Festivals and Events in Myrtle Beach, SC

Festivals and Events in Myrtle Beach, SC

January

SOS Mid Winter Event

NMB Winter Run

SCYSA Sub-Regionals

Februrary

We Love Our Snowbirds Reception

March

25th Annual St. Patricks Day Parade & Festival

High Tide Ultimate Frisbee

Fastpitch Dreams Collegiate Softball Spring Training

April

SOS  Spring Safari

American Cancer Society Relay for Life

Hootie & The Blowfish's Monday after the Masters

NMB Easter Egg Hunt

Divas 1/2 Marathon & 5K

Coast FA Spring Classic

May

Mayfest on Main

Sounds of Summer Concert Series

Little River Blue Crab Festival

Taste of the Coast at NMB Park & Sports Complex

June

Sounds of Summer Concert Series

Music on Main

July

Patriotic Cantata

Annual July 4th Fireworks Display

Junior SOS

Sounds of Summer Concert Series

Music on Main

WFC Softball Summer Nationals

August

PGA Tour Superstore World Amateur Championship

Sounds of Summer Concert Series

Music on Main

Dixie Youth Machine/Coach Pitch World Series

September

SOS Fall Migration

Anual SOS Charity Golf Tournament

Irish Italian International Festival

911 Candlelight Memorial Vigil

Sounds of Summer Concert Series

Music on Main

Basils Family Fun Run 2015

October

Little River Shrimp Fest

Annual Cruise to the Coast Car Show

Annual Loris Bog-Off Festival

Endless Summer Festival

Masters National Pro-Mini Golf Championship

Howl-O-Scream

November

Annual Intracoastal Christmas Regatta

Carolina Beach Music Awards

Snowball Drop

December

Annual NMB Christmas Tree Lighting

Annual NMB Christmas Parade

Chirstmas Cantata

North Myrtle Beach Women's Club Tour of Homes

FREE to See Rome, Italy

A trip to Rome, Italy definitely warrants a visit to the famous Colosseum, however there are a number of things you can do and see for FREE!

Fun fact about Rome:  "According to ancient legend, the city of Rome was founded by the twin brothers Remus and Romulus, sons of the god Mars and the priestess Rhea Silvia. Abandoned at birth, they were raised by a she-wolf. Later, the two decide to found a city, but Romulus kills his brother in a fit of anger and names the city Rome, after himself." ~ USAToday.com

Free walking tour of Ancient Appian Way:

• San Sebastian Gate
• Church of Santa Maria in Palmis
• Catacombs of St. Callixtus
• Catacombs of St. Sebastian
• Mausoleum of Cecilia Metella
• Circus of Maxentius

Free Museums:

• Via Ostiense Museum
• Antiquarium of the Forum
• Museo di Scultura Antica Giovanni Barracco 
• Museo delle Mura 
• Villa di Massenzio 
• Museo Napoleonico 

More FREE to See:

• Piazza di Spagna (The Spanish Steps)
• The Bocca della Verita
• The Pantheon
• St. Peter's Basilica (check times)

Fountains of Rome:

• The Fountain of Neptune
• Four Rivers Fountain
• Trevi Fountain
• The Fountain of Triton
• Fountain of Books
• The Fountain of Piazza Santa Maria

Transportation:
Purchase a 'Public Transportation Ticket' and use it on any form of transportation in Rome: metro, bus, or tram. Daily passes are 4 Euro,  3 days 11 Euro, One-Week Pass is only 16 Euro! This is a great way to save money, and move about the city fairly easily.

More Things to See and Do in Rome on a Budget

Free To See San Francisco

Most everyone thinks of seeing the Golden Gate Bridge when traveling to San Francisco. I know it's definitely on my bucket list.  However, few know about Fort Point, which is a fort built in 1853 at the base of the Golden Gate Bridge.  The fort is a great location for taking photos of the Golden Gate Bridge.

Fun Fact: The Golden Gate Bridge is continuously painted and repainted all the time. The bridge is so long that by the time the paint crew gets from one end to the other, it’s time to start over again.

Now, for what's Free to See!

