Need advice re: Myrtle Beach spring break accomodations

My son and some friends want to go to Myrtle Beach after graduation (high school) and have secured a house on 2nd Avenue South, but Google's street view gives me some pause.

We are also considering locations on North and South Ocean Blvd., and of course one or more parents will be in Myrtle Beach, though not in the property being rented (unless required).

We're looking for a low cost, safe, fun area and would be appreciative of any insight or suggestions.

I'd be glad to answer questions anyone may have.

Thanks fellas.

Bumping this for visibility.

You say after graduation so I assume that you mean in June. Unless you want to stay in MB I would suggest going South around Surfside or Garden City. The traffic in MB along Ocean Blvd. is horrible, not really that much better at other places but at least not quite as bad. You also say you have secured a house so how far away from the ocean is it. In that area few houses are close to the ocean and desirable but there are some. For high school age I would look at the Surfside Garden city area as it is better for that age with less opportunities to get into trouble. You are going to have to drive to eat etc. no matter where you stay so right in MB isn't much of an advantage. Also if you want ot go North to NMB/OD then that is also fine but usually for a little older crowd (college age) but either is fine. No matter where you go just stay out of the bars after midnight and you will be fine.

Have a good time and stay safe.

I really hate the laws in South Carolina. My ex lives in Aiken County. Not my ideal vacation state. Not possible AT ALL for nonresidents to carry outside a glove box? What's that? Even California allows nonresident carry, loaded in rural areas and unloaded in incorporated areas. Granted, it's only fractionally better, but better it is.

PT111 said:

You say after graduation so I assume that you mean in June. Unless you want to stay in MB I would suggest going South around Surfside or Garden City. The traffic in MB along Ocean Blvd. is horrible, not really that much better at other places but at least not quite as bad. You also say you have secured a house so how far away from the ocean is it. In that area few houses are close to the ocean and desirable but there are some. For high school age I would look at the Surfside Garden city area as it is better for that age with less opportunities to get into trouble. You are going to have to drive to eat etc. no matter where you stay so right in MB isn't much of an advantage. Also if you want ot go North to NMB/OD then that is also fine but usually for a little older crowd (college age) but either is fine...

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Thanks much for your reply. Do you live in the area?

Yes, the boys are graduating high school seniors, and they will have a car, though it would be nice if they didn't have to use it. From your description, though, it seems like that's not going to happen.

I think the atmosphere the boys are looking for is like Gatlinburg (go karts, putt-putt, etc.), but with a beach. Does any place near MB fit that description?

The house is at 204 2nd Avenue South, but I'm not impressed with the Google street view of it.

Are there any places you might suggest I contact about renting another house/property?

I look forward to anything else you can tell me, and thanks again.

There is all of that around MB. I would check out Garden City Realty or Surfside Realty or any of the others in that area. Get a condo on the beach or a house (depending on the size of the group) and I think they will be happier. I live around 60 miles away and go quite often. I have never stayed in the MB area but always either in the South or North area. I even owned a condo down there for a while but sold it a few years ago and have several relatives that live down there.

The location you described is too busy and crowded for me and you will still have to drive if you want to do anything other than right there which you will. Tell them don't worry, no matter where you stay there will be plenty of girls.

My suggestion would be to scrap all plans for MB and head north to the Carolina Beach/ Kure Beach/ Wilmington area.

If you go to MB, you run a good chance of spending some time in the drunk tank without your shoe laces simply for waving across the street to some friends that might happen to be walking there.

PT111 said:

There is all of that around MB. I would check out Garden City Realty or Surfside Realty or any of the others in that area...

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Thanks PT.

I'll check out the realty companies you mentioned, and I'll keep you posted.

rotorhead said:

My suggestion would be to scrap all plans for MB and head north to the Carolina Beach/ Kure Beach/ Wilmington area.

If you go to MB, you run a good chance of spending some time in the drunk tank without your shoe laces simply for waving across the street to some friends that might happen to be walking there.

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That's good information to have!

Can you tell me about the areas you suggest? How "fun" would they be (putt-putt, go karts, waterparks, etc. for graduating HS seniors?

Thanks again.

