My last visit to Myrtle Beach, S.C., was almost eight years ago, when my daughter was just 6 months old. Obviously, we didn’t explore many of the area’s family-friendly activities other than the hotel pool. This time around, though, I was more than ready to see what would capture the interest of my daughter, now 8, and my son, age 4. We were not disappointed.
Many visitors come to Myrtle Beach for its more than 100 championship golf courses; my son, however, wanted to play every one of the area’s 30 miniature golf courses. Each one features a specific theme, such as safaris, jungle explorations and pirate escapades. We managed to visit two miniature golf courses: Captain Hook’s Adventure Golf and Shipwreck Island Adventure Golf.
At Captain Hook’s Adventure Golf, my kids loved seeing the various characters from the story, including Peter Pan, Tinker Bell and even Capt. Hook himself. They also got caught up in the competition of the game, although my son was not quite as focused on proper technique as everyone else. My daughter even hit a hole in one before it was over!
Our journey on the “Captain” course – there are two; the other is the “Lost Boys” course – took us up and down hills, through tunnels, and across water hazards. In fact, we covered a lot of ground as we zigzagged our way from the first hole to No. 18. As such, I highly recommend taking everyone to the bathroom before you start; otherwise, you have to backtrack past previous holes (and other players) to get back to the bathrooms.
We had a similar experience at Shipwreck Island Golf Adventure, where we played the “Captain” course (the other is the “Skipper” course). However, this course incorporated many more vertical challenges, so we spent a fair amount of time chasing balls downhill or trying to get them to stay up top near the hole. But it obviously wasn’t too hard because both my daughter and my mother-in-law scored holes in one on two different holes.
Of the two, Captain Hook’s Adventure Golf was my favorite. I just thought it had better challenges and enjoyed the layout better. For both sites, as well as many more in the area, you can find coupons to save on admission in the many coupon books available at hotels, restaurants and the visitors’ center. Many miniature golf courses also offer coupons on their websites.
For some inside fun, we headed to WonderWorks, an “upside down” building full of interactive exhibits. For instance, my kids loved finding our home on the large Google Earth screen. They also became human lightning rods by putting their hands in a mesh steel armor glove and watching the Tesla Coil send 100,000 volts of electricity to their fingers.
Two of our favorite exhibits were the Bubble Lab and the Strike a Pose exhibits. In the Bubble Lab, we competed to see who could make the largest bubble or have a bubble last the longest. You also can create a bubble “sheet” and then blow bubbles through it. In the Strike a Pose exhibit, you strike a pose before a wall as a bright light shines on you. After the light goes out, you can see the “shadow” of your pose. We had great fun coming up with different poses, such as jumping in the air, walking the runway (my daughter!) and showing off our muscles. 
In the Space Discovery section, my daughter climbed into the Mercury Capsule to see what it felt like to work in one of these space vehicles. Both kids also clamored up and inside the space suit for a picture as an astronaut. Finally, my daughter and I took a turn on the inside ropes challenge (yes, this is included in the cost of admission!). At 36 feet tall, the course includes more than 20 challenges across three stories. Although I had fun going through the course, I had more fun watching my daughter complete the various challenges. Her sense of adventure makes me proud!
Of course, all this adventure and activity requires that we stay fueled up, and Myrtle Beach delivers in a variety of choices for every budget. Obviously, the most prevalent choice available is the all-you-can-eat seafood buffet restaurants. These are usually not my favorite, but given that my mother-in-law and I both wanted crab legs, we felt this was the most affordable option to indulge our craving. Our choice to do so was Captain Benjamin’s Calabash Seafood.
Captain Benjamin’s Calabash Seafood boasts 170 items on its buffet, but I was after just one: crab legs. We decided to visit for lunch, which came with extra price savings. I made sure to get my money’s worth. Although there was a salad bar, an array of hot vegetables and side dishes, and a large selection of seafood that included shrimp, oysters and fish, I chose only crab legs. And, boy, were they good! In fact, I had four (yes, four!) platefuls of crab legs during my visit. And the bonus: My kids loved them as much as I did. My work here is done.
We were only in Myrtle Beach for three full days, but, as you can see, we had no problem filling our days with fun. In addition to the activities mentioned above, we also spent ample time on the beach and at the hotel’s pools and lazy river. To fully experience all that Myrtle Beach has to offer, you simply have to come back again and again. At least, that’s our plan.
Disclosure: Although the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce/CVB provided Karon with an attractions pass for two people, she paid for all extra tickets and admissions as well as all meals. All opinions are her own.