2023 Nov 27-Dec 2, The Club Diamond Bus, Myrtle Beach ShowTrip Myrtle Beach South Carolina (6 Days)

Day 1:

We traveled with a group of about 37 in a tour bus from Florence, Alabama, to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

We left on Monday, Nov 27, at 8:30 A.M.  

At about 10:18 A.M., we stopped at Walmart in Gardendale to pick up four more passengers and a few items.

Fried Shrimp with Pinto Beans, Tarter Sauce, and hush puppies 

Our next stop was Cracker Barrel in Leeds, AL, for lunch around 11:22 A.M.

We went through Atlanta, GA, traffic around 4 P.M. 

Our next stop was Pilot in Braselton, SC. Around 5:53 P.M.

Arrived at Holiday Inn Express room 126 in Greenville, SC, where we spent the night.

Day 2:

We all ate breakfast at the hotel and began our final journey to Myrtle Beach.'

We stopped at Love's Lugoff, SC, around 11:08 A.M. for a restroom break and to fill up with fuel.  

We stopped at McDonald's for lunch in Bishopville, SC, at 12:31 P.M.  

Checked into the hotel with a few minutes to spare before getting ready for dinner. Compass Cove Oceanfront Resort, room 323.

Crab Leggs, Corn onShrimpob, Baked potato, Shrimp and tartar sauce 

Dinner tonight is at the Giant Crab Seafood Restaurant, which arrived a little after 4:37 P.M.

Christmas Show at Alabama Theatre

Finished the night with a Christmas show at the Alabama Theatre. 7–9 P.M.

Day 3:

Breakfast at the hotel.

We loaded onto the bus around 9 A.M. and headed to Conway, SC, to the LW Paul Living History Museum. 

After about an hour and a half, we headed to Myrtle Beach Boardwalk.

We walked along the boardwalk that was next to the Atlantic Ocean.

We ate lunch at The Bowery, where Alabama, the band got their start. 

News Paper article about The Band Alabama 

Alabama Band/Wild Country 
Jeff Cook, Teddy Gentry, Randy Owen, & John Vartanian 

The band area was closed, but Hubby asked the waitress if I could go inside to take pictures. The waitress took us inside, and I took a few pictures. They were busy, so I did not stay very long. 

We shared a Cheesecake ice cream waffle cone. After several hours of shopping, we headed back to the bus. 

We rode to Walmart to pick up a few items and then returned to the hotel for several hours. 

We ate dinner at Simple Southern Smokehouse. 

Blues Brothers, Dolly Pardon, Elvis, Frank Sinatra, and Aretha Franklin.

We finished the night with a Christmas Show at the Legends Theatre, where we saw the Blues Brothers, Dolly Pardon, Elvis, Frank Sinatra, and Aretha Franklin.

Back to the hotel to rest.

Day 4:

Breakfast at the hotel. 

At 9 A.M., we rode to the Asher Theatre to see A Man of a Thousand Voices by James Stephens III.

After his performance, we shopped at Barefoot Beach Boardwalk, ate lunch at Lulu's, and bought some hot sauce and spices. 

We also bought nail polish and 4 rings at De Sol. 

The bus took us back to the hotel to rest.

At 4:40, we rode to Bennetts Calabash Seafood for dinner. 

Caroling Opry

After dinner, we saw Carolina Opry and returned to the hotel at about 9:30 P.M.

Packed our bags, we are leaving tomorrow after our shopping. 

Day 5: 

Watched the sun come up, then walked down to breakfast.

At 9 A.M., we rode to Broadway at the Beach to watch The Jersey Boy sing songs from the 1960s by the Four Seasons and Christmas songs. 

We went shopping at Broadway at the Beach. 

At lunch at Wahlburgers. 

Around 2 P.M., we were headed to our next stop, Holiday Inn Express Grovetown, Ga. 

Arrived around 8:30 P.M.

Day 6: 

Breakfast at the hotel. 

On the road around 8:30 A.M. 

Stopped at Western Sizzlin Oxford, Al, for lunch.

Stopped at Gardendale, Al, to drop off passengers and take a restroom break.

Arrived home around 5 P.M.

We had a great week, with many Christmas Shows, shopping, and eating in Myrtle Beach, SC.

Shows
At the Broadway Theatre, We heard Hot Jersey Nights Myrtle Beach Christmas Show (Frankie Valli and Four Seasons)

At the Alabama Theatre, we saw The South's Greatest Christmas Show.

