Myrtle Beach with children under 7

One of the most memorable places to visit in Myrtle Beach was Ripley's Aquarium located at Broadway at the Beach. The shark tank is a must see!! You can actually go through it. My boys really loved when the sharks would go over them! They also enjoyed the large casting of the prehistoric shark's jaws.

Myrtle Beach should be considered the miniature golf capital of the world!!! Every block seemed to have at least one mini golf facility. Since this was the second trip for us to Myrtle Beach, we chose SpyGlass mini golf. Jurassic Park and NeverNever Land are fun as well. My boys really liked the noises that the dinosaurs made. All I could think of was the amount of imagination (and money) it would've taken for someone to design and build one of these places.

Quick Tips:

My biggest tip is to stay at a place where you have a kitchen. I know when you think of vacation, you think of not having to do those types of things, but believe me, with two growing boys (three if you count my husband) having a place to store food items such as snacks or milk is a real help in the financial department. The grocery stores are really reasonable and there was one not far from our resort.

Best Way To Get Around:

The best way to get around was to drive. Parking wasn't a problem. We didn't even have trouble finding a place to park at the beach!! With the help of our resort employees, we found a 'locals' beach that was just three blocks from our resort. And, it wasn't crowded!

Best Things Nearby:
Broadway at the Beach, with the Aquarium and the Butterfly Pavilion is a block away. The beach is three blocks away. Miniature golf is everywhere!! And the high school is across the street. That means increased security. Not to mention the strict security of the resort itself.

Best Things About the Resort:
The facilities are wonderful! Security is very strict. You must have a parking permit, or be on the guest list to enter the resort complex. The ladies at the courtesy desk went above and beyond our expectations when it came to finding things for us to do. My husband was in seventh heaven when it came to golfing in the area. They even scheduled a special tour for the golfing addicts that spanned at least three separate golf courses at a discounted price!! They also helped the boys and I book a dolphin watch and then gave us very specific directions on how to get there. Since I am deficient on following directions, that was a real plus. I didn't even get lost! The service was definitely exceptional.

Resort Experience:
It is wonderful!! You really must see this place to believe it. I know they aren't located right on the beach, but to tell the truth, we only went to the beach once the entire time we were there. We spent more time exploring other areas of Myrtle Beach and taking advantage of the variety of activities that the resort had, not only for adults, but for children, too. They even have an evening out for the parents and a babysitting service for our use one night each week! That gave my husband and I a break and some time for each other that we otherwise wouldn't have gotten.

The rooms were really well-planned. We stayed in what is called the deluxe one bedroom. This is one half of the two bedroom lock-off unit. It consisted of a living, dining, and kitchen area. The master bedroom had a jacuzzi in it. Off from that was the bathroom which had separate doors for the bedroom and the family area. The screened porch had a view of a really lovely pond filled with a variety of animals. My boys would spend mornings counting the turtles on the bank sunning themselves.

The poolside facilities were very nice. There was an outdoor and and indoor portion to the pool. You could walk from one to the other. There was also a kiddie pool that the boys used on a regular basis. I would take a book and watch from a lounge chair while the boys spent time in the water. They had more fun in the pool then they had at the beach.

• Unit Type: 1 Bedroom
• Activities: Excellent
• Amenities: Excellent
• Unit Satisfaction: Excellent
• Family Friendliness: Excellent
• Service: Excellent

This was my first experience with Planet Hollywood. I really enjoyed the atmosphere. Everywhere you looked, there was something to examine. The televisions with old movie clips kept us well entertained while we waited for our food.

The waitress was very attentive even though she was extremely busy. We only waited a short time for our food and once we got it, we were impressed with the amount and tastiness of the food.

It''s one of those places that everyone should experience. We ate there without spending a lot of money. For those who don''t wish to spend a lot of money and still get plenty of good food with helpful wait staff, this is the restaurant for you.

This is not a place I would go out of my way to eat at. I do recommend that if you have never been to a Hard Rock Cafe, it is worth the experience. But if you''ve seen one, you''ve seen them all. The food is not the best and for the price it''s not worth the money. If nothing else, get a shirt.

This park is for those of us who like water. The rides weren't too dangerous for our children. There was only one that we wouldn't let them ride. The enclosed tube that gave my youngest son a scar was the only ride that the boys rode that they shouldn't have, and that was just because they couldn't keep their arms and ankles crossed.

I really appreciated the life jackets that were provided for anyone's use with the wave pool. My boys couldn't swim, but they still were able to enjoy the waves. Several children were taking advantage of the lifejackets.

I even spoke to one woman who had her granddaughter there, age three. She said that the other water park in the Myrtle Beach area (I don't know the name) wouldn't let her granddaughter enter the park because of her age. We will definitely be returning on our next trip to Myrtle Beach. For the price, you can't beat all-day fun.

Check out their website Myrtle Waves for more detailed information.

The aquarium was a wonderful experience for the whole family. My interest in animals has definitely rubbed off on my children. My oldest son loves dinosaurs, so he was really impressed with the massive impression of the prehistoric shark jaw. He stood next to it looking up for a long time.

The shark tank with its passage way beneath is a must see. You actually feel like you are swimming with the sharks. The boys really got excited when the sharks would come close to them. The turtle in the tank was really amazing too.

If you love animals, then this aquarium is definitely a must see. I am looking into some of the activities for children that this aquarium provides. I know my children will really enjoy an opportunity to really get to work with the animals. Check out the website Ripley's Aquarium for more detailed information.

The marina is not hard to find. I even drove there (without my husband) and didn't get lost. The captain is very nice, as is her first mate. They both were very informative. The trip took approximately two and a half hours.

We traveled into the ocean about three miles and met a shrimp boat. Following the shrimp boat was a school of dolphins. We were actually right in the middle of them. There was even a baby dolphin among them. The shrimp boat had collected various items from its net to share with the cruise. Most of them had been killed by the nets, but a seahorse had survived. My boys were very excited about getting to 'hold' the seahorse. It was actually in a bag. The shrimp boat planned to release the seahorse after they brought their nets in for the final time.

Coming back toward shore, we stopped at an undeveloped barrier island. There was only one other boat there. We explored the island and found many pretty shells. The highlight of our time on the island was the hermit crab we found. We decided to let it stay on the island, but one of our fellow passengers saw it and decided to take it home. If we decide to take another cruise into the ocean, this will be the one we take.

With children under seven, it's hard to really shop at Broadway at the Beach. With the constant chattering and 'when are we going to the aquarium, Mom?' in my ear the whole time, I didn't really get to see much; I was nonetheless impressed with what little I did see. The shops were well planned and spacious. I would recommend this to any avid walker, shopper, or someone just out for an enjoyable day.