If kids could magically design their own vacation destination, it would probably end up looking a lot like Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. With sixty miles of soft, sunny "sandboxes," a wide choice of amusement and water parks, kid-centered shows and restaurants, and a dazzling array of natural marine life, it's a veritable children's paradise. The list of activities and destinations in Myrtle Beach adds up to a vacation that, while decidedly kid-pleasing, will enchant the whole family.
Children's Museum of South Carolina
2501 N King's Hwy.
843-946-9469
www.cmsckids.org
While appropriate through age 11, the interactive exhibits here are also aimed at teaching children as young as 1. Hands-on exhibits include medical exam rooms, science labs, and even an ATM machine: all geared and sized for little ones. Call ahead for special events.
Myrtle Beach Waves Water Park
U.S. 17 Bypass at 10th Ave. N
843-448-1026
www.myrtlewaves.com
Kids can literally make waves at this water park, the state's largest, with 20 acres of water activities including a wave pool and water slides. The LayZee
River ride is a winding cruise around the water park that is slow enough for even the very youngest. Children two and under are free.
Ripley's Aquarium
1110 Celebrity Circle
1-800-734-8888
www.ripleysaquarium.com
One of the top-rated aquariums in the country, this $40 million complex allows families to view marine life from every angle, while they walk through a 750,000 gallon tank. Small ones will marvel at the thousands of tiny Pacific fish, while older ones will be awe-stricken by the ten-foot sharks.
Hard Rock Park
211 George Bishop Pkwy.
843-236- ROCK
www.hardrockpark.com
Kids don't have to be hard rockers to enjoy this park, which has surprisingly family-friendly attractions for even the littlest rock stars. The Punk Pit bounce house is fun for the toddler-aged, and the Shake, Rattle and Rollercoaster will please the school-aged. The website grades rides by age appropriateness from ages 1-10 and up.
Waccatee Zoological Farm
8500 Enterprise Rd.
843-650-8500
www.wacateezoo.com
On the 500-acre zoo grounds, you can get an up-close view of over 100 species of wildlife. It's not uncommon to see as many as 1000 heron in one spot when the weather is right. While the size may make walking a chore for little feet, there are plenty of snacks and picnic areas available for rest stops.
Myrtle Beach State Park
4402 S. King's Hwy.
843-238-5325
www.southcarolinaparks.com
This unspoiled stretch of forest would be beautiful enough on its own for walks and nature observations, but kids will especially love the special programs. "Bat Chat," "A Crabby Experience," and "Urban Sea Turtle" are some of the previously offered interactive events. Call ahead for current themes.
Carolina Safari Jeep Tour
Pick-up service from most hotels
843-497-5330
www.carolinasafari.com
This safari excursion begins when a Jeep picks you up right at your hotel door, then whisks you away for a three-hour nature tour, where your guide will point out alligators, eagles, and storks in their own habitats. You can even hop out to get a closer look in some spots.
Hawaiian Rumble
3210 33rd Ave. S
843-272-7812
Though there are dozens of places to play mini golf in town, Hawaiian Rumble is most often rated the best. The centerpiece is a huge volcano, complete with smoke, that shoots realistic fire at intervals throughout your game.
Ripley's Haunted Adventure
915 N Ocean Blvd.
843-448-2331
www.ripleysaquarium.com/other_attra ctions.php
Small children might find it too scary, but if you have school-aged kids who love monsters and the fun variety of chills, they'll appreciate this creepy haunted house with animated vampires and ghosts in a building purported to be an old casket company.
Alligator Adventure
4604 Hwy. 17 S
1-843-361-0789
www.alligatoradventure.com
One of the largest reptile facilities in the entire world, visitors here will see alligators; giant Galapagos tortoises; scads of frogs, snakes, and lizards; and even a few surprises, like cute river otters. Call ahead for feeding times and you might get to see the creatures have a snack.
The Palace Theatre
1420 Celebrity Circle
843-448-0588
www.palacetheatremyrtlebeach.com
Lo cated at Broadway at the Beach, the majestic theatre, featuring a gold-domed lobby and huge chandeliers, hosts large-scale family shows that are perfect when little ones are too beat to walk. Recent shows include Le Grand Cirque's acrobats from around the world. Call for current shows.
Myrtle Beach IMAX 3D Theatre
1195 Celebrity Circle
843-448-4629
www.imax3dmyrtlebeach.com
Kids will get a state-of-the-art movie experience when they put on their funny glasses and feel like they're right in the middle of the action. Movie selections are always topics kids love, like dinosaurs, undersea life, and wild animals. Call to see what's playing currently.
Leaps-N-Bounce
3236 Holmestown Rd. A
843-215-0819
Twos and threes will be particularly excited to encounter this big indoor play center filled with inflatable equipment they can bounce on to their heart's content. They can also have fun with the Velcro climbing wall and a bouncer made to look like a monster truck.
Family Kingdom
300 S Ocean Blvd.
843-626-3447
www.family-kingdom.com
This fun center combines an amusement park and a water park into one. Both sections have rides to suit a wide range of ages, from slow rides to faster, more thrilling ones. Highlights include an old-fashioned wooden roller coaster and a giant Ferris wheel.
NASCAR Speed Park
Hwy. 17 Bypass
843-918-8725
www.nascarspeedpark.com
Kids can indulge their need for speed at a park that is all about racing. Seven different race tracks are the feature, but the Kid's Zone will be the focus for those with six-and-unders. Bumper boats and a kiddie speedway are the hot tot rides, and more than fifty racing arcade games will keep the video game fans happy too.
