The main reason families flock to Myrtle Beach is to swim in the mild waves and play along the 60 miles of coastline. Some spots along the Carolina shore offer opportunities for water sports like Jet Skiing or deep-sea fishing, while other areas are better for relaxing or playing with your children. You'll also find a few spots perfect for casting a line for a fresh catch.

However, there's more to Myrtle Beach than water-related activities. It has numerous golf courses, including several designed by famous golfers like Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus. It also has amusement parks, water parks and many nightlife options.

This outdoor food, shopping and entertainment complex is a big hit with visitors, who enjoy all of the options on hand, from riding on a Ferris wheel to dining on the water to shopping. The waterside 350-acre entertainment and shopping complex approximately 1 ½ miles from the Atlantic Ocean features crowd-pleasing restaurants like the Hard Rock Cafe, Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville and Wahlburgers, as well as popular attractions, such as Ripley's Aquarium and the Hollywood Wax Museum Entertainment Center. There are theaters for concerts and other live performances, more than a dozen eateries, three hotels and all sorts of entertainment, including a piano bar and a comedy club. In the summer, there are firework displays every Tuesday and select Friday nights, as well as other family-friendly events.

Visitors attest that you'll likely spend more than a full day here. However, all of those rides and other activities will add up fast. Most reviewers agree that there's plenty to do for both adults and children.

Although Myrtle Beach is littered with plenty of miniature golf courses, travelers say the most popular is the Mt. Atlanticus Minotaur Golf course. As with a real mountain, you'll find yourself physically ascending as you putt through the holes, which vary in difficulty. The entire course features interesting obstacles like waterfalls and caves. The complex offers a total of 36 holes of mini-golf set in two courses, the Conch and the Minotaur. Plus, if you try for a hole-in-one at the 19th hole, you could win free games for life. Once you reach the 75-foot peak, you’ll enjoy a view of the Atlantic Ocean.

Recent visitors said the course provides affordable fun for the whole family after a long day at the beach and even offers lovely views. They also applaud the friendly staff and the cleanliness of the facility. A few warn that playing the courses requires climbing a lot of steps.

South of the busy Myrtle Beach sands you can explore the maritime forest and rent a campsite for the night at Myrtle Beach State Park. Activities include nature trails, surf fishing and equestrian facilities, as well as access to a clean beach that's usually less crowded than the city's main shoreline, according to visitors.

The park covers 312 acres of land by the southern end of the city and offers a fishing pier, picnic tables and plenty of campgrounds with RV compatibilities. A nature center is on hand if you want to learn about the turtles, birds and other South Carolina wildlife that call the park home. Recent visitors said the pier is a prime fishing spot and that the surrounding trails are great to explore.

Located in the Broadway at the Beach complex, Ripley's Aquarium of Myrtle Beach is a popular stop for families who need a break from the beach. The most noteworthy exhibit here is Dangerous Reef, a huge 340-foot underwater tunnel where you move on a glidepath through a 750,000-gallon tank surrounded by sharks, tarpons, sea turtles and green moray eels. Other exhibits include Rio Amazon, featuring animals typical of tropical rain forests, and the Living Gallery, which shelters corals, weedy sea dragons and a giant octopus. Meanwhile, Friendship Flats allows hands-on interactions with some of the aquarium's creatures.

The aquarium also offers unique experiences (for additional fees) like indoor glass-bottom boat rides above the Dangerous Reef, penguin encounters and more. Recent visitors to the aquarium said it's an ideal place to spend the day when weather conditions make going to the beach difficult, but travelers do warn that you'll face more crowds on rainy days. Some visitors deem admission costs to be too high.

For a relatively small area, Myrtle Beach boasts a large number of golf courses – more than 80, in fact. What's more, courses designed by the big names in the industry, such as Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Robert Trent Jones and Greg Norman, can all be found here. 

At the Barefoot Resort & Golf property, four courses await visitors, including the Dye Course, where golfers can tackle one of the most challenging courses in Myrtle Beach. Recent players reported that it is definitely difficult, but worth the demanding play required. Meanwhile, the property's Norman Course features seven holes along the Intracoastal Waterway.

A peaceful respite from the hustle and bustle of the hectic main beaches, Huntington Beach State Park features a 3-mile beach, hiking and bike trails, picnic areas, a nature center, and campgrounds. Its saltmarsh is a draw for bird-watchers. In addition, the Moorish-style Atalaya Castle is located here and offers a fascinating look into the lives of Archer Milton Huntington, an industrialist and Hispanic scholar, and his wife, sculptor Anna Hyatt Huntington, during the mid-20th century. The Huntington family also founded nearby Brookgreen Gardens. An arts and crafts festival is held at the castle each September.

