We're taking our blended family to North Myrtle Beach for a week beginning June 22. We have three daughters - 20, 20, 18 and have rented a condo on the beach. Now - activities! I would love to hear dining suggestions, possible day trips, things to do with the girls as well as without the girls.

You can easily fill a week or more with all the fun things to do in North Myrtle. Strolling and sunning on the beach is my #1, but when I get out of the sun and don't mind driving a few blocks away, I enjoy dining on Restaurant Row, shopping and going to shows at Barefoot Landing and Broadway at the Beach. These can all fulfill the "see and be seen" social destinations that those of college age would enjoy.

I suggest taking a day trip to Pawley's Island, south of Myrtle 30 minutes or Charleston, about an hour. You can shop til you drop and eat til you explode when you're in North Myrtle, but to see the real Lowcountry, head south.

On Pawley's you can see the original hammock and seagrass basket makers and stroll a beloved beach, know to locals as "arrogantly shabby" with turn of the century cottages interspersed with new homes. I'd also recommend a trip to Brookgreen Gardens, south of Pawley's, to see one of the best horticulture and representative art gardens in the world. You might think 18 and 20 year olds won't like it but you'd be pleasantly surprised how much there is to do there for all ages. They also have a number of college interns there in the summer that are a wealth of information on the social life for 18+.

Charleston is truly one of my favorite U.S. cities. Like a step back in time, this gracious, relaxed destination provides unbelievable history lessons for all ages--and world-class antique (and shoe!)shopping in small, mostly independent shops. Be sure to visit the side streets where you hear live music in out of the way restaurants.

Have fun!

Oh, I forgot--spas galore throughout the area. Ask the condo management or shop owners where they recommend.

House of Blues is near Barefoot Landing and they have quite a few big and small shows, also a gospel brunch. Lots of shopping options. Take a day to go to Huntington Beach State Park - It will take about 45 minutes or less to drive south on route 17, 3 miles south of Murrell's Inlet, the park will be on the left. The beach is wide, long, and unspoiled, you can see lots of birds, and there are the ruins of a historic house you can walk thru. On the right side of route 17 from the park is Brookgreen Gardens, a large sculpture garden that also has nature programs. There is an admission charge for both of these. My family loves Myrtle Beach, have a great time!

You've gotten great advice already. A couple of fine points: Brookgreen Gardens is a little NORTH of Pawleys Island (in other words, you'll reach it before you get to Pawleys as you're heading south on Hwy 17). Also, unless you take a helicopter or have a jet pack, you'll not get to Charleston from NMB in an hour. Count on that taking two hours minimum, and possibly quite a bit longer with summer traffic.

As for specific restaurants in NMB: Benny Rappa's is a great little neighborhood Italian place; Sea Blue is a neat seafood tapas restaurant (a real cut above most area restaurants); and Molly Darcy's is a bar & grill directly oceanfront (a rarity) at 17th Avenue South in NMB--your daughters will probably like that; and in Barefoot Landing, River City Cafe has one awesome sandwich, the Grouper Rueben, while some of the best pizza in the area is at Ultimate California Pizza also in Barefoot Landing.

In MB (or inbetween NMB and MB): Thoroughbreds is a classy favorite; UMI Pacific Grill is new & exciting (bring a lot of dough though); Islamorada Fish Camp in Colonial Mall has fantastic sushi, but other seafood items are just okay and pricey; Bimini's (on Lake Arrowhead Rd, just around the corner from Thoroughbreds) is great for oysters, very casual; Ciao is a fantastic Italian restaurant on Business 17 at about 50th Avenue North; Bummz is a casual fun place oceanfront in the heart of MB (at about 17th Avenue North); and look for the lunch specials in the local paper (Sun News) at Sea Captain's House--oceanfront dining, and the lunch specials (unlike dinner choices) are usually very creative and very good.

There are tons and tons of other great restaurants, but I have to stop somewhere. Finally, at all costs avoid every buffet restaurant.