Maybe you are thinking about holding your next family reunion in the United States. Maybe you are dreaming of swimming in the Atlantic Ocean and playing with sand. Or maybe it’s time for a romantic escape and positive emotions. No other destination can be more appealing than Myrtle Beach – East Coast’s ultimate vacation hub and the heart of South Carolina’s $16.5 billion tourism industry.
Included in Tripadvisor’s list of ‘Top 25 Destinations in the US,’ and recognized as the ‘Golf Capital of the World,’ Myrtle Beach is the primary location and the largest resort along the state’s 60-mile Grand Strand, blessed with plenty of beautiful beaches, and an impressive array of attractions and activities to ensure that there is something for everyone to do, no matter the pace of your vacation.
A burst of development in the late 90s created a boom in restaurants, condos and golf courses (now the city has more than 1600 restaurants and over 100 golf courses), and with a pretty exquisite boardwalk and promenade opened in 2010, it’s not hard to understand why Myrtle Beach draws around 15 millions of travelers annually.
Holidaymakers and especially families are hard-pressed to find a dull moment while holidaying at Myrtle Beach, as the area has successfully maintained the image as a family getaway with most amusement parks and activities geared toward children. As an added bonus, the beach’s idyllic location provides visitors with the unique opportunity to be in close proximity to an eclectic assortment of museums, nature preserves and outlet shopping. Year-round festivals and entertaining dinner shows, oceanfront dining and thrilling amusement parks also add to the charm this picturesque getaway has to offer.
Attractions
And here is the full spectrum of attractions found in Myrtle Beach.
Myrtle Beach State Park
Ideally nestled along the far-reaching stretch of Grand Strand coastline, among oceanfront maritime forest, the park offers a peaceful and surprisingly green escape from the otherwise bustling beach, providing visitors with more than 300 acres of lush green piney woods and access to a sandy beach, as well as educational opportunities, a nature trail and some of the best fishing in South Carolina. This can be experienced for just $4 per person.
Myrtle Beach SkyWheel
For those unafraid of heights, a trip to the east coast’s only 200-foot SkyWheel, which was recently named ‘Best Scenic Experience in South Carolina’ by OfficialBestOf.com is a must. Taking a ride in one of the wheel’s 42 climate controlled gondolas that seat up to six people will enable you to admire the entire beauty and charm of Myrtle Beach and its new 1.2 mile Oceanfront Boardwalk and Promenade. Those who’ll take the ride at night will simply be delighted by the state-of-the-art lighting system and LED light show each night after the sun sets for an unforgettable experience. And this costs only $12 for people aged 12 to 54, $8 for kids aged 3 to 11, and free for children 2 and under. The ride lasts 10 to 12 minutes.
Myrtle Beach WonderWorks
Another top and highly recommended Myrtle Beach attraction, WonderWorks offers visitors a truly memorable experience. An ‘amusement park for the mind,’ WonderWorks combines education and fun in over a hundred hands-on exhibits, offering visitors a variety of experiences from being blown away by 74 mile per hour hurricane-force winds to lying in a bed of 3500 nails. The experience begins when you enter the three-storey building, as everything here is upside-down; so in order to participate in the fun, you must be inverted.
Myrtle Waves Water Park
The state’s largest water park, Myrtle Waves Water Park invites adventure-filled visitors to indulge in over 20 acres of wet fun, with more than thirty slides, including the Ocean in Motion wave pool and the 7,000 square foot leisure pool known as Bubble Bay. The park is appropriate for all ages and has an on-site restaurant and gift shop. Both cameras and video cameras are permitted.
Ripley’s Aquarium
Located in Broadway-at-the-Beach, Ripley’s is a world-class aquarium, home to over ten thousand sea creatures of over 350 species, that create an environment that allows visitors to experience the real life ‘below the waters.’ The 86,000 square aquarium is has a number of sections within it, each with its own sea life and special experience. They include: Rio Amazon, Dangerous Reef, Living Gallery, Ray Bay, Friendship Flats and Rainbow Rock. There is also a Discover Center, where visitors have the unique opportunity to hold horseshoe crabs and indulge in other activities. Whether you’re part of a large group visiting or on your honeymoon, there is fun and adventure waiting for you.
Among Myrtle Beach must-see attractions are also Alligator Adventure – an outdoor adventure park found in the corner of the bustling Barefoot Landing shopping/entertainment complex, offering visitors a face-to-face encounter with a large number of alligators and other creatures, including snakes and frogs, river otters and beavers, along with tigers and cats; and Myrtle Beach Speedway – ideal for those interested in biking and motor cycling.
Shopping
Myrtle Beach is also a great choice for shopaholics, as it’s home to a wide range of shops and shopping malls with offering ideal for every taste and need. Specialty shops line the pathways of the shopping centers at Barefoot Landing and Broadway at the Beach, both also containing a vast number of popular restaurants and entertainment, while other popular places to shop also include Coast Grand Mall, Tanger Outley – Hwy 17, and Colonial Mall.
Eating and Drinking
Dining options in Myrtle Beach are vast and varied with a mix of cuisines from Vietnamese to Indian to innovative Italian. Virtually every major chain and sports-celebrity restaurant is found here, whether it’s the Nascar Sports Grill, House of Blues, or Greg Norman’s Australian Grille.
Shows and Entertainment
As to shows and entertainment, thousands of options make the Myrtle Beach area fun! Since 1986, when Calvin Gilmore first brought year-round live theater to Myrtle Beach, the area has emerged as a hotspot for live family entertainment. Music, dance, shows, celebrity concerts dinner theater and movies – Myrtle Beach is this and more…
Sleep
Being a visited travel destination, it’s natural that Myrtle Beach has a wealth of accommodation options for every budget, but it’s worth mentioning that in order to experience the best of the beach, you’d better stay in a oceanfront hotel.
When to Visit
Thanks to its mild climate, Myrtle Beach is a great place to vacation any time of the year. And despite the fact that it can boast 215 days of sunshine, peak travel season is during summer, and you’ll see most hotels and rentals particularly crowded during June and July. November through February are considered off-season, so if you are a budget traveler, looking for discount hotel prices, pan your holiday during this time.
Fell in love with Myrtle Beach? What are you waiting for? Start packing your things and head to this adventure-filled destination to let your fun meter max out to the fullest.