MagiQuest
1185 Celebrity Circle
843-913-9460
www.magiquestmb.com
This huge castle is like a real fantasy world, where children can use their wands to help them on their interactive journey through a magical realm with unicorns, dragons, and fairies. Kids who love stories will especially love the adventure, and the custom wand is theirs to keep when they finish.
Captain Dick's Saltwater Marsh Explorer Tour
Myrtle Beach South Strand
843-651-3676
www.captdicks.com
All ages will marvel on one of these tours where natural wildlife is the highlight. Captain Dick pulls in his haul, which may be clams, crabs, urchins or starfish. Afterwards, he puts the catch into tanks so kids can get an up-close look or even touch them if they like. Dolphin-watching tours are also available.
Franklin G. Burroughs-Simeon B. Chapin Art Museum
3100 S Ocean Blvd.
843-238-2510
www.myrtlebeachartmuseum.org/art_ed ucation.htm
Your little Einsteins and Picassos from 5-12 will love to get creative in one of the many KidsArt
workshops offered at this museum. Call ahead to schedule a session, or just drop by to visit the regular exhibits, which feature several modern works that should engage kids of the artsy type.
Myrtle Beach Ghost Walk
4818 Hwy. 17 S
843-361-2700
www.ghostshows.com/ghostwalk
If you have the type of children who love ghost stories, they'll love the thrills they'll get while staying up late to hear 13 different spooky stories during a 90-minute walk through the swamps, where they'll hear about local legends like Bluebeard. Advance bookings are recommended.
Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede
Hwy. 17 N
843-497-6615
www.dixiestampede.com/myrtlebeach
One price gets families a four-course family-friendly dinner as well as a ticket to the main show in the arena. Dixie Stampede shows are exciting, with live animals, fireworks, and musical numbers. The atmosphere is circus-like, and the emphasis is on entertainment.
Dragon's Lair Fantasy Golf
U.S. Hwy. 17 Bypass
843-444-3215
www.broadwayatthebeach.com
Located at Broadway on the Beach, Dragon's Lair is a mini-golf course for the Harry Potter lover in your household. The entire course is medieval-themed, and a 30-foot dragon breathes his fiery breath from above. The lack of steps makes stroller access a breeze.
Ripley's Motion Master Moving Theatre
917 N Ocean Blvd.
1-843-626-0069
www.ripleys.com
The films at this Ripley's theatre go beyond 3D, letting you literally feel like you're in on the action. Viewers are buckled into seats that allow them to feel every rumble. Kids who don't like big rides will appreciate feeling the sensation of movement without actually having to be up in the air. Call for show times.
Captain Hook's Adventure Golf
2205 N King's Hwy.
843-913-7851
Another mini-golf favorite, this adventure featured two different Never-Never Land courses. Players must navigate around animated (non-scary) crocodiles, roving pirates, and hidden treasure. The secret caves provide a welcome shelter from the sun.
Cherry Grove Fishing Pier
3500 N Ocean Blvd.
843-249-1625
www.cherrygrovepier.com
This fishing spot is the perfect place to teach a young one how to fish for the first time. The tackle shop has everything you need, and no license is required. Even if they don't make a catch, kids will be amazed to see the record-breaking flounder and bluefish from one of the loveliest spots on the coast.
Medieval Times
2904 Fantasy Way
843-236-4635
www.medievaltimes.com
Little princes and princesses will fell at home when they attend a show at this huge medieval reproduction palace, complete with a banquet. Kids will enjoy eating Dark ages style (no silverware!) and watching a jousting contest on horseback.
Mt. Atlanticus
707 N King's Hwy.
843-444-1008
What makes this mini-golf course a standout is the scenery, with tiki
huts you'll see high in the air before you even arrive. The theme is based on a sunken ancient city (similar to Atlantis), and the holes are fun and creative. The last hole is a tough one, but kids will still enjoy trying when they hear that a hole-in-one garners a free pass for a lifetime.
Pavilion Nostalgia Park
1325 Celebrity Circle
843-913-9400
www.pavilionnostalgiapark.com
When the Myrtle Beach Pavilion Amusement Park closed down, Broadway at the Beach stepped in and moved the best parts to their own location. The setting is reminiscent of an old boardwalk, with midway games, corn dogs, and classic carnival rides.
Barefoot Landing
4898 Hwy. 17 S
843-272-8349
While Barefoot Landing is primarily known as a shopping destination, there are plenty of activities here to keep the kids occupied: a house of mirrors, several entertainment theatres, and the T.I.G.E.R.S. preservation reserve, where they can get a close-up look at lions and tigers.
Myrtle Beach Pelicans
1251 21st Ave.
843-918-6000
www.myrtlebeachpelicans.com
Your youngest sports fans can see the local minor league baseball team, the Pelicans, play in a new stadium. T-shirt giveaways are plentiful, and even smaller kids will enjoy the antics of the mascot Splash. The burrito stand is a favorite at the concession area.
Carolina Opry
8901-A Hwy. 17 N
1-800-843-6779
www.carolinaopry.com
You can teach your kids about some of the music legends of the past in this two-story music house. The Good Vibrations show features lookalikes of singers like the Beatles, The Beach Boys, and more modern acts like Cyndi Lauper. The shows are upbeat and family-friendly.
With so many activities that seem custom-made for small children, they'll be convinced that the entire vacation is just for them. You can keep it a secret that you're having just as much fun as they are.