Places to stay in Myrtle Beach, SC?
My friends and I are looking for a nice but cheap place to stay for summer vacation in Myrtle Beach. Preferably something ocean front and close to the attractions. Any suggestions?
How busy is Myrtle Beach at Spring Break?
I live in SC and have been going to Myrtle since I was a kid. Generally, it's not so bad when Spring Break is in March. You can't swim yet and if it's at all windy, the beach is pretty chilly & uncomfortable (the sand stings when blown). Starts getting warm here around mid to late April. I looked at their web site and Canadian American Days are Mar 8-16. So there will be more then usually. Be aware that Myrtle is now fairly busy year round with all of the shopping and golf courses. If you are looking for a vacation to swim, I'd suggest going either first half of May before school ends or in Sept after Labor Day when it is still warm but school is back in session. Anytime in the summer is totally jammed.
What are the busiest hours for drivers in Myrtle Beach, SC?
The busiest times. Lets see. The mornings on week days can be a little rough because everyone is either going to school or work. The 12–2 pm time area is not too bad but keep in mind, its lunch time for most. The WORST time to drive in Myrtle Beach is rush hour. Basically 4–7 pm. Especially on 501. 501 runs through the heart of Myrtle Beach and can take you from Conway up to Murrels inlet. Also, that is the more accident prone time of day. DRIVE SAFE!
Best time to visit myrtle beach?
Party scene? Wrong beach town. You may be thinking of Daytona or Panama City Beach. The "party scene" in Myrtle Beach is pretty well limited to a few clubs around Broadway at the Beach and it's not too busy in the off-season. Yes, April is "off-season". Season here is Memorial Day to Labor Day (end of May to start of September). That's when "the scene" is active. April is a great time to come and find not too many people here, cheap rooms, and cheap food. August is the best time to come to find the most people, expensive rooms, and $30 per person seafood buffets. "Warm" is relative to what you're used to. We think 60F is cold and low 90's isn't hot yet. Weather - anyone's guess. We can predict pretty well that June, July, and August will be HOT. Other than that, there's no telling. It won't be "cold" though in April - it'll probably be 70's most of the time with some climbs into the 80's and maybe 60's at night. The record high here in April was 96F, the record low was 22F (brrrr) - that's not our normal though. April is one of our low rain months. Bring a sweater or two but bring some shorts too.
Virginia Beach, Myrtle Beach or other?
I was just in Virginia Beach for the first time a couple of weeks ago and I liked it a lot. I have been going to Myrtle Beach 2-3 times a summer for about 50 years so I know a lot about Myrtle. For your age I highly recommend going to Myrtle Beach if you want to go to a place that is pretty fast paced with LOTs to see and do. Plenty of night life, restaurants, and all kinds of activities along with the beach itself. While Virginia Beach will be crazy crowded (as will Myrtle) there just isn't nearly as much to do compared to Myrtle Beach. The boardwalk at Virginia Beach is great and has the mini one at Myrtle beat for sure but that's about it. Myrtle Beach far outshines VB in all other ways. But... VB is great too if you're not looking for the type of atmosphere you'll find in MB. All that being said... I HATE long drives! My guess is that VB is closer for you than MB so based on that alone I might decide to go to VB. Besides, you've never been to the ocean and that's surely gonna be a high priority for you. Either place you'll have ocean! As for the beach itself. For me the MB beaches are nicer. You can find shells there and they gently slope to the surf. I was taken aback a bit by the lack of any shells at VB and they have pumped in sand to make the beach very wide. That causes an abrupt drop down to the surf that I don't really care for. But still the beach at VB is very nice just not what I personally care for. Hope this is helpful and you have a great time on your first trip to the ocean!!
Vacation which is best : Outer Banks vs Myrtle Beach vs Virginia Beach? Going with my 8 year old and want to have fun. We want to try a new beach.
I went to Outer Banks as a teen. We didn’t have surf boards so we “body surfed” the waves. We rented a house and stuffed three families in there for a weekend. There were few but still a sizeable amount of people on the beach, so we didn’t have to worry about fighting over it. The sand was greyish brown, normal, average, would fall through your fingers or cake in mud when drenched in water.The water was a steelish, transparent up close and brownish, clear from afar. The waves would roar up to 6 to 9 feet if you ventured far enough and would rock you over and over if you caught the wrong way. It was fun but not the best beach I’ve ever visited (I’d give that to Cancun where the water was literally turquoise aquamarine).I went to Myrtle and Virginia Beach on a high school band trip. We stayed in hotels and played out in the hotel pool rather than the actual beach. I guess the teachers thought it was safer. From afar, it seemed to be a similar type of attitude, with a more small town, harbor/sea vibe. They sold a lot of seafood in restaurants and buffet. The beach, from afar, had the same metallic, mud brown look.There was a tourist/vacation-vibe in the air and a good amount of people, more people than in Outer Banks. Maybe it was because we drove through the most popular areas or just faulty memory, but I thought it was more crowded, but not stuffed. The beaches looked slightly less appealing from afar than Outer Banks (OBX).OBX has tourist stops too but it’s mainly the standard t-shirts, hats, and trinkets. Myrtle and Virginia went farther to offer real, unique local merchandise and seafood.
Less crowded in myrtle beach?
I lived in North Charleston for 6 years and found that Folley Beach and Isle of Palms were always nice and not too crowded. But be sure to go to the Market at Myrtle Beach! And Kaminsky's dessert restaurant! It's a lovely place. Historical, beautiful and not over run with party kids.
How is life in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina?
Myrtle Beach is growing quickly with families as well as retirees. Everything depends on where you live in the area. If you are East of Rt 17 you'll be closer to the ocean and more often in expensive housing or in hotel/ condos. Those areas are perfect for a vacation. Additionally traffic, especially during the summer is extremely busy. Don't even think about making a left hand turn onto Rt 17 without a light.If you live on the other side of the Intercoastal waterway- still not too far from the beach— you'll find less expensive housing and more residential areas vs tourist areas. These are more traditional areas with nice housing developments, schools, libraries- not tourist places.There is some crime and there are a few areas that are a bit shabby and what I’d refer to as ‘ low rent’. You'll know them when you see them And they are fairly small areas of the city.Cost of living ( compared to major cities and the Northeast) is low. Getting a drivers license is inexpensive, real estate taxes are very, very low. Gas is fairly inexpensive and currently at $1.99 but varies ( prices higher in North Myrtle Beach for gas and housing). Lots of Happy Hour options for inexpensive drinks and appetizers and senior specials everywhere.Of course the weather is very nice. Hottest in June, July and August but really nice in the spring and fall. The winter varies and can get cold in the early morning and overnight (high 30’s or 40) but typically says warm up to the 50’s and 60’s and usually every few weeks it's into the 70’s one or two days.Lots to do in the area. Boating, fishing and kayaking on the ocean or the Intercoastal. Beaches are beautiful and wide eith extensive public access across the Grand Strand. Hundreds of golf courses both regular and mini golf and lots of festivals and events. Plenty of activities for families too.The airport has decent service to major hubs like Atlanta and Charlotte and Charleston is about a 2 hour drive away.Jobs tend to be primarily in the service sector (especially hotel and condos) but also trade work -Roofing, painting, plumbing and other construction type jobs seem to be plentiful. Lots of real estate opportunities too.It’s a wonderful vacation locale, golfers paradise or family reunion destination. But it's also a great place to move for good weather and quality of life.