• San Francisco City Guides  offers several free tours daily
• San Francisco Maritime National Historic Park
• Ghirardelli's factory tour and free samples
• Cable Car Museum
• San Francisco Railway Museum 

FREE Admission the first Wednesday of each month:

• San Francisco Zoo
• Steinhart Aquarium

FREE Admission the first Tuesday of each month:

• San Francisco Modern Art Museum
• Asian Art Museum
• de Young Museum 
• Legion of Honor Fine Arts Museum 
• Cartoon Art Museum 

FREE Concerts:

• San Francisco Chamber Orchestra
• Chamber concert music at Yerba Buena Gardens on Wednesdays

Check out some of San Francisco's fairs and festivals:

• Stern Grove Festival 
• San Francisco Free Folk Festival
• Jaight Ashbury Street Fair

What's Nearby:

• Alcatraz Island
• The Fillmore Auditorium
• Fisherman's Wharf 
• Yerba Buena Gardens 

Snoqualmie Falls

"The 270 foot drop off a ledge of volcanic rock inspired Charles Baker's vision of the world's first fully underground hydropower plant."

Snoqualmie Falls, actually only 268 feet, is Washington State's most popular waterfall.  The park offers free parking and a free viewing area.

There is an easy hiking trail, 1.2 miles round trip, to the bottom of the falls.

Tip: As you are driving towards the park, watch for overflow parking on the opposite side of the road.  It kind of jumps up on you, but will easier to get into than the parking lot right in front of the park.

FREE to See Smoky Mountains

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most visited national park in the United States.  It's no surprise there is so much free to see!

Free Live Music Entertainment - Elks Plaza, between traffic lights 8 & 9 in Gatlinburg
Sugarlands Visitor Center - free movie, information on the park, and animal displays
Visit the Tennessee Heritage Arts & Crafts Trail - 8 mile loop, watch artists and craftsmen at work
Sevierville Courthouse - built in 1896

Tour the Rocky Top Wine Trail. The wine trail consists of 5 wineries all within 12 miles:

• Hillside Winery
• Apple Barn Winery
• Mountain Valley Winery
• Sugarland Cellars
• and Eagle Springs Winery.  

All offer free wine tastings and tours.  Explore 3 wineries and get a free glass, tour 5 and receive a bonus gift.

Historic Buildings:

• Cades Cove - 11 mile loop with historic buildings, grist mill and more.
• Cataloochee
• Oconaluftee
• Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail

Visit 4 area Grist Mills:

• John P. Cable Grist Mill in Cades Cove
• Mingus Mill
• Ogle Mill
• Reagan Mill

Hiking Trails:
Chimney Tops - 4 miles; 1,335' climb; strenuous; winds through a virgin forest to the Chimney Top pinnacles
Abrams Falls - 5 miles; 340' climb; moderate; a relatively flat trail leading to the 20' falls
Arch Rock - 2.5 miles; 400' climb; easy; trail leads to an erosion-created tunnel
Hen Wallow Falls - 4 miles; 520' climb; moderate; good short-day hike to 95' falls
Sugarlands Valley Nature Trail - 3,000' loop paved trail with educational exhibits and communications media
Alum Cave Bluffs - 5 miles; passes through a bald of mountain laurel and rhododendrons
Cades Cove - .5 miles; see how settlers used native plants
Cove Hardwoods - .75 miles; grove of old-growth deciduous trees
Laurel Falls - 2.5 miles; paved trail leads through a pine-oak forest to the falls
Cosby - 1 mile; introduction to the Great Smoky Mountains' natural history

Picture Opportunities:
Sevier County Courthouse - Statue of Dolly Parton
Pigeon Forge Visitors Center - Old Steam Engine
Smoky Mountains National Park Sign - as you enter the park

More Free to See:

• Rockefeller Memorial - located at Newfoundland Gap
• Evening on the Mountain Farm Museum - Oconaluftee 
• Cataract Falls Walk - Sugarlands Visitor Center
• The Trentham Family Cemetery 

What's Nearby:

• White Water Rafting 
• Smoky Mountain Train Ride 
• Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont 
• Synchronous Fireflies 
• Smoky Mountain Field School 
• Smoky Mountain Ziplines 

FREE to See Lake Geneva

Whether you call it Geneva Lake, or Lake Geneva, the area has a ton of fun things to see and do....a number of which are free to see!  The lake is 8.6 square miles and it is best to visit during the summer months of June, July and August.

