Trip Motivation
For Spring break 2021, we knew we needed a beach trip. We would usually head towards the gulf as that’s an easy drive. However, for this trip we wanted to try someplace new. We also wanted to combine the trip with a visit to a friend who lived near Raleigh, North Carolina. Although it was a long drive, we had a lot of fun and really enjoyed our stay.
Read more about our drive here.
Our Stay at Compass Cove Resort
Once we decided on our destination, I searched Google for the best Myrtle Beach hotels for kids. I narrowed our requirements to being on the beach and having a lazy river. We were able to book a great deal at the Compass Cove Resort. We stayed in a 2- bedroom room with a full kitchen and living room for crazy cheap ($80/night) because it was shoulder season (and Covid). I love having multiple rooms. It makes sleeping with kids so much easier. We also had even space to spread out in the living room to do a puzzle and not feel cramped together in one small room. It wasn’t a fancy resort, but there were great pools and slides and the aforementioned lazy rivers.
There was a small fitness center that no one was in except me because who exercises on vacations. The hotel offered a nice buffet breakfast. As we were still limiting our indoor dining at the time, I chose to grab to-go plates each morning and take back to the hotel room. Parts of the hotel felt a little dated like the hallways and lobby. But the rooms were clean and the pools were great.
Pools, Lazy Rivers, and the Beach!
We spent most of our time in Myrtle Beach at the hotel. There were multiple lazy rivers inside and out and heated!! We were still trying to keep our distance from people and so every time another family came to the pool, we pool hopped to an empty one. Even the outside pools were heated and we spent many many hours playing and relaxing and I was able to finish 2 whole books while lazy-rivering. Perfection. It ended up being a little rainy so we didn’t get to spend a lot of time on the beaches but the kids still had a blast building sand-castles
Food and Drink at the Hotel
There were several food options on-site including an outdoor bar, a casual patio restaurant, the main breakfast restaurant, and a Starbucks cafe. The food was fine, but we definitely enjoyed the food in other areas around town much better.
Mini-golf and Other Activities
And of course, we couldn’t forget a mini-golf adventure. There were tons of choices along the main strip, and we got to make a quick outing to a captain hook themed mini-golf.
Other Activities and Restaurants
After a brief trip to do some shopping at the Tanger Outlet Mall about 15 minutes away from the beach, we went to a restaurant nearby called Grumpy Monk. This was a great bar with a good beer selection and an awesome patio. We enjoyed happy hour beer and pretzels and mussels for the kids!
Liberty Tap room: This was another restaurant we enjoyed. Food options included pizza, sushi, and beer. We celebrated pi day here (March 14) with some pizza pie and peanut butter pie.
On this trip, an area that we thought about going to but ended up not was the main Boardwalk area We did go to a restaurant in the area called RipTypdz Grille: I really wanted seafood and my Google search for a patio recommended this restaurant. Unfortunately, the patio was not open to seating so we ended up getting the food to-go and eating on the patio anyway. The patio was great with big Connect Four games and couch spaces. The food was fantastic. I ordered a seafood boil and ended up sharing more than half with the kids who love mussels and crabs now and continue to ask about getting it again.
Landing at the boathouse: Overlooking Intracoastal Waterway, this restaurant had a great outdoor area with a kids menu and beer and burgers. Would definitely return here on a future trip.
Final Thoughts
Overall, we really enjoyed our visit to Myrtle Beach. The heated lazy river and pools meant we didn’t have to worry as much about the cold and unpredictable weather in early March. There were lots of great food choices and activities for kids. We had a great time with our family!
