Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1546515
attractions highlight the area's Black history. Twice weekly tours of Charlie's Place, a restored nightclub and adja- cent hotel, give visitors a peek into the past when music legends like Ray Charles, Billy Holiday and Little Richared performed there. The Historic Myrtle Beach Colored School Museum offers tours three days a week. CHARLESTON Charleston's top visitor attraction, its 770-acre downtown historic dis- trict, is easily accessible via a quick shuttle ride to groups gathering in the Charleston Area Convention Center. The facility contains 77,000 square feet of exhibit hall space that can be segmented into three areas. More than 113,000 square feet of additional meeting space is available in the 255- suite Embassy Suites by Hilton Hotel next door. There are more than 2,000 hotel rooms within a mile of the con- vention center, which is a mere five- to seven-minute drive from Charleston International Airport. The Charleston Historic District is world-famous for its cobblestone streets and an unrivaled collection of 18th and 19th Century architecture that encompasses more than 1,400 buildings. Among the district's most notable sites are the pastel-colored SOUTH CAROLINA AREA GUIDES GULLAH GEECHEE CULTURE A STRONG DRAW FOR SOUTH CAROLINA BY SONYA STINSON From the Blue Ridge Mountains and waterfalls upstate to the beaches and Lowcountry culture of the Atlantic Coast, South Carolina offers a wide array of memorable settings for a meeting or leisure trip. Sizable accommodations can be found in major cities like Charleston, Columbia and Greenville, as well as in popular resorts towns like Myrtle Beach. South Carolina is part of the Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor, a National Heritage Area that extends from North Carolina to Florida. The corridor consists of several communi- ties, museums and landmarks preserv- ing the unique culture of African- Americans who lived in the coastal areas and sea islands of the Southeast. MYRTLE BEACH If you're targeting an accessible coastal destination for a meeting or incentive trip, then Myrtle Beach, with 60 miles of shoreline along its famous Grand Strand, deserves a place on the list of options. Myrtle Beach Internat- ional Airport has nonstop flights to and from more than 50 U.S. destina- tions, while a large segment of the East Coast is within a one-day drive from Myrtle Beach. Many of the hotels and resorts dot- ting the Grand Strand offer space for small and midsize meetings. The area's largest venue, the 250,000- square-foot Myrtle Beach Convention Center, offers a 100,000-square-foot exhibit hall, 20 meeting rooms and an 18,000-square-foot ballroom that seats 1,500. The convention center is attached to the Sheraton Myrtle Beach, which contains another 200,000 square feet of meeting and event space, along with 400 gue- strooms. Visitors can fill their leisure hours with beachwalking, dining, shopping, live entertainment and a host of other activities. One of the most popular attractions on the boardwalk is SkyWheel Myrtle Beach, a 200-foot observation wheel with glass- enclosed gondolas. Another is Plyler Park, which hosts free summer con- certs and festivals throughout the year. Kids in the travel group might espe- cially enjoy playing games at the arcades lining the boardwalk, splash- ing around at a waterpark or watch- ing the wildlife at Ripley's Aquarium of Myrtle Beach and the Lowcountry Zoo at Brookgreen Gardens. There's something for all ages at shopping, dining and entertainment hubs like Barefoot Landing, which includes a playground, and Broadway at the Beach, a 350-acre complex that hosts a free summer fireworks show over the man-made lake at its center. Broadway also puts on a free Summer Nights Enter-tainment Series featur- ing performances by musicians, fire dancers and stilt walkers. For active outdoor recreation, there's golfing at more than 90 cham- pionship courses, hiking and fishing at two area state parks. Situated within a maritime forest, Myrtle has an interactive nature center on site. Huntington Beach State Park is the site of the historic home known as Atalaya Castle, which is open for tours. Two notable Myrtle Beach Myrtle Beach Convention Center • • • STATS • • • EXHIBITION FACILITIES Myrtle Beach Convention Center Total Meeting Space 250,000sq. ft. Largest Hall 100,000 sq. ft. Largest Ballroom 18,000 sq. ft. Meeting Rooms 20 WHO YOU GONNA CALL? Visit Myrtle Beach — 1-800-356-3016 https://www.visitmyrtlebeach.com photo credit: Myrtly Beach C.C B M & T ••• September/October 2026 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 43