Shopping is No. 1 on the list of activities enjoyed by U.S. travelers, according to the Travel Industry Association of America. Grand Strand merchants are obviously attuned to this and have created a virtual smorgasbord of retail establishments.

Barefoot Landing
(800) 272-2320
BFLanding.com

Barefoot Landing blends the beauty of nature with miles of boardwalk, more than 100 specialty shops and 15 waterfront restaurants. This popular complex, adjacent to the Intracoastal Waterway, is also home to Alligator Adventure, the House of Blues restaurant and concert hall, the Alabama Theatre and Barefoot riverboat cruises.

Broadway at the Beach
(800) FUN-INMB
BroadwayattheBeach.com

Broadway at the Beach is another favorite with shoppers. In addition to browsing through boutiques, gift shops, candy stores and dozens of other specialty shops, visitors can enjoy numerous restaurants and attractions, including Hard Rock Cafe, IMAX Discovery Theater, Planet Hollywood, Ripley’s Aquarium, MagiQuest and a 16-screen cinema. New additions include Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville restaurant, gondolas (with singing gondoliers) and more than two dozen new shops.

Coastal Grand
(843) 839-9100
CoastalGrand.com

The Myrtle Beach area’s newest mall – and South Carolina’s largest – opened in March 2004. The 1.5-million-square-foot, fully enclosed complex is on U.S. 17 Bypass near Myrtle Beach International Airport. The mall now features three anchor stores (Belk, Dillard’s and Sears), restaurants, a 14-screen cinema with stadium seating and more than 100 other shops. Numerous restaurants, retail stores and other establishments have opened on mall outparcels.

Tanger Outlet Center (North)
(843) 449-0491
TangerOutlet.com

The Grand Strand’s newest outlet complex, located at the intersection of U.S. 17 and Veterans Highway (S.C. 22), houses 100 outlet stores within 400,000 square feet of store space, along with restaurants, an enclosed food court and a customer service lounge.

Tanger Outlet Center (West - formerly Myrtle Beach Factory Stores)
(843) 236-5100
TangerOutlet.com

From fashions to gifts to home accessories, this newly expanded center on U.S. 501 boasts more than 100 factory stores along with a food court.

Pawleys Island Hammock Shops
(843) 237-8448
TheHammockShops.com

This is the birthplace of the original rope hammock and home to two dozen Lowcountry cottage shops, with such treasures as fine handcrafts, jewelry, clothing and furniture.

Colonial Mall
(843) 272-4040
ColonialMallMyrtleBeach.com

Located in North Myrtle Beach, Colonial Mall is home to JCPenney, Belk, Books-A-Million, Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World (the only one in South Carolina) and numerous eateries, including Islamorada Fish Co. In 2006, a 12-screen theater with stadium seating will make its debut, replacing the mall’s former theater.

Inlet Square Mall
(843) 651-6990
InletSquareMall.com

This mall in Murrells Inlet houses more than 55 stores and specialty shops, a 12-screen movie theater, food court and new soft play area for kids. Anchor stores include Belk, JCPenney, KMart and Books-A-Million.

Other shopping destinations:

The Galleria Shopping Center
(843) 449-7576

The Hidden Village
(843) 449-5318

Hudson’s Flea Market
(843) 238-0372

Myrtle Beach Flea Market
(843) 477-1550