My SO is having a big birthday in April and I thought that I might take him to Myrtle Beach for a 3 or 4 day golf (for him, not me) vacation. We don't have to go exactly at his birthday and I thought that mid-to-end of May might offer us better weather. Neither one of us has ever been there so I have a few questions I was hoping you might be able to answer:

I read that there's 'north Myrtle Beach' and 'south Myrtle Beach'. What's the difference? Is one a lot nicer? More expensive? Are they close enough together that no matter where we stay we can drive? cab? walk? to the attractions in the other?

Any suggestions about hotels? I'd be interested in something in the Hilton group of hotels since I have some usable points there. Is it important to stay at a beachfront hotel? Do they all add resort fees to the rates?

Know of any hotels with golf packages? I realize I can google this but I don't want to be overwhelmed with choices. I'd rather start with your best bets. My SO is not a 'star' golfer but is moderately good.

And finally, though this isn't pressing right now, restaurant recs? Other stuff to do?

Many thanks.
gtg

Does it have to be Myrtle Beach? I avoid the place like the plague. Maybe Kiawah or Hilton Head islands if you want golf? Or Wilmington/Wrightsville Beach. If it is Myrtle Beach the north should be quieter and less garish.

It doesn't have to be Myrtle Beach but that may just be easier for us to get to. And possibly less expensive. I don't know about that. But for the time being, I'm just going to stick with the MB plan. I don't want to make myself crazy with too many choices.

OK, so maybe MB north then.

gtg, there is North Myrtle Beach, Myrtle Beach proper, and South Myrtle Beach. Places like Surfside Beach and Murrells Inlet are on the south coast too. You will need a car no matter where you stay. Myrtle Beach is not a cute town in which you can walk to restaurants and shops. It's probably 20 or so miles from NMB to SMB. If you decide to go with a Hilton property, I would just choose the best deal or room and not worry about where in MB it's located. No matter where you are, you will be within driving distance to restaurants, etc. and either the south or north is a perfectly okay place to stay. I would definitely stay on the beach. There are a lot of very touristy things to do: Broadway at the Beach has shows, there are music venues, there are some dumb dinner theaters, and there is lots and lots of shopping. If you want to stay somewhere nice, sit on the beach and golf, you can do that in Myrtle Beach. Most people will tell you that there are better places to do it though. I've never stayed on Hilton head but it is more upscale. Personally, I love to stay on the coast close to Charleston so that we can have a vacation that combines the beach, golf and the wonderful restaurants.

I hear that you don't want alternatives, but why did you choose MB in the first place? Where are you coming from that you think it is easier to get to than other places on the Atlantic coast? What are you planning to do while your SO golfs? I remember reading your London TR and I don't think it is your kind of place.

I'm with Suki that somewhere near Charleston would be a better choice which is why I suggested Kiawah.

If you want to be in the Myrtle Beach area check out golf packages at: https://legendsgolf.com

NOT MB!!
Go south 20 minutes to Litchfield Golf and Beach Resort/Pawley's Island. NOT Hilton Head.
You will love Litchfield, eat at the best seafood restaurants in Murrell's Inlet.
You can enjoy shopping the outlets, cute little shops or sitting on a VERY uncrowded beach or beside a pool AND not be caught in an absolute gridlock of traffic.
You could even go to Charleston for the day.
Your husband will still have the 110 golf courses to choose from.

" Is it important to stay at a beachfront hotel? Do they all add resort fees to the rates?" Yes and yes.

Thanks, everyone.

thursdaysd, here are a few answers to your questions.

"I hear that you don't want alternatives, but why did you choose MB in the first place?"
For a couple of reasons. We have friends who go there regularly and like it (and yes, I'll ask them for suggestions too). Also, my SO has mentioned it a couple of times and it's his birthday. And mostly because I do all the travel planning and I don't want to make this my life's work.

"Where are you coming from that you think it is easier to get to than other places on the Atlantic coast?"
We're coming from Toronto and though I haven't checked yet I think we'll have better luck with direct flights on our preferred airline. Plus there's a points thing to consider.

