Myrtle Beach, SC is a perennially popular vacation spot for families, beachcombers and golfers. With miles of public beaches, plenty of lodging and dining and loads of outdoor and indoor activities, this South Carolina ocean community offers something for everyone.
Kids will love the putt-putt courses and amusement park rides located at every turn, as well as the mammoth gift shops where they can buy everything from t-shirts to boogie boards to hermit crab pets. For some different activities sure to please children and adults alike, check out these interesting Myrtle Beach hotspots.
Watch the Feeding Frenzy at Alligator Adventure in North Myrtle Beach
The crocodile is king at this Myrtle Beach reptile habitat, one of the largest in North America in N. Myrtle Beach. Boasting thousands of crocs and gators as well as snakes, frogs, lizards, turtles, tortoises, river otters, zebras, tigers, lemurs and tropical birds of every shape size and color, a trip through Alligator Adventure is fascinating, educational and, sometimes, just a little bit terrifying.
Each ticket gains entrance to the park for the day, and it can take that long to experience it all. Make sure to attend at least one of the feeding shows where “the Croc Doc” feeds whole (dead) chickens to a lake filled with hungry alligators. A sturdy boardwalk winds its way through swamp, river and marsh environments where giddy gators float, swim, thrash and roar. Don’t fret about safety as these creatures are well enclosed.
It can get hot at Alligator Adventure, which is primarily an outdoor attraction, so bring hats and wear sunscreen.
4604 Highway 17 S
North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582-5357
(843) 361-0789
Sharks and Other Interesting Creatures Abound at the Myrtle Beach Aquarium
After a day with the gators, time spent among sharks will seem downright tame. The Ripley’s Aquarium in Myrtle Beach is a kid-friendly paradise and a cool oceanic escape when the thought of another hour at the beach just sounds too darned hot.
There are touching tanks where children can pet stingrays in a shallow lagoon or handle horseshoe crabs and other sea critters in an interactive discovery playground. But the main attraction is the 350-foot moving sidewalk that winds through an enormous aquarium tunnel filled with tarpons, swordfish, humongous rays and turtles and, of course, huge sharks. It’s worth it to take several trips through this aquarium to experience all of the hidden mysteries.
1110 Celebrity Circle
Myrtle Beach, SC 29577-7465
(888) 464-7085
Eat Dinner While Watching Jousting Knights at Myrtle Beach’s Medieval Times
If a family vacationing crew contains children who eat like barbarians, then Medieval Times might be a perfect spot to land for dinner. Eating with fingers is the only option since utensils weren’t around in the 11th century, and no one cares much about a messy table because everyone’s too busy watching the show.
Tables are set up around an enormous inside arena and the action is non-stop. Guests cheer as six knights on horses vie for the title in a competition of jousting, hand-to-hand combat, swordsmanship and falconry. The admission price includes a 4-course banquet. Medieval Times is an interesting and wonderful last stop before home activity that will thrill the whole family.
Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament
2904 Fantasy Way
Myrtle Beach, SC 29579
(866) 543-9637
A day spent by the ocean in Myrtle Beach - whether golfing, fishing, crabbing or swimming - is always a crowd-pleaser, but think about mixing it up some with alligators, sharks and knights to make a summer family vacation more memorable than ever.
For information on other South Carolina lowcountry vacations, please read Discover Hidden Gems in a Trip to Charleston, South Carolina.
RWC101
Janice Fahy - Janice Fahy is a freelance writer who is comfortable researching and writing on just about any topic under the sun.
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