After leaving Charleston, we started making our way back North and stopped for 3 nights in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. We booked Lakewood Camping Resort for it’s indoor heated pool so our kids would be able to swim should it not be warm enough (more on that later). Lakewood Camping Resort boasts about 1900 campsites which is way larger than any campground we’ve encountered so far and it’s also oceanfront. We were literally, six campsites from the dunes!
Photo courtesy of Trip Advisor
We arrived in the late afternoon, set up quickly, prepared a quick dinner and hit the pool for an evening swim. Instant hit for the kids. The next morning we headed out to the playground but when the kids spotted the ocean they were quick to dismount their bikes and check it out. Mind you, we were only “wading” when minutes later they were fully wet from head to toe.
This was the first time, Ava and Ryan had seen the ocean and all three of them were thrilled. They probably spent an hour running from the waves and letting them soak them through. There was so much sand in their clothes I had to dip them in fresh water to get most of the sand out.
We washed up and made our way over to the strand to ride the the Skywheel and grab a quick lunch on the boardwalk. We later had some ice cream and found a haunted house that was supposed to be open all year according to my travel guide but was clearly closed the day we were there.
Here’s the thing: a lot of what happens in Myrtle Beach is seasonal but we were escaping the February New York weather and anything beats just spending the week off of school in the cold. Many attractions do close and some open as early as March first including the outdoor pool and splash zone at our campground. We ended up finding Ripley’s Mirror Maze next door to the haunted house which was way overpriced based on the limited experience it offers. This is something we probably would not have done but it was a consolation prize for disappointed kids (though I think the age requirement might have been 6 and older for the haunted house so it may have not been meant to be after all).
We then went back to the campground for another swim in the pool, made a campfire (right on the grass without a fire ring) and went to bed. The following day we went out seeking the Ripley’s Aquarium on a recommendation Linda got from a couple in Charleston.The kids had a great time even if it did seem a bit small compared to the aquariums we’ve visited so far, perhaps we’re spoiled. The jellyfish touch tank was a completely new experience as was the glass bottomed boat ride even if was just pulled around the top of the shark tank on a set of ropes.
The weather was warming up as we left the aquarium. It was forecasted to be 74 degrees but actually got up to near eighty. We drove back to Lakewood, threw on our bathing suits and went for a dip in the ocean. I took the kids out a bit to where they were swimming and riding the waves and they absolutely loved it! The water temperature had to be around sixty degrees and when they kids started turning blue we headed for the heated pool, rinsing off the saltwater and and having a relaxing swim.
We headed out early the next morning but had an absolute blast in Myrtle Beach and the kids are already asking to go back. I can’t believe they took to the ocean as well as they did. It’s a testament to the adventurous spirit that’s being fostered in them by taking the trips we take. Our next trip is in the planning so stay tuned. Thanks for stopping by.
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