Are there any beach resort towns that compare to Myrtle Beach or better??
 

I know you really can't compare, but what we are looking for is a beach resort town like Myrtle Beach, with plenty of activities/sightseeing, nightlife, entertainment, amusements etc. Thanks for any suggestions...

With golf too? Hilton Head is the only other I can think of in the same region. What areas are you willing to travel to?

Anywhere in the USA is fine...We are from Philly, so flying is not a problem.. We flew to Myrtle Beach last year, and it was the best....

Other than Disneyland, what about California...We are looking for someplace different, but with plenty to do...

Louise, good question, but can you describe Myrtle Beach in more detail so those of us who have never been there can get a better picture of what it is like?

California? Disneyland isn't even near the shore, so Anaheim won't compare to Myrtle Beach. But how about San Diego? Or Laguna Beach, or Newport Beach, or Huntington Beach, all with great gobs of activities, nightlife, shopping, cultural attractions, etc. AND with several amusement parks nearby (not just Disneyland)? Or heading up to Santa Monica? Malibu? Santa Barbara?

I think the best CA beach towns outclass Myrtle Beach quite handily, thank you very much. Definitely worth a try.

As a longtime beach goer I would say ANYwhere but Myrtle. However, you don't have to go far from Myrtle to have a great time. Go just a bit south to Litchfield Beach & Golf Resort. And rather than Hilton Head if you want to be near Charleston go to Wild Dunes.
MB is a sprawling traffic choked "place".

Just got back from Hilton Head and really liked it. It is quieter than Myrtle, perhaps, but still plenty of restaurants, etc. It is also within striking distance of either Charleston or Savannah for a day trip. The beaches were nice, the accommodations great, the golf so-so (late in the season), almost no crowds and not ticky-tacky like Myrtle.

Those CA spots may "outclass" MB, but you can't swim in those CA beaches, too cold. That's the one BIG difference you might consider if you actually like to swim! Hilton Head from what I hear from friends, and Charlston (which DH travels to frequently)are very nice locations but they too have become popular destinations, although IMHO still not quite as crowded as MB and worth checking out.

The closest to MB I can think of would be Panama City Beach or maybe Daytona Beach. PCB has the same busy tourist infrastructure plus the white sand and clear water of the Gulf.

There really isn't a place as diverse as Myrtle Beach with the beaches, entertainment, and golf. It is such a diverse place.

You have really nice places such as Pawleys and Litchfield which are 25 miles south of Myrtle Beach and very nice beaches north closer to the North Carolina boarder.

While you can find golf in Charleston and Hilton Head, or many of the Florida Beaches, you will not find it as economic or as many courses (around 120 courses on The Grand Strand). We play often on the south end (Caladonia, TPC, True Blue, Heritage) and excellent golf during peak season is never over $125. I cannot say the same for Kiawah, Hilton Head, or Wild Dunes. Off season, golf is even less.

For kids, there are so many water parks, amusement parks, putt putt golf places, attractions like Ripleys Aquarium, Alligator Adventure, NASCAR Speed Park, Wild Water & Wheels, Myrtle Waves, Midevil Times Dinner Theater, Dixie Stampede, etc.

For adults looking for something off the beaten path there are a few vinyards such as B'ell Amie Vinyards, there is the wonderous Brookgreen Gardens, Atalaya Castle, Carolina Opry, Alabama Theater, House of Blues, etc.

I could go on but as bad as a rap as Myrtle Beach gets, it really has a lot going on.

Count me in as one who used to make fun of MB and not venture north of Pawleys Island but a week long venture into MB during Bike Week changed my mind.

I think Myrtle Beach is wonderful for what it is. A great, reasonably priced family vacation destination. For those of you who haven't been there in years, don't knock it until you've seen it lately.

Well said, GoTravel! IMO Hilton head is awesome and upscale and we've been several times, but myrtle beach has much more for kids and the whole family. Plus you're not land locked making it easier to venture out on day trips.

And quite frankly, when on vacation the very last thing i want is to be reminded of my corporate life; there is a wall street journal dispenser on nearly EVERY corner in hilton head!

Brian in charlotte - i agree regarding panama city and daytona, except the former doesn't offer the wild waves that so many of us love to ride. Altho we loved the powdered sugar sand and upscale Destin over spring break, we missed the wild surf of the atlantic side.

seetheworld: Yeah, the water's cooler on CA beaches (we're on the northern Pacific), but it IS swimmable. And add a wetsuit and you can surf all day! And once you're cleaned up, there's still beaucoup to do...!

