THINGS TO DO IN MYRTLE BEACH WITH KIDS

The beach makes a fantastic vacation when traveling with kids, especially when traveling with children on the spectrum. Jack-Jack loves the sound of the ocean and running in the waves. He didn’t always love the waves or sand, but with time, he grew to love our beach vacations as much as the rest of the family. The ocean now calls his name! And we have traveled to Myrtle Beach many, many times, so I have compiled a list of things to do in Myrtle Beach with Kids (and added some things with kids on the spectrum. If you are looking for things to do in Myrtle Beach, you came to the right place.

The Best Things to do in Myrtle Beach with Kids

WHY GO TO MYRTLE BEACH

Myrtle Beach is a wonderful vacation destination that boasts a wide range of activities from relaxing at the beach, exciting shopping destinations, theaters, museums, shows, water activities, golfing and miniature golf. Our family has been visiting Myrtle Beach since the 1980s. Some decades saw us visiting more than others, and we have watched the landscape of the Grand Strand and the surrounding area change drastically over the years. Some of our favorite vacations with the kids occurred traveling to Myrtle Beach.

Since Myrtle Beach is far enough south, it makes a great destination for almost the entire year. If you want to plan a trip to Myrtle Beach or the surrounding area for you and your family, here’s everything that you need to know and a list of things to do along the Grand Strand with kids.

Getting to Myrtle Beach

While our family has always driven to Myrtle Beach as it is about a 12-hour drive, that may not be the way to travel for you. However, flights to Myrtle Beach can be fairly reasonable. If you want to get there quickly, that’s maybe your best choice.

If you do choose to drive, one of the best things about South Carolina is the beautiful and varied landscapes that you’ll find along the way. The best way to really appreciate that is to take a family road trip instead of flying. As long as you don’t mind the drive and you can keep the kids entertained, it’s the best way to see the beauty surrounding South Carolina and Myrtle Beach. Additionally, if you drive, there are wonderful day trips you can take while on vacation in MB.

Things to do in Myrtle Beach: Where To Stay

It all depends on what you want to do while you’re there and whether you’re going to stay in one place or move around a bit. You might decide that you just want to spend the whole trip in Myrtle Beach, which is fine, but there’s more to see in South Caroline especially if you want to visit Charleston. Charleston is the oldest and largest city in South Carolina rich with southern history and old-world charm.

We have found that staying in North Myrtle Beach in a condo on the beach, complete with kitchen, washer, dryer, pools, and lazy river, gives us the best vacation. We are a days drive to many other places we want to visit, such as Charleston, Murrell’s Inlet, and Pawley’s Island.

Whether you want to stay in a traditional hotel, house, or a timeshare, there are plenty of places to stay in Myrtle Beach and the surrounding area. There are over 10,000 rooms available to rent in MB alone.

Best Time to Visit Myrtle Beach

Our family prefers not to visit during the summer months while everyone else is visiting Myrtle Beach. Between the traffic and the weather, summer months can be hard on a family with a child on the spectrum. Going off-season helps tremendously with crowds. And the cooler temperatures will be easier for your child on the autism spectrum.

Additionally, the water temperature is better in September while the air temperature is not quite as hot. However, visiting in September doesn’t come without risks. The threat of a hurricane running you out of town does still exist. In the 20+ visits over the years to Myrtle Beach, our family has taken in the month of September, we have had to evacuate once, we had our trip canceled once, and we had rainy (monsoon) weather another time. Official hurricane season actually runs June 1 through November 30, so the potential exists even in the summer months. Rest assured that Myrtle Beach will evacuate visitors before anyone else.

Things to do in Myrtle Beach:

The Beach:

While there is so much to do at Myrtle Beach, our number one activity is the beach itself. Building sandcastles, collecting seashells, running into the waves, soaking up the sun, or sitting under a beach umbrella which reading a good book are all wonderful activities at the beach. The little ones playing nearby while you relax. This truly is a vacation that will calm your soul and restore your body, mind, and spirit. Make sure to take a walk along the beach at sunrise and gaze at the stars after dark. The smells, sights, and sounds are amazing!