Yerkes Observatory, was established in 1897, and is part of the Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics of the University of Chicago.  The Gothic architectural design alone, is worth the trip.  It is staged in a 77 acre park full of flowers and gardens, and houses the world's largest refractor telescope. The observatory opens to the public and  offers free tours at 10am, 11am and noon on Saturday mornings.  Allow about 45 minutes for the tour.

The Venetian Festival takes place the 3rd weekend in August each year, and has a number of free activities and shows.  Entertainment includes a Water Ski Show, free bands (and some with only $5 admission at the time of this article), craft fair, boat parades, fireworks and more!

What's Free to See:
Kishwauketoe Nature Conservancy
Flatiron Park - free concerts on Thursdays in July and August, Art in the Park
Geneva Lake Shore Path - 21 miles around Lake Geneva
Appeltreow Winery & Distillery - free tours and tastings


View Lake Geneva Free Things to See in a larger map

What's Nearby:
Big Foot State Park Beach - $7 per vehicle
The Dancing Horses Theatre
Watson's Wild West Museum  - admission $5

Free to See Las Vegas

A trip to Las Vegas doesn't have to be expensive.  Skip the gambling and quite a bit of your adventure can be Free!

Check out the Flamingo Wildlife Habitat at the Flamingo Hotel and Casino.  In addition to flamingos, you'll see ring tealed ducks, sacred ibis, swans, ducks, koi fish, turtles and pelicans.  You might also show up just in time to watch one of the two live feedings daily.

The Atlantis Aquarium in Caesar's Palace has small tiger sharks, stingrays and other unique ocean creatures.  It is located in the Forum Shops Mall, just outside of The Cheesecake Factory restaurant. Show up at the top of the hour and see the 'Fall of Atlantis' show for free, every hour after 11am daily.  On your way to the show you'll see the Fountain of the Gods.

Check out the Fountains of Bellagio.  This is a free show of water, music and lights.  The shows are every 15 minutes nightly.

Also, free to see at the Bellagio, is the Conservatory and Botanical Gardens.  The gardens is ever changing, and if you've been there before, that doesn't necessarily mean that you've seen it.

The Volcano at The Mirage begins at 8:00pm and runs every half hour until midnight, with the exception of 8:30pm.

The Mirage also has a 20,000 gallon aquarium behind the front desk and a 100 foot dome Atrium with towering palms, lagoons, waterfalls and exotic blooms.

Sirens at TI is the 'Pirate Show' for which Treasure Island is famous.  The show times are 5:30pm (winter only), 7:00pm, 8:30pm, 10:00pm and 11:30pm (summer only).The show lasts 18 minutes. Get there early, so you don't have a lot of people in front of you.

Time the shows properly, and you can walk from Treasure Island, the Volcano at The Mirage and the Fountains of Bellagio, all right in a row.

Treasure Island also has live country music at Gilley's Saloon,  free admission if you get there before 10:00pm, and only $10 cover after 10:00.

Circus Circus features the largest permanent circus in the world.  Free shows begin every half an hour from 11am to midnight.

The Lake of Dreams at Wynn has a waterfall and light show starting at dusk until 12:30am nightly.  It's a 3 acre lake surrounded by forest.

Free Transportation:
Free transportation in Las Vegas includes:

• the Aria Express, which goes from Aria/Monte Carlo to Crystals to Bellagio
• free tram between Excalibur, Luxor, and Mandalay Bay
• and the free tram between The Mirage and Treasure Island.

More Free to See:

• Golden Nugget - World's largest gold nugget at the Golden Nugget Casino
• Picture with $1,000,000 - Binions
• Fremont Street Experience - light show
• Big Elvis Show - Bill's Gambling Hall on the Strip
• City Center Fine Art Collection
• Elvis Memorabilia at Westgate Resort - well worth the trip off the strip

If you have a FaceBook account, you can get free hotel nights stays, free buffets, free monorail rides, and more by playing myVegas.  Check it out!

Washington D.C. City Apps

Whether it's your first time traveling to Washington D.C., or you've lived there all your life, you'll find these Free Washington D.C. City Apps helpful!

Washington D.C. City Guide  - Android Link
This is a free Washington D.C. City Guide from TripAdvisor.  This app includes restaurants, attractions, hotels and reviews.  And can be used offline.

DC Rider App - Android Link  iPhone Link
Built for Metro-riding in the Washington D.C. area.  Find the nearest station, how long until the next train, advisories and more.

