached the 40 feet mark. Maneuvering units and vehicles around the campground at our busiest times may need extra care. One tip we often relay – if you’re not sure you can make it DON’T TRY! Once you’re parked those trees and/or shelters will be your dear friend. If you need assistance, please ask. We may not be able to park the unit for you, but we may help spot you, or find a more accommodating site. It’s also important to have a cell phone number on file with the office and keep your vehicle parking passes visible. This helps get vehicles moved that are restricting the road and pathways. 

Valuables on your Site

A lot of campers bring along their four-legged family members. In the summer, temperatures may reach hazardous heights. Please keep the comfort of your pet and other guests in mind. An unhappy dog may make the campers around unhappy too! There are other animals, taunting squirrels and bunnies, and other people that may affect your dog’s typical docile behavior so familiarize yourself with our pet policy. Here’s a link to an article at campingroadtrip.com with tips to prepare your pet for camping http://www.campingroadtrip.com/tips-and-articles/tips-on-camping-with-dogs.

Coolers, Bicycles, and Alcohol – What do they have in common? They are hot commodities that are usually easily accessible at your site. Sometimes they tempt both young and old for the taking. Thieves are not partial to these items; anything you find valuable so may they. The best way to insure that you will not be a victim of theft – PROTECT YOUR STUFF! Lock your valuables - especially your car and camper. Secure your items on your site or put them in a secure location. We take measures against theft and anyone caught, will be turned over to the police. Just like in your home neighborhood, if you self insure your valuables by taking some precautions, you are less likely to be a victim.

Myrtle Beach Summer Savings

According to U.S. News & World Report’s Best Vacations 2011-2012, Myrtle Beach ranks #7 for Best Affordable U.S. Destinations and #6 for Best Family Vacations. We know our guests are cost conscience and we want to help you get the most value for your vacation bucks! Here are some tips to help you save.

Cheap Gas prices

South Carolina frequently has the lowest average gas prices in the nation. AAA’s website as of June 11, 2012 puts the national average for a gallon of regular unleaded at $3.54 – South Carolina’s average is $3.13. According to gasbuddy.com some stations in the Upstate are offering gas as low as $2.90. Currently, stations here, on the south end of beach, are toggling around $3.07 to $3.11. 

To ensure you’re getting the most gas for your money, fill up in an area where there are many stations as more competition helps keep prices down. There are many online resources to help you find the cheapest locations. 

Live Show Family Nights

The Myrtle Beach area offers several live shows to entertain the family.  Although all the area shows are worth the money, some offer our guests “Family Night” rates during the summer. As long as you are flexible on the night/time you will attend the show, you’ll rack up in savings. 

ONE The New Show at Alabama Theatre

On Monday nights we have tickets for ONE The New Show at Alabama Theatre for $37.00 for each adult (saves $2.95 from retail) and each adult gets a child’s ticket FREE (age 16 and under, saves $17.95).  This show offers an “enchanting evening” to its audience and takes them on “a magical musical journey filled with song, dance and laughter.”  The show is family friendly and offers a variety of music, including country, pop, rock, gospel, and Broadway. Especially look forward to the Comedian, he’s a riot!

 Legends In Concert offers our campers discounted rates on Wednesday nights. Adults are only $34.00 each (saves $3.95) and each paid adult gets up to 2 FREE child’s tickets (saves up to $39.90). This national tribute show has been running for almost 30 years and the Myrtle Beach location recently moved to a new theatre near Broadway at the Beach. The new theatre offers intimate seating throughout so you may get pretty close to the “stars”. This summer’s line-up includes the likes of Elvis Presley, Dolly Parton, Steven Tyler, Britney Spears, and Stevie Wonder. The pipes on these stars are sure to give you “goosies”. 

Legends In Concert Stars

When we heard Dolly Parton’s Dixie Stampede would be marching out for the last time our sadden hearts were immediately lifted by the arrival of her new show Pirate’s Voyage. Our adult ticket prices for Thursday nights’ 8:30 show are $45.00 (saves $2.95) and children ages 4-11 are $23.97 (same as retail). This live action dinner show will get your heart pumping with the sound effects, keep your eyes engaged with the performers’ aerobatics, and best of all – fill your belly with a delicious meal. This show has everything you would expect –Pirates fighting, live animals, mermaids, treasure, and more. 

