Myrtle Beach has been a playground long before European settlement, since the Waccamaw and Winyah people lived and subsisted on the area’s bounteous 60 miles of shore. When the Intracoastal Waterway was established in 1936 and the town was incorporated two years later, an all-American getaway was born. Last year, 19 million visitors climbed aboard 50 direct flights from around the country to frolic in calm waters, see the Ripley’s odditorium and then go for a medieval dinner. After that, there’s the 1.2-mile-long Oceanfront Boardwalk and Promenade, perfect for walking off the feast. With so much to see and do, it’s no wonder that the city tops our Attractions subcategory for small cities. The climate for business is even better. Myrtle Beach is one of the fastest-growing small cities in the country; already home to 25 international companies, it’s in the Top 10 for foreign direct investment. The business community lauds the location as central, and the Conway–Horry County Airport (the city ranks #18 for Connectivity) is working to further position the city as an East Coast hub.