I go down that way every year with my family, we normally stay at oak island or holden beach and we make a couple trips down to myrtle for shopping, put put and food. They will not run short of things to do, there are probably 100 put put places, or more all up and down kings highway, and some on ocean blvd. I know of a couple places that have go karts, the biggest one is the nascar speedpark which I have done a couple times and it is fun. It does not seem far but it can take 20-40 minutes depending on traffic to get from north myrtle to the south side of myrtle. Here is a site that has some good information on whats there, http://www.discovermyrtlebeach.com/index.cfm This one is a site to a company that produces coupon books http://themonstercouponbook.com/jos/, they are free to get at the NC/SC welcome center and at other shops and store around myrtle beach, and I would think they are at other welcome centers in SC. They are great and offer a lot of coupons for put put, go karts, and lots of other tractions and food places. I would have them look through those sites and see what they want to do the most, and find a place near those attractions.

MB blows. Go to Garden City.

CDT COX said:

MB blows. Go to Garden City.

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Okay... can you expand on your post a little bit?

What kind of activities/crowd tends to be there? On other words, are the crowd and activities suitable for graduating high school seniors?

Thanks for your reply.

jag06 said:

I go down that way every year with my family, we normally stay at oak island or holden beach and we make a couple trips down to myrtle for shopping, put put and food... They will not run short of things to do, there are probably

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Thanks much for your reply, and the detail.

I'll keep you posted on what I find, and if you have anything to add, please do!

BB62 said:

Okay... can you expand on your post a little bit?

What kind of activities/crowd tends to be there? On other words, are the crowd and activities suitable for graduating high school seniors?

Thanks for your reply.

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Define Suitable

BB62 said:

That's good information to have!

Can you tell me about the areas you suggest? How "fun" would they be (putt-putt, go karts, waterparks, etc. for graduating HS seniors?

Thanks again.

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Well, let me preface this post by saying I put myself under a self-imposed exile of MB back in 1989. I went there a few times and it always seemed dirty and nasty to me. Besides that, I once had to pay the $110 "drunk fee" which was usually imposed on those people stupid enough to talk above a whisper while in public. You ended up in their rather small but crowded holding area until basically you could either cough up $110, or con your friends into paying it for you. After that they gave you your shoe laces back and out you went.

I've only been back once and that was in 2000 or so but that was during one of the hurricanes so it wasn't all that hectic. I've never went back.

I do hear that much of it has been renovated since then and it's actually fairly decent now, but I cannot swear to it as I still have a bad taste in my mouth from those earlier days.

The Carolina beach area is a small community and is very quiet. I'm not sure what exactly they have going on these days as most of my beach trips these days consist of me heading straight to the piers and fishing for days on end.

If you have graduating teens, maybe Wrightsville Beach in Wilmington would have more bells and whistles for them. It's a larger community and it's in Wilmington which is a large enough city.

rotorhead said:

Well, let me preface this post by saying I put myself under a self-imposed exile of MB back in 1989. I went there a few times and it always seemed dirty and nasty to me...

...The Carolina beach area is a small community and is very quiet. I'm not sure what exactly they have going on these days as most of my beach trips these days consist of me heading straight to the piers and fishing for days on end.

If you have graduating teens, maybe Wrightsville Beach in Wilmington would have more bells and whistles for them. It's a larger community and it's in Wilmington which is a large enough city.

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Hey, thanks for the background. I understand where you're coming from, and I sure don't want the boys to experience unnecessary "guilt by association".

I'll definitely check out Wilmington.

I've been going down to the Grand Strand, specifically Myrtle Beach, since 1969. It has changed one heck of a lot since then. The south side of town is less desirable for families as it tends to attract more of the younger crowd and some seedy types. This area begins just below where the Pavilion used to be (was torn down in the fall of 2006), and extends for about a mile down Ocean Blvd.

He might want to consider the area north of Myrtle beach proper, above N. 69th Street and Ocean Blvd. That's more quiet and still has some nice places to stay. Surfside Beach or Garden City is also a place to check out.

I go down twice a year during times when the crowds have thinned out so I can't say what it's like in the middle of June anymore. Some great restaurants and a lot to do.

SouthernBoy said:

...The south side of town is less desirable for families as it tends to attract more of the younger crowd and some seedy types. This area begins just below where the Pavilion used to be (was torn down in the fall of 2006), and extends for about a mile down Ocean Blvd...

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Thanks much for your reply.

Can you give me an address/cross street where the Pavillion used to be? I'm trying to use Google's Street View to get an idea of where the area is you are referring to.

Thanks again.