Some locations are jam packed with activities for all ages while others provide a laid back easy paced atmosphere. From surf lessons and wave pools to turtle questing and kayaking the possibilities are many. The best all include sun, sand, and sea plus an occasional surf board, spunky beach music, scrumptious crab cakes, sugared pecans, and hand-packed ice cream. Find the perfect match for your family.
Litchfield Beach, Brown Sugar Sand, Beach Houses and Oodles of Golf in South Carolina. Known for great golf and awesome entertainment, the area also offers an array of day adventures to create the perfect family beach vacation. You’ll find sun soaked beach days, shopping bargains, scrumptious seafood, kid-friendly golf and plenty of entertainment to fill the nights. Just south of action packed Myrtle Beach, Litchfield Beach is a residential/resort beach with an easy pace; perfect for families that want to just chill. Offering miles of sand, mostly hard-packed and the color of brown sugar, it is a safe, comfortable quiet spot. It seems almost everyone sleeps late and no one hurries. Activity choices include swimming, shelling, kayaking and tee times at more than 100 golf courses.
Off beach bonus: The real advantage to Myrtle Beach as a family vacation destination is the exceptional variety of excellent musical entertainment. Alabama Theatre has created family nights to showcase their award winning show. And what family with teens can resist The House of Blues?
Discovery: From the Myrtle Beach website print coupons to redeem on your vacation. Fun deals include: Broadway at the Beach, Brookgreen Gardens, Family Kingdom Amusement Park Grand Prix Family Thrill Park, MagiQuest, Myrtle Waves Water Park, NASCAR, Speedpark, Downwind Sails, Ocean Watersports and Planet Hollywood. Golf deals include: discounts provided by Cane Patch Par 3 Golf & Driving Range, Captain Hook's Adventure Golf, Dragon's Lair Fantasy Golf, Jungle Safari Mini Golf, Jurassic Golf, Midway Par 3 at South Beach Resort, Myrtle Beach National, Shipwreck Island Adventure Golf.
Shopping deals include: bargains at Barefoot Landing, Bass Pro Shops, Coastal Grand Mall and Colonial Mall. Entertainment deals include: discounts at Alabama Theatre, Carolina Opry, Legends In Concert, Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament and Palace Theatre. (To see the bigger picture, make vacation plans and take advantage of website online discounts go to
www.visitmyrtlebeach.com).
Brunswick Golden Isles, Fishing Lessons, Turtle Treks, and a Bit of History in Georgia. The sugary sands of Cumberland, Jekyll, Sea and St. Simons Islands were made for family beach vacations. The tide is calming and the waves rarely challenge the sandy beach. It is the ideal spot to go sea kayaking; bike along island pathways; play golf and practice tennis; try turtle trekking and stargazing; relax at a spa or celebrate the sunset. Each island offers its own family friendly experience and all work together creating hundreds of exceptional ways to have fun.
Off beach bonus: Fort Frederica was established in 1736 by James Oglethorpe to protect the southern boundary of his new colony of Georgia. Throughout the year ranger programs and living history vignettes provide visitors with a sense of fort life in Colonial America. On the grounds visitors enjoy nature walks, stargazing, and wildlife viewing. A complimentary activities book for children is available. (
www.nps.gov/fofr)
Discovery: Tidelands Nature Center on Jekyll Island provides visitors with a unique sense of place. In just one visit see native species of fish, turtles, crabs, snakes, alligators, and other critters. Activities for adventuresome families include both explorations by kayak and canoe. During the summer months they organize nightly turtle treks. (The Jekyll Island Sea Turtle Project at
www.tidelands4h.org) (The Brunswick Golden Isles - St. Simons Island, Sea Island, Little St. Simons Island and Jekyll Island call toll-free 1-800-933-COAST (2627) or
Brunswick Golden Isles Chamber & Visitors Bureau).
