Short answers, pulled from the story.
Myrtle Beach attracts over 20 million visitors annually, making it one of the most visited destinations in the United States. Nearly 100,000 of those visitors each year are international travelers from countries including Canada, Germany, and the United Kingdom.
Myrtle Beach was named around 1900 when a naming contest was held for the growing coastal community. The widow of developer Franklin Burroughs suggested honoring the southern wax myrtle shrub, known scientifically as Myrica cerifera, which grew abundantly in the area. The local post office, previously named "Withers," changed its name to Myrtle Beach shortly after.
Myrtle Beach earned the nickname "Golf Capital of the World" because of its roughly 100 golf courses, a record 4.2 million rounds of golf played, and more than 30 miniature golf courses. Tiger Woods declared Myrtle Beach "the mecca of golf" during a visit in 1997.
Black Bike Week is the largest African American motorcycle rally in the United States, held in Myrtle Beach around Memorial Day Weekend every year. It was founded in 1980 in direct response to a history of discrimination against African American visitors and riders along the Grand Strand, and has attracted as many as 400,000 visitors.
Hurricane Hazel in 1954 is considered the worst hurricane in Myrtle Beach's history. Hurricane Hugo in 1989 was the last hurricane to cause significant damage to the city.
Myrtle Beach had a year-round population of 35,682 as of the 2020 census, ranking it 13th among South Carolina cities by population. The broader Myrtle Beach metro area had an estimated population of 479,426 in 2024, with more than 104,000 people having moved to the region over an eight-year period.