Surfside Beach is one of the sleepy little towns that line the Atlantic Ocean along the Grand Strand. Cut off from the mainland by a large saltwater marsh, the town is built on a two block wide sand bar.
Beach Rentals line the shoreline, and the main street of the town leads through a 1950s style amusement park to a private pier
Twenty years ago hurricane forecasting was not as accurate as it is today, so no one was prepared for the damage that Hugo did when it slammed into the South Carlina coastline on Sept 22,'89
Hurricane Hugo's destruction of Surfside Beach.
The Sun News File Photo by Bill Scroggins
There was hardly a building left standing especially in the residential areas
Oddly enough the amusement park area survived relatively intact
The the town has rebuilt itself. Low Country cottages have given way to high rise condos and timeshare units. The pier and amusement area still remain much as they were before Hugo
Arcades, tourist trinket vendors and hot dog stand line one side of the main street, and the amusement park rides with its old fashioned rides are on the other.
The pier has it's own trinket shop, as well as a open air bar overlooking the beach
On warm evenings the bar brings in live combos playing music from the 50s, through 90s.
It all has a very nostalgic feel about it, and is a great way to end the day.
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