There is only a very small part of Myrtle Beach that is still tacky and that too is being cleaned up.

Myrtle Beach, or the Grand Strand is 60 miles long.

There are very pristine beaches that have some of the warmest water temps in the Atlantic Ocean in the summer months.

Along with two state parks that are oceanfront with simply gorgeous beaches, we are also home to the largest outdoor sculpture garden in the United States, Brookgreen Gardens.

Pawleys Island is one of the oldest settled barrier islands in the United States.

We have 11 golf courses ranked in Golf Digest's Top 100 courses which is the definitive rankings for golf courses. It is also more than any other golf area in the United States.

We are home to 80 wonderful golf courses.

I could go on and on but I won't.

I can only guess Tracey that you only saw a very small part of Myrtle Beach. Otherwise you would understand why we get almost 20 million visitors annually.

Missypie-
I understand what you are saying about these "team trips" as I have a son playing travel soccer. The only thing we have in common with the other parents is that our kids are on the same soccer team.

I do think you might have worded your post differently so that you didn't stir up such "emotion" and defensiveness. Instead of the negative "Does anyone have anything nice to say about Myrtle Beach?", you could have said "Help me get excited for Myrtle Beach trip". Same request, different tone. You began your post by insulting the very people who can answer your post. Who wants to be helpful when they've just been offended?

If you would have just seached this website for Myrtle Beach posts, you would have found dozens...plenty of information for you to consider.

The reality is you will have little time to see MB on this trip. Your daughter will have fun, and isn't that the purpose of your trip?

Try to have fun, and good luck to your daughter (I won't say "break a leg" ;) )

GoTravel, I, too, had never wanted to go to Myrtle Beach because it's reputation was "tacky". I'm certainly willing to reconsider mostly based on your post! I do have a couple of questions -- for a first-timer, in what part of that 60-mile stretch would you recommend staying? And is the beach at Myrtle Beach soft? The reason I ask that is we stayed at the Hilton on Hilton Head last summer and were very surprised that the beach was flat and packed down, easy to walk on, but not what I prefer in a beach.

dmlove, the beach you describe is what I usually find in the Atlantic coast beaches (of Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas). The softer "sugar sand" you ask about is what I usually find on the panhandle of the Gulf coast of Florida.

GoTravel, perhaps you are right. We stayed in Georgetown and drove up the Grand Strand from Murrells Inslet and Pawleys Island, both of which I enjoyed by the way, to get to Myrtle. Maybe I didn't venture out and do more, but as soon as we got there I wanted to turn around and leave. I understand why MB gets tons of tourists. Millions go to Disney too but I won't go there. I'm not trying to offend anyone. As I said, to each their own. If we all liked the same places this forum would be quite boring.

Tracy

dmlove, I would stay in Pawleys Island or Litchfield Beach.

Also, the Marriott Grand Dunes is beautiful and on a great part of the beach.

Cole2006, I readily admit that I was "way out of touch" with respect to Myrtle Beach. Can you claim to have the current scoop on every travel destination in the country, even those that are not on your mental checklist of places you want to visit? If your kid came home and said, "Hey, we're going to San Marcos, Texas!!!" (or Indianapolis or Little Rock or Detroit or Fresno or any of the hundreds of other cities in the US that have convention centers) would you really be immediately up to speed and excited about the trip?

yes, I probably would.

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

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

More people eat at McDonald's than the best 4 or 5 star restaurants in Phila. Does that mean McDonald's food is better - or that the diners at the 5 star restaurants are out of touch?

Great Smokey Mountains is the most visited national park. Does that make it the best?

Are the books on the bestseller list the "best" literature published in a year? Or am I out of touch in not thinking Danielle Steele is a literary genius?

I am not a fan of Atlantic Beaches either. I think there are better elsewhere, and without the tacky tourist stuff.

I am struggling to understand, however, how somoene would prefer the MB beaches to Hawaii. I don't doubt they are wide and walkable, but I wouldn't travel to a beach destination for only those beach qualities.

I also don't understand why it's so bad that certain posters don't like this one area. Who said we all have to love the same places?

