Golf Capital of the World

From North Myrtle Beach to South Myrtle Beach there are 125 golf courses, at least a dozen putt-putt courses (these are'nt your grandma's putt-putt courses), 2 amusement parks, a water park, 6 dinner theaters, 2 huge shopping centers, a dozen calabash seafood restaurants, so there's plenty to do. The last 2 times we have been there we went to Dixie Stampede, a dinner show owned by Dolly Parton, because we felt it would hold the kids (ages 5 & 9) attention the most. There's something for everyone. Take for example the Nascar Cafe. You can have lunch or dinner while surrounded by Nascar memerabilia. When your finshed eating you can go right next door to the Nascar Raceway and get your fill of actual racing from kiddie rides on up to go carts for adults. Don't forget Hard Rock Cafe and Planet Hollywood right down the road.

Quick Tips:

Try not to feel overwelmed by all there is to do. It's important to plan your day the night before. You don't want to waste alot of time wondering what to do. You simply can't do it all in one week. Ripleys Aqaurium is a must see. You can pet sting rays and ride a conveyor through a glass tunnel with sharks swimming above you. The Butterfly Pavilion sounds lame but we had a blast. Feeding butterflys out of your hand is only one of the many highlights there. And if you don't like the crowded beaches, just drive a few miles north to the public access's along the residential section. All those people are at work so there's hardly anybody on the beach at those locations. Can't find a parking space? Just keep driving.

Best Way To Get Around:

There is a shuttle service that takes you to all the hot spots but you don't have the freedom to just go anywhere whenever you want so we just drove whenever we went somewhere.

Best Things Nearby:
Broadway at the Beach, Planet Hollywood, Hard Rock Cafe, Palace Dinner Theater, Ripleys Aquarium, Nascar Cafe, Luxurious golf courses

Best Things About the Resort:
indoor/outdoor pool, outdoor grills, fitness room, tennis, playground, sand vollyball

Resort Experience:
This is a Gold Crown Resort so it's very luxurious. It's a few blocks from the beach but they have a deal with a resort on the beach that will give you access to their facilities. Contains several ponds complete with fountains. Clean and neat. Nice units with a TV in every bedroom and living room. Each unit has a jacuzzi tub. Fully stocked kitchen. Activities for the kids. They even have a kids night out so the parents can get out by themselves. You get a packet when you arrive choc full of information about what to do in the area from entertainment to activities for the whole family. They'll even make your reservations for everything from golf to dinner shows to boat rides. The facility is gated with a full time security staff 24/7.

• Unit Type: 2 Bedroom
• Activities: Fair
• Amenities: Very Good
• Unit Satisfaction: Very Good
• Family Friendliness: Very Good
• Service: Very Good

Let's face it, we're cheap but we love seafood. So we found the cheapest seafood smorgeshboard that was still awesome. For a price that won't break your wallet and get great food to boot. I can't go to those type places very often because I just don't know when to quit. With a 100 item buffet you want to get a little bit of everything. The best part is there's not only seafood but also corn on the cob and ribs, green beans etc. so the kids are happy too!

This is a John Daly signature course but you don't have to be a long ball hitter to do well. Like most of the courses at Myrtle Beach, Wicked Stick is in great shape, well manicured green grass. You almost feel bad for taking a divot. There is some residential so if your shot goes in somebody's yard don't go after it, they'll give you a brand new ball in the proshop and they'll believe you. Watch out for #9. The sign says there is no water in front of the green but there is. I found out the hard way. What's neat about this course is there's a fella on one of the par 3's that will take your bet if you hit the green. If you miss you get your money back in proshop credit so you can't lose. If you hit the green you double your money. Good luck.