DC Going Out Guide - iPhone Link
Great for locals or travelers.  This app tells what bars and restaurants are in the area, along with what's new, entertainment and reviews.

Washington DC Travel and Photo Guide - iPhone Link
Where and when to go to get the best shots of Washington DC's icons.

Washington DC Map and Walks - iPhone Link
Includes walking tours of monuments and memorials, art walk, gardens walk and many more.

Museums in Washington DC - Android Link
All Smithsonian museums are listed, museum links, maps and more!

Washington DC Free Guide - Android Link
Includes GPS guide, Mobile Reference, attraction articles, verified GPS addresses, restaurants, tips and more!

Download your FREE Washington D.C. Apps today and Visit Free to See Washington D.C. to find what is free to see and do in Washington D.C. during your vacation!

Free to See Seattle

I remember the first time I went to a Sculpture Park, it was in New Orleans.  It was hard to believe such a neat attraction could be free to see....  While you're in Seattle, check out The Seattle Art Museum's Olympic Sculpture Park.  It is free to see, and open daily!

Here's an unusual fact about Seattle.  As you probably know, the Boeing Everett Factory is the largest building (by volume) on Earth.  But, did you know, that before air circulation was perfected in the 1960's, clouds used to form inside the plant and at times it would actually rain, indoors!

What's Free to See:

Snoqualmie Falls 

Frye Art Museum   

704 Terry Avenue

Seattle, WA 98104

Gates Foundation Visitor Center

440 Fifth Avenue North
Seattle, WA 98109

Free concerts at Benaroya Hall. While there, discover the 26 foot tall, 4,490 pipe Watjen Concert Organ.

See the Fish Ladder at Hiram M. Chittenden Locks, also known as Ballard Locks.  The locks provide a link for boats (and fish) between the salt water of Puget Sound and the fresh water of the Ship Canal.  Free guided tours are given from March 1st thru November 30th.

The Carl S. English Botanical Gardens is one of Seattle's best kept secrets!  The gardens houses more than 570 species and 1500 different varieties from around the world.

Pioneer Square - historic buildings dating back to 1852

Pike Place Market

The view from the bar at The Edgewater Hotel.

Jimi Hendrix Memorial Site

View Seattle, Washington in a larger map

More to See:

• Seattle Aquarium
• Space Needle
• Argosy Cruise Harbor Tour
• Pacific Science Center
• The Museum of Flight
• Woodland Park Zoo

Getting Around Seattle/Transportation:

• The Seattle StreetCar fares are a mere $2.50 and only $0.75 for Seniors.
• Metro  - fares range from $2.25 to $3.00 and $0.75 for Seniors
• Taxi - $40 flat rate from airport to hotel district. $2.50 meter drop + $2.70 per mile.
• Seattle Monorail  - $2.25 and $1.00 for Seniors
• More Transportation Tips for you! 

What's close by:

• Mount Rainier - an active volcano ascending 14,410 feet above sea level
• Olympic National Park - Mount Olympus is the highest peak in the park at 7,980 feet, and receives over 200 inches of precipitation each year. 
• Bainbridge Island
• Almqist Family Vintners offers free tastings.
• Cascade Tunnel - longest railroad tunnel in the United States at 41,200 feet.



Chicago City Apps

Whether it's your first time traveling to Chicago, or you've lived there all your life, you'll find these Free Chicago City Apps helpful!

Chicago App Brain - Android Link
Chicago city app that provides information to: local news, public transportation, restaurants, weather forecast, bars, pubs, hotels and more!

Chicago Beer Geek - iPhone Link
This app is meant to inform Beer Geeks about the great events and locations around the city and surrounding suburbs.  Find out about tastings, homebrewing classes and festivals.

Chicago Traffic Tracker - on Google Play
Chicago Traffic Tracker - iPhone Link
This is an app from the Chicago Department of Transportation.  The app provides real time traffic conditions, congestion projection, vehicle counts and more!

FasPark  Links for iPhone and Android
The FasPark app navigates drivers to available street and garage parking.  Find free, metered, or permit spots on iPhone or Android in Chicago.

Chicago Transit Tracker CTA - for Android
This app shows estimated arrivals for favorite or nearby bus or train stops, uses device location data, mapping, service alerts, shows time and date.  There is a free and a low cost app available, depending on your needs.

Download your FREE Chicago Apps today and Visit Free to See Chicago to find what is free to see and do in Chicago during your vacation!