The Myrtle Beach area is truly the ultimate playground for children, from the very young to teenagers. Families seeking a few days of entertainment will find many of the options appealing to parents as well as children.
Myrtle Beach Pavilion Amusement Park
One of the best-known attractions is Myrtle Beach’s Pavilion Amusement Park, boasting many thrill-seeking rides, including the awesome Hurricane roller coaster. You’ll also find an arcade, games, souvenir shops and snack bars offering local treats. In all, there are 11 acres of entertainment here, right in view of the Atlantic Ocean.
Myrtle Waves Water Park
An alternative to the sand, sun and salty water at the beach is to spend a day at the Myrtle Waves Water Park. There are more than 30 water rides here, with the varied selection including a wave pool, a Tad Pool for toddlers, Turbo Twisters and Riptide Rockets, and the Night Flight slide which is a true twisting and turning experience. A special children's area is available, where you can keep your little ones entertained with a team of lifeguards helping keep everyone safe.
NASCAR Speedpark
A fun and exciting driving adventure for the whole family is on offer at Myrtle Beach's NASCAR Speedpark. ‘Qualifier’ and ‘Young Champions’ tracks are set up for beginners and young family members, with the ‘Gatorade Family 500’ track requiring a bit more expertise. For the really young family members, car-themed kids' rides and an indoor playground are available. A high-tech arcade and a three-story climbing wall are popular features in the SpeedDome.
In addition to seaside activities, golf and family entertainment, Myrtle Beach offers cultural attractions and a calendar of cultural activities and events for the enjoyment of visitors as well as the locals. The Myrtle Beach Cultural Arts Advisory Committee supports and sponsors events during the summer season, including the annual Mayday Art Show and numerous performances staged by the Grand Strand Players.
Brookgreen Gardens
Brookgreen Gardens provides visitors with a respite from the busy commercial centre of Myrtle Beach as well as a glimpse into the area’s past. It’s located at the southern end of the Grand Strand, about 20-25 minutes’ drive from the city. You may well choose to spend a full day, given the many options here. There are large and lovely gardens, an outdoor sculpture museum, Low Country historical exhibits, guided tours, and a small zoo. The gardens are quite large and have been developed on land which was once occupied by rice plantations in the 18th century. You can take a canal pontoon boat tour, or join a trekking tour through ruins of the rice plantations and the forest. Children enjoy the diverse activities here – especially the huge ‘Live Oak Alley’.
Website: www.brookgreen.org/index2.html
Horry County Museum
This museum is home to a fascinating collection of historic and artistic displays. It offers frequently changing exhibits by local artists who explore Horry County's surroundings and the effect they have had on the people that have lived here.
Phone: +1 843 915 5230
Rice Museum
This museum documents the history around the rice industry of the south. It also records the development of the many plantations. It is a fascinating insight into the way of life for many generations before us. Phone: +1 843 546 7423
South Carolina Hall of Fame
Located in the Myrtle Beach Convention Center, the official South Carolina Hall of Fame features exhibits and information on some of the state’s major historical figures. A number of the country's most famous citizens came from South Carolina – including Andrew Jackson, the 7th president of the United States, the famous jazz musician, Dizzy Gillespie and Strom Thurmond, the longest serving US senator in the country’s history. You can visit the Hall of Fame’s website for more information: www.theofficialschalloffame.com
A recent count indicates that there are around 1,800 full-service restaurants in the Myrtle Beach area, offering an endless variety of food. Fresh seafood is the highlight here and it’s prepared in a variety of styles. You might try a traditional Calabash or Murrells Inlet preparation that uses a light batter and a light deep-frying technique. If you like your seafood even ‘lighter’, most eateries will prepare it blackened, broiled or grilled and perhaps served with a delicate sauce. By no means is seafood the only fare here. Chicken, chops, ribs and steaks feature on most menus and if you're in the mood for Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Mexican or German cuisine, there’s a spot offering just what you had in mind.
No matter whether you stay in Myrtle Beach, or along the Grand Strand, you’ll find plenty of choices for great southern fare and American ‘comfort food’, served up with the area’s famous southern hospitality. During your stay, you’ll find many resorts and seaside communities to explore as you’re looking for that new restaurant option. Popular areas include: Crescent Beach, Little River, Litchfield Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Garden City Beach, Windy Hill, Ocean Drive, Surfside Beach, Cherry Grove, Conway, Aynor, Murrells Inlet and Pawleys Island.
Myrtle Beach is a hub of designer outlet shopping and you’ll find many opportunities to find designer goods at excellent prices. One of South Carolina's newest and largest shopping centres, Coastal Grand, is located in Myrtle Beach. You’ll find three major department stores here, as well as dozens of specialty retail shops, restaurants and food outlets. From electronics to fashions, you’ll most likely find whatever you’re looking for here.
Phone: +1 843 839 9100; website: www.coastalgrand.com
Myrtle Beach and Grand Strand activity focuses on the outdoors. Whether your interest is the beach or seaside activities, golf or tennis, or enjoying amusement parks and water park adventures, there’s plenty on offer here to keep all members of the family happily occupied for days on end.
Fishing
The fishing is good here from early spring and all the way through until the end of the Christmas season, largely because of the warming influence of the Gulf Stream. You can head out on any charter boar in pursuit of amberjack, barracuda, grouper, king and Spanish mackerel, red snapper, sea bass and spadefish.
Golf
If you had the time, you could actually play at a different course every day here for more than three months. Golf enthusiasts can enjoy over 100 championship courses, many of which host major tournaments. The variety in design is a major contributing factor to the popularity and success of the Grand Strand courses. Course designers include some of the best-known names in the sport: Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player and a host of others.
The habitats of indigenous wildlife have been carefully protected by the course architects. It’s not unusual to find yourself playing among towering Carolina pines or giant oaks covered with Spanish moss. Some courses overlook the Atlantic on top of huge bluffs – and others feature alligators lurking in the water nearby.
Golf is played all year in Myrtle Beach, with spring and autumn being the busiest times. Many golfing holiday packages include accommodation, meals and greens fees.
Snorkeling & Scuba Diving
Scuba diving is very popular in the Myrtle Beach area due to several wrecks that can be found just off the coast, as well as the many species of tropical fish that make these waters their home. Coastal Scuba is reputed to be one of the best operators, featuring full PADI certification and boats going out as far as 50 miles offshore.
Phone: +1 800 249 9388; website: www.coastalscuba.com
Tennis
There is both public tennis courses and private clubs in the Myrtle Beach area, providing plenty of opportunity for you to play. The Myrtle Beach Public Courts feature outdoor, asphalt courts adjacent to the Myrtle Beach Recreation Center. If you’re looking for a more upscale environment, you might try the Kingston Plantation Sport & Health Club, which is home to the annual GTE Tennis Festival. The club’s five Har-Tru courts have been played on by the likes of Jimmy Connors and Pete Sampras.
Phone: +1 843 497 2444
Windsurfing & Sailing
You can rent windsurfers in Myrtle Beach from as early in the season as April up through late September and enjoy the sun, surf and a bit of adventure. Rentals are available at Sail and Ski. Phone: +1 843 626 7245
If you’d like to go for a sail, there are cruises offering views of the beautiful Grand Strand, an introduction to the area’s marine ecology, and – if your timing is right – a lovely sunset. Captain Dick's features a two hour saltwater marsh exploration and also an ocean sightseeing cruise. Phone: +1 866 557 FISH
