I have always likened Gatlinburg and Myrtle Beach....Gatlinburg is MB without the beach and MB is Gatlinburg without the mountains.

Just so happens, we love and frequent both locations several times a year.:-D

I guess that's why they call it the "Grand Strand." It's got miles of beach and attractions -- something for everyone. If you're looking for charm and places like Charleston and Savannah, you won't find it in MB.

Hi icceu2 -- Whazzz up? ((b))

"Does anyone have anything nice to say about Myrtle Beach?"

Yea. Isn't Vanna White from there?

Patrick, Vanna White is from North Myrtle Beach. So, yes, that's a good thing about Myrtle!

I've been to North Myrtle Beach a number of times. My parents stay there for a month every October. North Myrtle is no where as built up as main Myrtle, but it is getting there quickly in terms of high rise hotels/condos. The whole area is a little busy for my taste, but the beach is beautiful and the water is warm. You can fly to Myrtle Beach airport which is a nice small airport. You can do it downscale or upscale, it is up to you. I think it is a great place to go with kids or teens as there is a lot to do outside of the beach.

The Sheraton is off of the beach by 1/2 mile. You may want to try beach side accomodations.

You seem to associate MB with low class. I don't recall the Marriott seeming low class with its infinity pool and ocean side hammocks. It is 15 minutes away with no traffic and 30 minutes away with traffic.

I can think of worse places to have a dance conference.

Other than dance what are your family's interests?

Myrtle Beach is a wonderful mix of everything. As another poster above said,with so many people you don't have to worry about running into an acquaintance- not my idea of fun when we're trying to get away. We also like having such a huge variety of restaurants, from upscale to buffet to chains. We hate having to drive 30 minutes to find decent dining, which is often the case in the smaller beach towns (N. Topsail for example)

We like Myrtle Beach because unlike many of the other beaches in NC-SC that have much older lodging (read shabby) Myrtle Beach has some really nice hotel and condo complexes. New and fresh. Yes there may be some tackier areas- stay away from them then!

But to say MB is just redneck riviera is just silly. Give me a new condo or hotel room ANY day over an older shabby house in a desolate beach town with the closest restaurant 1/2 away.

I live in the N. Myrtle Beach area and am a native of South Carolina and as others have noted it is a place of a wide variety of places and things to do. We are definitely not "downscale" here anymore. Many beautiful homes and condos have been built in the last few years. We almost have too many people wanting to be here all the time because is is a wonderful area.
I have traveled the world also and have been disappointed in other beaches such as in Hawaii,etc. as ours are so broad to walk.
You will have a nice hotel to stay in and in walking distance of main Myrtle Beach.
I have read your trip post of Italy and Barcelona which I really enjoyed. I have been to Italy 2 times which I really enjoyed. Going to Spain in April Every place has its own charm and character if you can take the time to explore. Many good restaurants here also.
I think your daughter's dance company will enjoy themselves. Just look for the best and you will find it wherever you travel.

Yes, you can fly into here probably connecting through Charlotte(US Air) or Atlanta(Delta) depending on the airline you fly. Charleston is 2 hours or more away. Wilmington,N.C. is maybe a little more than an hour away.
They want to expand our airport-personally I love it small as it is so easy to get through. Just wish more direct flights to foreign countries,but that will not be unless we expand.
I think you are flying from Texas-maybe Dallas??

There is NO problem finding a nice place to stay on the NC-SC beaches. We just rented a place for next year in Ocean Isle, where we used to go when the kids were little.
There are LOVELY places south of MB--what is up with saying "all houses on the coast are shoddy and MB has nice new stuff"
We have to pass by MB and shop up that way. It is a CHORE. The congestion is just choking. That would be one reason I would stay away from it.
Used to go to Gatlinburg when there was only the Inn to stay at. It WAS beautiful.

Oh, love the MB airport. SO easy to get in, out, and on a plane and meet people. Hadn't heard they were trying to expand it, but not surprising. It is serviced by Continental also--and Spirit, I think.

missypie, you say,

"I'll be sure to post a trip report if we actually DO anything. That's one of my big problems with spending money to travel out of state for a dance competition.

