Beyond the beach: kayaking, coastal wildlife and unexpected adventures in North Myrtle Beach

I owe Myrtle Beach an apology.

A couple of years ago, I visited ol' Dirty Myrtle to celebrate my little cousin's 21st birthday. Afterward, I didn't write a glowing review of the place in Nightcaps. Actually, I think my exact words were "an endless sea of screaming kids, mini golf courses and the kind of restaurants where you exit through the gift shop."

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Maybe a little harsh, I admit. And, trust me, some of you South Carolinians really let me hear about it in my email inbox.

So when the opportunity came along to give the Grand Strand another shot via a girls' trip with my good friend Kristin, I didn't hesitate. And I found a whole lot more beyond the fruity drinks in souvenir cups.

I do love melting into a beach chair as much as the next person. And there are certainly ample opportunities to do just that on North Myrtle Beach. But if you've read any of my travel blogs before, you know I like getting off the beaten path.

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Now, I'm not going to pretend Kristin and I spent every waking moment exploring the great outdoors. There was plenty of wine consumed on our oceanfront balcony, and I have absolutely no regrets about that. But we did manage to peel ourselves away from the view long enough to discover a few gems.

Did you know there's a virtually untouched island just off Myrtle Beach? That means no hotels, beachfront condos, no restaurants or surf shops. Just miles of pristine beaches, winding salt marshes, sand dunes and plenty of wildlife.

And the only way to get there is by water. Because, well, it's an island.

So Kristin and I signed up for a three-hour tour (cue the "Gilligan's Island" theme song) with Great Escapes Kayaking to check this place out.

I don't know who I was expecting as our guide, but it definitely wasn't a long-haired country good ol' boy named Bubba. And he was spectacular.

Bubba was a wealth of knowledge about that stretch of land and waterway. He identified all the wildlife and had stories to boot. He pointed out the massive beds of oysters along the shore (and warned us not to step on them) and told us all about his kayak fishing adventures. He even helped us spot the two bald eagles that call the area home.

It took us about 45 minutes to paddle out to Waites (pronounced WAY-dees, I'm told) Island. Once we got there, Bubba set us free to explore on our own. He promised to babysit our kayaks to make sure they didn't get swept into the ocean, which was kind of him.

Y'all, this island is every bit as stunning as advertised. Grassy dunes to your left, the Atlantic Ocean to your right, and miles of untouched white sand sprawled out in front of you.

Pro tip: don't forget to bring water and maybe lunch. We were kicking ourselves when we realized we could have packed a small cooler and had ourselves a picnic.

The island has a fascinating history, from its ties to the Waccamaw people to its eventual ownership by the Tilghman family. Part of the property was later donated to Coastal Carolina University with the stipulation that it remain undeveloped. And thank goodness for that.

The only eyesore you might encounter is... horse poop. A company called Inland Point Plantation does private horseback riding tours on Waites Island, so just watch where you're stepping if you see those beauties come through.

After about an hour and a half of frolicking out on the island, we returned to our kayaks (still there, thanks to Bubba) and paddled back to the mainland.

Bubba said he usually takes his fishing gear with him to pass the time while his guests are exploring the island. If we come back for a tour on our next trip, he promised to show us where to find "the big ones."

Sold, Bubba.

Just a few multi-million-dollar houses away from the boat ramp is a 1-mile walking trail through Heritage Shores Nature Preserve.

Now, there are "hikes" and there are "nature walks" — this is most certainly the latter. But if you love a serene little stroll over sand and boardwalks, it's worth your time. There's also a precious little picnic pavilion on the point, and dogs are allowed on-leash.

Word to the wise, though: pay attention to the tides. Kristin and I took our sweet time reading all the informative nature signage and looking for birds and fish. Upon our return, we found the trail completely submerged in water. The tide had come in.

Not to worry. Our mamas didn't raise no wimps. So we took off our shoes and proceeded to wade through the water back from whence we came.

Of course, this whole endeavor was complicated by the thousands of tiny crabs scurrying underneath our feet. It was like walking through a child's playroom in the dark and praying you don't step on any LEGOs.

Fortunately, we survived. And I'm pretty sure the crabs did, too.

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After any outdoor adventure, it's important to reward yourself with refreshments. And North Myrtle Beach certainly isn't lacking in this department.

We ate and drank our way around town (strictly for research purposes, obviously), and these were some of our favorite stops:

And you'll be delighted to know that a couple of these restaurants even have gift shops. See, lovers of the Grand Strand? I'm not such a snob after all.

In fact, we even played a round of putt-putt at Professor Hacker's Dinosaur Adventure Golf. There's a T-rex on a boat there. When in Rome, I suppose.

So, North Myrtle Beach, consider this my formal apology. You've got a whole lot more going for you than packed resorts and chain restaurants. And, dare I say, the October "offseason" is wildly underrated.

But I'm still not buying any souvenir cups.

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