At Legends Theatre, we saw Legends in Concert (Dolly Pardon, Frank Sinatra, Elvis, Retha Franklin & Blues Brothers)

At the Asher Theatre, we saw the man of 1,000 voices. James Stephens III

At the Carolina Opry Theatre, we heard
vocalist Delvin Choice of NBC's The Voice, national recording artist Brad Long, hip-hop cloggers All That! of NBC's America's Got Talent, powerhouse vocalists Christie Templeton, Tangena Church and Chas Croft Sorrells, fiddling champion Trent Wideman and bluegrass virtuoso Gary Brown.

Restaurants
We ate at the Giant Crab Seafood Restaurant in Myrtle Beach
Simply Southern Smokehouse Myrtle Beach 

Bennett's Calabash Seafood Myrtle Beach 
Corn on tShrimp, Shrimppotatoes, Shrimp, and fried green tomatoes

Bennett's Calabash Seafood Myrtle Beach
Lulu's Myrtle Beach Myrtle Beach 

Wahlburgers Myrtle Beach 

Wahlburgers Myrtle Beach
Western Sizzlin Leeds, Al

Shopping
We shopped at The Boardwalk, Barefoot Landing, and Myrtle Beach BoardWalk 

1/2 Hamburger and fries at Lulu's Barefoot Landing 

Lulu's
De Sole
The General Store
It's Sweet
Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream

We stayed in a Resort facing the Atlantic Ocean.
Great to be home.

2023 Oct 6-14, CARNIVAL SPIRIT Cruise (from Mobile) The BAHAMAS 8 Days: Nassau, Half Moon Cay, Freeport, & Bimini (9Days)

 Day 1: Friday, Oct 6, Mobile:

We ate breakfast at Chick-fil-A, two buildings down from our hotel. I ordered chicken minis and Diet Coke. 

Loaded our luggage into the shuttle and were taken to the docks. 

We went through customs and loaded onto the boat before 12 P.M. 

We stopped for a quick lunch and went to our room. The ship was leaving port around 4:30 P.M. 

Party time 

We went to the deck to join the sail-away party.

We were in stateroom 6117 (Deck 6), and our boarding time was 12:30–1 P.M. 

Muster Station 5.

Hotel The Battle House Renaissance Mobile Hotel and Spa 26 North Royal St Mobile, Al 36602

I bought CC Home Port Deck Pictures 2 5x7 for $31.65

I purchased a Lanyard lock for $7.65 for my Carnival Card. 

We joined our friends in the dining room for dinner. For appetizers, we ordered a shrimp cocktail and Caesar salad. For our main course, I ordered grilled salmon. For dessert, I ordered chocolate molten cake.  

Grilled Salmon with Veggies 

Show Inside Scoop Shopping and Fun Ashore. 

After dinner, Dindere returned to our cabin, where we watched Weathern Heights on TV and went to bed. 

Day 2: Saturday, Oct 7, Sea Day: 

I woke up early and walked around the upper deck, stopping to talk to people. I went downstairs to get a pastry and some fruit juice. I was writing in my journal when Hubby joined me for breakfast. 

Sea Day Brunch in the Empire Room, where I ordered a skillet cake with two link sausages and water. 

Hubby's Sea Day Brunch ham, steak, fries, eggs, fruit 

Hubby bought a Mt Dew cab for $3.54

We returned to our room, watched TV for 24 hours, and napped. For lunch, a hamburger from Guys Burgers. 

For dinner, I ordered grilled shrimp, appetizers, mushrooms, and dessert?

Carnival Spirit Halloween Pumpkin 

After being insincere, I enjoyed watching the 80s Show performance. 

Went to our room, watched Harvey the Rabbit with Jimmy Steward, and went to bed. 

Day 3, Sunday, Oct 8,  Bimini:

I woke up at 4:30 A.M., walked to the upper deck, and watched the sunrise. 

Met a family from Alabama and one from Madison, MS. Took several pictures. 

I took a free trolley into Bimini and a taxi to the old town. ($20.00)

Bimini 

Hubby bought a sun hat, and we walked to the beach. I got into the water while Hubby sat on the beach. 

We stopped to take pictures of the Bimini Museum outside, for the museum was closed.

We met several children playing, and we stopped to talk to them. 

We took the taxi back to the trolley area and then to the boat. 

We ate a late lunch and then took a nap.

