Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, is full of things to do. Whether you’re looking for a chill afternoon on the beach or a full-on adventure, you’re sure to find it here. When we were invited to explore Myrtle Beach with my two and a half-year-old, I was excited. Critter has been a beach baby since she was born— due to extenuating circumstances, she took her first beach vacation at three weeks old. That first beach vacation was actually to Myrtle Beach, but unsurprisingly, she slept the whole time. We were hoping for her to have a little bit more excitement this time, and we weren’t disappointed. We were provided with free admission to these attractions, but all opinions are our own.

When we arrived in Myrtle Beach, we were exhausted, but the weather was great so Critter was dying to check out the beach. Located only steps from the hotel, the private beach at Island Vista was an attraction unto itself. Critter had a blast collecting seashells, building sandcastles, and even playing in the edge of the water. No vacation to Myrtle Beach is complete without at least a little time at the beach, and we were not disappointed.

The next day, we checked out a spot that we had visited when Critter was three weeks old: Brookgreen Gardens. Although we had enjoyed the park immensely the first time, Critter was definitely more impressed at 2.5 than at 3 weeks. Our favorite areas were the children’s garden, the storybook playground, and the zoo. We could have spent the whole day at any one of these areas— which is why your Brookgreen Gardens pass is good for seven days. You could easily fill a vacation with exploring Brookgreen and do nothing else. Seriously— there are gardens, there’s “the trail beyond the garden wall” (doesn’t that just SOUND like a magical adventure waiting to happen?), there’s a zoo, there’s a playground based off fairy tales, there are boat tours… everything you could dream of.

Not to mention, they have restaurants, so you don’t even have to leave the park to grab a snack. We had lunch at the Courtyard Cafe, which was a great grab and go option for a family. There are picnic tables scattered in the courtyard, so you can sit down and eat… or you can take your sandwich on a walk. It’s totally up to you. After lunch, we had to drag Critter out of Brookgreen Gardens. She had worn herself out exploring, which made us extra grateful for the complimentary strollers that Brookgreen offered. Tickets are $18 for adults, $10 for children. Ages 3 and under are free, and there is also a senior discount available.

After Brookgreen, we headed to Myrtle Beach State Park to meet up with a park ranger for a private tour. This was Critter’s favorite part of the trip— and possibly mine too. Myrtle Beach State Park is an urban park. Surrounding the beach on either side, you can see the towering hotels looming in the distance. But in the park? There’s camping, quiet, and solitude. Myrtle Beach State Park has a fishing pier, which has the interesting feature of being directly across the ocean from the country of Morocco. On the pier, our park ranger had set up some crab traps, which happened to have caught a blue crab when we checked them. This is what Critter still talks about from the trip, telling anyone who would listen “we saw a crab! We caught it!”

We measured the crab and put it back in the ocean. But that’s not all we did. We attempted to catch and release Monarch butterflies, which needed to be tagged to study their migration through Myrtle Beach. Sadly, we didn’t catch any Monarchs, but we did get to see several other species! We also walked to the on-site nature center, where we got to touch a snake. Critter still talks about that snake as well! Even if you don’t have a private tour with a ranger, there’s something for everyone at Myrtle Beach State Park. Camping, swimming, fishing, picnicking… there’s even a playground to burn off some energy!

I love how close the park is to most of the main attractions in Myrtle Beach. If you’re camping there, you can get a taste of seclusion… and still go out for a nice dinner! Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for children, and free for children 5 and under. Your ticket to Myrtle Beach State Park is also valid for same-day admission to nearby Huntington Beach State Park.

After we left Myrtle Beach State Park, it was time to freshen up and get ready for our next attraction: Pirate’s Voyage. This dinner show tells the story of two pirate clans, both ruled over by the infamous Blackbeard. The pirates somehow disturb the ghost of Davy Jones, who warns them that they must face three challenges, and whoever wins gets all his treasure… and whoever loses replaces him on the bottom of the sea. What follows is a show full of acrobatics, music, and entertainment. Critter was enthralled through the whole show— and this is not a child who sits still.  I’ve been to quite a few dinner shows over the course of my life, and although I’ve enjoyed all of them, this one really takes the cake.

I also loved the allergy-attentiveness that the servers had. I was provided with a gluten-free, pre-packaged roll and dessert as an alternative to gluten-filled things on the menu, but most of the food was safe for both me and my daughter, who has a dairy allergy. This is the first time we’ve both been able to enjoy a dinner show without worrying! If your child is like mine and is obsessed with mermaids, then there’s even a part of the show that features some singing mermaids. This absolutely MESMERIZED Critter, and I have a feeling that she’s going to keep talking about this show for a long time. Tickets begin at $44.99 for adults and $24.99 for children, but ages 3 and under are free.

