What's the Skinny on Myrtle Beach

[scrapyardblue]

Kids want a beach vacation and we can get to Mytrle Beach pretty easy. Looks like nice long beaches, but also lots of high rises and an amusement park. Is it too commercial, too cheezy or are there better areas for a peaceful stay (leaving the hokie stuff as an option only)?

[pondcaster]

There are nice areas around there, especially if you like golf. Decent food but there are so many better spots not too far from there.

Otherwise, cheez ball factor incredibly high. Being from SC, it was the popular place for high schoolers to go for the 1st week school was out. That says it all.

FWIW, my 2 cents say that Hilton Head is 1000 times better. Edisto, too.

[purpletele]

I used to go every summer, but now it's just too far.

It can be both really cheesy or really relaxing. There's a lot of real estate to choose from so you can have it either way.

The plus is that the beach is really nice and the water is very warm. The downside is as you get closer to the boardwalk section it gets crowded. You don't have to be more than a few blocks away to get away from that though. Rentals vary from Highrise to houses.

I'd recommend it. It' s a safe place, more older people and families than some beach "party" locations.

I've been to a lot of beaches from Long Island all the way to Florida. It may be my favorite.

[hekawi]

Originally Posted by scrapyardblue

Kids want a beach vacation and we can get to Mytrle Beach pretty easy. Looks like nice long beaches, but also lots of high rises and an amusement park. Is it too commercial, too cheezy or are there better areas for a peaceful stay (leaving the hokie stuff as an option only)?

there are parts that are too commercial and too cheezy, but it's part of the charm.

North Myrtle Beach (closer, from the direction you're coming from) is more upscale...newer hotels, less "cheese factor".

recommended to do's:
Broadway at the Beach details here: http://www.broadwayatthebeach.com/

Barefoot Landing: http://www.bflanding.com/

the SkyWheel! http://myrtlebeachskywheel.com/

lots of golf courses (both PGA and miniature)

the beach itself is nice. it usually has mild waves...not great for surfing, but fun to splash around in.

come on down, and have fun.

[scrapyardblue]

Won't play any golf, but would like to get away from the miniature golf, wax museums and endless beach wear stores for the bulk of the five days. Of course, there may be time for all that too, but that will be the exception.

Sounds like North of Myrtle Beach may be my area, provided we can get a house (high rises just don't do it). Glad to hear the beaches are nice. Thanks all.

Pond: love HH, but might not be the cheaper option for the 4th.

[superchicken_VI]

Well, it's not called the Redneck Riviera for nothing. You can get a lot less cheesy/trashy in North Myrtle or above the state line. We have a house in Ocean Isle Beach, and I'd say any of the NC beaches are nicer/more relaxing than Myrtle itself. Plus, Sunset Beach, Ocean Isle Beach, and Holden Beach are all still relatively near Myrtle (15-45 mins depending on which) if you want to run down for a day. Also Wilmington is near, as is Calabash.

[bbmyers]

Originally Posted by superchicken_VI

Well, it's not called the Redneck Riviera for nothing.

Okay, where did I put the LCD cleaner? Just spit out my Dr Pepper..


Bb

[Rolling Estonian]

Have you looked at the Outer Banks? No high rises and the beaches are beautiful. You can rent really nice houses right on the beach that will accommodate a lot of people. But...... It's not cheap.

M

[Tim Armstrong]

I haven't been to Myrtle Beach, but I did visit a friend in Carolina Beach (just to the seaward of Wilmington, NC), and liked it very much. Great vibe, not a huge place. Not overly commercialized, either (and having just spent a decade in Ocean City, Maryland, I know all about big busy cheezy commercialized places!).

Tim

[purpletele]

Originally Posted by Tim Armstrong

I haven't been to Myrtle Beach, but I did visit a friend in Carolina Beach (just to the seaward of Wilmington, NC), and liked it very much. Great vibe, not a huge place. Not overly commercialized, either (and having just spent a decade in Ocean City, Maryland, I know all about big busy cheezy commercialized places!).

Tim

Carolina Beach is really nice, at least it was the last time I was there in the early 90's. It's similar to the more relaxed areas of Myrtle Beach. The beach is REALLY nice and there was a sand bar that went out really far. You could be knee deep for like 50 yards in the Ocean. The boardwalk area was a little sketchy.

Ocean City, my opinion, is a little more crowded and commercial than Myrtle Beach. I like Ocean City too, I've been going there since I was a toddler. The water is just a little colder and more rough than the Carolinas. The horsehoe crabs kind of freaked me out when I was little too. Ocean City does have one of the best boardwalks of all the East Coast.

[jlrich]

Of the "Grand Strand" beaches, North Myrtle Beach would be the best choice.

[Reverbely]

Being from North Carolina Myrtle is a popular get away. Like some suggested North Myrtle is a little les hype.
There are some great beaches along the NC and SC coast. Headed to Sunset Beach, NC next week. Great place very non commercial. There is also Holden beach, and Ocean Isle. That are great and less of a show and probably more relaxing.

[jimd]

Myrtle is definitely very commercial. As a kid we would go to Carolina Beach, which was very nice and much more laid back. But that was a long time ago and I can't vouch for it now. We were just at the Outer Banks a few months ago. It was very nice and less commercial than Myrtle.

[jb12string]

Probably 5 years ago we went to Surfside beach over 4th of july weekend, it was pretty reasonable and really nice. Of course, it helped that we got put across the street from the beach after orginally planning on staying a few blocks away. We kept getting moved closer due to a string of situations with houses we were supposed to rent, the realtor kept moving us closer for the same money. I would go back in a minute if my wife thought it would be a good idea to drive a 2 and 4 year old that far.

[' burn 08]

I think Myrtle Beach and Panama City could pretty much be interchangeable. Except one is on the Atlantic and the other is in the Gulf. Funny, I've always heard PCB referred to as the Redneck Riviera.

[purpletele]

Originally Posted by ' burn 08

I think Myrtle Beach and Panama City could pretty much be interchangeable. Except one is on the Atlantic and the other is in the Gulf. Funny, I've always heard PCB referred to as the Redneck Riviera.

I've heard just about every southern beach I've been to called the "Redneck Riviera". I think it's almost like the urban legend of name calling.

[gtrguru]

Only went there once for high school spring break and the partying was ridiculous. It may be family friendly during other times of the year though.

[Rolling Estonian]

Technically the Redneck Riviera is beaches in the Florida panhandle, Pensacola being the center of it.

M

[superchicken_VI]

Originally Posted by Rolling Estonian

Technically the Redneck Riviera is beaches in the Florida panhandle, Pensacola being the center of it.

M

In my 39 years, I've always heard this attributed to Myrtle. I think that "technically", it's anyplace trashy.

[Rolling Estonian]

Most travel sites and Google will bring up the panhandle and some beaches in Alabama into Miss. The spring break crowd will back this up too. But you're right, any redneck beach will do!

M