Are you planning a vacation in Myrtle Beach, SC? One of the most popular beaches for vacation in South Carolina is Myrtle Beach. So we’ve gathered up all of our reviews and coverage from Kidding Around into one convenient guide! The guide includes places to stay, where to dine, activities, and more.
Planning A Trip To Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
At just about four hours from the Upstate, the sun and fun of Myrtle Beach is a popular destination for residents of the Upstate. There are plenty of accommodations, which helps keep the rates low and affordable for families. Aside from fun on the beach, there are plenty of attractions to keep families entertained. Everything from dinner shows to museums, water sports, shopping, and even an aquarium!
Let Kidding Around be your guide to planning the perfect trip to Myrtle Beach for your family! We know where to find all of the cool stuff because we’ve gone and checked it out ourselves!
Where To Stay in Myrtle Beach
With approximately 425 hotels in Myrtle Beach, you’ll never have a hard time finding a room! Finding the best of the best is what we aim to do, so here are some recommendations for spots we’ve stayed in ourselves.
- Captain’s Quarters Oceanfront Resort-Hotel / Hotel BLUE Myrtle Beach Resort
This family of resorts is one of my family’s favorites. They share accommodations and by bouncing back and forth between resorts, your whole family can have a trip suited to them! Captain’s Quarters amenities include 15 water features, a kid’s splash park, an arcade, a bowling alley, special weekend activities, and more.
Hotel BLUE amenities include a swim-up bar, an indoor lazy river, a Cafe, and a Starbucks in the lobby. Both of these resorts are oceanfront and if you are only looking for some beach, and poolside fun – you would never have to drive anywhere until it was time to leave!
- The Grande Cayman Resort Oceanfront Hotel
My kids and I stayed here on our most recent trip, and we had so many things planned, we didn’t get to take full advantage of the resort amenities! The hotel has a restaurant and a Starbucks coffee shop in the lobby. The resort boasts 10+ pools, with a partially indoor set of pools, a lazy river, and hot tubs. The kid’s waterpark and waterslide are separate from the rest of the pool areas, so keeping an eye on little ones is easier.
The parking garage makes coming and going from your room easy, and you won’t have to haul tired children through the hotel and onto elevators. The room we stayed in at The Grande Cayman Resort had a small kitchen area that included a mini-fridge, a coffee maker, and a sink. One of the features I always love to see in hotels is a dining table. Our room had a full-size table and four chairs, along with a walk-out patio and chairs to enjoy coffee in the morning.
*Accomodations were provided by Visit Myrtle Beach for the purpose of this guide, however, all opinions and words are that of the writer.
- The Westgate Myrtle Beach Oceanfront Resort
Kidding Around’s Kristina recently stayed at the Myrtle Beach Westgate location, “The Westgate Myrtle Beach Oceanfront Resort towers right over the beach with stunning views of the ocean out of the rooms overlooking the water. It’s closer to the South end of Myrtle Beach and 40 minutes north of Huntington Island State Park. It took us just over four hours to get there from Greenville and we never even got back in the car while at the resort until it was time to go home, since everything we did was within walking distance.”
*Accomodations were provided by Westgate for the purpose of this guide, however, all opinions and words are that of the writer.
Read The Kidding Around review of the Westgate Myrtle Beach Oceanfront Resort
Reader Reccomended Myrtle Beach Accomidations:
Breakers Resort! Located right in the middle of everything- can walk to coffee, restaurants, ice cream, mini golf. Several room types, multiple pools, play areas and lazy River, and beach access. I can park my car and not leave until it’s time to go home !
Megan Buhlman
What To Eat in Myrtle Beach, SC
Dining in a high tourism area can be tricky. Just because a place has been around forever doesn’t mean it’s worth your vacation dollars. However, we’ve got some delicious spots to recommend that we have tried ourselves!
- Dagwood’s Deli – Myrtle Beach / Surfside Beach
Affordable family friendly sandwiches, burgers, wings, and more. The restaurant is located just 2 blocks from the Myrtle Beach boardwalk, and it’s not priced for a spot in the middle of a huge tourism district!
