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The Grand Strand offers hundreds of entertainment options – whether you prefer riding a roller coaster, zooming around a racetrack, observing wildlife and nature, or chilling out at a water park. We have your ticket to these adventures and more . . . AlligatorAdventure (843) 361-0789 AlligatorAdventure.com
One of the largest exotic reptile parks in the world awaits visitors at Barefoot Landing. Live shows, nature exhibits, zoological gardens, and a serpentarium provide a unique and thrilling experience for all ages. Attention-grabbers include albino alligators, river otters, bears and Utan, the largest crocodile ever to come to the United States. Raised in Thailand, Utan is 20 feet long and weighs more than 2,000 pounds.
Brookgreen Gardens (843) 235-6000 Brookgreen.com
There’s no place like Brookgreen Gardens, considered the finest outdoor presentation of American figurative sculpture in the world. Created in the early 1930s by Archer and Anna Hyatt Huntington on the site of four former rice plantations, Brookgreen is home to more than 900 works (550 currently displayed) by 300 of the greatest names in American sculpture, past and present. In addition to the Archer and Anna Hyatt Huntington Sculpture Garden, visitors can explore the Lowcountry History and Wildlife Preserve, containing acre upon acre of native plants and animals, and the E. Craig Wall Jr. Lowcountry Center, featuring exhibits and educational programs focusing on the area’s rich history. Other enticements include a rice field tour aboard “The Springfield,” Trekker rides through varied ecosystems and historic sites, a museum gift shop, the Pavilion Restaurant and the Courtyard Cafe. Children’s Museum of South Carolina (843) 946-9469 CMSCKids.org
Have you ever stood inside a bubble? Or taken a ride in a magic school bus? Visit the Children’s Museum of South Carolina and experience the magic of discovery and the fun of interactive learning. The museum provides an environment where everyone is encouraged to touch, explore and play! A great place for children and their families. Family Kingdom Amusement Park & Water Park (843) 626-3447 Family-Kingdom.com
This family oriented park is the home of the legendary all-wooden roller coaster, the Swamp Fox, along with a state-of-the-art log flume, an interactive laser dark ride called The Pistolero, and the 110-foot Slingshot. Among the park’s 33 other rides and attractions is a section called Kiddie Land with 18 rides for young children (including toddlers), and the Grand Strand’s only oceanfront water park. MagiQuest (866) 353-MAGI MagiQuestMB.com
Broadway at the Beach unveiled this exciting, interactive family attraction in June of 2005. MagiQuest utilizes patented technology to create a magical experience for participants. After selecting a magic wand (which they may personalize, take home, and use each time they come back), participants are quickly trained as “Magi,” allowing them to set off lightning bolts, control music, open treasure chests and perform heroic deeds. Through role-playing, teamwork, skill and imagination, participants may elevate their level of play. Myrtle Beach Grand Prix Family Thrill Park (843) 272-7770 MBGrandPrix.com
High-speed fun awaits everyone, starting with Formula 1 Grand Prix cars for licensed drivers, go carts for ages 5-up, thrill rides for 3-up, and a Kiddie Zone for 1-up. Myrtle Beach Pavilion Amusement Park (843) 913-5200 MBPavilion.com
The Pavilion has been entertaining generations of families for more than 50 years. An 11-acre playground by the sea, the Myrtle Beach Pavilion features nearly 40 rides ranging from kid-sized rides to the Hurricane roller coaster. The Pavilion also features a 1912 Herschell-Spillman Carousel and the German Baden Band Organ, first exhibited at the World Exposition in Paris in 1900. The Pavilion is also home to the Grand Strand’s only under-21 nightclub, The Attic. (Owners of the Myrtle Beach Pavilion Amusement Park announced in March that the park will close permanently after the summer of 2006.) Myrtle Waves Water Park (843) 913-9269 MyrtleWaves.com
South Carolina’s largest water park offers 20 acres of themed attractions and more than 1 million gallons of water. There’s also a giant wave pool, lazy river and interactive Saturation Station, along with concessions, volleyball, group facilities and more. Don’t miss the park’s “extreme bowl tubing ride,” Arooba Tooba. NASCAR SpeedPark (843) 918-TRAK NASCARSpeedPark.com
This 26-acre race-themed amusement park is an officially licensed property of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing. Guests can experience the excitement of NASCAR on seven challenging racetracks, a state-of-the-art interactive arcade, two 18-hole themed miniature golf courses, kiddie rides, a souvenir shop and a snack bar. Ripley’s Aquarium (800) 734-8888 RipleysAquarium.com
Sharks, jellyfish, stingrays and exotic fish are just a few of the creatures you’ll encounter at Ripley’s Aquarium, past winner of the S.C. Governor’s Cup for best travel destination. The aquarium continues to win raves for its fascinating sea life exhibits and enlightening programs and events. In March 2006, Ripley’s unveiled its newest, state-of-the-art exhibit, “Mars: The Search for Life,” featuring 2,400 square feet of displays, videos, interactives and more about the Red Planet. Other Ripley’s attractions on the Grand Strand include Ripley’s Haunted Adventure, Ripley’s Moving Theater and Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Museum. Wild Water Water & Race Theme Park (843) 238-3787 Wild-Water.comc This 16-acre park is packed with more than 33 exciting rides, including high-speed flumes, waterfalls, a wave pool, Adventure River Ride, kiddie slides and many others. There’s also miniature golf, a video arcade, food court, picnic facilities and a separate racetrack complex with rides for all ages. Waccatee Zoo (843) 650-8500 WaccateeZoo.com
This unique zoo is located on 500 acres of wooded property at the juncture of the Waccamaw River, Intracoastal Waterway and Socastee Creek. Besides housing more than 100 animal species, it is a natural wildlife sanctuary and breeding ground for many migratory birds. Miniature Golf
Last, but certainly not least, test your putting skills on one of nearly 50 miniature golf courses in the Myrtle Beach area. Choose from myriad themes, from man-eating dinosaurs and lava-spewing volcanoes to high seas adventures aboard pirate ships. |