Myrtle Beach To Conway

As the cooler weather descends upon us, many Canadians will hop in their cars and drive towards a warmer climate. If you are up for a road trip, Myrtle Beach has everything you could possibly want in a sun destination. There are multiple driving routes to get you from Toronto to Myrtle Beach so it’s best to check with your friendly GPS, online routes, or old-fashioned paper maps. The drive is approximately 15 hours and depending on how adventurous you are or which sites you want to see along the way, you can drive in one day or stop overnight and drive 7.5 hours a day. Regardless which route you take, you are in for a great adventure!



For decades Myrtle Beach has shined as a great family destination. The city is located alongside the mid-Atlantic region of the Eastern United States. The accommodations are affordable, the water activities are endless (boating, scuba diving, parasailing, surfing, kayaking) and the 60 miles (100 km) of gorgeous beaches along the Atlantic Ocean are perfect for long walks, making sandcastles and searching for deserted shells. It’s no wonder it’s called the Grand Strand!



Miriam Porter/ PhotographerThere are plenty of family friendly hotels to stay at and we happily checked into Hampton Inn And Suites Oceanfront.  It was recently announced that because of the low Canadian dollar, the Myrtle Beach area will help Canadians ‘make up’ the difference by offering at least 30 percent discounts (in some cases up to 65 percent discounts) at select hotels and attractions from January to April 2016 for travelers with a valid Canadian passport.

Not only is the Hampton Inn right on the beach with a great view, but it has two lazy rivers that my son absolutely loved, seven swimming pools, free parking, complimentary hot breakfasts each morning, use of sand toys and boogie boards and an extremely helpful staff that helped us choose delicious restaurants. Our favourites included E Noodles & Co.  (a ten minute walk from our hotel) and Crepe Creation Café  in the Market Common - a 15-minute drive. There is a Piggly Wiggly grocery store in the same outdoor mall and we stocked up our mini fridge with goodies.

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Myrtle Beach’s newly redesigned $6.5 million dollar boardwalk stretching 1.2 miles and an exhilarating ride on the famous SkyWheel is a must. The SkyWheel, one of the highest Ferris wheels in North America, boasts 42 individual gondolas and it has more than a million red, white and blue LED lights twinkling in the night sky. My son loved snapping pictures from the very top!



Miriam Porter/ PhotographerAbout a twenty-minute drive from our hotel is Broadway At The Beach  - the most popular attraction in Myrtle Beach. There are endless fun activities, so be prepared to spend the whole day there. We fed the wild fish in the lake that weaves around the 350 acre park; were face to face with spooky life size triceratops, tyrannosaurus Rex, and stegosaurus in the newly opened dinosaur exhibit; played mini golf (my son won); went to WonderWorks to learn about the world (it’s called an amusement park for your mind!); enjoyed delicious food; and stuffed our faces with sweet candy from It’s Sugar – a specialty shop dedicated to, well, everything with sugar!



Miriam Porter/ PhotographerThe next day we took a day trip to Conway, one of the oldest communities in South Carolina. Highway 501 will take you there in about 45 minutes.



Miriam Porter/ PhotographerThis southern charmer, next to the banks of the Waccamaw River, is home to the Horry County Museum, Riverwalk, and Conway Glass, a unique store that designs, sells, and teaches about their beautiful handcrafted blown glass.



Miriam Porter/ PhotographerThere are adorable boutique shops lining the streets of Conway and several restaurants to choose from. We enjoyed sandwiches and salads at Rivertown Bistro and they were happy to accommodate our plant-based dietary preferences.



Miriam Porter/ PhotographerIf you are in Conway on December 12, 2015 check out the Conway Holiday Parade downtown starting at 10am. Myrtle Beach also has many holiday festivals and shows planned for the fall and winter months.

After our adventures in Conway we were ready to go back to the Hampton Inn for a few more fun filled days at this Grand beach location.



Miriam Porter/ PhotographerStay tuned for our next road trip from Myrtle Beach to Murrells Inlet, a seaside town with

boat rides, marsh walks and more!

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