There was a boardwalk that led from the Avista pool deck, across the dunes, and down to the beach. So my first priority as soon as I got checked in, was to get out on that sandy beach, and go for a walk beside the ocean. (Since I live in the "land locked" state of Arkansas, my opportunities for seaside strolls are minimal!)
As I turned towards the city park, that connects the beach to the street called Ocean Drive, I noticed an open-air pavilion, with a sign indicating that this was the location for Sunday morning church services. Since I enjoy visiting churches in new locations whenever I am away from home, I made a point to return the next day to take them up on their invitation to "Come as you are, leave as you Should". And what a blessing it was to go there the next morning to not only be fed spiritually, but they provided coffee and donuts!
Later in my exploring, I made my way down to the Cherry Grove Pier, shown in photo below. This popular landmark was built in the early 1950's and has weathered many hurricanes. It was remodeled and lengthened in 1999 after Hurricane Floyd.
These wading birds provided a nice foreground to frame the sun, as it sinks below the horizon in Myrtle Beach. For those interested in the origin of city names, I can tell you that the name is in recognition of the area's abundant shrub, the Southern wax myrtle. It came about around 1900, when a contest was held to name the area, which was being called "New Town". It was incorporated under that name in 1957.
The group I was with, each had their forehead temperature checked (as shown in photo), before we boarded the bus that was used to transport us around the area. All of us wore our masks the entire time, except when eating. There was hand sanitizer on the bus, throughout the hotel property, and at every attraction/venue we visited. The trip was planned so that as many of our activities as possible could be done outdoors. The tourism partners that are working to make Myrtle Beach as safe a place as possible started a movement to educate the public and tourism-related businesses on what could be done to lower the risk of disease transmission. Folks were able to take a pledge to carry out the suggested guidelines, and each of the participants on this tour was provided a cloth face mask, indicating they had taken the pledge to visit responsibly. You can read about their efforts on their website, www.GreaterGrandStrandisOpen.com .
The first attraction we visited was Brookgreen Gardens (www.brookgreen.org), which has the largest outdoor collection of American figurative sculpture in the world. It was established on the site of 9 former rice plantations.
Although the gardens are open year-round, there are certain times of the winter season, when the Gardens sparkle with outdoor lighting installations, such as the one below. The arching walkway provided by ancient live oak trees in the garden, are covered with vertical "strands" of lights that make the place seem magical. It is , in deed, a "grand strand" of twinkling lights, that is a delight to walk through!! In 2019, due to the pandemic, the days of operation were extended, so that more folks could enjoy the gardens, in spite of reduced capacity restraints issued through public health mandates.
The arrangement of the lights in the installation below reminds me of an angel, with the center triangle being the body of the angel, and the triangles of either side, being the wings of the angel.. The reflecting pool below the lights makes the scene especially poignant.
Another outdoor activity was strolling through the shops of Tanger Outlets (www.TangerOutlets.com). For those who did not want to have their meal or snacks inside, there were ample seating locations in the outdoor, tropical-themed public areas.
At the entrance to Tanger Outlets was this fountain, and a statue called "Happy Girl". I loved the uplifted hands body language on "Happy Girl", because it is the same gesture I am making on my profile photo at the end of the blog, along with the phrase: The Hebrew word for praise means "Hands upward toward God."
Another fun outdoor activity we did was riding go carts, and a photo of the multi-level, curving track is shown below, and their website is www.funatthetrack.com .
I very much enjoy driving go carts, and a nice feature of these go carts is that they were electric, so there were no nauseating gas fumes to deal with! The photo of me below, was taken by the kind employee, who helped get me safely buckled up into the driving position.
Photo below shows yet another day, and another opportunity to see the sun rise over the Atlantic Ocean, from my amazing accommodations at Avista Resort! As you may know, since the pandemic started back in March, most lodging properties are no longer entering guest's rooms on a daily basis, rather upon request only. This reduces the risk of cross-contamination between guests and housekeeping personnel. This posed no problems whatsoever for me, and listening to other participants on the trip, they also did not mind this change. Each of us indicated it was a bit "freeing", because we did not feel we had to "tidy up" the room before we left, knowing housekeeping personnel were not going to see our messiness!
