Image by Flickr user T. Darrell Sullivan Photography

Sure, it's the Fourth of July and the forecast is nice, so it's no shocker that the beaches are likely to be packed today, but hear me out.

Not only is the Salute from the Shore F-16 flyover going to draw folks out to the Carolina coast, but gas prices are down — and that means folks from further inland will be setting their sites on the sandy shores.

The Myrtle Beach Sun News writes a heads up, in part:

South Carolina and Mississippi are the only two states where gas is less than $3 per gallon, said Tom Crosby, AAA Carolinas spokesman. South Carolina currently has the cheapest gas in the country at $2.915 per gallon, 6.8 cents less than a week ago.

"The gas prices had a great impact on our decision to come this week," said visitor Johnny Barney.
The Barney's drove in last Saturday from Mississippi.

Read their story over here.

So, come out, a crowd is fun, just don't expect to find a prime spot.

• Looking for Fourth fun? Check out our roundup.