Sat 7 Jun 2008
Posted by Meg under American Cities , Attractions , Beach Vacation , Itinerary , Vacation
A kid at the beach can be completely entertained with nothing more than a shovel and a bucket in the sand, but unless you want to come home with a fried child, you’re going to want to limit the time you spend at the ocean and mix up your activities a bit. At a place like Myrtle Beach, your choices are endless.
My nieces are 2 months old and 4 years old, and they are here with us this week. Our schedule most days has been to go to the beach as soon as the girls wake up, and stay until 11am or so. This gives the girls — well, the oldest one, anyway — plenty of play time in the sand and water before the sun gets too strong. After lunch and a nap, our afternoons are reserved for other activities.
Our first priority was to try out one of the many miniature golf courses here. My niece couldn’t have cared less that we were playing golf, but she loved the pirates and the bright green water. All the mini golf places here have unnaturally bright water. They have names and themes, too, but we identify them as the place with the pink water, the place with the green water, and the one with the blue water. My niece picked green, which was also the place with the pirates and the ice cream when we were done. Most towns have a mini golf course or two, but if you want the courses with wild obstacles and crazy decorations, then you want to play mini golf at the beach. There are lots of courses both indoors and outdoors. I think playing outdoors on a warm evening is the best.
If the ocean doesn’t provide enough water fun for you, Myrtle Waves is South Carolina’s largest water park, with rides, slides, and hours of aquatic enjoyment for all ages. Ticket prices are completely reasonable, compared to other water parks I’ve visited. Park officials suggest coming on Sundays to avoid big crowds, as these are “by far” their slowest time of the week.
If you’re a family of sports fans, then you should definitely check out the Myrtle Beach Pelicans while you’re in town. This Single-A Braves affiliate baseball team draws a big crowd for its Carolina League games, no doubt thanks in part to all the entertainment at the games. There’s the standard between-innings promotional dizzy bat races and the like, but also a large kids’ area and a really cute tradition after each game where they let kids onto the field to run the bases.
Of course there’s lots more to do here, but we try not to push ourselves too much. Going out every day would be a little excessive with two little ones and a large, expensive family. For a more low-key activity, a walk around the fishing piers can be a nice way to spend a couple of hours. The one nearest our vacation house — on 37th Avenue — costs $1.50 per person to enter. The guys went fishing and caught some sharks (just eight inches long or so — not terribly fearsome) while my niece had her hair done in braids yesterday afternoon. The braids are a nice beach tradition — they’re festive and they keep the hair out of her eyes while she swims.
I’ve loved coming here ever since I was a tiny tot, and now that I’m older, it’s great fun for me to spend this time with my nieces. It’s also perfect being here with the whole family, because while the kids can just go and go, I like to have some down time in my day. Having lots of adults willing to take kid shifts will keep you from getting worn out.
For more ideas of things to do with your family at Myrtle Beach, the Sunny Day Guide has a very long list here.