How is this for a view, while having a delicious breakfast, at yet another seaside resort we were able to tour??!! This is a photo from where our group drove down the road a bit, to the Island Vista Resort (www.islandvista.com).
One of the features of this resort that I cannot remember ever seeing back in Arkansas, was a "zero entry" swimming pool. Notice how one end is extending into the stone deck. No need to "jump" when accessing this relaxing amenity! The property gets its name because it is the only oceanfront hotel for nearly a mile in either direction, in Myrtle Beach. If you go to their website, you can see an aerial photo that explains their pandemic motto, "Where social distancing comes naturally"!
Another very popular attraction we visited is called Broadway at the Beach. As you can see from the photo of the "upside down"-looking building below, it is not your typical horizontal line of storefronts! Broadway at the Beach is appropriately named, as it has a B R O A D array of activities available for both tourists and locals. For example, the building below is Wonderworks, an educational, entertainment facility, that is jam packed full of exhibits, to amaze and stimulate the minds of those who visit! If you want to glide across the water like a swan, you can rent one of the swan-shaped paddle boats!
There aredozens of retail shops to peruse as you stroll the immaculately cleaned streets of Broadway at the Beach. Likewise, several popular restaurants are available for guests to choose as dining venues. For a complete listing of all that is available here, visit their website at www.broadwayatthebeach.com
Our group had the pleasure of visiting Ripley's Aquarium, during our time at Broadway at the Beach.
Like all other similar establishments, capacity restrictions are in place, and timed entries are used to control the numbers of guests inside the aquarium at any one time. Since I once had the opportunity to spend the night within a circular aquarium space similar to the one in this photo, I inquired about overnight sleepovers for Ripley's Aquarium. Our guide told us this was a regular activity in pre-Covid days, and to check their website (www.ripleyaquariums.com) to find out the most up-to-date information on arranging a private event, such as an overnight. 
For those who are not afraid of heights, the Skywheel is a 187 foot tall observation wheel, situated adjacent to the boardwalk on Myrtle Beach. When it opened in May, 2011, it was the second tallest Ferris Wheel in North America, after the 212 foot Texas Star in Dallas. Currently, it is the sixth tallest Ferris wheel in the USA. The photo show the glass enclosed, temperature controlled gondolas, described as ballooned-out squares, of which there are 42. 
The developers of the Skywheel chose Myrtle Beach because of its new boardwalk, which has its northern end near the Ferris Wheel site. In 2012, the Skywheel was named the best scenic experience in South Carolina. Likewise, it gets my vote for best scenic experience of my 2020 visit to Myrtle Beach! A nice feature of the gondolas, is that they are made of non-reflective glass, which provides the best opportunities for photos of the exterior.
The Barefoot Queen is moored at Barefoot Landing, in North Myrtle Beach. It cruises both north and south of the marina, on the IntraCoastal Waterway, but not going into the ocean. The Intra Coastal Waterway is a 3,000 mile inland waterway, along the USA Atlantic Coast, and extending around the Gulf of Mexico. Part of it is natural features, and part of it is manmade canals.
The intracoastal waterway provides a navigable route along its length, without many of the hazards of travel in the open sea.
Our group took the sunset dinner cruise, and in addition to enjoying a delicious meal and lively music, we had some fantastic photo opportunities, as the sun set in the west, with a scenic bridge providing the foreground.
In addition to all the attractions I have shown photos of in this article, we also visited two of the many live entertainment shows that Myrtle Beach is famous for. We saw spectacular entertainment at both the Alabama Theater, and the Carolina Opry Both these venues have gigantic auditoriums, full of thousands of seats, but due to pandemic-related capacity restrictions, much of the seating is "roped off" to allow for social distancing between guests. I was trying to abide by the theater guidelines of no flash photography during their performances, but if you want to see some outstanding professionally-done photographs of their performances, visit their websites to be amazed! www.thecarolinaopry.com and www.alabamatheatre.com
Did you know that the word "shag" can refer to more than a type of carpet, or type of haircut??!! It is also a style of couples dancing (similar to Western swing) that is said to have originated in North Myrtle Beach! I think the city administration is proud of that moniker, as they have it painted on the water tower that sits in the middle of town!