 

Shopping:

Myrtle Beach is a shopper’s paradise. Malls, specialty stores, and outlet centers line the strip.

Market Common has 30 specialty shops such as Francesca’s, Sunglass Hut, Pottery Barn, Barnes & Noble, Chico’s, and J.Jill. Additionally, the variety of eating is amazing. And to top it off there is a theater, bowling and more.

Broadway at the Beach

Broadway at the Beach offers unique and varied shopping, dining and entertainment experiences. While BATB offers traditional shopping experiences such as Build-A-Bear Workshop, Claire’s, and Yankee Candle, there are so many unique shops. One of my family’s favorite stores is Klig’s Kites. We have purchased a variety of kites and toys from this shop over the years. Another favorite store is the Savannah Bee Company. We just love the honey and gifts we have purchased there. Get your souvenirs and T-shirts here.

The dining here is amazing too, but my favorite thing about Broadway at the Beach is the entertainment and attractions. While I would need a longer vacation than a week to fit everything in, I absolutely adore Ripley’s Aquarium and WonderWorks. And the rides can’t be beat.

Barefoot Landing

A trip to Myrtle Beach wouldn’t be complete without a visit to Barefoot Landing. This large shopping/dining/entertainment complex is similar to Broadway at the Beach, but with a twist. It is set along the Intracoastal Waterway and offers a relaxed strolling experience. 

Dining at Barefoot Landing includes River City Cafe, Johnny Rockets (where they dance on the counters), House of Blues, Green Norman Australian Grille (one of my favorites), and my favorite ice cream stop in Myrtle Beach – Sweet Molly’s Creamery. There are some can’t miss attractions to such as the Carousel.

Alligator Adventure can be found at Barefoot Landing and is a great place to explore. My family had a great time the last visit, and we learned so much at this animal park which has a range of species and live shows. Additionally, the house the World’s Largest Croc.

Things to do in Myrtle Beach

Tanger Outlets: Myrtle Beach is also home to two Tanger Outlet centers. Each one is great and if we have time, we usually stop at both.

SHOWS AND CONCERTS

While our family has attended numerous shows and concerts over the years, some have been more memorable than others. Furthermore, there are ones that are on our bucket list. Through the years the shows have changed and we look forward to seeing the shows that have taken their place.

Some of our favorites include:

Dolly Parton Pirates Voyage

Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament

The Carolina Opry

Some of the shows that are on our bucket list include:

Motor City Musical

Legends in Concert

Alabama Theater

House of Blues

MUSEUMS and SCIENCE CENTERS

Myrtle Beach is home to a variety of museums including the Pinball museum, Warbird Park Military Museum, Hollywood Wax Museum, Ripley’s Believe It or Not. One of our favorite destinations is Ripley’s Aquarium that is located at Broadway at the Beach.

More Things to do in Near Myrtle Beach: Murrell’s Inlet

Another one of our favorite things when on vacation is to visit Murrell’s Inlet which is home to Brookgreen Gardens. These gardens are simply amazing. (Watch for a full blog post coming soon).

Additionally, Murrell’s Inlet is home to many river tours and water sports. Captain Dick’s offers fishing, water sports, pirate adventures, and explorer tours. We have done the Saltwater Marsh Tour and can attest to the fact that it is both educational and fun!

Pawley’s Island: Even More Fun

Pawley’s Island offers a plethora of shopping destinations. Our favorite is The Hammock Shops Village which offers hammock weaving demonstrations, hammock and swings to relax in, a fun playground for the kids, gourmet kitchen items, clothing and shoes, jewelry, a huge Christmas shop, hand-dipped soy candle shop with a variety of scents (one of my favorite candle places), dining, and more.

While in Pawley’s Island, head on over to The Joggling Board, a children’s and ladies boutique. There you can find a joggling board which is fun for the whole family.

In fact, Myrtle Beach is such a perfect family destination, you may find yourself visiting with your grandchildren, siblings, aunts, and uncles. There is no other destination like it. Now you and your family can plan the perfect trip to the amazing Myrtle Beach. Have you been to Myrtle Beach? What is your favorite thing to do on a beach vacation?

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