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Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Wanderlust: Myrtle Beach


We spent a fun July 4th weekend in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina this year!  It wasn't my first trip and I got to visit some of my favorite spots.


 

The Gay Dolphin bills itself as the World's Largest Gift Store (that just seemed to need capitals).  It's been around for 55 years so far!  It definitely brings some welcome quirk to a shopping landscape that is mostly clogged with Sunsations/Wings/Eagles beach superstores.



This was my second trip to Alligator Adventure , which is home to over 800 alligators and many other animals.  The baby lemur in the picture above is only 3 weeks old!  He was so cute!



Huntington Beach State Park, home of Atalaya, is an awesome place to visit.  Atalaya was built in 1931 by Archer and Anna Huntington, who wanted to use it to work on creative pursuits without the interruptions of the New York social scene.  During WWII, it was even used as a base for the Army Air Corps.  


The couple last stayed at Atalaya in 1947, and removed their furniture in 1955.  In 1960, the land became a state park.  Unfortunately, Atalaya was left to the elements until the late '80s or early '90s.  

When I visited as a kid, I was so confused about how this strange building had ever been a home.  At this point, it has (almost) no windows and the interior is made almost entirely of brick.  I spent a lot of time thinking about what the people must have been like, and still couldn't imagine.  Even visiting this weekend, it's still hard to imagine what it must have been like in its prime!


I hope you had a great 4th of July weekend!  I'll be back later for Try it Tuesday!

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