This may be a good suggestion but hard to compare, but how about a summer vacation along the coast of Maine. The York area all the way to Portland offers all sorts of restaurants, nightlife, great beaches, golfing, amusement rides in Old Orchard Beach. We've been to Myrtle Beach and live in New England.

rjw: Of course it's swimmable (for the brave and the bold w/o wet suits!), stayed in Newport Beach myself - spectacular views and CA is terrrrific, just very different from MB. Don't forget people from the northeast, in order to avoid the 65/68 water temps that the NY shores offer (which are warmer than CA waters), trek down south in large masses just to enjoy the warmer waters of the southern beaches. You can find beautiful resorts in CA that offer fabulous pools if swimming is your thing and wet suits are not!

Any reason why MB is the place for comparison? Why not simply go to MB? It's a place so unique comparisons are difficult, if not impossible.

The OP has been to MB, wants to find a beach resort that is "like" MB.

I know this will sound a bit strange, but have you considered Key West?

My wife & I were long-time vacationers to Myrtle Beach before moving here three years ago. So we know the area pretty well and have seen approximately 25 years of changes.

Key West, to us, had a very festive (party) atmosphere similar to Myrtle Beach. And while there are few true beaches, it definitely has a beachy feel. Finally, for a relatively small place, there is lots to do.

Wherever you go, have a great time!

The West Coast of florida has fantastic beaches

So does california, Newport beach, laguna - all those are great

Monterry bay is great also (santa cruz, carmel)

if you are going in the summer why not the hamptons ??? those beaches are awesome !!

If you want the ultimate beach resort experiance then your only choice is Hawaii. I have been to beaches all over the world and hawaii tops my list.

The beaches on the northern panhandle!!! Beautiful clear water, and powder white beaches. Destin, Sandestin, Grayton, etc.

Keep in mind the OP is the same poster who tried to stir up controversy last summer. They posted on multiple travel boards that MB was racist or some other such BS having to do with the confederate flag.

If you like Myrtle Beach, I'd stick to Myrtle Beach. I've never been there as, quite honestly, I usually hear it as the butt of jokes more than anything. Most of the other places mentioned are going to be a bit classier (with the exception of Panama City, perhaps) and if you loved Myrtle Beach, probably best to just go back there as from what I hear it's one of a kind (just not my kind). Don't know if you'd care for Key West - a totally different crowd (much more diversity than what most "myrtle beachers" would be comfortable with (IMHO)).

I'd say South Florida beaches. Also, Key West doesn't represent the whole key area. I'd highly suggest the Miami/Ft. Lauderdale/Keys area, the water is warm and terrific and there is plenty to do. This area outshines Myrtle Beach.

I'd have to agree with GoTravel on Myrtle beach. It's diverse, has a lot going on at all times, and it can be very enjoyable.

But then we know that I enjoy Ocean City, Maryland too!! But OC does not have the shows, entertainment, or too many gold courses available that Myrtle Beach has.

snowrooster,

your comments made me laugh. While admitting that you have never been to Myrtle Beach, you are nonetheless able to conclude that: (1) it is a lower-class place and (2) its patrons lack diversity/sophistication.

I humbly suggest you actually visit a place before giving advice to others about that place. (I readily admit my bias: I vacationed in MB for 3 decades before choosing to make it my home.)

Once again, this is a perfect example of the elitist attitude that often exists on this board.

The original poster asked a viable question. ***WHY*** must people proceed to interject their personal bias (a.k.a INSULTS)?

And BTW, Myrtle Beach is like many beaches; there are many lovely, upscale accomodations, and then there are areas that many on this board wouldn't touch with the proverbial 10 foot pole. Some people choose too spend their bucks on hotels. Some people choose to eat their bucks, RE: current thread about $500+ for dinner for two in Chicago. How nice for them but IMO that's a LOT of cash in the *toilet*. But so what? They couldn't care less what *I* think, nor should they. So therefore I will not reply to that post.

But back to this thread about Myrtle Beach. To each his own. Live and let live. Please don't waste cyberspace inflicting your snobbery on us. We don't CARE.

Perhaps you should remember what your mother taught you; if you can't say anything *good*, don't say anything.

Bottom line, money does NOT equal class!

topping for snowrooster and la_dolce_vita. As you can see there are many who think Myrtle Beach is a wonderful family and golf destination.

