From the beach and golf courses to shopping and dining venues, the Grand Strand is known as a vacation destination that has a little something for everyone. That's especially true on Thanksgiving Day, when a wide range of restaurants open their doors to hungry visitors and locals for the holiday feast. From formal to casual and from buffets to on-site dining at Compass Cove Oceanfront Resort, Myrtle Beach has the ideal Thanksgiving feast for you and your party. Here's a look at some of your options:
* Formal: Fine dining is a family tradition for many Thanksgiving guests, and there are plenty of nearby places where you can experience a great Thanksgiving meal in an upscale setting. Chestnut Hill on Restaurant Row offers a traditional Lowcountry feast of deep-fried turkey, smoked oysters and their famous prime rib. Greg Norman's Australian Grille, located in Barefoot Landing, serves a mix of American and Australian favorites in a scenic setting overlooking the Intracoastal Waterway. Reservations for these and most fine-dining restaurants that are open for the holiday are required.
* Semi-casual: Or is it semi-formal? Either way, casual attire is allowed, and reservations are recommended but not required at these local restaurants. Carolina Roadhouse and California Dreaming are family-casual style eateries where you can get some great food in a relaxed atmosphere. The new Hard Rock Cafe at Broadway at the Beach offers another fine example of a festive holiday feast without all the pretense, and Castano's at Barefoot Landing combines the traditional American turkey dinner with their house-special Italian favorites.
* Casual: No need to dress up or make reservations for these walk-in establishments, which put all the focus on the food and little on the fanfare. The Simply Southern Smokehouse is a prime example, serving its usual country-cooking buffet but featuring all the Thanksgiving classics. Enjoy turkey, dressing and cranberries alongside barbecue, chicken bog and fried chicken. A long list of sides and desserts is also on the menu, and the buffet is open all day. K&W Cafeteria, located only a few blocks from Compass Cove, provides an a la carte smorgasbord for a reasonable price in a casual setting.
* Seafood: Spending Thanksgiving Day at the beach means you can pass on the traditional turkey dinner for a seafood feast at several local restaurants, such as Captain George's at Broadway at the Beach and the Original Benjamin's Calabash Seafood Buffet on Restaurant Row. Perfect for parties with differing taste buds, several seafood buffets offer both traditional Thanksgiving favorites and their standard fare so you can have some turkey and dressing alongside your shrimp and crab legs. Or you can skip the buffet and head to Murrells Inlet, the self-proclaimed “Seafood Capital of South Carolina,” and check out Gulfstream Café or Wahoo’s Fish House. Reservations are accepted but not required.
* Dine-in: That's right, Compass Cove guests — you don't even have to leave the resort property to have a real Thanksgiving feast. The on-site Compass Rose restaurant will offer two holiday seating sessions for dinner service in our oceanfront dining facility. A traditional Thanksgiving spread of turkey, ham, dressing, vegetables and dessert is available for a special price for guests. Reservations are recommended. For a real dining-in experience, guests can pick up prepared meals from places like Croissants Bistro & Bakery or K&W To Go to carry back to your suite and your vacation home away from home.
Wherever you decide to have your Thanksgiving dinner, be sure to spend the rest of the holiday weekend relaxing in Myrtle Beach at Compass Cove Oceanfront Resort. Enjoy our comfortable accommodations and first-class amenities while you celebrate a memorable Thanksgiving getaway on the Grand Strand.
