Our Five Ring Circus: Down For Adventure in Myrtle Beach (+ TIPS)

Monday, October 8, 2018

Down For Adventure in Myrtle Beach (+ TIPS)

Down for Adventure in Myrtle Beach

Every Summer, we go on a family vacation to the beach. We always go to Virginia Beach, but this year, we decided to switch things up a bit and try a different place! So on Liam's birthday in late August, we packed our SUV to capacity, piled in, and headed to Myrtle Beach for a week of family fun!


I already recapped Liam's birthday, and our road trip to the beach. We decided after just a few hours of being there that we loved Myrtle Beach just as much, if not more than, Virginia Beach. Our first full day was so lovely, that I can't help but wish we were back in paradise right now!




Myrtle Beach Day 2 (Our First Full Day)


Our first full day in paradise didn't start the way we were expecting! We were all so tired from our 11 hour drive to the beach, Liam's birthday, and settling into our suite, that we completely slept through our alarm that morning. We ended up missing the breakfast buffet, but we all agreed that a good night's sleep was probably better for us!


We ended up eating in our suite (thank goodness for a full kitchen), and getting ready for an afternoon at the beach. We were all ready to spend the day at our happy place! Hauling four kids, and all of our gear down to the beach is no easy task. No matter how much we streamline, we always have a LOT of stuff. I'm so thankful we finally invested in a beach cart last year!

Going to the beach just before the start of the school year is chaotic, but it's so nice while we're there, because it's very quiet in late August. That makes all the stress when we get home completely worth it! Anyway...after finding the perfect spot on the quiet beach, and setting up our gear, we were ready to have fun!

Myrtle Beach

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After several hours at the beach, my crew was ready to head up for showers and dinner. Cleaning up after an afternoon at the beach takes quite some time for my family! 


Sibling Love

This year, we decided to save time and money, and eat all of our dinners in our hotel suite. We did get takeout on our last evening, but we headed to the grocery store on our first day, and stocked up on easy dinners for the week. Think hoagies and soup, rotisserie chicken and microwave sides, pizza, burritos, pot pies, etc. It ended up working out really well. We had relaxing family dinners in the dining room, with a gorgeous view of the ocean, and we had more time to do fun things in the evening! We're definitely going to incorporate that plan into our future family beach vacations!

After dinner, we headed out to explore the Myrtle Beach Boardwalk. Although it isn't as long as the one in Virginia Beach, it was more fun, had an actual "boardwalk" and had much prettier views! We watched the gorgous sunset, stayed out until dark, and had a great evening!


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Sure enough, thanks to eating dinner in our suite, we had PLENTY of time for the pool after we got back! My kids loved our hotel's waterpark the night before, and couldn't wait to spend more time in the pools, hot tubs, splash pad, lazy river, and water slides. We spent two full hours relaxing and having fun, and stayed until the waterpark closed at 11 PM!


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South Bay Inn & Suites Waterpark

South Bay Inn & Suites Waterpark

South Bay Inn & Suites

South Bay Inn & Suites Waterpark


Back in the suite, we all dried off and changed into pajamas. The kids headed to bed quickly, while Grant and I enjoyed some quiet time on the balcony before heading to bed! It's one of our favorite ways to relax at the end of a long, family fun-filled day!


Brotherly Love

It was a PERFECT first full day in paradise! By the end of the day, my entire family was in love with Myrtle Beach!


Myrtle Beach, South Carolina


Stay tuned for more from Myrtle Beach next week! 


OUR FAVORITE TIPS FOR A BEACH VACATION WITH KIDS - PART ONE


  • If possible, schedule your trip for late August. It's less busy then!
  • If you have a kitchen, stock it with quick and easy snacks and meals.
  • Put on sunscreen BEFORE heading to the beach!
  • Place all sand toys in a mesh laundry bag, so you can shake out the sand, and transport them easily.
  • Purchase a sand-proof blanket (like this one) so you don't take a ton of sand into your beach house/hotel.
  • Take gallon ziplock bags to the beach with you. They are perfect for storing all those collected shells! 
  • Invest in a beach cart! Trust me on this one. It's worth it! We have THIS ONE
  • Keep a coastguard approved life jacket on young children at all times. Although you still have to watch them very carefully, it's a good safety measure!
  • Choose a spot on the beach right next to the lifeguard stand, and show your children landmarks so they don't get lost.
  • If you have a big family, consider purchasing prepared foods and easy dinners for the week, to cut back on the time to spend waiting at restaurants. (BONUS? Think of the money you'll save!)
  • Consider bringing along a stroller AND/OR a baby/toddler carrier for long walks on the boardwalk and beach.
  • Bring along a backpack or a backpack style diaper bag so you don't have to worry about carrying a purse or diaper bag. 
  • If you're anything like me, you're going to take LOTS of pictures. Bring along a laptop, so you can transfer pictures from your camera at the end of each day, format your memory card, and then share your favorite pictures during the trip!
  • If you choose a hotel or resort, try to choose one that offers a free breakfast buffet and has great family fun options, such as pools, a waterpark, activities, and game rooms. We stayed HERE. (It's a new resort that opened just days before we arrived. This isn't sponsored in any way. We just loved it!)


Down for Adventure in Myrtle Beach + Tips for a Beach Family Vacation! #myrtlebeach #travelwithkids #travel #travelblogger #Downsyndrome

Our Myrtle Beach Family Vacation Recap:


Myrtle Beach Family Vacation Day One

4 comments:

  1. Great pics! We need to put this place on our list.

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  2. The beach is stunning - and so quiet! I wish we had places where waterparks opened til 11pm - so much more chilled swimming and messing around til late - I bet the kids loved it! We love the balcony time too - especially when it is still warm, you can hear the crickets and there is a wee drinkie on offer :) J xx

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  3. What a great trip!!! Everyone looks like they are having so much fun! We do the grocery shopping and eating in thing every year on vacation and it saves time and money! So awesome! Cant wait to find out more! Hugs

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  4. What an awesome trip! Thank you for the beach tips. I had no idea they made a "sand-proof" blanket. We'll definitely be getting one of those next summer. Also, I love the resort you chose; the water park looks fun, and certainly the location seems perfect, too. Maybe one day we'll brave the 15+ hour trip for us. So glad you had a chance to enjoy this special family time before school!

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