Hotel at a Glance: Sand Dunes Resort

Sprawling panoramas of the Atlantic are never more than a stone’s throw away at Sand Dunes Resort. At onsite eateries Dino’s Oceanfront Cafe and Oceanside 74, guests can enjoy a tasty meal accompanied by views of the ocean waves. The beachfront Seagull Lounge serves up drink specials for the 21+ crowd at the Ocean Dunes Resort, a short walk from Sand Dunes Resort.

• Private balcony: Guests can step out of their room right onto a private balcony to take advantage of the side view of the ocean.
• Year-round pool time is available in the recently-renovated indoor Sand Dunes pool with vast vistas of the ocean.
• Game time: Families can square off in some playful competition at the Family Fun Zone Arcade.
• Nails and more: In addition to mani-pedis, the onsite Atlantis Nail Salon pampers guests with massages and other body and skin treatments.

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina: Sandy Beaches, Golf Courses, and Classic Amusement-Park Rides

Myrtle Beach is the crown jewel of South Carolina’s Grand Strand, a 60-mile stretch of white-sand beaches along the Atlantic seaboard that draws surfers, fishers, and kayakers. The city was named one of the best vacation spots in the United States for a family by USA Today, in part because of its wooden boardwalk, which stretches for more than a mile and buzzes with carnival games and amusement-park rides. Hop into the SkyWheel Ferris wheel’s gondolas, surrounded by more than a million LED lights, for a panoramic view of the city below.

Less than 20 miles south of Myrtle Beach, the tiny fishing village of Murrells Inlet provides a tranquil contrast to the boardwalk’s hustle and bustle. At Brookgreen Gardens, more than 2,000 sculptures stand amid sprawling floral gardens and massive, moss-covered oak trees that have been around for centuries. Murrells Inlet is also home to the Tom Fazio–designed TPC Myrtle Beach golf course, 1 of nearly 100 courses in the area that helped Myrtle Beach earn its title as the seaside golf capital of the world.