Water Parks + Lowcountry Cuisine = Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

By Hope S. Philbrick

Mama always said that you shouldn’t get into the pool until at least a half-hour after eating. Adhering to such a schedule can be difficult, especially on a hot sunny day when cool blue water beckons. Resisting the temptation to eat and swim in short succession is especially challenging in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina where millions of gallons of water and hundreds of great restaurants abound. Thankfully, science refutes that old folklore and so vacation time in Myrtle Beach can be spent alternating between eating and playing in the water without worrying about cramps. The only real question is where to go first.

**An aerial view of Myrtle Beach, known by locals as the Grand Strand. *Photo courtesy of The Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce.***

Make a Splash!

The Myrtle Beach area, fondly referred to by locals as the Grand Strand, boasts sixty miles of wide, sandy beaches. Locals and visitors flock to the beach on hot days and amuse themselves with the full array of beach activities from collecting shells to surfing and building sand castles to jet skiing. But water play isn’t limited to the ocean: Myrtle Beach is home to three main water parks and several other smaller water parks affiliated with hotels.

Water parks appeal to adrenaline-seeking teens as well as to little ones timid of waves. An array of slides, pools, rides and fountains lets you set your own pace. Grab an inner tube to float down a lazy river or rush down a twisty tube. Sit in the shade or under a waterfall. If there’s a downside to a water park on a hot summer day it’s that long lines may mean waiting for a turn in the water, but Myrtle Beach has addressed this potential inconvenience with multiple water parks, each bursting with multiple rides. During my recent visit in June (at the height of the busy tourist season), waiting time was minimal at each water park I visited—even on Saturday!

South Carolina’s largest water park, Myrtle Waves Water Park sprawls twenty acres. Included among its thirty rides are the world’s tallest tubular slides (like the ten-story ‘Turbo Twisters’ and ‘Pipeline Plunge’), a giant wave pool, meandering lazy river and interactive ‘Saturation Station.’ I found the park to be clean and enjoyed its relatively relaxed vibe.

Left: Family fun on the Lazy River at Dunes Village Resort. Right: For the daredevil, a steep waterslide at Myrtle Waves Water Park. Photos by Hope S. Philbrick

The sixteen-acre Wild Water & Wheels boasts 33 rides including high-speed flumes, a vigorous wave pool and 24 slides (including several kiddie slides). There’s an adult lounge pool and a lazy river that ramps up the fun by not really being too lazy—en route I was splashed by sprinklers and waterfalls, braved whitewater waves and floated at a clip that kept pace with the jazzy Caribbean soundtrack. The park has a high-energy vibe and in addition to watery fun offers many “stay dry” options like miniature golf, video arcade and go-carts.

The fifteen-acre Family Kingdom (photo at top) is Myrtle Beach’s only seaside amusement and water park. It boasts 33 rides, including Myrtle Beach’s only log flume, South Carolina’s largest Ferris wheel (which offers spectacular views!), an all-wooden roller coaster, 3 water flumes that drop more than one hundred feet, 2 speed slides, a four hundred-foot long lazy river, a wooden carousel and bumper boats. This park has a traditional feel and admission is free, so you’ll pay only for the specific rides that appeal to you.

Getting wet needn’t require leaving the hotel. Guests at Caribbean Resort and Villas have exclusive access to the property’s all-new water park that includes a two hundred-foot lazy river, sixty-foot tube slide, swimming pools, hot tubs and children’s splash deck and interactive water play attraction. Guests at Dunes Village Resort have exclusive access to the Myrtle Beach area’s largest indoor water park complex. The 30,000-square-foot facility features a 250-foot long lazy river, an adult-sized indoor waterslide, huge swimming pool with water volleyball and basketball, hot tubs, children’s wet deck and more.

Local Fare That Satisfies

Active water play can launch hunger pangs. Whatever you crave, odds are that you’ll find it in Myrtle Beach where more than 1,700 full-service restaurants serve all types of cuisine. But given the area’s proximity to the ocean, it’s no surprise that seafood is king on most menus.

Local foods make travel more interesting—at least from the perspective of taste buds. Rather than eating the same things you can easily find at home, each trip is an opportunity to seek out local culinary treasures. Myrtle Beach regional specialties include Calabash-style seafood (which is fried with a light crispy breading) and Lowcountry cuisine (which counts shrimp and grits and lowcountry boil among its most popular dishes).

But according to food writer Becky Billingsley, founder of Grand Strand Culinary Tours and author of “The Top 100 Grand Strand Restaurants,” the one dish that is truly indigenous to Myrtle Beach is chicken bog. Similar to jambalaya but less spicy, chicken bog features rice, chicken and smoked sausage. Additional ingredients like mushrooms and/or peppers may be added and the rice can range from sticky to creamy, depending on the chef. Chicken bog is so revered there’s even an annual festival to celebrate it: The Loris Bog-Off takes place on the third Saturday in October each year.

