Myrtle Beach South Carolina

While Myrtle Beach International Airport is located only a few miles from the beach, my family prefers to drive. There’s nothing quite like finally reaching town only to top the last rise and see the Atlantic Ocean spread out before you. It seems like in no time, we have found our lodgings, checked in, and we’re finally on the beach!

The best reason to go to Myrtle Beach is – of course – the beach! The city itself is situated in the heart of 60 miles of warm, sandy coastline known as "The Grand Strand". The summers are warm and the water is always quite temperate; my husband and I, however, prefer to visit Myrtle Beach in the fall. While cooler air and water temperatures prohibit much swimming, it is the perfect time of year for good deals on accommodations and long, romantic walks on the beach.

Choosing a restaurant is probably the hardest decision to make in Myrtle Beach, because I don’t think I’ve ever had bad food anywhere at the beach! My family’s favorite restaurants are "The Farmer’s Daughter", located in an area known as "Restaurant Row" in North Myrtle Beach, "The Hard Rock Café" at Broadway at the Beach, and we can always find something good to eat at any of the Calabash-style buffets that are sprinkled all over town. Once our early dinner is finished, we always make our way to one of the major shopping centers, either Barefoot Landing or Broadway at the Beach, to walk off our dinner and get a little dessert in the form either ice cream or home-made fudge.

Barefoot Landing has a lot to offer the hardcore shopper. Many outlet stores for famous-maker clothing, small appliances and several restaurants surround a small lake. Shoppers walk across the lake on a floating wooden boardwalk that bisects the lake, giving them a view of the entire complex, including the Alligator Adventure and the Myrtle Beach House of Blues.

Our favorite, however, has to be the second shopping complex, Broadway at the Beach. Filled with smaller, more eclectic shops, Broadway at the Beach offers a movie theater as well as an IMAX theater, two miniature golf courses and restaurants and nightclubs galore. Add to that the proximity to the beach (it’s only about five blocks from the oceanfront hotels) and you’ve got a perfect evening’s entertainment at the beach.

Another wonderful facet of a vacation in Myrtle Beach is all the kid-friendly entertainment available. Aside from the gentle ocean waves common at Myrtle Beach, there are mini-golf courses, amusement parks, water parks and go-cart tracks to choose from. My family and I try to set aside at least evenings to fit in a round of mini-golf and one of the amusement parks, and at least one day to enjoy the water parks. Our favorite mini-golf course has got to be the "Jungle Lagoon" course, but there are many courses in a range of themes to suit any taste. There are two amusement parks located right across the street from the beach; the Pavilion and the Family Kingdom. While the Pavilion is big and loud and full of activity, we prefer the smaller Family Kingdom; the crowds are smaller, and the lines aren’t as long. There are three water parks in the Myrtle Beach area to choose from: Myrtle Waves, Family Kingdom Water Park and Wild Water. Out of the three, our family prefers Myrtle Waves because of the greater diversity of rides. Myrtle Waves has everything; inner tube rides, a lazy river ride, chute rides, a wave pool and special areas designated for children. Make sure you set aside an entire day; once your family arrives, they won’t want to leave!

While my family and I do not play golf, there are many championship golf courses in the Myrtle Beach area. I have been told by many friends who do play that Myrtle Beach is one of the finest golfing experiences on the East Coast.

This is just a taste of what Myrtle Beach has to offer as a vacation spot. Every year that my family and I go, we always find something new to take part in, be it a dinner show, a beach activity or new mini-golf course to try out. If you’re looking for a nice, quiet place to sit and relax at the beach, Myrtle Beach isn’t for you. If you like to take in the sun all day long and paint the town all night, try Myrtle Beach. It’s what I think of when I think "vacation"!