Have You Been To Myrtle Beach?

Myrtle Beach? Yes, please…

When I was small, the family that babysat me went to Myrtle Beach every year for March Break. They piled their four lovely girls into the family station wagon, and drove the sixteen hours (16!) from Toronto to South Carolina every year. Since I usually stayed in the city for March Break, save for one fateful year when my dad my dad drove up a hill sideways in a snowstorm en route to the airport for a trip to Florida, I thought Myrtle Beach sounded like paradise. And now that I’m a grown up with a family of my own who’s looking for a summer beach vacation on a budget? Myrtle Beach is sounding even better. The nice people at HomeAway asked if I’d consider renting a vacation home or condo, and I do love that idea.

With its vast sandy beach, and the mix of corny and fun attractions you typically get with a tourist trap, Myrtle Beach seems like just the place we’d love to get away to for a few days – kind of like Niagara Falls but with water you can actually go in! We’re not looking at a major cultural experience here, but days filled with fresh air and sunshine and good (and junk) food.

At my old job, the girl I sat beside rented a house with her extended family for a week every year. And I’m pretty sure this is the house they’d rent on the HomeAway website. With the large amount of travel we’ve done as a family, what appeals to us the most is the one form of travel that we’ve actually not done – renting a house or condo in the destination we fancy.

Clearly I Need To Work Harder… 😉

We prefer to self-cater our holidays, as we’ve found that’s the easiest on your wallet and your waistline. I’ll admit to a lack of self-control where buffets are concerned, but looking after most of your own meals means no waiting for restaurants to open with early risers in tow, and you’re pretty certain that what you’re giving your kids is actually what they’ll eat.  For some reason or another, though, we’ve just done efficiency rooms instead of looking for a condo – which is actually pretty dumb of us especially since we’ve been traveling with a baby. Depending on your rental or your destination,  vacation homes and condos for rent can include cribs and baby necessities, and you’d certainly appreciate having access to a washer and dryer when you’re staying for a week at the beach.

So while February trudges on, I’ll keep dreaming about maybe (maybe!) braving a road trip this summer, especially if we can stay in the house my friend’s family stays in. With four bedrooms, maybe we can convince some friends to come along!

HomeAway offers the world’s largest selection of vacation home rentals that provide travelers with memorable vacation experiences and benefits, including more room to relax and added privacy, for less than the cost of traditional hotel accommodations.  Make memories where you stay, not just where you go.  HomeAway.com – let’s stay together.