"What are you planning to do while your SO golfs?"
I dunno. Read a book? Get a massage? Go to a mall? Then we'll do something together in the evening. It's unlikely that he'll golf every day anyway. It's only a few days. I don't think I'll have a problem amusing myself for that length of time.

"I remember reading your London TR and I don't think it is your kind of place."
We were in London for four months. You can't really compare the two. We take all sorts of different styles of vacation.

gretchen, thanks, I'll check out Litchfield Golf and Beach Resort/Pawley's Island. thursdaysd, I'll also check out Wilmington/Wrightsville Beach. Would we still be flying into MB?

thanks, roamsaround, I'll check out legends too.

and thanks to you too, cfc. Succinct and to the point!

What we don't want is an upscale, expensive, dressed-to-the-teeth sort of atmosphere. Something more casual and laid back than that would be good.

There is an airport at Wilmington, served by Delta and American. That takes one change, or a drive from RDU. Charleston takes one change or a drive from MB. Both drives a bit over two hours. There seems to be one direct flight to MB on Porter.

I like Gretchen's suggestion.

Porter would be our first choice for so many reasons. They don't fly to MB every day but our time is flexible. Thanks, tsd.

MB is an easy flight.
Ah, yes--the Canadian CanAm time in MB.
We have been going to that part of the Southeast Coast since "north Myrtle Beach" was called Ocean Drive--60 years ago before the first high rise hotel was built. It was cute and fun and funky. Now it is just gridlock. We go 4 times a year to Litchfield and NEVER think of MB for anything except not getting involved in it.
Enjoy a much prettier but just as "happening" area south of it.
Wrightsville is a fun beach--and I'm sure there is plenty of golf, but the MB area has MUCH more choice. Food is better also in Pawley's and Murrell's Inlet. Shopping too.

"What we don't want is an upscale, expensive, dressed-to-the-teeth sort of atmosphere."

You'd be hard pressed to find that anywhere on the Carolina coasts. Oh, visit Brookgreen gardens just south of Myrtle Beach. The gardens are lovely.

I like Gretchen's suggestion too.

Have done a week with friends in Litchfield (is that interchangeable with Pawley's Island?) for a couple of years and it felt a little more like an Outer Banks kind of beach visit.

Also second the motion for Brookgreen Gardens -- amazing place -- which I think is in the immediate vicinity of Litchfield. We did the pontoon boat ride and the Oak Plantation back roads tour with our ticket entry.

Also did a half day trip to Georgetown for another boat tour, lunch and wandering around the town and shops.

Brookgreen Gardens looks lovely and I'll put it on the list for a non-golf day activity.

The reason I was hoping for a hotel in the Hilton family was because I have points to spend. That, combined with enough Air Miles points for one return ticket to MB, would make this a less pricey gift for me. I'm still hoping for that.

MB may be livelier and more crowded than many people would enjoy but it might be fine for us. We've just come back from Florida and let's just say we far preferred Atlantic Avenue in Delray to Los Olas in Ft Lauderdale.

I'm still open to the other suggestions you've all offered but haven't given up on MB yet.

The reason I was hoping for a hotel in the Hilton family was because I have points to spend.

That makes sense. There are a number of ocean front hotels in the Hilton family listed in the area. They seem to have good reviews but I'm no help.

Mostly I wanted to say I think you're doing a sweet thing for your SO.

Thanks so much, obxgirl. And you know we've spent many happy holidays in the obx.

Friends of ours owned a condo in NMB, and we stayed there 3-4 times (just giving you the depth of my experience).

MB isn't my favorite place, and a lot of people here look down their noses at it, but as a place for a golf weekend, it's fine, and I think you've picked the perfect time of year.

NMB blends into MB very quickly, so it's not as if staying in NMB puts you in some quiet oasis. That's not to say you should reject NMB as a locale; just giving you the whole picture.

If you do find a golf package, check the reviews on the courses offered. Some MB courses are quite nice, and some others are no better than your average municipal course.

Thanks, vin. I've been thinking about that aspect of the trip. I think what I'm going to do is make my gift the flight and the hotel (dinners, etc.) but let him take care of the golf part of it. That way he can research and choose his own courses. I don't golf so I have absolutely no knowledge of that part.

Good thinking. Then if there's a golf screw-up, your hands are clean.