August 2009
Music park will be open through September 20
By Pat Robertson
Nothing says summer vacation better than the beach, roller coasters, fireworks, burgers and shakes — and music, all kinds of music. You can find all that wrapped up in a single multiplex of musical tastes — the newly-opened Freestyle Music Park in
Myrtle Beach.
“There is something here for everyone,” says John Stine, director of sales and marketing for the 55-acre park that features a variety of rides tailored for everyone from toddlers to the most daring thrill seekers. There are choreographed shows, an assortment of food choices for diverse tastes, and, of course, the ubiquitous music, from pop to country to classic rock ’n’ roll to British rock and, it goes without saying, beach music. Welcoming guests to the park is a 70-foot-tall replica of a Gibson Les Paul guitar equipped with 914 feet of neon light tubing.
Promoted as a family destination, a day at the park is capped every night with an exciting fireworks display that lights up the Myrtle Beach sky.
Because there is so much to do, Stine advises families to plan for at least five or six hours at the park. A hand stamp allows you to divide the day if you want to go sit by the pool for a while. Upon arriving, visitors get a park guide map showing all the attractions and listing three suggested itineraries: “It’s A Family Affair,” a tour for the whole family to experience the park together; “The Grand Tour” for kids and grandparents; and “The My Generation/Parents Just Don’t understand Tour” for ’tweens and teens 11 years and older. You can also tailor your day around whatever rides, shows and music you want to enjoy.
Besides the music, the main attractions are the five roller coasters, including the Time Machine, which reaches 150 feet into the sky and travels at speeds up to 65 miles per hour, the Iron Horse, which pulls two G-forces of gravity on hairpin turns, and Hang Ten, a pint-sized coaster with drops, twists and turns suitable for children and adults alike.
The park is divided into four “lands,” each with its own distinctive musical style, shows, rides and eateries. In Country USA, you can enjoy classic country and country rock. Across the Pond features the rock ’n’ roll of the British Invasion. In Myrtle’s Beach, the selection is a tribute to the Grand Strand and beach music from traditional shagging songs to the Beach Boys to reggae. Youngsters can enjoy American-style pop music and high-energy tunes for choreographed dancing in Kids in America.
While the music ranges from disco to alternative, there is one song, Stine says, that describes Freestyle Music Park which was resurrected by Freestyle Park International Moscow this spring from 2008’s failed Hard Rock Park — “Free Bird” by the Southern rock group Lynyrd Skynyrd.
“We are now free to go in the direction we want to go. We are moving on and in a different direction with our music, and it’s a whole different park from what was here last year.”
Interested? Freestyle Music Park will be open this season through September 20. Check the Web site for daily hours.
Location: 211 George Bishop Parkway, Myrtle Beach Tickets: Adults $39.95, children $29.95. For discounts, with your Co-op Connections Card, click here.
Contact: (843) 236-7625 or
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