Broadway at the Beach Blog

From now through January 24, the nation is celebrating "Hunt for Happiness Week." We invite you to come to Broadway at the Beach and find your own personal joy. There's so much to do and so much to see that you're sure to find something that tickles your fancy.

One stop that will always put a smile on your face is Gemini Boutique next to the upside down WonderWorks building.This family-owned store is chock full of trendy apparel and awesome designer handbags, as well as jewelry, watches, luggage and accessories. Find favorites from designers like Vera Bradley, Alex & Ani and Bourbon & Boweties. Toms shoes are also featured at Gemini — Toms is known for donating a pair of shoes to someone in need for every pair of its shoes that are sold.

No matter what time of year it is, it's always time for ice cream. Some of the best you'll ever taste is served by Cold Stone Creamery in our Heroes Harbor section. Their super-premium ice cream is made fresh in the store every day. You'll find yourself smiling — and maybe even singing along — as servers entertain you with Cold Stone songs.

Does wearing jewelry with a European flare make you happy? A Silver Shack features fashionable silver jewelry from around the world. Located next to Ripley's Aquarium, A Silver Shack delivers a one-of-a-kind shopping experience, and you'll be dazzled by the largest selection of silver jewelry in town.

The only thing that can bring more enjoyment than choosing a special piece of jewelry is finding that perfect hat. At Key West Hat Company in our Caribbean Village section of Broadway, they'll get you covered. This is where you'll find just the right hat, bonnett, chapeaux, lid, sombrero or cover to make your heart sing.

Strolling around Broadway, you can work up an appetite. If you start craving seafood, head over to Joe's Crab Shack in our New England Fishing Village. Since 1991, the Texas-born Joe's has been helping patrons make memories while serving up buckets of crabs, steampots of mussels, scallops and crawfish, hushpuppy pie stuffed with lobster and shrimp, and more. So, strap on a bib and head to the shack.

Love to laugh? The Carolina Comedy Club in our Celebrity Square is the perfect way to end your hunt for happiness at Broadway. One of the premier comedy clubs in the country, it features some of the biggest names in comedy as seen on The Tonight Show, Comedy Central, HBO, and Showtime. Check their schedule for appearances by marquee names like Chelsea Lately, Pauly Shore, Ralphie May, Tommy Davidson, Gallagher, and many more. There's no better place to laugh the night away than Carolina Comedy Club.

Time to get in on the fun. Celebrate Hunt For Happiness Week at Broadway at the Beach!

Broadway at the Beach plays host to millions of visitors each year. Many enjoy dining at our wonderfully diverse collection of restaurants. Some just want to grab a snack at an ice cream, coffee or sweet shop. But no matter where they choose to get something to eat, it arrives at the table courtesy of a food server.

Food servers are pivotal to the success of any eatery, and great food servers can turn a meal — or even just a cup of coffee — into a memorable experience for a customer. Sometimes it's with a smile, a little banter and crisp service. Other times, it's just by being unobtrusive and efficient.

At Broadway at the Beach's eateries, the servers are versatile, efficient, fun and friendly. With some not only providing great service, but a side of entertainment as well (think the waitstaff at Johnny Rockets or Senor Frog's).

January is "Be Kind To Servers Month." When you stop by one of our delicious eateries, we hope you'll say a kind word to those who work so hard to serve up the food we all enjoy.

Is getting your kid to actually eat a meal one of your greatest challenges? There's a solution — and a meal that your children will be clamoring to go to.

It's Breakfast with Santa — one of the highlights of the entire year of KIDdom.

This year, the man in the red suit plans to chow down with the little ones at two locations at BATB.

Mark your calendar.

Santa arrives at Ripley's Aquarium on Saturday, December 6 for breakfast seatings at 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. In the outside plaza, he'll pass by a 20 foot tree decorated entirely in red, white and blue. Inside the aquarium, kids will be able to help themselves to a sumptuous buffet among the sharks, stingrays, mermaids and other marine life. There's something for everyone: scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage links, Belgian waffles, buttermilk biscuits, fruit salad, orange and apple juices, and coffee. Annual aquarium pass holders and kids 2 to 5 get admission to the aquarium and breakfast for just $4.99 plus tax, while those 6 to 11 pay $9.99 plus tax, and adults are $14.99 plus tax. Reservations are required, so call 916-0888.