Lake Bruin State Park, Fishing, Hiking, and Canoeing in Lousiana. With more than 3,000 acres of water surface on Lake Bruin, visitors to the park experience incomparable freshwater fishing and superb water sports with three large fishing piers and a year-round boat launch. Along the lake a sandy swimming beach offers easy access to the water, and picnic tables, barbeque grills and playground areas round out the site.
Off beach bonus: Nearby, Tensas National Wild Refuge is a 57,000-acre refuge of bottomland forest offering hunting, fishing, hiking, wildlife-viewing, canoeing, interpreted trails, a boardwalk and educational programs. (Off I-20, 2312 Quebec Road, Tallulah. (318) 574-2664 or
www.fws.gov/tensasriver)
Discovery: Also nearby is the town of St. Joseph – the heart of cotton country, a town rich in Civil War history, surrounded by wildlife management areas, historic sites, cultural attractions and antique store (off US 65 south of I-20 at Tallulah). (Details Lake Bruin State Park 201 State Park Road, St. Joseph. Toll-free 1-888-677-2784 or (318) 766-3530 or
Lake Bruin State Park).
Cypremort Point State Park, Crabbing, Windsurfing and Acadian Spirit in Lousiana. Cypremort Point is the only locality near the Gulf of Mexico that can be reached by car. The half-mile stretch of a beach provides a delightful area for relaxing, picnicking and enjoying the water. The area also affords an opportunity for fishing, crabbing, water skiing, windsurfing and sailing.
Off beach bonus: Visit the Longfellow-Evangeline State Historic Site, located on the banks of Bayou Teche, interprets the history of the French-speaking peoples of Louisiana. Featuring le Maison Olivier, built circa 1815, and an Acadian farmstead and house. Visitors will find livestock, crops, kitchen and herbal gardens, living history and interpretive programs, the Visitors Center, a picnic pavilion and an outdoor classroom. (1200 N. Main Street, St. Martinville. Toll-free 1-888-677-2900 or
www.crt.state.la.us/parks/ilongfell.aspx)
Discovery: In addition to excellent sailing and swimming facilities, the 185-acre park also holds a special attraction for nature enthusiasts. Located in the heart of a Louisiana marsh, the site contains an abundance of wildlife. (Details Cypremort Point State Park 306 Beach Lane, Cypremort. Toll-free 1-888-867-4510, (337) 867-4510 or
Cypremort Point State Park).
Kure Beach, Crab Cakes, Sandcastles and a Fishing Pier in North Carolina. Located on the Cape Fear Coast, where the Cape Fear River meets the Atlantic Ocean, Kure Beach is a charming family-oriented seaside community that offers vacationers a relaxed atmosphere with a variety of coastal activities nearby. It is a secret spot with a reputation as a favorite vacation spot for families and fishermen. The combination of uncrowded beaches, casual restaurants and comfortable accommodations make Kure Beach a favorite for many vacationers. The hub of Kure Beach is the 711-foot long Kure Beach Fishing Pier. A great spot for fishing, Kure Beach is the site of several annual tournaments. Kure Beach offers a wide array of accommodation choices to fit every size family and every size budget from beach front vacation homes to cozy cottages by the sea.
Off beach bonus: Kure Beach is a short drive from Fort Fisher, the largest earthen fortress of its kind in the South where visitors can tour the remains of the last major stronghold of the Confederacy. Discovery: Also in close proximity is the North Carolina Aquarium, which features a 235,000-gallon saltwater tank and a 20,000 square foot conservatory, as well as live exhibits of sharks, sea turtles, alligators, and other native marine life. (Cape Fear Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau 24 North Third Street Wilmington, NC 28401. Toll-free 1-800-631-1460, (910) 341-4030 or
www.kurebeachinfo.com).
Content reserached and posted by Nancy Nelson-Duac, Curator of the Good Stuff for the Family Travel Files. Images provided by Kure Beach, NC, Jekyll Island Turtle Project, and Myrtle Beach. Updated copyright 2016.