Myrtle Beach Trip

We were so excited to be able to take a family trip to Myrtle Beach this summer with the kids and my parents. Phil was scheduled to deploy right after, and they kept moving his trip dates. It kept us a little stressed out and nervous, but thankfully, everything worked out. Phil and I had not been to Myrtle Beach since Beach Weekend during my Furman days. It was actually where we got engaged! It was fun (and much different!) going with the kids.

It was just a short trip to Myrtle Beach from our house, and we got there with plenty of time to spare before check-in. We decided to stop at Broadway at the Beach to ride a few rides and let the kids burn off some energy. It was super hot, but we managed to find a little shade and have a good time.

Claire was afraid of this car ride and insisted that Phil come, too! Thankfully, he fit in it and got to ride for free. :)

Everyone was excited about the airplanes! It took just a little bit to figure out how to make them go up and down!

Our condos were on the Intracoastal Waterway instead of the beach, but we enjoyed the view of speed boats and jet skis racing back and forth. The kids also enjoyed the lazy river and making friends by the pool.

 

Between the beach and the pool, we didn't need too much else to keep us busy, but the aquarium was on our list!

It was super crowded on the inside, so I didn't get any pictures. The kids loved the jelly fish and the sharks the best. They even had a small hammerhead shark swimming sting rays that you could pet. Avery was so disappointed that he wasn't able to reach him (hammerheads are his favorite!), but I was able to pet the shark! Definitely a first! We'll have to go back when Avery's arms are a little longer!  

After the aquarium, we took the kids to make their very first Build a Bear stuffed animal as a souvenir. They were really excited about it once they realized they were able to pick something out, however they both had a hard time deciding on their favorite. Avery finally picked an Iron Man bear (he named it Iron Puppy...who knows), and Claire chose Rainbow Dash a My Little Pony character. 

 

Next, they were able to fill them up with the stuffing themselves...

and add the hearts!

While Phil and Dad played real golf one morning, Mom and I braved put put with the kids. My GPS took me all the way to North Myrtle Beach when I typed in the address for a place we had a coupon for. After getting to the address and realizing that there was no put put place there (It was actually in Myrtle Beach), we settled for a place we'd passed on the way. It ended up being a great little spot with lots of water, turtles to feed, and birds that talked. It wasn't even lunch time, but it was HOT, and the kids were grouchy...especially Avery. He was really upset that we weren't playing "real golf" by not keeping score and letting Claire (and him) hit the ball several times in a row. After his mini temper tantrum and letting several groups play through, he eventually settled down, and we made it through all 18 holes. We were super hungry and sweaty, but we were able to check it off our to do list!

Although our resort didn't have beach access, they provided free passes to the 2 local state parks on the beach. Myrtle Beach State Park was actually really nice, with easy parking, bathrooms, a playground, and a general store type place that sold ice cream. Score! 

We quickly discovered that there were jelly fish in the water, and Avery even got a small sting. The lifeguards had spray bottles full of vinegar for people to use, and it was going quickly (we even saw lifeguards stocking up on it at Costco while we were there). There were "marine life" flags up the rest of the week, so we spent the rest of our time closer to shore. Avery made a great friend in an older boy who was nice enough to show Avery his net he was fishing with. He and his dad (a retired pilot!) then let Avery keep the fish for a bit in his bucket. He was so excited! They caught several fish in the net and also found jelly fish and crabs washed up on shore. They were very patient with Avery, and he had a great time! 

The kids also enjoyed collecting shells while Phil and I liked playing paddle ball and throwing the football back and forth.

Fun at the park!

Phil and I also enjoyed getting out in the evening without the kids a couple of times (thanks, Mom and Dad!). We walked the strip, souvenir shopped, and even found the Polynesian (bringing back a lot of Beach Weekend memories...still just as classy). ;)  

Now that we know how close we are to all the Myrtle Beach fun, we will definitely have to make another trip back while here in NC!