If you even have an inkling Myrtle is not to your liking, trust me, it will be pure hell. It is a great place for kids/teens. If you're dragging along teens that like to walk on the wild side, bring lots of xanax. They'll think they died and went to heaven.

I can't stand Myrtle Beach other than in the winter.

Try looking into the south Jersey shore. There are boardwalks for the kids, but fewer people, and it's less commercial, quiet areas can be found. When I was last there about 10 years ago, it was still a much nicer area than Myrtle and it hadn't changed much since I was a kid (having grown up in Jersey, I spent a lot of time there).

Maybe try the Del-Mar-Va peninsula. Chincoteaque (sp) used to be a fairly nice island for families, granted it's been years and years since I've been there. A relative used to have a house there. There is the added attraction of the wild ponies.

If your friends are intent on coming south, there's always Hilton Head. You could also Google the south NC coast, as there are nice beaches there too.

In all of these areas you can rent houses/apt/condos. The biggest issue you might face is finding something available, it's rather late for summer beach plans (hey, that would get you out of it gracefully).

Laura

Don't I know it....although the Myrtle Beach place was saying that this week we are looking at is their slower period...I'm thinking yah, hurricanes...

Thanks Laur....I frankly would like to find a cabin near a lake and let the kids canoe, kill mosquitos and generally run wild....two 10 year olds and 2 13 year old girls....one of whom I caught sipping my wine (not my daughter, the other one) would give me heartburn I think...especially since they both are gorgeous and have bods which...well, they are showing off a tad too much for this antiquated mother....

Just give them lots of condoms and everything will be fine. Do what the rest of America does: Don't ask and don't tell.

It's too hot and humid to be outside today. I'm bored.

K

The equation is.
Vacation expectation not equal to reality. Though in this case it could not be as bad as my imagination says it would be.

Sun, sand, teenage girls, giggling, salt water, washing, cooking, organising. Yuk.

if you must go to a beach (they are OK for walking) go to Trinity Beach Queensland, Australia. Next May to September. Agist out your daughter. Take your hubby. Off the main tourist route.. Listen to the waves breaking on the sand in the early morning. watch the sun rise. Be careful though where you spread your towel because there are coconut palms overhead. And if one of those nuts decides to fall......

Here is a link that might be useful: Helpful Picture

Arthur has a point. As long as you can overlook all the sharks. The beaches are gorgeous down there.

Any one want to take bets on how many piercings and tattoos these kids come home with if Lisa et al go to Myrtle Beach?

If I remember correctly, they've banned thong bikinis, though.

I believe the off-season does start in the middle of August. Not because of hurricanes (we don't worry about them until they're knocking on the back door-Alberto forced me to take 2 naps on Tuesday, glorious sleeping weather) but because the kids return to school mid-August in this part of the world. Truth be known, early Sept is the best time as the temps have dropped just a couple degrees but it's more tolerable. The water is at it's highest, in the 80's I think.

Laura, i wouldn't go swimming there, but it was beautiful. The surf etc. is much better near Sydney. This is off topic and no help to Lisa. Sharks? About three people a year killed and i think they are taken by the white pointer in Southern Parts. Funny how people are scared of sharks or flying or box jellyfish or snakes or funnel webs or blue ringed octopus when the chances of death are thousands of time greater just taking a trip in the family car.

Can you bathe topless in pure USA?

Okay, Arthur, look, your entire country is ringed with shark nets, does that not mean something?

No we can't sun bathe topless in the puritanical USA. Junior might get the urge to beat off leading him to rape and pillage, smoke crack, knock-up a chick or two then murder his parents. When he gets out of reform school run a company like Enron. All the while raising the perfect family but having multiple mistresses, drinking too much and hiring undocumented domestic help.

Arthur, do you really not know that sex is the root of society's problems?

Neither did I.

I wonder how many accidents that occur while on the proverbial "family vacation" are really not group suicide.

Ewwwww! sneak off with HB. don't tell where you are going .. sounds like a trip to hell ,you will need another vacation or a stay at the funny farm after that trip :) .. Gin

Ok...I could give you a couple more details which would curl your hair.....I soooo do not want to do this. Arthur, sounds great....put another shrimp on the barbie (actually, I doubt ANYONE actually says that down there, do they?).

Hey - I live a little ways down the road from Myrtle Beach. It's not all the brochures make it out to be. IMHO it's definitely not worth the drive from CT. In fact, I can't think of anything here in SC that is worth a drive from CT. Unless of course you are set on surrounding yourself with hicks in order to make you truly appreciate your home state. :) And I can say that because I was born here and have lived here off and on for far too many years.