Sunset on Bimini 

Dinner in the Empire Room.

After insincere, I watched The Magic Show with Side Show Bert in the Pharoh Room. 

We stopped in the bar area where Mootown Trivia was going on. 

We went to our room only to find a leak, and the floor was wet on Hubby's side.

Hubby put several towels down to dry up the floor. 

Day 4, Monday, Oct 9, Free Port:

Breakfast consisted of a cinnamon raisin roll with juice. 

Bought an excursion Garden of the Groves Tour. $129.98

Senor Frogs before the Garden tour 

We boarded a bus to take us to the Garden of the Groves. 

We met our guide, who led us through the gardens. There, we saw waterfalls, birds, the royal cockatoo, turtles, ducks, a cat, a church, a labyrinth, and many flowers.

We ended the tour at the gift shops, where they sold local items, including souvenirs from things in the gardens. 

Hubby and I ordered a Chicken quesadilla and diet cokes at the nearby restaurant. (25.00) 

Quesadilla and Coke at Garden of the Groves.

We sat at table 5, and Mel was our server. We loaded back onto the bus and were dropped off at the nearby port. 

We shopped and stopped at Zorbas Greek Cuisine and bought a slice of Carrot cake and a water bottle. Which Hubby and I shared. (S10.00)

We were back on the ship by 2 P.M. 

Banana Split 

For DinDinner, we ordered Prim ribs and dessert, a Banana split. 

After insincere, I watched the show Get-Away Island.

Went to bed and watched TV. 

Day 5, Tuesday, Oct 10, Half Moon Cay:

French Toast for breakfast. 

Had to take a ferry over to the island of Half Moon Cay. 

Beautiful Blue Waters of Half Moon Cay

We bought an excursion for the Glass Bottom Boat, which took about an hour. ($98.34)

We bought a hat and a bottle of Mt Dew. ($16.81) (($16.01 hat)

Took the trolley to the beach, where we boarded the boat.

The ship's crew was doing a free cookout for lunch.

I ate a hamburger, cookies, cake and a drink. 

Wearing my new hat on the Island of Half Moon Cay

The hamburger was not done because that night, I got sick.

We walked to the beach. I fell when the sand broke away from the bank, causing me to fall. 

I was not hurt. I only broke my pride. 

We walked along the beach and back to the ferry that took us back to the ship.

We joined our friends for dinner. I could not eat.; My stomach was churning, and I had to leave. I went to bed early that night. 

Day 6, Wednesday, Oct 11, Nassau:

Breakfast cinnamon roll.

Shore Excursions, we went to  Junkaco Museum. (22.00)

Junkaco Museum 

We went to the Straw Market, where Hubby bought a button-up Bahama shirt at the Salty Waves gift shop. ($30)

At Del Sol, I bought 2 tees and a bag that changes colors in the sunlight. (63)I bought a smoothie. ($11)

It was awfully hot, and we did not stay long at Nassau.

Leaving Nassau 

We walked back to the ship around 10:30 and wrote in my journal.

We got a hamburger and fries at Guys Burgers. 

Dinner was Alligator Bites and ribs, french fries, corn, and baked beans. 

Watched show 88 Keys 

Day 7, Thursday, Oct 12, 

Sea Day: It was up in time to see the sunrise, which was very windy.

Beautiful Sunrise Sea Day

Sea Day Brunch was a parfait and steak with eggs and fries. 

Found a couple of ducks. 

Dinner consisted of Lobster tail, baked potato, and pie with ice cream.

Took a nap earlier in the day 

Bought 2 Alaska T's and a pair of shorts. ($35.49)

Watched the Epic Rock Show at Pharoh Palace. 

Day 8, Friday, Oct 13, 

Breakfast was a cinnamon roll.

Lunch was a ham and cheese sub with ice cream cake.

Took a nap and watched movies. 

Bought a build bear at St Jude fun-raiser (34).

Dinner was baked salmon and fried shrimp with baked Alaskan Ice Cream.

Ice Cream

Packed everything and went to bed.

Day 9, Saturday, Oct 14, 

Ate breakfast and got ready to leave the ship. (2 pastries and juice)

We stopped for fuel in Mobile at Murphy's at Springdale Blvd. 

Bought a kit cat and coke. 

Stopped at Sonic in Thomasville for Corn Dogs and tater tots.T's

Stopped at CVS in Haleyville to buy some dental floss.

A six-hour ride home. 

Sunrise Mobile