I am SO glad we don't all like the same places. Florence is a zoo as it is....I hope no one else learns to love it! I know one couple that ONLY vacations in Vegas. They can't get enough of it. Isn't it totally fine that they love it and I don't want to go there?

karens, thank you!!! Well said...you made the exact point I was trying to make. People get so defensive when you admit you don't like somewhere that may be near and dear to them. I will be the first to admit that its hard to hear someone else make negative comments about a place that I love (and I deal with it enough myself when people here bash Rome, a city that I love but that certainly gets its fair share of negative comments over on the Europe forum), but I also understand that everyone is entitled to their own opinion and what works for one person may not work for the other. For instance, I for one could care less if MB has 500 golf courses because I am not into golf. As I said above, this forum would be awfully boring if we all loved and recommended the same places over and over again.

Tracy

Myrtle <i>Any of several evergreen shrubs or trees of the genus Myrtus, especially M. communis, an aromatic shrub native to the Mediterranean region and western Asia, having pink or white flowers and blue-black berries and widely cultivated as a hedge plant.</i>

Someone asked to compare the beach at Hilton Head with Myrtle. The sand and surf seem about the same. I like MB because the area is well laid out with parallel numbered streets. (No circling on roundabouts trying to find a brown and green sign at dusk.) There is also more to do if it rains.

My kids love MB. I don't love the traffic; but that is true of most beach resort towns in the summer.If you can fly into MB directly, you will save yourself a tedious drive from I-95.

ANother difference between HH and MB is the WSJ stand you'll find on just about every street corner in HH. Not that there's anything wrong with that! But as others have said, we too prefer not thinking about the office or our 'portfolio' when on vacation.

Yes MB traffic is terrible but its no picnic getting to any of the atlantic beaches. And as others have said, you'll find many more newer accomodations in MB as compared to other beaches, other than HH. DH and i grew up going to the jersey shore ~ each with its own charm and full of loyal devotees. Including many in our families. But after having our own family we decided we preferred the newer beaches of SC, both HH and MB.

As an aside, dear friends (he's an internist, she's an attorney) owned a place on a golf course in HH. They recently sold it and bought two condos in MB and now spend two weeks there every july with their extended families.

Missypie, if you're lucky enough to even leave the convention center (been there done that w/dance and cheer compettions) i'm sure you'll enjoy MB.

Ducking for cover, but I'm not a fan of HH either.

karens, beachdweller and I took offense because Myrtle Beach is our home.

I'm sure you'd feel the same way about someone calling your hometown tacky or redneck.

Hi GoT. I mean this sincerely - I do not care if someone criticizes where I live. I might think it unfair, but basically I just feel like it's different strokes for different folks.

I live outside Phila. and I know it's not perfect and would never insist that it is. There's a lot of great stuff about it, but I don't think it's the perfect place to live.

If you don't like urban areas, you're going to hate Phila. If you're used to, and like, a small town atmosphere you're not going to be happy here. If you like the outdoors and wide open spaces like out west, you will pine for the west. And we have the Mummers - tacky tacky tacky!!

Because I say I don't like something doesn't mean that I think anyone else is bad for liking it. We simply disagree (and probably shouldn't vacation together!) Or if I don't like a place, it in no way means I don't like the people that live there.

People chose to live in places for many varied reasons and I respect that.

I think those of us who live here and those who like to visit here are trying to answer the original question,&quot;Does anyone have anything nice to say about Myrtle Beach&quot;?
You wanted to hear what was nice, and we tried to tell you what we like.
I think we got way off the track on this post from the original question. The question sounded like there is nothing nice here. Yes, every place has its good and bad and it comes down to preference.
No, I don't like the traffic here in the summer. It is so much more peaceful without the crowds.
I like the beaches here because they are so walkable. Yes, I have been to Thailand several times which probably have some of the most beautiful beaches inn the world. I don't like some European beaches or Hawaii beaches(at least the black sand ones) as I like to walk. To answer another person's view why I would say that.
I do understand your point this is not a vacation for you because you are coming here for your daughter's dance competition.
I tried to point out what we like here as well as answer your question about the airlines that fly here. Spirit is another one,but not sure it flies out of your area.
I hope you have a nice time here. We try to make people feel welcome,
but coming with a preconceived idea may not make it enjoyable for you.

No amends necessary, you're defending your home &amp; rightfully so...That being said, I still may take you up on a beer next trip down. (LOL) We're headed to Amelia Island over Thanksgiving, so it may well be Spring since my wife is doing the Breast Cancer Walk in NYC in a couple of weeks (when we usually go to the NC beaches). Thanksgiving usually = Amelia or Key West. Take care..

SA,

I'll save you a cold one then.

missypie, hope you make the best of your trip. I meant what I said about trying to give you some specific tips if you let me know what kind of things you'd be interested in.