Top Picks for Families on a Long Weekend at The Beach

So you’ve checked the kids’ school schedule and see (with glee) that you have a long weekend you can turn into a getaway to Myrtle Beach.

While there are oodles of family friendly things to see and do – and places to eat – that you can pack into more than a week’s worth of vacation here, we’ve whittled it down to a few of the top places we recommend as a priority to schedule into your three-day weekend.

Go for Some H2O!

The best place for you to be at the beach, during the day, under the hot South Carolina sun is somewhere near water. Besides spending time at your resort’s water amenities, here’s where we recommend you venture off-property to cool off for the day:

• The Ocean - Why not? That’s why you came here, after all! Pick a spot on the sand (We have 60 miles of beachfront on the Grand Strand to choose from, including two state parks) and make it your little slice of heaven overlooking the Atlantic, where the kids can splash through the surf. Take it to the next level by signing them up for a surf lesson to really take advantage of the waves, or by booking a banana boat ride or parasail trip for a bird’s eye view of the coastline.

• The Water Park - Check out Myrtle Waves Water a trip here will have the entire family will be smiling, laughing, and screaming for hours, with tube and body slides and more. 

• Resorts with Waterparks - These Myrtle Beach resorts have waterparks on site for more family fun and excitement. Check out The Caravelle Resort, Landmark Oceanfront Resort and Crown Reef Beach Resort and Waterpark which also has the largest arcade in a resort in Myrtle Beach.

• Shark Wake Park - This park in North Myrtle Beach combines cooling off with heating up your adrenaline. Spend the day cable wakeboarding or knee boarding on their huge manmade lake, or make your way through, up, and over their floating obstacle course, complete with slides, climbing towers and more.

Choose an Entertainment Complex!

In the evening, take your family to one of several options that serve as a one-stop shop for entertainment, dining, and shopping, including:

• Broadway at the Beach - This outdoor entertainment complex in Myrtle Beach is packed with good times for the family, so you’ll have to choose your focal point and run with it. Here at Broadway, they host the Ripley’s Aquarium, Dave & Buster’s, a small amusement park, the indoor WonderWorks interactive venue, an escape room, magic shows, zip lines, and nightly fireworks shows, to name a few. Plus, on the outskirts of Broadway, there’s the Hollywood Wax Museum, Topgolf, the Broadway Grand Prix go-cart track, and the home of the Minor League baseball team, the Myrtle Beach Pelicans.

• Barefoot Landing - Somewhat similar to the offerings of Broadway, Barefoot Landing in North Myrtle Beach along the Intracoastal Waterway has an outdoor amphitheater with live concerts, a ropes course and arcade outside LuLu’s, and a full lineup of boutiques, restaurants, and Crooked Hammock Brewery laid out with a ton of outdoor lawn games. And, on the outskirts of Barefoot, there’s Duplin Winery for Mom and Dad and Alligator Adventure, one of the largest reptile tourist attractions in the state.

Fare with Flair

Myrtle Beach is a culinary playground of hundreds of exceptional restaurants serving up unforgettable dining experiences and cuisines that travel around the world. But we think you should go big or go home by combining dinner with a show (and the kids will be entertained) at either of these delicious options:

• Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament - Hear ye, hear ye! Step foot into a Medieval castle and its massive arena, where you will witness knights performing on majestic horses, jousting, and competing for the queen’s favor. The plot line, the action, the special effects, and the four-course feast (that you eat with your hands!) will blow you away!

• Pirates Voyage Dinner & Show - Ahoy, Matey! Come aboard or you may walk the plank at Pirates Voyage, home of an indoor hideaway lagoon arena built around two full-sized pirate ships led by Blackbeard and Calico Jack. You’ll all love the intense action by mermaids, aerialists, and pirates by air and by sea. And, again, the kids can eat the fabulous four-course feast with their hands while they watch it all unfold with their mouths open.
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