With so many amusements, entertainment and water activities to choose from, you may forget the essentials: picking the right lodging and dining for your visit. Here’s some helpful insights from our recent trip to Myrtle Beach:
KINGSTON PLANTATION RESORT
This oceanfront hotel complex is located on 145 beautifully landscaped acres on approximately a mile of pristine beach, just 12 miles from Myrtle Beach International Airport and minutes from restaurant row.
Kingston Plantation Condos: individually owned and decorated casual upscale multi-bedroom condos are in towers on either side of the Embassy or Hilton Hotel Resort.
Embassy Suites Oceanfront: All of the luxurious two-room suites feature a spacious bedroom with one king bed or two double beds, plus a separate living area with mini refrigerator and microwave, and a private balcony with ocean views. Suites are fully equipped with two 32″ LCD televisions, a sleeper sofa, and a well lit dining/work table.
Resort Dining
Complimentary Breakfast – All registered guests of the Embassy Suites will enjoy a complimentary breakfast buffet daily. Other resort guests can pay for the buffet. The restaurant offers great views of the ocean and pool complex. Before you leave home, go to www.embassykids.com for online games and offline printable activity sheets. Fish Eye Grill features daily fresh fish specials, along with regional Calabash style cuisine.
Recreation
Splash! Water Park is open seasonally. This 50,000 pool area is the main feature for fun in the water. It offers water jets, water pumps, water slides and the “bucket”. The bucket is a 500 gallon bucket which fills with water and dumps every two minutes on participants below. Or, Enjoy one of 9 swimming pools at the resort. Relax in the Lazy River. Fun for kids and adults alike.
The large complex also offers a golf course, tennis and a huge Sport and Health Club. And, of course, the Beach – soft sand, great body board surfing, and the Apache Pier with fishing and nightly entertainment during summer. Easy place to make friends around the pool, set up a family tent on the beach or prepare light meals back at the room. This resort is perfect for safe family fun with plenty of leisure activities available. We highly recommend it! www.kingstonplantation.com
CAMPING: Sleep Under the Stars
The Myrtle Beach area offers campers and outdoor enthusiasts a choice of nearly a dozen campgrounds, two state parks and more than 7,000 camping sites, all located in close proximity to the beach and other attractions and amenities along the Grand Strand. Some locations include:
- Myrtle Beach State Park: Located in the heart of Myrtle Beach and boasts an impressive beach, fishing pier, 350 campsites, cabins, picnic shelters, activity center, nature center, hiking trails and free nature programs with admission to the park. For more information, call (843) 238-5325 or visit SouthCarolinaParks.com.
- Huntington Beach State Park: The diverse natural environment of the South Carolina coast consists of freshwater lagoons, salt marshes, nature trails along the fabulous stretch of beach. The park has 133 campsites, picnic areas with shelters, nature programs and the historic castle Atalaya, once the winter home of sculptor Anna Hyatt Huntington and her husband, Archer. For more information, call (843) 237-4440 or visit SouthCarolinaParks.com.
- Ocean Lakes Family Campground: Visitors will enjoy beachfront camping on the eight fresh water lakes. On-site amenities include the Four Seasons Center with heated pool, and a 17,000-square-foot recreation center – plus nearly 900 campsites, 250 rentals units and over 2,000 annual lease sites. For more information, call (877) 510-1413 or visit OceanLakes.com.
- Lakewood Camping Resort: Offers visitors the choice of oceanfront or lakefront campsites or villa accommodations; with available amenities including golf cart rentals, on-site telephones, heated swimming pool, three-acre recreation complex, and oceanfront amphitheater and meeting rooms for clubs and rallies. For more information, call (877) LAKEWOOD or visit LakewoodCampground.com.
- Pirateland Family Camping Resort: For nearly 40 years, PirateLand campground has been accommodating family travelers with more than 700 campsites, a heated indoor swimming pool, two- and three-bedroom vacation rentals, golf packages and a beautiful, wide span of beach. For more information, call (800) 443-CAMP or visit Pirateland.com.
DINING
RIVERSIDE CAFÉ: With 5 locations around Myrtle Beach, this is an inexpensive dining hangout where you eat peanuts and throw the shells on the floor. They have a few specialties but probably the best bets are their sandwiches – specifically their many burger varieties. And, if your kids dare, people can write on the walls, tables, chairs here – go ahead! Lunch and dinner served. www.rivercitycafe.com
JIMMY BUFFETT’S MARGARITAVILLE RESTAURANT – MYRTLE BEACH: After a fun-filled day with the kids on the beach and later at Ripley’s Aquarium at Broadway at the Beach, you may not want to loose that tropical feeling. After checking out some spectacular sea creatures, have a late lunch/ early dinner next door at Margaritaville to stay in that island state of mind. Kids have their own menu at this tropical-themed eatery including standards like chicken fingers, a “cheeseburger in paradise” or spaghetti but also grilled tilapia and fried shrimp plus 4 other selections. Margaritaville’s specialties include chicken, shrimp and fish entrees often served with Island rice and your choice of mango salsa, Jerk BBQ or Island butter. Key lime pie or their Chocolate Hurricane make a great dessert. Although their food is fun, folks really come for the atmosphere. While you wait for your meal to be served, a pirate on stilts makes balloon hats (we got fun palm trees and a shark fin). Once an hour, a tropical storm brews and there’s a hurricane indoors! It’s a party over there! Lunch and Dinner served daily. www.margaritavillemyrtlebeach.com
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I love camping, i used to go with my dad every summer.