Myrtle Beach: A Vacation Spot for the Whole Family

Year after year, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina is rated as one of North America’s top vacation destinations. With its diverse array of attractions and activities, this place is perfect for a family vacation or a romantic getaway.

Myrtle Beach is known for its beautiful beaches, fantastic golfing and literally thousands of activities designed to be enjoyed by the whole family, the sports enthusiast or by the casual tourist looking for a warm, pleasant place to relax and do a bit of exploring. When you visit South Carolina, you can expect fantastic weather, friendly people and the feeling that you are in a place that understands the importance of treating visitors as valued and special.

Myrtle Beach is an area that actively promotes and supports family vacations. If you bring the whole family, there are a couple of places that I encourage you to check out. Ripley’s Aquarium and Magi Quest is the most visited attraction in all of South Carolina, and rightly so. Located at Broadway on the Beach, it is one of the best aquariums in the country. Apart from the 750,000-gallon tank that visitors can move through while being surrounded by menacing sharks and other colourful sea life, there is also a very popular children’s Sea for Yourself Discover Center – a hands-on multi-media playground that allows kids to enjoy themselves and learn at the same time. If you are feeling a little more bold and adventurous, Myrtle Beach also boasts Alligator Adventure, the largest reptile park in the world. This place has over 800 alligators that you can stroll amongst (while walking on raised boardwalks, of course), and if you are lucky and very observant you might even catch a glimpse of two very rare albino alligators.

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If you are looking for great golfing, Myrtle Beach has three of the best golf courses you can find. Arrowhead Golf Club was designed by Ray Floyd and Tom Jackson. This 27-hole masterpiece is located along the Intracoastal Waterway and is divided up into three unique nine-hole tracts. Wachesaw Plantation is located at Murrells Inlet and is the very picture of warm southern charm. This course is known for its towering oak trees and the deserted rice fields located nearby. You might also want to play the links at The Pearl. Built on a 900-acre marsh preserve, the two 18-hole courses at this site are both constantly named in lists of the best courses in the country.

If you are more interested in wine than sports, Myrtle Beach has plenty to offer. La Belle Amie Vineyard is a fully operational vineyard that is open to the public. It was originally a family business run by two sisters. In 2000, they decided to open a fantastic gift shop, which caused their number of visitors to increase drastically.

Myrtle Beach is also home to some pretty terrific shopping. There is the famous Broadway at the Beach – a 350-acre shopping and attraction area that boasts over 100 specialty shops, 20 restaurants, 10 nightclubs and 3 hotels. If you are looking for even more shopping, Barefoot Landing is where you should head next. Barefoot Landing is located beside a 27-acre lake so the shopping experience is considerably more relaxed as you share the area with several species of migratory waterfowl and other indigenous wildlife.

A crucial aspect to any vacation is food – restaurants in particular. I suggest you start at Dick’s Last Resort – a multi-location restaurant known for its steaks and ribs, as well as its wine and beer lists. If you are looking for something more upscale, The Grand Dunes Ocean Club is known for its fine food but also for the sheer beauty of its location. Located along the Atlantic coast shoreline, this 25,000-square-foot facility boasts rich dark wood and has a regal feel to it that adds to the dramatic views from the palladium windows. Also located in the Grand Dunes complex is the Marina Inn restaurant in which you will find some fantastic seafood and a comfortable atmosphere that will have you lingering long after your meal is over. The City Bar is another great place to go, especially for its live music, drinks and pub fare. This is a terrific place to lounge and people-watch after a busy day exploring and participating in your chosen activities.

If you are a history buff, you may want to hang around the many nautical museums and libraries in the area. This area of South Carolina was a haven for several of the real pirates of the Caribbean, so anyone interested in the real lives of pirates will find lots of fascinating things to learn and places to visit. Many famous pirates terrorized the South Carolina area, from the legendary Blackbeard to the lesser known but interesting Major Stede Bonnet, who is credited with inventing “walking the plank.”

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina truly offers an idyllic place to spend your vacation time. If you want to do absolutely nothing and just relax, or if you want to fill every moment with activities, shopping and fine dining, this is the place to accommodate you. The history of the region is fascinating and the weather is perfect for any outdoor activity. If you haven’t visited Myrtle Beach before then it begs the question… why not?