Known as the golf capital of the United States, Myrtle Beach has over 100 golf courses of varying difficulty in the area. Golf is not the only thing to do, though. There are hundreds of other attractions for people of all ages.
Miniature Golf
Let the 'serious' golfers hack away. If you just want to have fun and relax, there are over 25 miniature golf places in the area. Some of the more exciting are Adventure Falls Golf, Hawaiian Rumble Golf and Jurassic Golf in Myrtle Beach and Mayday Golf in North Myrtle Beach. Each has its own surprises in the form of waterfalls, mountains and monsters that spew steam and grumble and roar.
Shopping
For golf and tennis equipment and clothes, Martin's Golf & Tennis Superstore in North Myrtle Beach and Myrtle Beach is legendary. Golf Dimensions Superstore runs a close second. It has two locations in North Myrtle Beach and Myrtle Beach.
The entirely enclosed malls in the area are Colonial Mall in North Myrtle Beach and Inlet Mall in Murrells Inlet. Shoppers need not fret, though; there are a zillion strip malls and beach stores where you can find anything and everything from ceramic artichokes to paper mache zebras.
Plan to spend an entire day each at Barefoot Landing and Broadway at the Beach. Barefoot Landing in North Myrtle Beach has over 110 specialty shops, 13 factory direct stores, 12 restaurants, carousel rides, a waterway cruise, and entertainment at the Alabama Theatre. Broadway at the Beach in the heart of Myrtle Beach covers 350 acres and has over 100 shops, 20 restaurants, 10 attractions, pedal boat rentals, an IMAX Discovery Theatre, Ripley's Aquarium, and 10 nightspots.
Sports/Fitness
If you don't want to abandon your fitness regimen while you visit Myrtle Beach, there is a Gold's Gym and a World Gym. Little River Swim & Fitness Club in Little River offers visitor packages.
Bowling enthusiasts have Little River Lanes, the North Myrtle Beach Bowling Center, the Surfside Bowling and Billiard Center, and Waccamaw Lanes to choose from. The Myrtle Beach Pelicans baseball team, Class A affiliates of the Atlanta Braves, play at BB&T Coastal Field in Myrtle Beach. There are no bad seats and the games are a lot of fun for the whole family.
Sun and Surf
Myrtle Beach has 60 miles of coastline from Little River down to Georgetown, most of it beautiful sandy beaches. Water sports include swimming, snorkeling, diving, boating, fishing and even surfing. There are dozen of marinas where you can rent boats and personal water craft of all descriptions, or take a scenic cruise on the ocean or on the Waccamaw or Pee Dee Rivers.
Snakes, Alligators and Sharks, Oh My!
You don't need to be a child to experience Alligator Adventure at Barefoot Landing in North Myrtle Beach. The 15 acres of boardwalk let you walk above and through the natural habitats of over 1000 alligators, crocodiles, and tortoises. On the way, you'll see exotic birds and the reptile house, the Serpentarium.
The Myrtle Beach State Park has various programs during the year and a nature center with live snakes, turtles and marine animals, and a wildlife habitat with a butterfly garden, bird feeders and birdhouses. Huntington Beach Sate Park in Murrells Inlet offers daily programs on birds, alligators, snakes, whales, dolphins, salt marshes, beachcombing and crabbing.
The people mover in Ripley's Aquarium behind Broadway at the Beach carries you through a see-through tunnel while fish and sharks swim all around you. It also has the largest display of ray sharks on the East Coast, dive shows, marine education presentations, creatures from the Amazon rain forest, octopus, sea dragons, thousands of colorful fish, and rays and horseshoe crabs that you can touch.
Shows
Myrtle Beach is home to some very talented entertainers and some of the best shows you'll see this side of Las Vegas. Both The Carolina Opry and The Alabama Theatre have received numerous awards for their singing, dancing, and comedy variety shows. At Legends in Concert in Surfside Beach, you'll swear that you're really seeing and hearing the real Elvis and Michael Jackson, among others. Each show features at least five tribute artists. The House of Blues at Barefoot Landing hosts some of the biggest names in country, rock, blues, and soul entertainers. Examples are Blue Oyster Cult, The Neville Brothers and Bruce Hornsby, to name a few. Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament and Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede offer exciting dinner shows.
For the Thrill of It
When you or the kids get sick of sand in your sandwiches, head to one of the amusement or water parks. Family Kingdom Amusement Park has 30 rides and the largest all-wooden roller coast and Ferriswheel in South Carolina, a carousel, a go-kart track, bumper cars and more. The Grand Prix Family Thrill Park in North Myrtle Beach is divided up into four zones: Kids, Thrill, Race and Laser.
With the price of admission, you can spend an entire day at Family Kingdom Water Park. Try the 185-foot water flume and one of four slides or relax as you drift down the Lazy River. This water park also has separate sections for young ones and toddlers. Myrtle Waves Water Park has 30 rides over 20-acres. Its unique Racin' River's speeding current tests your skill on a skimmer board.