How beautiful are you, Myrtle Beach? This pretty picture was snapped over Labor Day weekend when my boyfriend Tim and I took a mini road trip to South Carolina. Waking up across from the hazy sun floating atop the Atlantic was a wondrous way to greet the day.

But we couldn’t sit there and be mesmerized by the warm waves riding up the soft sand on our first day. We had a flyboarding class to attend, as you may recall from a previous post.

Yeah, that’s Tim soaring above the water strapped to a jetpack. We both had a 15-minute lesson with the excellent men of Jetpack Adventures, and I was the brave one who dove in first, but to be fair, Tim followed directions better and flew higher than I did. But still, it was a fantastic experience that will open up your eyes to how thrilling life can be if you go out there and make it happen.

So what did I love most about Myrtle Beach, jetpacking aside? Well, the beach. I could splash in the waves and soak up the sun all day. And for the majority of one day, that’s exactly what we did, without any worries in the world, and it was fantastical. Myrtle Beach is clean and easy to access, and there’s a boardwalk packed with bars, restaurants, arcades, shops, and at the end there’s a Ferris wheel! As we were walking to the Ferris wheel as the sun began to set on our last evening there, a hurricane-like storm took over and lasted hours, so we found shelter under the awning of a breakfast place and chatted with other soaked travelers as we waited for the storm to blow over. Unfortunately the Ferris wheel ride was a no-go, but we got to run through the pouring rain a couple of blocks back to my car (which needed a cleaning anyway). 

The bars and restaurants we stopped at were all delicious and the bartenders and waiters/waitresses were terrific. My favorite place was a Mexican restaurant, Banditos, which had live music where we sat out back beneath the sunshine — the musician’s name was Travis Proctor and if you ever come across him, you should give him a high-five. The food (and the mojito and the beer) was thoroughly enjoyed. It was a fiesta for our mouths.

During our three-day exploration we stayed at a small, family-owned, ’60s style motel called Waikiki Village. It wasn’t right on the beach, but one block over, so we just had to walk across the street. The room was tiny and comfy, and we stayed on the first of two floors. We went for one of those “if you stay three nights it’s cheaper” deals which worked out very well. Waikiki was also much cheaper than the neighboring hotels and motels we researched.

The pool at Waikiki looked charming. It seemed to be the perfect place for families with young children, or couples, just as the motel often advertises. Though the pool was maintained and nice to look at, we hit up the waves because the ocean was right across the street! How could you not?!

On our second-to-last night enjoying the beachy atmosphere, we planted ourselves on towels in the sand, packed pretzels and sauvignon blanc, and watched fireworks blast off above the crashing waves. It was refreshing to unwind with nowhere to be but there that sparkling night.

Overall, Myrtle Beach is a beach-lover’s paradise. No matter if you go with your significant other, your entire family, a group of friends, or swing it solo, its atmosphere allows for both fun and relaxation.

It gets a shining star on my list!