Another definition for "strand" is "any of the parts that are bound together to make a whole". With tourism partners being bound together with the common goal of restoration, the "heart" of tourism can return! That is the interpretation that I am giving to this art project I observed on the Grand Strand---different "strands" (in this case, broken pieces of shells) working together as partners, to make something beautiful!
I intentionally framed the photo of the Cherry Grove Pier with the sea grasses, to emphasize the importance of those sea grasses. Those grasses, along with the dunes on which they grow and take root, play a vital role in reducing beach erosion.
Likewise, daily time reading God's Word, helps keep me from succumbing to "spiritual erosion"! So I was very thankful my room at the Avista Resort had a copy of the Gideon Bible in the bedside table drawer. If you go to the website of the Gideons, (www.gideons.org), you can read some amazing stories of lives being saved, and changed forever, because a lodging patron had access to a Gideon Bible in their guest room!This trip to the Grand Strand was all about being partners----those who want to travel, partnering with those who want to welcome travelers! So I am using a photo of my "partners" on this trip as the visual aid for one of my First Place for Health (www.FirstPlaceforHealth.com) memory verses: It says, "In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now." Philippians 1:4-5
I am very thankful to my partners at www.GroupTravelLeader.com and www.VisitMyrtleBeach.com for facilitating this fantastic trip to the Grand Strand of South Carolina! Even though the face masks are covering them up, this trip gave us MILES OF SMILES! Tricia
About twenty years ago, my son took a trip to Big Bend National Park during one of his college winter breaks, and returned singing its praises, and telling me I should check it out. A few weeks ago, I was finally able to visit Big Bend National Park, thanks to a tour offered by Road Scholar ( 
When my son went with college friends, they camped and cooked out. As you can see from this photo, our group had a much more upscale experience! The photo was taken as we dined at the Chisos Basin Lodge, surrounded by great views of the Chisos Mountains, which form a circle around the basin. 
Chisos Basin Lodge area is a great base for exploring the area, as there are many hiking trail heads located here. One of the most popular is a winding trail that leads to an overlook of the entire basin. The trail is paved, and fully wheelchair accessible.
I was pleased to see this historical placard along the trail, that paid tribute to Stephen Tyng Mather (1867-1930). The plaque reads "He laid the foundation of the National Park System. Defining and establishing the policies under which its areas shall be developed and conserved unimpaired for future generations. There will never come an end to the good that he has done." He was the first director of the National Park System. 
The foreground of this photo shows the prickly pear cactus, which is VERY prevalent throughout the park. However, this plant is just one of the 1,295 species of plants found in the park. This diversity is due in part to the fact that the park has three distinct habitats: desert, mountains, and river. The background of the photo (where the rocks come to a "V" is called "The Window", and is one of the most popular photo opportunities in the park.
The paved trail makes a "U turn" at the end of a slightly elevated overlook area, where hikers can pause to rest, or take photos.
The interpretive placards along the trail, tell of the park's volcanic origins. It was this volcanic landscape that was the impetus for some of the astronauts to do moon-landing training maneuvers in some of the remote areas of the park. 
This placard has "writing in the sky" that shows where "The Window" is located, and states that volcanic activity similar to that as Mount Saint Helens, formed the Chisos Mountains. 
As you can see by the way the walkers are dressed, it was a perfect day---both in terms of temperature and clear skies!
It seems every time I am hiking in an area with informational placards, I am on a limited time budget, so I usually end up photographing the placard, and reading it later. Plus, as you can see, if other people are standing in front of the placard, you will need to wait your turn!