After breakfast, check out Ripley's annual Festival of Trees, a display of more than 50 decorated trees placed throughout the aquarium. Each tree represents a different state and is decorated with unique ornaments. The dazzling line-up of state trees includes our own South Carolina tree, which is 18 feet tall and features magnolias, golf balls, sea shell wreaths and stars, as well as ornaments representing the SC Gamecocks and Clemson Tigers.

At 11 a.m. that day, there's a Ripley's-sponsored holiday parade, so plan on being there for that as well!

Rock Around the Christmas Tree with Santa when Hard Rock Cafe hosts its annual Breakfast with Santa on Saturday, December 6, Saturday, December 13 and Saturday December 20. This event is a hot ticket every year. There is one seating at 9 a.m. on December 6, and two seatings on the 13th and 20th. If you're an early riser, make reservations for the 8 a.m. event, or sleep in and come at 10 a.m.

For $9.95, kids of all ages can graze their way through a full breakfast buffet that includes scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, french toast sticks, grits, biscuits with gravy, hash brown potatoes, danish, juice and coffee. Once tummies are full, each child can get one photo with Santa, and then enjoy a free activities room on December 13 and 20 with cup cake decorating (compliments of Coccadotts) or race cars (compliments of RIDEMAKERZ, Sparkles and Wonderworks). To make reservations, call 946-0007.

On December 6, 13 and 20, Santa Claus is coming to town!

Thanksgiving weekend is one of the best times of the year to enjoy Myrtle Beach. With our warm sun and uncrowded beaches, you can stroll along the sand undisturbed or stake out your own special fishing spot.

It's especially easy to get in the holiday spirit at Broadway at the Beach. Take in a Christmas show at Legends In Concert or The Palace Theatre, or stop and see our 52- foot-tall Christmas tree decorated with 141,000 lights.

On Turkey Day, why slave over a hot stove? There are plenty of great places in Myrtle Beach to find a delicious meal on Thanksgiving Day. For example, several Broadway at the Beach restaurants will be serving up everything from traditional Thanksgiving fare to great steaks, awesome burgers and scrumptious seafood. After you feast at restaurants like Hard Rock Cafe, Landry's Seafood or Good Time Charley's, there's no clean up. So, you'll have plenty of time to stroll among the shops, play at attractions, and even enjoy some nightlife.

When the sun comes up on Black Friday, you can just roll over and catch a few more hours sleep. Skip the craziness at the mall and enjoy holiday bargain shopping that's a breeze. After a leisurely mid-morning breakfast, head over to Broadway at the Beach and enjoy a stroll around the lake. There's sunshine, fresh air and unique gifts at bargain prices. Shops including Tervis, A Silver Shack and Fresh Produce are offering 25% off. Bijuju, MA Fashion and Sports Fanatics are among those offering 40 to 50% off. And a few shops — like Sunglass Hut and Rack Room Shoes — are taking off as much as 60%.

This Thanksgiving weekend you don't have to resign yourself to joining frenzied shoppers on an exhausting pilgrimage for holiday bargains. Come enjoy the beach, a show, and the Christmas lights.

If you know where to look you can find gifts that are unique, beautiful and unexpected at prices worth celebrating.

Do you love nachos? This versatile food is one of the most popular in Myrtle Beach — and throughout the entire U.S.

For nacho purists, there's no better way to experience this comfort food than to snack on tasty corn tortilla sections topped with jalapeño peppers that are cradled in a blanket of melted cheese. After all, that's the way nachos first emerged some 70 years ago from a Mexican restaurant kitchen just over the Texas border.

Over the years, it's become popular to pile nachos high with favorite foods, transforming the snack food into a full meal. Toppings like ground beef, lettuce and guacamole are popular just about everywhere, while chefs in some sections of the country have put regional foods atop the chips. From crispy bacon to tater tots, pulled pork to pineapple, alligator chili to duck confit, and lime-infused crème fraiche to brie sauce, regional versions of nachos have become a staple at restaurants ranging from brew pubs to those serving upscale Continental cuisine.

At Broadway at the Beach, nacho dishes are served at almost every eatery. While many of our visitors enjoy traditional nachos featuring basics like queso and jalapeños, others seek out bolder versions like Volcano Nachos (at Margaritaville) and the Mayan Pyramid (at Carlos'n Charlie's).

National Nachos Day is Thursday, November 6 this year. What kind of nachos will you be diving into?