A few weeks ago, I found myself in need of a family vacation. I wanted to enjoy my kids and not feel stressed out and not have a routine. I wanted to be the “laid-back, cool” mom, and I felt the only way I could be that mom was away from home. After looking into paradise islands and how much it would cost us to fly the family somewhere for three nights, not even talking about the logistics, we decided to stay local.
My husband and I love hiking, visiting museums, and soaking up the culture one place has to offer. Does anyone remember these vacations before kids? With a 4.5-year-old and 19-month-old, this is not realistic. We wanted the girls to enjoy themselves, and we wanted something easy for us. I had heard of a water park resort in North Carolina – “Not too far away,” I thought. Oh my! This was completely out of budget. I felt defeated. I went back to trusty Google and searched for “family-friendly vacation in South Carolina.” Our hotel showed up as the first recommendation in Trip Advisor.
Now I had to be careful how I would sell it to my husband. Myrtle Beach is definitely not somewhere we would go without kids, so I had to make him see the big picture.
The hotel, Dunes Village Myrtle Beach, was very affordable at $115/night during Spring Break. This did not include breakfast, but we could enjoy a spacious room with two queen-size beds, a balcony, and a small kitchen. We wouldn’t have to eat all our meals out. It also included all the hotel amenities, like the indoor water park. The kiddos could have fun even if it wasn’t sunny or if it was cold. I was sold.
The hotel was only two hours away, which any parent knows makes our journey anywhere between three to four hours not including a lunch break. We left Charleston in the morning, taking full advantage of our youngest’s nap and hoping our oldest wouldn’t need to pee while the little one snoozed away. The baby only slept an hour, but we made it far enough before we had to make a stop. We made it to Dunes Village by 2pm, two whole hours before check-in time, though our bedroom was ready and we were able to unload the car and go up to our room. The room was, as promised, spacious. We got lucky and got the corner room on the top floor with a stunning view.
We spent the next three days fully taking advantage of the hotel amenities: indoor water park with slides and lazy rivers, kiddie wetdeck, hot tubs, outdoor pools, pirate playground, mini-golf, direct access to the beach and some cute free activities for kids like face painting and temporary tattoos (really they were just like any tattoos you can buy at the dollar store, but the girls felt it was magical). There were more activities for older kids like ping pong, a Wii, basketball and tennis courts, a sand volley ball court, and a teen pool – whatever is supposed to happen in there?
Adults can enjoy the cabana bar with a wide choice of affordable cocktails. This is a must to help you forget about the noise level happening around all these pools. The hotel also has an on-site spa and a gym, which I did not visit although I brought my sneakers – wishful thinking.
We loved the hotel for a family break. We did not have to drive the car anywhere, and the girls could enjoy themselves. I was able to have my Starbucks coffee in the morning right in the hotel coffee shop, and we had lunch at the Captain’s Cafe. I was planning on stocking the fridge to help us save some money, but then vacation laziness took over.
When my husband and I couldn’t take anymore of all the enjoyable activities of the hotel and needed a break from all the fun, we found ourselves a short drive from the many activities Myrtle Beach has to offer. Keep in mind we have two very young kids, and they pretty much dictate all our decisions. We made it to The Pavilion Park the first late afternoon. Our almost five-year-old was in perfect heaven. She absolutely loved the rides she was able to go on and that giant candy store did not go unnoticed. Unfortunately by the end of the first day, the baby had already developed a cold (or she was teething – two kids in and we still can’t quite figure it out), so she wasn’t having any of it.
The second afternoon, we drove to the center of Myrtle Beach. Everything seemed to be within a five-mile radius of our hotel. We rode the Skywheel, (another hit with the kids) and then walked on the pier. The girls could be kids, roam free, eat ice cream, scream at the top of their lungs – perfect evening for everyone.
These were the activities we felt were appropriate for our kids and the amount of effort we wanted to put into making them happen. Remember our 19-month-old was teething, and although I wanted to be the laid-back mom, we found we were still regimented by her morning nap and her dinner time and how long she could make it before complete meltdown, which is usually around 7 pm. Also, my husband threw out his back getting ready for the trip the morning we left, perfect timing.
Myrtle Beach has lots more to offer: about a million mini-golfs and golf courses, more attraction parks, The Ripley’s Aquarium, helicopter rides, Shows, Wonder Works Adventure Course, The Hollywood Wax Museum, A Medieval Show, Water sports and much more.
I truly think that Myrtle Beach is a worthy destination for anyone wanting a break not too far from Charleston. Our hotel epitomized the family-friendly hotel, and our oldest still talks about it and wishes we had stayed longer. There are also enough attractions in town to entertain all ages, from the youngest toddler to teenagers.