I suppose it depends on how it's said, but there is nothing wrong with pointing out that Myrtle Beach and Hilton Head are two completely types of beach destinations in the same state. I have always thought of Hilton Head as the anti-Myrtle Beach.

Yes, MB has a lot to do but as a poster said it does have a reputation as a redneck type of place. HH has a reputation as being elitist. I prefer to go to neither for exactly those reasons. I have gone to both for business reasons but prefer to go elsewhere when I'm on my own dime.

I suppose it's hard to accurately describe each destination to someone who has never been without falling back to stereotypes. I would imagine someone wanting a more HH experience would be unhappy to have booked a week in MB and vice versa.

Why don't all you Myrtle Beach fans calm down? No, I haven't been there but I know many people who have been to both Myrtle Beach and Hilton Head (where I go often) as they are both popular vacation destinations in my area. I didn't realize that there were requirements for posting comments. It's not like I pretended to have been somewhere I haven't. If my friend just had a horrible vaca experience somewhere and told me all about it, am I not allowed to share that because I didn't have the experience myself? Give me a break. If you like Myrtle Beach, good for you - I have just been warned by many people who refer to it as the "redneck riviera" which is more than enough to keep me away. That's my opinion. Don't like it, don't take it into consideration but don't fault me for posting it.

Just read audra's comment about "if you can't say anything nice . . ."

Don't think that's the point of the board. If there is some rule about only sharing positive comments perhaps you could share it with us all.
This is preschool - it's a bulletin board where folks share their opinion. If you don't agree, that's fine, hence the word "opinion!"

Yes, and presumably the opinons (positive and negative) of people who've actually been to the places asked about will be given more weight than those who haven't but yammer on about some threadbare cliches.

Snowrooster, (hmm, is that like a snow-bird?!) perhaps that isn't the point of this board. But its also NOT a place to blast a destination when you haven't even been there!!! I believe that's called (something like) *Here-say* and thats NOT the purpose of this board, either!

So if my husband has been to Myrtle Beach and Hilton Head and told me his thoughts, I can't share those. Could provide me with a link to the rule book for this board - I wasn't aware it had one. Oh, while you're at it, how about a link to where I "blased" Myrtle Beach. I just passed along what I've heard and admitted it was what I'd had heard, nothing more, nothing less. Calm down.

Now audra makes fun of my screen name. Are you three or four years old? Since you are so interested, it is a combo of my cats' names (one of whom we recently had to have put to sleep). Thanks for making fun.

Snowrooster, not at all.

Just wondering *out loud*. Kinda like you.

Have a lovely day!

:)

I don't think it is very fair to make negative remarks about a destination you haven't visited.

It is a fun town with a lot to offer.

Brookgreen Gardens is the largest outdoor sculpture garden in the US. The outdoor sculptures you see at Rockefeller Center in Midtown Manhattan come from Brookgreen. I don't think they would enjoy redneck.

That's your opinion. I admitted I hadn't been there, but my husband has as have many people I know. Obviously I don't everything about the town and never claimed to. I'm tired of being criticized for sharing what I know. Don't like it, don't take it into consideration. If I were about to take a vacation to a place that is often referred to as the "redneck riviera" - which is how many people refer to it - like it or not, I would want to know. Don't know if it's true, but that's what people I know who have been there call it.

Might as well give up people...

snowrooster is never going to be convinced that she and her ilk could ever be lured to such a tawdry place as MB.

Funny, I grew up not too far from MB, have been to the area zillions of times, and have never heard it referred to in the manner that snowrooster does. I guess I just don't travel in the same rarefied company.

Let's only hope snowrooster will continue to share her wisdom with us all so we can make the correct travel choices where we won't run into rednecks eating wings. ;)

I've never been to Myrtle Beach and certainly never called it tawdry. Those are your words and your words alone. I didn't make-up the term "redneck riviera" - that's how I've heard it referred to, sorry if it offends you.

I didn't realize it was a crime to not like wings.

I've not heard it referred to as the RR. It just isn't very nice to put labels on anyone and redneck is very derogatory.

A quote from one of Diana's posts . . . "Another possibility is Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic. All that you want but almost all resorts are AI, so I would not go there personally." So you haven't been there but you wouldn't go there?!? I thought we weren't supposed to comment on places we haven't actually been visited? Ever heard of the pot calling the kettle black?