Two summers ago we went to San Antonio for Nationals. As is typical in July, the temp was in excess of 100 degrees. We could only do stuff very early in the day, because you can't really expect a kid to have the energy to dance well if she's spent the day in 105 degree heat. And swimming was out because she had to have her pony tail in tight curls. We'll basically have the same experience if we are in Dallas, San Antonio, or Myrtle Beach....it's just that Myrtle Beach will cost more.

And, it's actually not even very practical to ask for restaurant recommendations, because the "group" will inevitably choose to go to some big chain and DD will naturally want to join them.

So, maybe it's best if the competition is not in some location that I've been longing to visit. I can take it how it is and not feel like I'm missing anything!"

In re-reading this thread and your comments again, especially those quoted above, it struck me that you aren't happy about this trip to begin with, and it sounds as though you will be limited as to what you will do, no matter where you visit. I'm afraid Myrtle Beach won't stand a chance with your frame of mind about the whole thing, no matter what it has to offer.

It would be interesting to learn what Myrtle Beach thinks of YOU, missypie.

<i>It would be interesting to learn what Myrtle Beach thinks of YOU, missypie.</i>

If there were ever a useless post, this would have to be it.

My parents and their retired friends loved going to MB off-season. They always found outstanding deals on nice condo rentals. For retired people or anyone else on a fixed income, MB off season is a perfectly decent choice if you want to walk the beach or relax and not find everything boarded up or on very limited schedule (as some beach places are off season).

During high season, there are few really popular beach resorts anywhere that we'd want to visit. Doesn't matter if they're downmarket, upmarket, or somewhere in between. Too many people are just too many people, no matter how thick or thin their wallets.

SAnParis,

sorry if I got overly defensive. You make a valid point about how congested MB is in the summer. I'd be lying if I said it doesn't bug me, trying to get to &amp; from work, trying to actually see a little piece of sand among the tourist outposts of umbrellas and blankets.

I too much prefer the off-season, when MB much more closely resembles the Brunswick County beaches that you and I both agree are wonderful throwbacks to a simpler (better probably) time.

I would just close by saying that in the off-season (September through early June, except for the bike rallies in May), it is very easy to structure your time to partake in the &quot;redneck riviera&quot; part of MB or avoid it altogether. And if you turned your back to the highrises while on the beach, I doubt you could tell the difference between Holden and MB :-)

By the way, if you do ever get to MB, please condsider shooting me an email. I'd like to make amends a little by buying you a beverage of choice. Take care.

Wow! What a lot of emotion Myrtle Beach has stirred up.

If you've ever had a child on a traveling soccer team, baseball team, dance team, or whatever, you will understand what these types of trips are like. Lower end or at best, middle of the road, accomodations are chosen so that they are afforable for the whole team. If you stay elsewhere, you aren't a part of the group. If you are extremely fortunate, you enjoy all the parents; more likely, you have a couple of friends among the parents. The destinations chosen for these competitions and tournaments are those with &quot;lots for families to do&quot; - theme parks, water parks, etc. Anaheim, Orlando, Myrtle Beach, Las Vegas, etc.

If you perceive that I'm not too excited about the trip, you are correct...but Myrtle Beach lovers, don't take offense. Like I said, we will have pretty much the same experience as at this year's nationals when they were 10 miles from our house....only it will cost a WHOLE lot more money. This is something I'm doing for one of my children, just like I'll be doing college visits at &quot;glamour&quot; locations like Georgetown, Texas and Okalahoma City with my son next year.

I will say that it's good to hear that lots of new, nice places have been built in MB. It has been years since I've known families who went there, so my info was quite out of date.

missypie, I wish you, your daughter, and your whole dance company a safe, fun, and successful trip to the MB dance nationals. Good luck to your daughter in her specific event.

This thread certainly took some twists and turns. So sorry about that.

missypie, I think you have created a self-fulfilling prophecy for yourself. Why not go with an open mind and take some of the good advice given here into consideration. ((b))

If I am not mistaken, MB strand is the #2 family vacation destination in the USA. Second only to Disney.

But then....&quot;it has been years since I've known families who went there&quot;

For a traveler, perhaps you are way out of touch?