The next morning, we got up bright and early and drove to nearby Conway, where we visited L. W. Paul Living History Farm. Owned by Horry County, this farm depicts life in the county from 1900-1955. The farm features a cane mill, grain mill, several gardens, a wood shop, a church house, and a tobacco drying building… and more. My family comes from farmers, so this was an exciting place for us, as we reminisced with our tour guide about tractors, inventions, and gardening techniques of years past. Critter loved digging up her very own sweet potato, which we were able to take home and eat. It was delicious! We also used an old-timey machine to strip grain from corn, which we then fed to the chickens.. and the turkeys.

Critter was not a fan of the turkeys, but she loved getting to see how people would’ve fed chickens in the past before they could just drive over to Tractor Supply and buy chicken feed, as we do at home! We also visited the on-site replica of a Horry County farmhouse, where a volunteer was using a wood stove to cook traditional Southern foods, like biscuits. Demonstrations like that are always happening at the Living History Farm, and are posted on the Horry County Museum website so you can plan your visit in advance. Demonstrations and events are free at the farm, so there’s nothing stopping you from going and checking it out!

I found it really interesting that cane syrup is still made at the farm on a share method, where local farmers bring their sugarcane to the farm and have it processed. They get most of it back, but the farm gets some of it for the gift shop. There’s not just cane syrup in the gift shop, though! We picked up some lovely produce while we were there, and there are plenty of vintage and retro foods, drinks, and curios to catch your eye.

After we left the Living History Farm, we stopped by nearby Conway to check out the historic river walk. Unfortunately, Conway suffered damage from flooding during Hurricane Florence and was beginning to rebuild when we arrived. However, no hurricane could take the historic beauty away from the town of Conway. We loved strolling through the town admiring the historic buildings, and Critter became enthralled with some ducks who were standing alongside the Riverwalk. We can’t wait to return to Conway after they’ve had more time to rebuild.

It’s not a trip to Myrtle Beach without exploring the Boardwalk, so explore it we did. There are so many sights, sounds, and smells to take in on this stretch! Bustling with arcades, restaurants, gift shops, and attractions, the Boardwalk has something that will draw in everyone in the family. For extra fun, different seasons bring different festivals to the Boardwalk. In the winter, you can check out Holidays on the Boardwalk, while the summer brings Hot Summer Nights. Although we didn’t stop on this trip, my favorite part of the Boardwalk is “I Love Sugar,” which is a giant candy store. I do love sugar, so it’s a must-visit if you’re like me!

This trip, however, we had a mission. We were headed to the Skywheel. This giant Ferris wheel overlooks the Atlantic Ocean. Consisting of 42 gondolas, each climate controlled, the Skywheel reaches 200 feet above sea-level. Yeah, it’s tall. Tickets are $14 for adults or $9 for children, and each “flight” lasts about 10 minutes. The Skywheel is handicap accessible. For extra vacation memories, you can purchase a VIP experience on the Skywheel for only $50 for adults and $35 for children.  (Fun fact: before Hurricane Florence hit, each car was removed from the Skywheel for safety. After Hurricane Florence passed, the wheel was painstakingly repaired.)

One thing I noticed about Myrtle Beach when we first arrived was the sheer number of mini-golf courses. I later found out that Myrtle Beach has named itself “mini golf capital of the world,” and I can see why! So it’s fitting that our last activity before we left was a round of mini golf at Captain Hook’s Adventure Golf. Owned by Myrtle Beach Family Golf, Captain Hook’s Adventure Golf is designed to transport you to Neverland. We loved that they had golf clubs available that were properly sized for a two-year-old, and were also made of plastic. Our family has had a few injuries involving golf clubs in the past, and we’re all about golf safety now. Fore!

The course offers two sets of holes, one themed after Captain Hook, and one themed for the Lost Boys. We decided to try out the Captain Hook round, and we weren’t disappointed. From hidden caves to pirate ships, it was everything my inner Peter Pan-loving child dreamed of in a mini-golf course. Sadly, our play time was cut short due to rain, but you could easily while away several hours here. Admission is $10 for adults, $9 for children before 6 pm. After 6 pm, pricing is $11 for adults and $10 for children. You also have the option to purchase an all-day pass, valid until 6 pm at this location, for $15.

Myrtle Beach has so many activities that it’s impossible to cover them all on one trip, or even three or four. Whether you’re looking for a laid-back vacation or a fast-paced adventure, you can find it here. As a young mom, I’m always looking for places that appeal to both me AND my toddler, and it can sometimes seem like those places are few and far between. That’s not so in Myrtle Beach. We both had a great time, and we were able to relax and enjoy each other’s company while having a blast. Which of these activities would your family want to check out first?