What an amazing complex! Broadway at the Beach is a conglomerate of shops, restaurants, entertainment, and fun placed around a large pond just a hop and a skip from Myrtle Beach itself. The site was entrely man-made, so I'm told, and it is one of the most impressive places I've ever visited. We went there every day the week we spent at Myrtle Beach. There are shops galore selling just about everything. Our favorite store is Magnolia Square which sells a mix of souvenir, homey, and garden items. I never leave Myrtle Beach without buying something there.

There are two separate areas for eating. On the south end, there is a collection of relaxed restaurants serving all different tastes, and on the east end is the more happening places. It is crowned by the pyramid that is the Hard Rock Cafe. The food is pretty good and the prices fair, compared to other chain restaurant fare. There are many restaurants down this "street" which pander more towards the younger crowd and the partiers. There is often live entertainment at at least one of these places every night.

Walking over the many bridges, you will see VERY LARGE FISH! That is because there are feeding spots all over the pond where us humans toss food in by the handful. The fish swarm aggressively or a morsel. Sometimes, the assembly is so thick that a swimming duck can walk across the fish to get to the other side! I've seen this happen! The ducks and the ducklings like to get in on the feeding act as well.

On the south end, there are paddle boats that you can rent to explore the pond yourself, or you can choose to take the ferry which goes from one end to the other. Sometimesthere are fireworks fired from barges right in the pond. Warning: they are EXTREMELY loud if you are near them. Young kids can get hysterical over it.

There is also a Ripley's Aquarium here, which has a place where you can touch a manta ray -- it's kinda like a fuzzy mushroom. It was a neat place, but at about $15 per adult, I thought it a little pricey.

Broadway at the Beach itself has no admission price. It is basically an outdoor mall, but with MUCH MUCH more to offer. At the time of my last visit, a Butterfly House was under contruction which I'm anxious to see. For family fun, the Dragon's Lair mini golf course has an attractive theme and is a fun course.

Broadway at the Beach is also a pleasant place just to stroll, especially in the morning. It isn't very busy in the morning and it feels quite peaceful watching the few others that have ventured out, feeding the fish, listening to the pond fountains and getting that fresh air.

Broadway at the Beach truly does have something for everyone and is a must see if you are anywhere near the area.

This is a location combining activities and stores, usually the boutique stores with beach motifs. Ripley's Aquarium is here as well as a nice miniature golf course. You can also feed the fish and ducks on the myriad pedestrian overpasses as you walk through the area.

Also check out Barefoot Landing, which is similar but has an alligator park and a wildlife exhibit where you can get your picture taken with tigers.

A 350-acre shopping and entertainment experience featuring a park, a lake, night clubs, cinemas, restaurants and shops, as well as the IMAX Discovery Theater and the Palace Theatre. Celebrity Square, also in the complex, features sounds from beach and shag music to country and blues. Ribs and seafood are among the dishes served in the dining district that surrounds a 23 acre lake. (Please check out this information in an AAA tourbook, like I did.)

We went to Broadway on the Beach and went to Ripley's Aquarium first. We then walked around all the stores. They even have a small amusement park which our four- and nine-year-olds sampled. There is also a movie theater there. Very nice and well maintained. Good for families with small children.

We took the shuttle bus to Broadway and were able to walk back later that evening with no problems.

With children under seven, it's hard to really shop at Broadway at the Beach. With the constant chattering and 'when are we going to the aquarium, Mom?' in my ear the whole time, I didn't really get to see much; I was nonetheless impressed with what little I did see. The shops were well planned and spacious. I would recommend this to any avid walker, shopper, or someone just out for an enjoyable day.