Suggestions for things to do in Myrtle Beach

[JodyLynC]

We will be taking a family vacation next month to Myrtle Beach. We are renting a condo in Cherry Grove (north of Myrtle Beach) so we will be away from the daily hubbub of the tourist areas, but close enough to spent some time at some of the local attractions.

We are planning on doing Medieval Times or the Pirate Adventure Dinner Show (or both). We have also heard there is a Polynesian Dinner Show. If anyone has been to these, I would appreciate your comments.

I understand there is also the Hollywood Wax Museum, Ripley's Believe it or Not, and an aquarium. Has anyone gone to these places? Were they worth the money?

What other activities do you suggest?

 

[anniemae]

I think there is one of those sky wheel/ferris wheel things that look like fun.

 

[SimbaLover]

Do the aquarium! We were pleasantly surprised with it.

We enjoyed both MT and Pirate Adventure. Pretty easy to find coupons for both. Depends on which theme your family would enjoy more as to which to go to. Look at MagiQuest. Your kids may feel they're too old for it though.

In the same area as MagiQuest there's a cute little area with a bunch of shops and mini golf. We easily spent half a day there wandering around.

 

[Laz]

I have spent many a summer at Myrtle Beach and have watched it grow from just a bunch of Sand Dunes. We have a timeshare in Surfside which is the town just south of MB. We will be there the week of July 4th. So much to do! Start by visiting this Website:

http://www.visitmyrtlebeach.com/

My first and biggest suggestion is to have a car, but remember that this is one of the busiest summer vacation destinations in the country (next to WDW). Their will be plenty of traffic. Get to places early and be patient. Like mini golf? It seems to me that MB is the mini golf capital of the world. Lots of Evening entertainment. In addition to what you mentioned, we enjoy Alabama Theater and the Carolina Opry. I also think their is a Ripley's Aquarium at Broadway at the Beach. Make sure you collect the coupon books, which are in about every hotel lobby and store. They have coupons for just about everything. The Wax Museum and Ripley's is in Downtown MB on Atlantic Ave. Again, they have a pay parking garage, but available places may be at a premium. When we go out for the evening say to Alabama Theater, for example, we will get to Barefoot Landing shopping area (the theater location) about 4pm and have an early dinner (you may be able to get a coupon for an early bird dinner). Then we would do some shopping around the Landing until it was time to walk over to the theater. We had a relaxing evening and I had a great parking place for an easy exit.

What other questions can I answer?

 

[JodyLynC]

I have spent many a summer at Myrtle Beach and have watched it grow from just a bunch of Sand Dunes. We have a timeshare in Surfside which is the town just south of MB. We will be there the week of July 4th. So much to do! Start by visiting this Website:

http://www.visitmyrtlebeach.com/

My first and biggest suggestion is to have a car, but remember that this is one of the busiest summer vacation destinations in the country (next to WDW). Their will be plenty of traffic. Get to places early and be patient. Like mini golf? It seems to me that MB is the mini golf capital of the world. Lots of Evening entertainment. In addition to what you mentioned, we enjoy Alabama Theater and the Carolina Opry. I also think their is a Ripley's Aquarium at Broadway at the Beach. Make sure you collect the coupon books, which are in about every hotel lobby and store. They have coupons for just about everything. The Wax Museum and Ripley's is in Downtown MB on Atlantic Ave. Again, they have a pay parking garage, but available places may be at a premium. When we go out for the evening say to Alabama Theater, for example, we will get to Barefoot Landing shopping area (the theater location) about 4pm and have an early dinner (you may be able to get a coupon for an early bird dinner). Then we would do some shopping around the Landing until it was time to walk over to the theater. We had a relaxing evening and I had a great parking place for an easy exit.

What other questions can I answer?

Thank you, Laz for the parking tips, and I will definitely pick up some coupon books. I have been researching the local seafood markets so we can make our own seafood dinners at the condo, but the prices seem to be very expensive. Maybe because it is in such a high tourist area.

I think we may take the girls to the Hard Rock Cafe. They have never been to one and I think they will get a kick out of it.

 

[JodyLynC]

Thanks, everyone!

 

[Mickeyluver37]

The Pirate Adventure dinner show is so much fun! I haven't been to that Medieval Times, but I've been to the one here. The shows are different but very similar in the way they divide the stadium in teams, audience participation, etc, and I'd say the food is pretty much identical. Both are great but don't go 2 nights in a row.

The area where the aquarium is is called Broadway at the Beach. There is tons to do there, and it's very similar to walking around Downtown Disney/Disney Springs, but has mini golf and carnival type rides. The other main area is called Barefoot Landing, which is North Myrtle and closer to where you are staying. Nothing is cheap though! It actually seems more expensive than Disney because you are shelling out money for every little thing left and right.

There is one main drag that all of this stuff is on, and you are staying pretty far north of it all. Give yourself plenty of time to get from place to place, because there are so many cars and stoplights, that 10 miles can take 30 minutes at peak times. It seems most people go to the beach during the day and hit everything else at night, so you will have a wait for restaurants at dinner. We've had pretty good luck with lunch though.

 

[HM]

Get dinner up at Calabash (NC/SC border town) one night.