Waterscapes’ Chef Clark’s Carolina gold risotto with lobster claw. Photo by Hope S. Philbrick

But you don’t have to wait for a festival to feast on local foods. Executive Chef James Clark at WaterScapes at the Marina Inn at Grande Dunes buys fish straight from boats at least twice each week during the height of the season. “It’s all hook and line caught and I buy from guys who love to fish,” he says. He describes his menu as “local new American cuisine. I’m just aiming for good flavor to highlight ingredients.” Mission accomplished with dishes like Carolina gold risotto with lobster claw, Parmesan seared romaine salad and Piedmont spring rabbit wrapped in pancetta with foie gras grits and buttered carrots.

At The Brentwood Restaurant, Chef Eric Masson serves a tasty blend of French and Lowcountry cuisine that showcases quality local products. A French native who holds three degrees from the prestigious Ferrandi Culinary School in Paris, Chef Masson’s goal is to create dishes that are delicious but also healthy. He more than succeeds with dishes like crab cake Dijonaise, shrimp and scallops Chardonnay and oven-roasted rack of lamb encrusted with herbs, Dijon mustard and pistachio served with a Pinot Noir reduction.

High Hammock, Maverick Seaside Kitchen showcases a blend of Lowcountry and Southern cuisines, made with fresh local and regional ingredients. The house-made charcuterie should not be missed (the selection on the evening I dined included chicken liver mousse, pork rillettes, kielbasa and country pate). Other winning dishes include jumbo lump crab cakes served over a sauté of corn, okra, yellow squash and grape tomatoes; sautéed grouper with whole grain mustard glaze; grilled Carolina quail with peach glaze; and warm local peach cobbler.

Sea Captain’s House is a Myrtle Beach institution. This former cottage turned boarding house became a restaurant in 1963 and draws crowds for breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week. Fresh seafood is prepared in simple, classic, tasty ways like a boneless filet of flounder served fried or broiled with tartar or cocktail sauce; sautéed grouper in a crispy potato crust with a sweet corn, vanilla and mushroom sauce; and sautéed crab cakes with lemon dill butter.

Eating well in Myrtle Beach is a snap. Getting back into a wet bathing suit afterwards, however, can be a bit tricky. Maybe it just needs a half hour to dry?

If You Go

Where2Stay

Caribbean Resort and Villas
3000 North Ocean Blvd.
Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
800.552.8509

A four building oceanfront complex offering suites and condo-type accommodations. Amenities include a new on-site water park. Golf packages also available.
www.caribbeanresort.com

Dunes Village Resort
5200 North Ocean Blvd.
Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
877.828.2237

Oceanfront resort with the area’s only indoor water park. Golf packages and on-site restaurant.
www.dunesvillage.com

Where2Eat

The Brentwood Restaurant and Wine Bistro
4269 Luck Avenue
Little River, South Carolina
843.249.2601
www.TheBrentwoodRestaurant.com

High Hammock, Maverick Seaside Kitchen
10880 Ocean Highway, No. 21
Pawleys Island, SC
843.979.0300
www.HighHammock.com

Sea Captain’s House
3002 N. Ocean Blvd.
Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
843.448.8082
www.seacaptains.com

WaterScapes at the Marina Inn at Grande Dunes
8121 Amalfi Place
Myrtle Beach, SC 29572
843.913.2845
http://www.marinainnatgrandedunes.com/dining/din_waterscapes.aspx

What2Do

Family Kingdom Oceanfront Water Park
300 South Ocean Blvd.
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, 29577
843.626.3447
www.family-kingdom.com/WaterPark/

Myrtle Waves Water Park
3000 Mr. Joe White Ave (10th Ave N.)
Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
843.918.8725
www.myrtlewaves.com

Wild Water & Wheels
910 Highway 17 South
Surfside Beach, SC 29575
843.238.3787
www.wild-water.com

Grand Strand Culinary Tours
Learn how Spaniards, Huguenots, Revolutionists, Patriots, slaves and plantation owners all cultivated and contributed to the unique cuisine of the Myrtle Beach area. Tours vary from a simple traditional lunch in Myrtle Beach to a walking culinary adventure in Historic Downtown Conway.
843.293.1501
www.grandstrandculinarytours.com

4MoreInfo

Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce
888-Myrtle1 or 866-936-2073
www.VisitMyrtleBeach.com

Top photo: Family Kingdom Oceanfront Water Park. Photo courtesy of the Park.

Hope S. Philbrick is a freelance writer because she doesn’t think work and fun should be mutually exclusive. For more of Hope’s writing on food, wine and travel visit her blog at www.insathope.blogspot.com.