Spanning 60 miles of beach, the Myrtle Beach resort area is known for being affordable and accessible to everyone, from vacationing families to retirees. The actual town of Myrtle Beach is just one of many little area villages and vacation resorts, some of which are so tiny they make Myrtle look like a booming civic center. Insiders call out Murrells Inlet, a fun little fishing village known for its oysters and funky beach bars, and quaint Pawley's Island, one of the oldest beach resorts in the United States. They're also looking forward to the summer 2010 unveiling of the destination's first beach boardwalk, which will span just over a mile of the busiest beachfront in Myrtle Beach proper.

Golf is a huge attraction here—probably as big as the beach itself. There are more than 100 courses in the region, and a half-dozen of the public courses are consistently ranked in the top 100 nationwide. With an additional 50 mini-golf courses in the region, Myrtle Beach has earned the title of "Mini-Golf Capital of the World."