Myrtle Beach Questions

[scubamouse]

I did a search of thread but I didn't see the questions I have answered. We're looking for a place to go in April with the kids and we often go to club Med when we don't go to Disney. The week we can travel is blacked out, therefore prohibitively expensive. We're looking into Myrtle Beach as a cheaper option.

Where do you fly into - Charleston?
What is the difference between North MB and regular MB?
This place seems to get good reviews. Does anyone know anything about it?
http://www.marvistagrande.com/overview/
If you don't know this place, do you have a place you love and what Disney resort would you compare it to?
What are the beaches like?
Our kids are 5 and 7, what are fun option for them (Aside from the pools)?
How long a trip is good - a week or is less ok?
Any good dining recommendations?
How far is NMB from MB and its activities

TIA

 

[kt_mom]

Myrtle Beach is nice and there are lots of things to do. Although it may be kind of cold for the beach in April. The water will be anyway.

There are TONS of good places to eat. As a family I would look at the condos in North Myrtle beach or even in Surfside Beach or Garden City which is just south of Myrtle Beach but still right there.

They have lots of shopping and mini golf places and go carts and stuff. We usually go every year except last year we just did Disney.

 

[Papa Deuce]

I've been to Myrtle a ton of times. Something for everyone. The beaches are nice and not to crowded - though I did most of my beach time at North Myrtle Beach.

for kids there is the new www.hardrockpark.com

Broadway at the beach is fun. They have a minor league baseball team right there. In north Myrtle there is Barefoot landing..... store, restaurants, attactions.... worth half a day to a day depending on what you like.

If you are ok with a little R rated fun, check out the piano bar at Broadway at the Beach. We have a blast there!

Myrtle is not overly expensive, unless you spend a lot golfing.

 

[NCRedding]

At your children's age, I would recommend the Children's Museum--it is alot of fun and not very crowded. There is also Ripley's aquarium at Broadway at the Beach.

As for dining, my favorite MB restaurant is the Captain's Table, oceanfront in Myrtle Beach, not too far from Broadway--excellent seafood. Hamburger--try River City Cafe--several locations. Murrell's Inlet, which is south of MB has tons of really good restaurants.

Myrtle Beach actually has an airport which accepts jets; you may also want to price flying into Wilmington which would be maybe an hour north of MB. Charleston's airport is about 2 hours south of MB.

Myrtle Beach is much busier than North MB. North MB has more condos and houses than hotels.

We usually stay at the Landmark when we stay in MB, but the last time we were there, it seemed a little shabby. We love Litchfield by the Sea--it is a collection of hotel rooms, suites, villas, and houses, with a good beach, and out of the high traffic area.

 

[kimmikayb]

lots of good web sites for MB too...but I wonder....won't it still be cool and not many places open in April?

 

[maddiemom]

I live about an hour and a half south of Myrtle Beach. We go there from time to time just for a day trip. There is definately LOTS to do. I would recommend checking out Broadway at the Beach. DH and I think it is about the closest to feeling like "Disney" (specifically Downtown Disney) as we have come across. There are lots of specialty shops, IMAX theater, restaurants, an aquarium and Magic Quest (I think that is the name of it).

The strip area in Myrtle Beach proper is a little intense for our taste, North Myrtle is a little more subdued.

There are TONS of minigolf places, which gets us into big trouble because our 4 yo is obsessed w/golf!

There are two outlet malls if you are interested in shopping.

About the temps, depending on when you go in April, I would suppose the water temps would be cool, but the air temps in later April can get pretty warm. We go to Hilton Head the first week of June and the water is plenty warm, but that is June and Hilton Head is further south of course. That being said, I see people out in the water in March sometimes around here (not many, and I imagine that it is pretty cold!!!)

Have a great time!

 

[keishashadow]

I've seen the Canadians in the water early spring-brrrr.

check out myrtlebeachlive dot com you can request a vacation planner (a good 1/2 inch thick chock full of info).

we like big poolscapes and either the southern end of MB or far northern section (not to be confused with North Myrtle Beach)

the strand is big - 70 miles or so; we like to be near the action...yet easy access on either end to skirt traffic & reach the bypass

some of our favs hotels are:

Crown Reef
Compass Cove
Montery Bay

Landmark has great pools, yet more downscale due to more reasonable prices

Sands properties are okay too, just seem to be packed with guests in public areas

Sea Mist has it's fans, imo the fact that it is spread out and a collection of a bunch of hotels results in having to cross the street (via underground walkway) to either go to the beach or small waterpark

don't care to drive to barefoot landing, very congested mid summer; do enjoy broadway @ the beach for dining & just a nice stroll.

 

[scubamouse]

Thanks everyone. So if we fly to Charleston is the drive shorter if we look at areas south of MB/South MB?

We'll be going 4/19-26 so on the later side of April. I suspect the ocean will be chilly but the beach could be fun and hopefully pools would be heated ... right?

