Photo by flickr member Elizabeth Buie

It may only be January, but local attractions are already gearing up for the 2013 summer season with new elements, honors, and more.

Family Kingdom Amusement Park, the lone oceanfront amusement attraction in the Grand Strand, is set to expand their ride line-up for the 2013 tourist season. The Twist N' Shout Wild Mouse roller coaster will join the historical Swamp Fox in the roster. Another three rides will be added, as will their water park's name change to Splashes. You can see their press release on the Sun News site. The park opens on weekends on March 23, 2013. The water park opens on May 25, 2013.

The stadium for the Myrtle Beach Pelicans, TicketReturn.com Field, was honored as one of the top 20 Best Stadium Experiences in 2012 by Stadium Journey Magazine, beating out some of the country's most popular venues. The rankings were based on concessions, atmosphere, neighborhood, and more. In addition, the Myrtle Beach Pelicans welcomed Andy Milovich as their new General Manager. Opening day is (Thirsty) Thursday, April 4, 2013. You can check out the full schedule here.

Last, the Myrtle Beach Speedway has released the schedule for the March 22-24, 2013 running of the Myrtle Beach 400, which was rescheduled due to rain last November. You can see the full press release here, including information about upgrades to the facility that include a new kids playground built in honor of the Victory Junction Gang, and additional concession options, making the facility even more fan and family friendly. You can check out their full schedule, which officially begins the season on April 20, 2013.