The early proponents of making this area a national park knew that a water source was going to be mandatory for its future success. Therefore, the Chisos Basin was the site for early explorations of the"quest for water"!
This is another shot of "The Window", but without any people visible. There is actually a very long, dirt trail that will take hikers to the base of the valley, between the mountains, but our group did not attempt that endeavor.
Some of the mountain formations look like castles in the sky. to give you an idea of how big this formation is, look at the very bottom of the photo on the left, and you will see the a rectangular shape. That is the multi-story Chisos Basin Lodge, where we had lunch.
Another stop along our Big Bend National Park was the Visitor Center at Panther Junction. At the Visitor Center, we learned that the park has was designated as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 1976.
At the Visitor Center, one can make inquiries about programs that are scheduled, ranger-led hikes, and get maps. 
I always like these places because I can use their rubber stamps to mark the occasion of my visit---the stamps tell the name of the park, the name of the Visitor Center, and the date. 
After our group left the Chisos Basin, we took the scenic road up to the Boquillas Overlook. The Rio Grande River is below the overlook, and Boquillas, Mexico, is just across the river. Painted walking sticks have been a popular item for tourists visiting the very informal Boquillas Overlook "market"!
For decades the Mexicans have been making these wire scorpions, and selling them to tourists who come to the Boquillas Overlook.
There was a heavy rock inside the money collection jar, to keep it from blowing away. 
Big Bend National Park has 196 miles of the Rio Grande River, and the park shares 118 miles of International Border with Mexico.
As you can see from this photo, the Boquillas Canyon overlook has ample parking for buses or large trailers. It is also an opportunity to brag on the transportation service that Road Scholar used---Daisy Charter Service ( 
This bronze placard at the Boquillas Overlook is a reminder to comment on something the NPS website for Big Bend lists as a "Issue of Concern"---WATER---both its quantity and quality. Since Biblical times, water issues have often been the topic of very important conversations. The Gospel of John (Chapter 4, verse 10) in the New Testament tells the story of Jesus' conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well. "If you only knew what a wonderful gift God has for you, and who Jesus is, you would ask Him for Living Water, and He would give it." I was thankful to see an announcement posted at the Chisos Basin Lodge, telling about worship services going on in the park on Sundays, so that visitors can learn more about the "Living Water" available to them through Jesus Christ!
This photo shows not only the "display area" for the local Mexican crafts for sale and the "honor system" money jar for payment, but also the distant village of Boquillas, Mexico, nestled in the greenery of the trees next to the Rio Grande. 
The final stop our group made in Big Bend National Park was the Fossil Discovery Center, and I was particularly impressed with this flat panel art piece that depicted an ancient alligator fossil, and also provided shade and decoration for the covered picnic area. 
The Fossil Discovery Center is one of the newest structures in the park, and has an eco-friendly design, that does not rely on electricity for heating or cooling.
The exhibits tell about the ancient life of the park, and I especially liked how they related the size of the fish, to the size of a human, in the black and white drawing of the Xiphactinus. 
They had some very big turtles back in the "olden days"!
This replica of a now-extinct flying creature that used to inhabit the park takes up most of the ceiling space!
Many of the exhibits are tactile or "touchable", and this is particularly helpful for the visually impaired.
The entire fossil discover center is wheelchair accessible.
The replica bone of a dinosaur fossil is huge, and makes me glad I did not have to contend with critters of that size on MY visit to this area!
All of the displays make it clear that the displays are replicas of fossils from the pre-historic era of the park, and not the actual fossils.
For additional resources about these exhibits, visit
There is a short, paved trail that leads to an overlook of Big Bend National Park, where the visitor can see a panoramic view, with interpretive placards pointing out nearby geologic points of interest. 
Since this facility is in such a remote area along the Persimmon Gap entrance road, there is no water available, and the toilet is a vault toilet. 
The daisy has always been my favorite flower, and now I can say that the trip in this "Daisy" motorcoach, has been my all-time favorite motorcoach experience! Traveling around Texas with about 30 fellow Road Scholar participants gave me "Miles of Smiles"!! Tricia