 

[churchstein]

Myrtle Beach has a very nice airport. Many of the major carriers service it also if you don't want to fly into Charleston.

 

[Miz Diz]

Try to fly into MB if you can.

Check this place out dunesvillage.com
My sister just stayed there and they loved it. We are frequent visitors to MB and this is where I will stay next time.

 

[UMTerp]

We went in April last year and swam in the ocean one day! Spent many days on the beach enjoying the weather! We used to stay at Landmark but it was getting too many bad reviews so we switched to Long Bay Resort last year and loved it! We will be returning there this year. Indoor pools and lazy river if it's too cool outside for the beach/pools.

You've got to take your kids to Magi Quest! They will love it and want to go back for more!

We went to the Dixie Stampede dinner show. Kids liked it but it was a little on the expensive side.

Have fun!

UMTerp

 

[nana2tots]

I grew up going to Myrtle Beach for the last 40 yrs. , Personally, Myrtle Beach is no londer a Family Beach to us, that is why we camp at the Campgrounds, that way we stay inside there and the kids don't have to see some of the stuff.,( you know what i'm talking bout)
Don't get me wrong, i still am a Myrtle fan, but not for the kids, let them make their own judgment when they get older.I mean , let me tell you, me and my Hubby were there every Spring Break, you know when they fill the Pools up w/ Beer, Crazy times.LOL How we grow up fast.
Nana

 

[UMTerp]

I grew up going to Myrtle Beach for the last 40 yrs. , Personally, Myrtle Beach is no londer a Family Beach to us, that is why we camp at the Campgrounds, that way we stay inside there and the kids don't have to see some of the stuff.,( you know what i'm talking bout)
Don't get me wrong, i still am a Myrtle fan, but not for the kids, let them make their own judgment when they get older.I mean , let me tell you, me and my Hubby were there every Spring Break, you know when they fill the Pools up w/ Beer, Crazy times.LOL How we grow up fast.
Nana

I have not seen anything like you are talking about in the North area of Myrtle Beach. There were not any crazy parties at our hotel. If there were, we wouldn't be going back this year!

UMTerp

 

[Squidrific]

I grew up in Long Bay Estates which is just south of Myrtle Beach and we still have our family reunion every June at the beach. I personally think that the Myrtle Beach area itself is kind of trashy with a lot of college spring break type atmosphere. There are too many people and a lot of public access. However, going in April which is off-season you probably won't run into that much of that kind of behavior.

We prefer staying south of Myrtle Beach in Surfside or Garden City and then going to Broadway at the Beach for fun a couple of evenings. There are several rental companies for houses and condos, but we prefer Dunes and Seaside Rentals.


http://www.seasiderentalsonline.com/
http://www.dunes.com/

Here are some other links that might help you with your planning:

http://www.broadwayatthebeach.com/

http://www.myrtlebeachlive.com/

 

[swimgalsmom]

I think the end of April will be a nice time to be at Myrtle Beach. You should be between the spring break and summer crowds. The weather should be warm enough that you can enjoy the beach (not the water) and most pools should be heated at that time. Many resorts there also have an indoor pool. We were in N. Myrtle Beach early June of last year and found it to be very family friendly. Aside from just being on the beach, my girls especially enjoyed going to Broadway on the Beach.

 

[missypie]

We are going to MB for the first time in July for a dance competition. Before you settle on a hotel, PLEASE read the reviews of that hotel on Trip Advisor. I have never seen a collection of worse hotel reviews than some of them in MB...the websites look so nice, but the reviews are so bad (lots of filth and bugs mentioned in the reviews.)

 

[scubamouse]

We are going to MB for the first time in July for a dance competition. Before you settle on a hotel, PLEASE read the reviews of that hotel on Trip Advisor. I have never seen a collection of worse hotel reviews than some of them in MB...the websites look so nice, but the reviews are so bad (lots of filth and bugs mentioned in the reviews.)

You ain't kidding! The dunesvillage someone posted here looks very nice and is highly rated.

Is the Dixie stampede related to Dollywood? That was the link I got to

 

[DrCavin]

We haven been to MB off/on for 20+ years. We always stay on Sunset Beach, which is North of MB. I don't think you will be swimming in the ocean much in April & would be surprised if many of the pools are heated. I would fly either into MB or Wilmington which is about an hour north of MB.

 

[tinkerbell1967]

lots of good web sites for MB too...but I wonder....won't it still be cool and not many places open in April?

We went last March around the 25th and it was warm enough to swim and the kids to go to the water slide. I guess it just depends.

 

[DisneyJul]

We have been to MB several times and have stayed at Compass Cove on South Ocean Blvd. It is on the beach and has at least 21 pools/lazy river rides/hot tubs. Several are indoor. We go in the summer and take advantage of the indoor pools when we've had enough sun. But, in April, it would be nice if it is too cool on the beach.