The bells jingled, boats sailed, and music wafted through the air. Spending time in North Myrtle Beach during the holiday season is a winter dream. The air is crispy enough to make it feel like the holidays, but not so cold you need to spend 10 minutes getting dressed to go outside. All around are signs of the season that highlight all the live performances we have to offer.
A Trip to the Theatre
The Alabama Theatre hosts The South’s Grandest Christmas Show. The title sets pretty high expectations, but anyone who’s seen the show will tell you it’s even better! Every November and December, the stage brings the spirit of Christmas to life with a musical experience blending classic and contemporary holiday music along with a little comedy and special effects.
But they’re not the only show in town. Be sure to check out the Carolina Opry Christmas Special: The Christmas Show of the South. Three dozen performers spend two hours creating a holiday wonderland to get you in the spirit. High energy music, dance, and comedy delight the audience.
Put a swashbuckling spin on the holidays by dining with pirates. Pirates Voyage is a great show year-round, but seeing their Christmas show is fun for everyone in the family. In a pirate version of Dickens’s Christmas Carol, the Mystical Christmas Spirit takes Captain Scrooge through time and space to discover the true meaning of Christmas. A sea lion steals the show on stage while aerialists dazzle up above.
Celebrating the true reason for the season together is the joy of Christmas Cantata. The annual tradition features church choirs from across NMB singing the songs of the season. Admission is free, but be there early as seating is limited.
Look at the Lights
For a fun, relaxing, twinkling drive, head to North Myrtle Beach Park & Sports Complex and check out the Great Christmas Light Show. The two-mile trip is packed with two million lights, 20 animated characters, and 500 displays. Afterward, visit Santa’s Village and take a ride on the Santa Express Train Ride.
Thanksgiving Weekend gets the holiday party started early with the Intracoastal Christmas Regatta. The colorful flotilla starts at 5 pm on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. The parade makes its way down the Intracoastal Waterway from the Little River Inlet to Dock Holidays Marina. Best of all, it’s free to grab a spot along the parade route and watch. Or if you’d prefer, grab a front-row seat at one of the many restaurants and bars on the waterway.
The Barefoot Queen Riverboat always offers leisurely paddleboat cruises, but this time of year, with a little Christmas magic, they become a Polar Express Cruise. Come aboard dressed in your best Christmas pajamas and hear the story of the Polar Express. Santa stops in and checks your very own Believe ticket and helps you make reindeer food for when Rudolph and company stop by on Christmas Eve.
Sing, dance, cruise, and revel in holiday joy. NMB is a holiday experience that will always be a fond memory of Christmas past.