One place I would drive from CT to vacation in is the Shenandoah Valley of VA. Unless of course you are completely set on getting sand in places God never intended. Then just go to Virginia Beach because it is practically a clone of Myrtle Beach and will knock 7 hours off of your drive. Sadly enough, thongs are illegal at both beaches.

-Brady

Tuezday!! I just read:
"No we can't sun bathe topless in the puritanical USA." etc etc
Aaaahahahahah!! LMAO - too funny! It does my heart good to know there is a kindred voice in the sea of small minds we call the Carolinas.

certog would it surprise you to know I'm from Joisey.

Laura, I'd just arrived back after a month in crowded UK and i was happy. The grin widened when i imagined those thousands and thousands of miles of shark nets protecting us all.
Did you swm at Collaroy?
Lisa, Crikey, don't you Americans know nothing. Shrimps are prawns.
Hence the sayings.. "Don't come the raw prawn" "Off like a prawn in the sun." etc.
As for cooking a prawn on a barbie...in my eighty five years i've never seen anyone do that.
Not much help here in achieving a Walt Disney style happy family holiday, all you are getting is the Simpsons version.
It occurs to me that perhaps George is America's Queen Victoria and this is a similar pure period. Of course, sex is the problem. Our own more cunning version of George is keeping us on the straight, narrow true path.

Arthur, you've got one hell of a sense of humor.

If you're determined to make it a beach I recommend Ocean City , MD - similar to Myrtle & VA Beach but not quite as geared towards teens, nice long boardwalk & some charming little beach hotels a ways up (north) from the center of town, but still on the boardwalk. Much closer than SC too. North of OC there's Rehobeth Beach which is even less commercial, but harder to find lodging. Of course Atlantic City is out of the question right? That's where I'd go but with kids, I dunno.

Hi Lis!

I can't help with suggestions of where to go since I'm a west coaster. But I can completely and wholeheartedly agree with Laura and Gin. Take lots of xanax, valium or something similar. If you don't want to take it, slip it into the kids' juice. And start planning a quiet, private, child-free trip NOW for you and Carlos for after your family vacation. Trust me, you will need one. I'm speaking from experience here.....................

We took a 14 year old and two 19 year olds to Maui last year. They weren't nearly as annoying as younger kids and I still ran out of xanax before the trip was over. Luckily for me, a lady that worked at one of the galleries I visited several times while we were there felt my pain. She very kindly dipped into her personal valium stash (she needed them to deal with all those pesky tourists) and shared with me. She was my personal savior from that point on.

I personally believe that vacations with children aren't vacations at all. They are some sort of cosmic penance for past transgressions.

Well Lis, we aren't dead but we aren't much help either.

The father of one of my neighbors, has a house/condo in Carolina beach NC. I asked tonight if he was renting it, as he does sometimes, my neighbor didn't know as the last she heard he was trying to sell it. If you're interested, and she remembers to ask, I'll let you know if it's available. You could drive the kiddies to Myrtle Beach at night. Carolina Beach is rather sedate as beaches go, it's right outside Wilmington. There are porpoises that hang out in the ICW at Carolina Beach. I was told once(maybe more) that's it's really embarrassing when I'm standing on a dock jumping up and down pointing at them, when they are jumping in the water. Well, okay, we didn't have them in Jersey, it's just too cool to see them up close in the wild. Sea turtles have the same effect on me.

michigoose - so sorry to hear you were sick! I enjoy your posts here.

Anyway, my 2 teenagers - bless 'em - *love* Canada. Could you talk them into Quebec? or Montreal (Botanic Garden magnifique!) You get to 'murder' the French language (just smile a lot and try "merci"), see a "foreign country" and you won't need a passport this year.. Not so in the next coming couple of years.

My kids were thrilled to walk Rue St. Catherine in Montreal...the underground shopping was something else...and we stopped at a TV studio that had a huge picture window onto the street. They (we) saw a very popular American band be interviewed and play some numbers.
The subway is tres cool.

Well, just a suggestion

Good luck with whatever you do !
Maryanne in WMass

OY! Now the plan is Pennsylvania....I don't know where in Pennsylvania...but your suggestions are really welcome.

Can you see my head spin?????? ARGH. I just want to stay home and putter in my garden, finish painting the fence and paint all the rooms I haven't yet painted in this house. Oh yeah, and Ihave about 20 plants I need to repot.

So where did you go for that vacation?
Anyone? Anyone? Speak up...
Maybe you're all still on vacation?
Wish I was ....
Maryanne in WMass

The current plan is to go to Lancaster (thank heavens!NOT Myrtle Beach.....or Va beach....or...). I've rented a house in Christiana. No TV :) However, the guy who is an engineer for ESPN and the kids may revolt....I'm going at the end of August...

Yah....I think everyone is away.....or something....I'm just or something. ;)