Fishing off the jetty and off the beach is a popular activity, as is bird-watching – a particular highlight for past visitors. Others also recommend visiting the castle for its history. The park also offers various nature programs that focus on the area's turtles and other plant and animal species.

After industrialist Archer Milton Huntington and his wife, artist Anna Hyatt Huntington, purchased land in 1930 to be used as a retreat for Anna to recover from tuberculosis, the couple instead decided to open a public sculpture garden and wildlife sanctuary. Today, it is the largest American figurative sculpture garden in the United States. The approximately 9,100-acre property is also home to the Lowcountry Zoo, marshes, nature trails, an education center and a butterfly garden, offering plenty of things to see and do for the whole family. What's more, the art collection boasts more than 2,000 works of figurative American sculptures by famous artists, such as Daniel Chester French, artfully placed in and around gardens. Plus, a variety of events, from concerts to guided tours, are offered regularly.

Recent travelers said the gardens are a must-visit destination and praise their peaceful setting, beautiful grounds, and variety of things to see and do.

Before hitting it big, the country music band Alabama performed one of its most famous early shows at a venue in Myrtle Beach. In 1993, the band returned to the city where it got its start and opened the 2,000-seat Alabama Theatre in the Barefoot Landing shopping complex. The theater attracts well-known artists, including Three Dog Night, the Temptations and Josh Turner. 

On nights when there is not a special guest performer, the theater offers performances of "ONE The Show," a variety show that includes comedy, country, gospel and rock music, among other genres. The Alabama Theatre's Christmas show is the most popular event: It runs from early November to late December. With the exception of the Christmas show, the theater tends to cater to older travelers, according to reviewers. Ticket prices depend on the show, but recent visitors said the shows are worth every penny. Check the theater's specials and discounts section on its website before you go.

Set on the Intercoastal Waterway in North Myrtle Beach, Barefoot Landing is a shopping, dining and entertainment destination all in one. Some of its more than 50 shops have distinct specialties, such as spices or wine, while others offer an array of apparel, gifts and home decor. Its numerous restaurants’ offerings range from pub fare to fine dining. The complex also has venues for live entertainment, such as the Alabama Theatre and a House of Blues. It even boasts activities, such as a ropes course and a carousel. It presents fireworks shows on Monday nights during summer and on other select days later in the year.

Visitors tend to appreciate how much there is to see and do here. Many note that they could spend several hours taking it all in.

Since the Carolina Opry opened in 1986, it has remained one of the main venues in Myrtle Beach for live music, with shows ranging from country to show tunes to gospel. If you know you're going to be around during the Christmas season, try to score tickets to the 2,200-seat venue's Christmas special. It's one of the Opry's most popular programs.

Recent visitors said they were not disappointed by the performances and many said they were Broadway-quality at a fraction of the cost. 

The Broadway Grand Prix offers seven different go-kart tracks for families looking for a little speed and competition. Tracks range from the Grand Prix Pro Track, with challenging tight curves, to a track specially designed for kids.

The park also features two race car-themed mini-golf courses, bumper cars, an arcade, a rock-climbing wall and a flight simulator designed to provide the experience of riding a roller coaster, not to mention a kids zone with seven rides for the littlest family members. After working up an appetite, families can grab food from the snack bar. Recent visitors said the park is fun for the whole family and a great activity on non-beach days. However, some say playing games in the arcade can be a bit pricey.

A must for families visiting Myrtle Beach, the Family Kingdom Amusement Park sits beachside, offering panoramic views of the ocean and the Grand Strand from its Ferris wheel. The park boasts more than 38 rides, including a roller coaster, go-karts, a carousel and rides specifically designed for small children. Among the park's star attractions are its Ferris wheel, the Hurricane (a roller coaster featured in a Kenny Chesney music video) and the Swamp Fox (a wooden roller coaster with 2,400 feet of track).

Parents say Family Kingdom Amusement Park is suitable for family members of all ages. In addition, the park is relatively budget-friendly. 

This 50,000-square-foot attraction at Broadway at the Beach has more than 100 interactive exhibits and experiences designed to entertain and educate. Among the attractions are an art gallery focused on illusion art that includes Dr. Seuss’s Unorthodox Taxidermy; the Light and Sound Zone, which involves music and dance and features a giant piano keyboard that kids can jump on; the Space Discovery Zone, where kids can rotate in a gyroscope like an astronaut-in-training and don a replica of a spacesuit; and the Extreme Weather Zone, which simulates a hurricane. Additional draws include a glow-in-the-dark, three-story ropes course and a laser tag arena. Its outdoor Soar + Explore elements feature zip lines and a multilevel ropes course.

Neither a conventional science museum nor an exclusively kid-oriented spot, WonderWorks wins praise for its ability to entertain the whole family. However, some visitors do warn that lines can get long here.