Pirate's Voyage

Discounted Golf

For most businesses in Myrtle Beach, summer is the time of “the season” so prices are at their peak. The exception to this rule: GOLF! Mainly because of the heat, the summer is the slow time of the year for area golf courses. This results in great rates for our campers. We have an exclusive deal with Caledonia and True Blue that gives our guests up to 35% off regular tee time rates. As long as you book through us, within 48 hours of tee time, our rate for Caledonia is $69.00 and True Blue is $59.00, cart and tax included. 

Caledonia

True Blue

Caledonia has been recognized as one of “America’s 100 Greatest Public Courses” by Golf Digest, “Top 100 You Can Play” by Golf Magazine, and “America’s 100 Best Modern Courses” by Golfweek. True Blue is also ranked among “America’s 100 Greatest Public Courses” by Golf Digest and ranks it in the Top 10 among their list of “Top 50 Courses in Myrtle Beach.”

True Blue

Caledonia

Be sure to visit Guest Services in our Main Office to get your show tickets, book team times, or to check out other available deals! 

Crew Member Taylor helping Mr. Carter at Guest Services.

Campground Improvements for 2012

We are constantly working on ways to improve the park and your stay! The Crew is eager to share some of the things we’ve done at PirateLand during the winter and spring!

You’ve been asking us for years, and we finally did it! The Crew installed outside showers at all of our Beach Area Bathhouses. Now you have a convenient place to rinse the sand off! We also replaced a lot of the fencing along the dunes, and continue to make other structural improvements to the dune and oceanfront area. 

As you’re leisurely floating around the lazy river this year, you may notice some subtle changes at the outdoor pool.  The verandas at the entrance and at the back of the pool area have been replaced. We relocated the tube stacking area to the side of the ticket booth. And when you stop in the Camp Store, be sure to check out the new Bamboo wall behind the Ice Cream cooler! 

 

During the winter we added concrete pads to site #’s 602, 603, 604, 605, 612 and 613. We kept the shelters there too. This brings our total number of concrete sites to 46. We have a lot of guests that prefer the natural feel of grass and sand so no worries; we have plenty of non-concrete sites

The Recreation crew is excited to have six new paddle boats this year! The guests that tried them over Spring Break had a blast! Look for some new activities on this summer’s schedule as well – Teen Swim, Kid’s Night, Adult Hour Karaoke, and family interactive games like “What’s In the Bag?” and “Family Portrait Scavenger Hunt”. 

The Indoor Pool surface was recently re-coated and painted. We are installing new benches in there as well!

Campground Hosts First Annual Car Cruise-In

Mid March is always a great time to be in Myrtle Beach! The area is full of fun events like Can Am Days, tons of St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, and our favorite March event: the Run to the Sun Car Show! The show runs from Thursday through Saturday and usually has a showing of about 3,000 cars. In 2010, one of our guests in town for the show suggested to a crew member that PirateLand host a car show....hmmm….now THAT is a good idea!

Along with several car enthusiasts on our crew, we have mates that are passionate about education and helping the community.  We knew hosting an event that integrated these elements would excite everyone on board. So we teamed up with Hot Rod Promotions, the Myrtle Beach Corvette Club and several local businesses to host our First Annual Campground Cruise-In with proceeds to benefit the Automotive Program at the Academy for Technology and Academics in Horry County!

The event was free and Hog Heaven came out with the BBQ Trailer. We had over 70 cars, hundreds of spectators, and over 20 donated raffle prizes. We had a great time, dancing to the music, looking at all the cars, catching up with old friends, and meeting new ones!  We raised almost $600.00 to donate to the Academy. We’re so excited that they will be able to buy some equipment for a car build project they’ve been working on. 

The feedback was great! Pirateland plans to make this Cruise-In an Annual tradition!  We want to send out a big “Thank You” to everyone that helped us out; crew members Kathy Woodson, Ed Walenczyk, Tim Pelletier, Bob and Ginger Baron, everyone in the Myrtle Beach Corvette Club, and ALL the car owners!  Stay tuned for more details on 2013’s Cruise-In!