I've only done the aquaruim and Ripley's museum with a school group once (chaperone). Both were fun.

 

[King Schultz]

I've been to the 'Ripley's Believe it or Not' in Myrtle Beach. . . is it worth the money?

I think it depends if you've been to any other 'Ripley's' around the country.

While each one has a couple unique things, they are pretty much a "seen one, seen 'em all" type of attractions.

If you've never been to one, then it's a kind of cool way to spend an hour so to get out of the rain or heat, but I wouldn't call it a 'must do' place to go.


Enjoy your trip!

 

[Laz]

Get dinner up at Calabash (NC/SC border town) one night.

I've only done the aquaruim and Ripley's museum with a school group once (chaperone). Both were fun.

I will second dinner at Calabash. In spite of all the MB restaurants claiming to cook Calabash style, It can not even come close to dinner in the town's restaurants.

 

[JodyLynC]

HM and Laz, we will definitely check out the seafood in Calabash.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

We really enjoyed the Pirate Dinner Show and spent 2 nights at Broadway at the Beach - the first we did mini golf and there was a dinosaur thing we went through and the 2nd we shopped and saw the aquarium. My daughter loved the octopus there - it was moving around alot and she was fascinated.

The dinosaur thing was a waste of money - we didn't enjoy that at all.

If I'd had more time, I'd have taken one of the helicopter tours - those looked like fun.

 

[brooke789]

Get dinner up at Calabash (NC/SC border town) one night.

Yes! There is an awesome seafood restaurant in Calabash. I can't for the life of me remember the name.

I grew up near MB. My opinion: Ripley's Aquarium is great fun. It's just a regular (for profit though) aquarium. The moving sidewalks through it are cool. If you have another at home skip it.

At Broadway at the Beach (same at Ripleys) is a really cool mini golf course with a fire breathing dragon. One of my favorites at MB. Actually all mini-golfs are amazing in MB! One our trip to WDW earlier this month we went to Winter Summerland and I was incredibly underwhelmed bu their putt-putt course. Definitely go to at least one of them (look for one where your once price lets you play all day).

BBQ (+ southern food) is amazing at Prossers in Murrells Inlet.

If you're already at Murrells Inlet and want to check out the quieter side check out Brookgreen Gardens. It's like a mini zoo with famous statues. Also, right across the street is Huntington Beach State Park. They have alligators, which the guests can actively see. There's also an old castle, Atalaya. Brook green has a higher price (Maybe $10ish per person) but the state park and Atalaya are just dollars per person.

I went to the Wax Museum as a kid. Probably depends on the age of your kids, but it's just wax statues of people. Might take being a little older. I remember it being pretty cheap.

Check out the Myrtle Beach Eye. I've never been on it but it's just like the London Eye but a view of the ocean. Apparently pretty great.

Alligator Adventure at Barefoot Landing is neat. I believe the admission is for two days. But be aware whatever the temp is inside there it's hotter (but without the sun) inside.

Captain's Plank in Cherry Grove was a really popular seafood buffet for my family. I'm allergic to shellfish, so when I was a kid we always stopped at this little pizza place (literally in the parking lot) and got me a personal pan pizza on the way in.

I think the winieries are fun. There's one in NMB Belle something. The best is at Ocean Isle (just past Calabash), not sure the name, but I'm sure there is only one.

That is what I have off the top of my head. Feel free to PM me if you had any questions. Like I said I grew up nearby and have been away with visits every 3-4 years for the last 15 years.

 

[OhhBother]

Drive 20 minutes south and come visit Pawleys Island, where I live. It's much quieter and beautiful. Someone already mentioned Brookgreen Gardens -- a beautiful place. Right now, there's a really awesome Lego exhibit there that's reminiscent of the Lego sculptures at Disney Springs. And the Marshwalk in Murrells Inlet has tons of restaurants with amazing seafood. Drunken Jack's is a perennial favorite. The hush puppies are ridiculous. Try the hush puppies sundae.

In Myrtle Beach, something new and fun to do is an Escape Room. I took my staff to one a few weeks ago for a team-building exercise, and we had a ball. There are three or four different ones -- one of the more established Escape Rooms is actually in North Myrtle.

The Melting Pot in Myrtle Beach is a great place to eat -- a chain restaurant but the fondue is awesome!

 

[jormom1030]

The aquarium was the most favorite one that I have ever gone to.

 

[JodyLynC]

Such great ideas! Thank you all!

 

[Clifton Tesh]

Everyone has covered everything I'd tell you to do, except

If you like seafood, you absolutely, positively have to go to the Sea Captain's House. My wife and I love it so much that some times we will do a turn and burn (drive the 5 hours there just to come right back home after dinner) just to eat there.

It's a little pricey, but it's well worth it.

http://www.seacaptains.com

 

[brooke789]

Captain Nance's is the seafood place we always went to In calabash.

Silver Coast is the winery on Ocean Isle.

Wonder Works is fun for the kids! Mi believe it's another where your admission is good for two days.

 

[~~Darci~~]

Aside from the other suggestions, if you are going with older kids Radical Ropes is a lot of fun. They have zip lining and an aerial park that is quite challenging.