The coastal beauty of the Myrtle Beach area is priceless, but its affordability for families helps rank this resort area as one of the most accessible beach destinations in the world. As Myrtle Beach's reputation as a family-friendly destination has grown, so have the size, sophistication, and number of activities available.

The main attraction is the broad, beckoning beach known as the Grand Strand—60 miles of white sand, stretching nearly from the North Carolina border to Pawleys Island, with Myrtle Beach centered at the hub. People come to "the Strand" for all of the traditional beach-going pleasures: swimming, sunbathing, sailing, surfing, shell hunting, fishing, jogging, and strolling. Away from the water, golfers have more than 100 courses to choose from, designed by the likes of Arnold Palmer, Robert Trent Jones, and Jack Nicklaus.

Golfing and beaching are far from "it" in Myrtle Beach, however. When it comes to diversions, you could hardly be better served, with acclaimed seafood restaurants, giant shopping complexes, trendy markets, factory outlets, Vegas-style live performance and concert venues, nightlife hot spots, amusement and water parks, arcades, a dozen shipwrecks for divers to explore, beachfront campgrounds, antique-car and wax museums, an award-winning aquarium, the world's largest outdoor sculpture garden, and a museum dedicated entirely to rice. There is a renewed interest in the oceanfront shops, ice cream parlors, restaurants, and arcades, and the beautiful new boardwalk is recapturing a pedestrian- and family-friendly Myrtle Beach that was alive with the Pavilion amusement park (demolished in 2006) in its 1960s heyday. The Myrtle Beach Boardwalk is constantly expanding with amusements and attractions, including the SkyWheel, one of the largest Ferris wheels on the East Coast by day and a sky-high spectacle at night.

You won't find centuries of history here—until 1901, Myrtle Beach didn't have an official name—but you'll find plenty of kitsch and nostalgia. More than 15 million people a year visit the region to stroll the boardwalk and see attractions like Family Kingdom amusement park, Broadway at the Beach, and Myrtle Waves Water Park. If a quiet vacation is more your speed, opt for dining in sophisticated restaurants following days lolling on relatively uncrowded beaches adjacent to the residential areas of Myrtle Beach at either end of the Strip.

Be sure to take note of whether an establishment is on U.S. Route 17 Business or U.S. Route 17 Bypass—confusing the two could lead to hours of frustration. U.S. Route 17 Business is also referred to as Kings Highway.