“Great hotel for the price”
Upon arrival, we were early to check in. The air conditioning had gone out in my car and we drove all the way from Ohio. The friendly receptionist had the housekeepers clean our room next so we could get into the air conditioning. The room was much larger than I had expected, and was mostly clean, considering they had to hurry our room up for us. Our room was a few steps away from the pool and the beach. Besides screaming kids at the pool and the crowdedness of Myrtle Beach in general, we were comfortable at the water. The only "con" to the hotel was the limited parking. We went in August and if you took the car out on the town and arrived back to the hotel anytime after 11pm, you were out of luck as far as finding a spot to park. Other than that, I found that the Days Inn was within my budget, at a great location, had friendly staff, clean and large rooms, and I would recommend it to anyone wanting to visit Myrtle Beach.
Area recommendations
The Days Inn was still in what I would consider "downtown Myrtle Beach" but it was a few blocks away from all the activities which is why I liked it. Unless you are going to Myrtle Beach for spring break or if you prefer to be in large crowds with a lot going on, avoid staying in the area where the waterpark, amusement park, ferris wheel and Ripley's museum is. In the prime of August, this area is completely packed with people, the traffic is at a constant stand-still, and parking is impossible. It was nice to stay a few blocks down, where we were still within walking distance, but could get away from the bustle and noise.
When to go
I cannot advise when the best time to go would be, but I will never be going back in August. It was almost 100 degrees every single day, the humidity was strangling, the crowds were relentless, all of which added the element of stress to my vacation, which is what I was going on vacation to avoid.
Must see
I would absolutely recommend Boardwalk on the Beach to Myrtle Beach travelers. Boardwalk is a large shopping/eating area (comparable to Downtown Disney at Disney World) located just a mile or so from downtown Myrtle Beach. Some businesses include Margaritaville, Ron Jon Surf Shop, Ripleys aquarium, Senor Frogs, Pepper palace and several other stores and places to eat. Another attraction that I recommend is Pirates Voyage. Pirates Voyage was a brand new attraction when we went and I would absolutely pay to see it again. It's like Medieval Times but with a pirate theme. From start to finish, I felt like I was in a pirate village and found myself singing along with the performers, and not wanting it to end. The food was plentiful and amazing. The soup and the chicken were my favorite. Despite the few interuptions from Dolly Parton (which took my experience from "this is SO awesome" to "really!?" I found Pirates Voyage to be well worth the time and money.
Dining
Margaritaville, Senor Frogs, New York Pizza (on the beach by Ripley's Museum), Krispy Kreme.
Events and shows
Pirates Voyage! You won't be disappointed. The entire family will love this show.
