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I have family coming in to town in the beginning of April. They are spending a few days here in Raleigh, then we are all going out of town. I have not been to the coast yet, so I don't know either place. There will be four adults, 14 and an 11 year old. We don't plan on laying on the beach, so we would like to look around and see some attractions. Aquariums, any sort of live animals, food, historic things, water activities (unless it's too cold), etc are all of interest. I know Myrtle Beach is more touristy than Wilmington and also a farther drive. We don't mind staying the night at either place so distance isn't a big factor. We are also open to other areas as well, but those two came to mind. Any opinions?
Since they are only about 1.5 hours from each other, should we do both? We are planning on spending 2-3 days total.
Personally I hate Myrtle Beach but it has a lot of the stuff you're looking for and probably won't be too obnoxious in April. If you choose to go to Wilmington, they have the USS North Carolina, the Fort Fisher Aquarium, etc. Their website has a good rundown: Things To Do | Wilmington And Beaches | Wilmington and Beaches
You really can't go wrong with either Wilmington or Myrtle Beach, and both are excellent destinations. If I had to pick one, I'd rather go to the Wilmington area, since it's much more of a "real" city, with history and culture and greater variety of things to see and do. Plus, it is indeed considerably closer to the Triangle, so requires less time and gas. But Myrtle Beach is nice, too, and the actual beach there (the part with the sand and the water) is absolutely unbeatable in this part of the country. As you say, Myrtle Beach is much more tourist-y, which is sorta both good and bad. But to me, Myrtle Beach is such an extraordinary tourist trap that it's kind of a spectacle unto itself, and well worth seeing and experiencing for its own sake, especially if you guys have never been there before.
Like you said, though, it would be entirely possible to do some of both. The drive between Wilmington and Myrtle Beach on U.S. 17 isn't a whole lot of fun, but at least it isn't very long either. And there are some nice places in between, like Orton Plantation which is very nice in the spring, the town of Southport which is charming and appealing, and the smaller Brunswick County beaches, which are lovely and not quite as overwhelmingly tourist-y as Myrtle or Wrightsville. For that matter, if you were feeling ambitious, you could actually go a bit further down the coast and visit Charleston. Now, that is an amazing and unique destination. But maybe another time.
Echo what Eva said - Myrtle Beach is so honky tonk, but it probably won't be terrible in April. Wilmington is nicer, and does have some stuff to do as well. I guess it comes down to personal preference and how long a drive you want to take. If you are open to doing both places like you said, I'd do both. Why not?
Don't forget North Myrtle Beach. It's less "honky tonk" and has grown considerably in the last few years. It it's entertainment and shopping you're looking for, NMB is your place. If it's a cozy downtown and cultural activities, choose Wilmington. That said, most teens really like Myrtle Beach.
Location: Chapel Hill, NC, formerly NoVA and Phila
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I haven't been to Myrtle in years. We went to Wilmington the past couple of years, and it is a great, historic city. There are several good museums to vist, it's a nice place to walk around along the water, pretty historic homes, restaurants, shops, etc. Then the next day you can head over to Wrightsville Beach (about 20-30 minutes away) and hang out on the beach for the day.
As others have said, Myrtle Beach is more honky tonk, not that there isn't a place for that in one's life - my young children would love it - miniature golf galore, arcades, t-shirt shops, all-you-can-eat buffets by the dozen, etc. It is more "superficial" entertainment than Wilmington.
Wilmington/Wrightsville is a more historic North Carolina destination. Myrtle Beach is a built-up resort that to some degree could be anywhere. I vote Wilmington!
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