Consisting of beach communities along the coasts of North & South Carolina, the Grand Strand is and has been a mecca for east coast beach dwellers for years..

Stretching from Cape Fear, NC to Georgetown, SC – the Grand Strand features a wide variety of attractions, activities and historic sites – there’s something for everyone.

The towns that lie within the Grand Strand zone have long and colorful histories, and are great places to visit while using your Myrtle Beach vacation rental as your home base.

Murrels Inlet

A historic low-country rice growing community, Murrells Inlet is now the Seafood Capital of South Carolina.  This is reason enough for me to want to visit.  Located just 15 miles south of Myrtle Beach its a quick trip for lunch and a walk through Huntington Beach State Park.

Surfside Beach

Six miles north of Murrels Inlet and 9 miles south of Myrtle Beach lies the quiet community of Surfside Beach, SC.  While you’re there – check out the Surfside Pier, originally built in 1953 it has been rebuilt 3 times due to hurricane damage – most recently in 1993.  You can rent a pole and try your luck for some of the native species in the area such as Amberjack, Cobia, Flounder and Black Drum.

Myrtle Beach

This mecca for beachgoers offers something for everyone.  There are over 100 golf courses in the near vicinity and the piers, restaurants and beach combing is unparalleled.  A friend told me about “Broadway At The Beach” which is over 350 acres of dining, shopping and attractions.  This place is HUGE!  From a water park to an Imax theatre – this complex will offer you something to keep the young and old happy.

image courtesy alan2onion

Welcome back!

Heading to Myrtle Beach’s Grand Strand and looking to play some golf while you are there?  With over 70 golf courses to choose from every kind of golfer can find his or her match.  Most of the golf courses consist of water hazards and plenty of sand bunkers to make the game even more interesting.

The Man O’ War course boasts of back to back island greens and water on mostly every hole.  Contrary to most coastal golf courses where the layout is flat the Glen Dornoch course actually has high undulations built into the course to create shot-making at its’ finest.  Myrtle Beach also is home to a TPC (Tournament Players Championship) course that allows the amateur golfer to play where the pros play.   

For others who may not want to golf there is fishing, boating, jet-skiing, bicycling, shopping, festivals and great seafood dining.  Myrtle Beach is a destination for all four seasons.

The bright lights and activity of the downtown area of Myrtle Beach and its boardwalk are attractive and exciting, but sometimes you prefer a quieter, more peaceful setting. When that’s the case, you want to head to the southern part of the Grand Strand and enjoy Surfside Beach.

Surfside is known as “the family beach” of the South Carolina coast and is like the Myrtle Beach your parents probably remember. It’s a place of uncrowded beaches where children can roam without parents worrying too much and a place where family cottages are the norm, rather than miles of high rises.

Choosing a Surfside Beach vacation rental will give you a little tamer and quieter Atlantic Ocean getaway than renting a place in Myrtle Beach proper, but you can still find plenty to do here and, of course, the wilder side of the Grand Strand is just a few miles north and a short drive away.  Here are a few of the highlights of the Surfside Beach area:

Surfside Pier at 11 Ocean Boulevard is an activity that the whole family can enjoy together. You can rent rods and buy bait, play games in the arcade and enjoy burgers and hot dogs in the pier restaurant

The Legends Concert Theater, at 301 Business Highway 17 South in Surfside Beach, is a venue for amazing live tribute shows and fun for all ages. The sets, costumes and special effects compliment some of the best impersonators you’ll find anywhere.

Brookgreen Gardens is just a little south of Surfside in Murrell’s Inlet, SC. It’s a combination museum of sculpture, botanical garden and zoo. There are more than outdoor 1,200 statues displayed among the native flora and fauna of the Carolina low country. Each day,  they offer several different interpretive programs, including Meet the Animals, which is sure to is sure to delight the kids.

To old timers, Myrtle Beach is all about laid back family vacations at the beach-lazy days spent strolling in the sand and sultry evenings on the boardwalk with sticky cotton candy and a poket full of quarters for playing skee ball. The only golf anyone played involved windmills and clown obstacles on astro turf-covered miniature golf courses. Boy, has that changed!

Today, Myrtle Beach is all about golf. With over 90 courses along the 70 mile stretch of coast known as the Grand Strand, it may well be the most golf-rich area in the the country. The mild climate allows for nearly year round play and the variety of links ranges from ultra exclusive to bargain basement.

With so many to golf courses, it’s sometimes difficult to choose which ones to play during your visit. Numerous golfing websites offer club reviews and star ratings based on playability, course layout, conditions, scenic beauty and other factors. In addition to the top courses in the area, some also flag the worst Grand Strand golf courses in an effort to keep the entire area from suffering reputation problems caused by just a few.

The best way to get real Myrtle Beach vacation deals is by booking a special package that includes lodging along with carts and greens fees. Sometimes, meals and entertainment are also included and you usually get to choose which courses you wish to play. At under $70 bucks a night for an off-season Stay and Play package, it’s almost cheaper than staying home. So, do some shopping and snooping around before you book your next golf trip to the Myrtle Beach. You’ll be glad you did!

We’ve talked in the past about how “pet friendly” Hilton Head Island is – as a mom I feel I’m remiss in not mentioning all of the Hilton Head activities and attractions for Kids and Families!  Beyond the beach and digging in the sand, there are tons of things for kids to do in the area – things that are going to amuse mom and dad also.  Lets face it, a happy kid on vacation leads to happy moms and dad’s on vacation.

 If you’re into adventure – try out Adventure Cove (warning there’s music on that site!).  This entertainment center has a water park, a parachute ride, laser tag, a 4D movie theatre, bumper cars, virtual roller coasters and more.  You could spend a whole day here and not run out of fun stuff to do before you ran out of the energy needed to do them all!

The Art Cafe is a hit with everyone – select your own potter and paint it – make your OWN Hilton Head souvenir for Grandma and Grandpa – it’s the perfect gift.

 The Coastal Discovery Musem is open year round and offers a great variety of indoor and outdoor exhibits.  There are activity centers and you can sign up for one or more of 11 different cruises that take you around the island to learn more about the unique history, flora and fauna.

Saddle up for a ride through the Sea Pines Forest Preserve with Lawton Stables (843) 671-2586.  Sea Horse Farms (843)681-7746) offers beach rides.  Keep in mind, minimum age for trail rides from both purveyors is 8-years-old.

If you’re going to be on-island from June through August – the kids might enjoy some Kayak lessons or even Kayak Camp.  Outside Hilton Head offers something for kids starting at age SEVEN!

If you’re staying at a resort some will offer on-site kid’s programs – but if you’re choosing a vacation rental or other lodging – consider putting together a variety of activities and making your own kid camp!  I always recommend vacation rentals as I love to have a kitchen and not have to rush to breakfast when the kids’ feet hit the floor.

photo courtesy terren in Virginia