- Chubby’s Tacos – Myrtle Beach
A fun taco shop, with $5 kid’s meals, and affordable entrees. Free chips and salsa, and frozen drinks make this a great lunch stop! - Carolina Seafood & Steak – Myrtle Beach
A great place to get dressed for dinner or lunch and have a meal. The creative kid’s menu items will have your family giggling. - Captain Georges Seafood Restaurant & Buffet – Myrtle Beach
The nice thing about Captain Georges is that you can order a meal off of the menu or partake of the extensive buffet. There are plenty of choices for non-seafood eaters, and a massive selection for those who are.
- Johnny D’s Waffles and Bakery – North Myrtle Beach / Myrtle Beach / Surfside Beach
This is a must-do early morning meal for any trip to the Grand Strand. Plan ahead though, as wait times can be long due to it’s popularity. This is a place where you’ll want to pre-game the menu, because it all looks amazing and you’ll have a hard time deciding. - Nacho Hippo – Myrtle Beach at Market Commons
If margaritas are to be part of your trip to the beach, Nacho Hippo is a great spot to grab some. The Market Commons has convenient parking, and a lake view.
- The Crazy Mason – Myrtle Beach at Market Commons
One of the stops on our Moster Milkshake tour, The Crazy Mason has a huge selection of milkshake creations. The good news for fans is that Greenville is getting its very own location soon!
Reader Reccomended Myrtle Beach Restaurants:
Flying fish we go there every year. You got to try the blackened mahi mahi dip. It is amazing.
Mike Liberty
- Sea Captain’s House – Myrtle Beach
Reader Morgan Wilson says the Shrimp & Grits, and hushpuppies are her favorites to oder from Sea Captain’s House.
Things To Do Indoors in Myrtle Beach, SC
- Pirates Voyage in Myrtle Beach
Kidding Around’s Bethany took her family to the Pirate’s Voyage in Myrtle Beach, “Be prepared to be entertained by pirates, tricks, animals, and even mermaids during the two hour show. My family was impressed by the number of tricks and the many surprises. The show also included singing, dancing, and a fun story plot. Don’t worry if your kids are not into pirates, there are parrots, sea lions, mermaids, and lots of tricks and aerobatics. The show is fast paced and kept my kids’ attention for the entire time.”
Read the Kidding Around Review of Pirates Voyage in Myrtle Beach
- Gay Dolphin Gift Cove
Shopping at The Gay Dolphin on the Myrtle Beach Boardwalk is one of the most popular things for tourists to do! Can anyone really say they’ve been to Myrtle beach without a stop at the beachfront giftshop that has been in business since 1946? I think not.
If there’s a beach themed item to be found, they’ll have it! Eveything from t-shirts, to decor, shells, and even pet hermit crabs can be found in this unique gift shop. Another one of our families traditional stops is the Myrtle Beach I Love Sugar location directly across the street!
What To Do Outdoors in Myrtle Beach
When you head to the beach for some fun, fitting in a few extra activities is one of the most exciting things to plan. There’s certainly no shortage of them in Myrtle Beach! Here are some of the ones Kidding Around team members have enjoyed!
- The FunPlex
This new amusement complex near the boardwalk is a great way to add some excitement to your afternoon! The small footprint, and secured entrance means older kids can enjoy the rides while the adults sit in the cafe area and watch. Rides are paid for with token credits applied to a scanable card, and are between 4 and 8 credits per ride. Depending on the package you purchase, credits average approximatley $1 each. We really liked this attraction, because you can load your card and then come and go as you please. This is especially convenient if you are staying at one of the neighboring hotels with teenaged children.
- The Myrtle Beach SkyWheel
The best way to see Myrtle Beach is from the Skywheel! 20 stories up in the air, you get a birds eye view of the beach and the boardwalk. On a clear night you can see as far as Broadway on the Beach!
- Myrtle Beach State Park
At this coastal state park, you can camp, go fishing, hike, play on the beach, or just have a picnic. My kids and I have bought picnic provisions at the local grocery store before and enjoyed dinner under cover of one of the picnic shelters during a storm!
