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What I Remember (And Like) About Myrtle Beach (subtitle:
What’s not to like already!) By Joe Leech
We could answer that with "bullet points" like...
The beach The Golf Courses (full sizes) The min golf courses
All the places to Eat The beach
But Myrtle Beach is more than just that.. it’s the sum of
all those things which feed each other back and do more and
more. It’s the complete "package" of all those things.
It’s the anticipation, and the variety.. and wondering what
you are going to find the next year.
My wife and I first visited Myrtle Beach as a young newly
wed couple and we did it on a budget. We chose it because at
the time we were in the Air Force and it was close, and we
had never really been to a real beach resort community. We
had a pop up camper.. a far cry from some of the early
(1960 era) motor homes. But even then the early "boxy"
"Winnies" looked like palaces. But we didn't care. We
were young, in love, and we had the beach. If I were to
share more about some late nights on the beach.. well, we
couldn't "family rate" this little recollection piece.
We came back a couple years later, but this time to a modest
cabin with real indoor plumbing.. we were a few blocks
inland as we were still on a budget, but our cabin (actually
a duplex house converted to tourist rentals) was clean and
we could hear the ocean at night with windows open. And
smell the salt ocean air. And it was quiet. EXCEPT the
reason we upgraded.. we had a new baby son with us, and he
would still sometimes cry at night, but other than that.. it
was so peaceful.
We didn't come back every year, but we did return about 7
years later and again got a cabin, and this time with two
kids.. and boy, did they love the beach! We had more fun. We
revisited our first camp ground and thought it might be nice
to come back with the kids so they could have campfires, the
pool and we agreed.. as long as we had a nice camper. So the
next year (civilians now, having finished our Air Force
stint and still living in the East) we rented a nice camper.
Campground within a bike ride to the ocean, and we spent
time there.. but the kids wanted a little more so we hit the
main drag a little more, some of the arcades, etc.
Not wanting to get into a rut, while loving the area, we
didn't do it every year, but did keep returning because
there was some sorta "magic" and it was about 4 years later,
this time with two teen agers. Little nicer cabin this year,
and now our agendas changed a bit more.. kids wanted to
spend time "in town" and of course our evenings gave rise to
some more mature entertainment like board games like
monopoly, etc. But the beach was still our focus. None of
us really got into golf which is why so many people come..
but the miniature golf was always a great family time, and
all of us do love to eat.
We came back about every 2-3 years, and one of the reasons
was the availability and ease of getting to. We'd tried some
of the Jersey resorts (Wildwood) and nothing had the whole
package we had.. and we were beginning to make some
"vacation" friends who we called our summer vacation family.
Now while the kids were off, we enjoyed a bottle of wine or
margaritas with families from Fla (came north as it was
cooler), one family from Canada, and a few others.
As life goes on, the family changes, and 3 years ago, now
with our kids grown, married, and having kids of their own..
we decided on an extended family vacation. We'd outgrown the
cabin, and this time we all went together and rented a nice
large single family house on the beach. Full porch and
beach view. It wasn't inexpensive, but when you think we had
3 families there, the cost per family wasn't any more than 3
weeks of individual and smaller cabins.. and we were all
together. I can't tell you the memories this built, not
only for ourselves but our grand kids.
Happy as it was, the "kids" also wanted to take new
vacations on their own, and we went back now as we started..
as a couple, but in one partners case.. with significantly
less and grayer hair. But our accommodations changed..
again. This time a nice condo, 3 floors up, with a balcony
and view. Still love the ocean, still love to go to the
restaurants. And we're making new friends. Also talking
about taking up golf!
We revisited again in summer 2005. Actually not for a
vacation, but passing through on a drive back home from one
of our kids homes in Melbourne, Fla driving back to
Pittsburgh. It was a little off the direct route, but we
just wanted to come back. Glad we did and we're going to
book a condo there again next summer. There’s new things to
see and do like live theater. Discovered a FANTASTIC Italian
restaurant that more locals than tourists go to.
So.. what’s with Myrtle Beach. I guess it has been the
ability to provide a whole range of great, wholesome
vacation options regardless of our family makeup and budget.
We've never been bored or disappointed. It’s been a
relatively easy drive from wherever we lived in the East,
and of course, in spite of hurricanes passing through the
area over some 40 years (we are now 66 and 67 years old),
the beach has always been a good place to be. We've not
tried a winter vacation there.. don't think we will. Yes,
there’s a lot of people there in season, but there’s a lot
of space too so you don't feel crowded. And there’s still
spots you can get alone on the beach at night. And that’s
the magic.
It’s my hope that this little article of reminiscing will
share what might be available to anyone contemplating a
visit or vacation, and no, we don't work for the Chamber of
Commerce or have a time share or condo to rent to you.
(Wish now we did) But there’s plenty of resources on the
Internet to help you.
Good Luck and pleasant vacationing!
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