The Last Days of Summer: A Weekend in Myrtle Beach

It’s the end of summer and my husband and I wanted to at least head to a beach to soak in the last days of “fun in the sun.” So to celebrate our 2nd wedding anniversary, we headed for a four-day weekend to Myrtle Beach. We were lucky enough to have a relative with a vacation/retirement home out there and it was in the perfect location: nearly 10-15 minutes from everything—airport, amusement parks, area beaches, shopping and dining.

An early afternoon flight landed us at Myrtle Bach International Airport at about 12:30. We headed to the Hertz counter for our rental and were surprised by a free upgrade since all the compact cars were taken. I had done my research earlier in the week to see what we could do out there. Ready for lunch, we drove to Broadway at the Beach, a 350 acre entertainment complex which features theaters, 20 restaurants, over 100 specialty shops, 15 attractions, 11 nightclubs, and 3 hotels, all surrounding a 23-acre lake. To say the least, this site was breathtaking! We ate at Joe’s Crab Shack on an outdoor deck facing the man-made lake. Then we made our way around the entire complex, stopping at a fudge shop to sample a few of their 30+ flavors, and various stores to peruse their products. With something to do for every family member, it’s a good bet to stop here if you’re in town.

Later that evening we dined at Latitude 22. Located at Surfside Beach, south of Myrtle Beach, this trendy restaurant/bar offers a Caribbean-fare menu with the likes of conch fritters, Calypso crab cakes, and “Shrimp Rasta Pasta.” It was a Thursday night and although there were people walking the pier, not much was happening as far as nightlife goes.

Friday, we headed to Myrtle Beach’s newest attraction Hard Rock Park. Opened on June 2, 2008, this 55-acre theme park boasts more than 50 attractions, including live shows and entertainment, roller-coasters, children’s play areas, restaurants and retail stores. The park is divided into six areas: All Access Entry Plaza, Rock & Roll Heaven, British Invasion, Lost in the 70's, Born in the USA, and Cool Country. I’m not one for roller-coasters but Hard Rock’s signature ride, Led Zeppelin, the Ride sends you 15 stories high, at 65 mph and loops six times, all set to Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love." Now that will get your heart racing! My favorite attraction was the Garage Jam, which had hundreds of foam balls and all kinds of tools to play with them. It’s great for children but even better for adults to let out some steam as my husband and I had fun shooting at each other. Unfortunately, due to scaled back travel plans and theme park attendance flat or down this year, the park is now closed for the season “to allow management to focus on restructuring efforts” and intends to re-open in the spring of 2009. Just outside of the park is Medieval Times for dinner and a fun show for the whole family.

Saturday turned out to be a bit cloudy and not so warm, so our plans for the beach had to be modified. We walked Ocean Boulevard, Myrtle Beach’s main strip with plenty of places to eat, shop and play. Here’ you’ll find Family Kingdom, the only seaside amusement park and water park. Although it’s closed for the season, there’s never an admission charge so you can pay by the ride or you can buy an all-day wristband.

Also on Ocean Boulevard are several Ripley's attractions: Ripley's Haunted Adventure®, Ripley's Believe It or Not!®, The Ripley's® Moving Theater™, and Ripley’s® Super Fun Zone®, a hi-tech arcade. (Ripley's® Aquarium is located at Broadway at the Beach.)

The Myrtle Beach area, called the "seaside golf capital of the world" features over 100 golf courses. It also claims to be the "miniature golf capital of the world," owing to its 50 miniature golf courses. And we saw a bunch of them driving down Kings Highway. Choose from a host of themes, from man-eating dinosaurs and lava-spewing volcanoes to high seas adventures aboard pirate ships.

Barefoot Landing, located along the Intracoastal Waterway, is another entertainment complex but with the feel of a quaint village. The mood is more relaxed here. We dined at the Crab House where the prices were reasonable and the food was plenty. Barefoot plays host to a few entertainment venues such as the Alabama Theatre and House of Blues. You can also find big name stores or small boutiques to shop to your hearts content!

We had a pleasant and relaxing time and most importantly we had time to re-connect, which is key to keeping a marriage together, in my opinion. Check out the slide show in a few days for pictures of our trip.

For more information on the Myrtle Beach area and attractions visit the official site of the Myrtle Beach, SC CVB or the Myrtle Beach general info site.