Myrtle Beach Message Board

September 25
As I hope this will be a live trip report I did connect to the free internet in our hotel in Chester VA. The trip down so far went "ok". We left Somerset PA at 12 noon today, we took 219 south to Grantsville MD to get on to Route 68. Then we took that to Hancock MD. Stopping at Sideling Hill Rest Stop for a Restroom break. At Hancock we got on 522 and took that to Winchester VA. We took 39 north to 81 south and got off the first exit to stop at a Sonic. I got a Corn Dog and split a large cheese fries with my mom who also had a corn dog, I also had a Blue Coconut Cream Slush and my mom had a Diet DrPepper Float. My dad had a large chili cheese fries and a strawberry cream slush, and my brother had a Sonic Burger and a Oreo Flurry. We decided on going on route 7 to Berryville and taking 340 and 255 to route 17. As we turned on to 255 in the small town of Claytonville we got stopped by the cops. After taking my dad's license and registration he explained to us that we were going 47 mph in a 25mph zone which was 45 before we turned off and quickly turned to 35 then 25. So he went to his car then came back and explined to us how he was going to cut us a break since we were going on vacation. He said that in Virginia going 20 mph over the speed limit was considered reckless driving or going over 81mile per hour on the interstates even if 20 mph would only be 85 in a 65mph zone. If he gave my dad the reckless speeding ticket he would face a very expensive fine and or time in jail. So he gave my dad a regular speeding ticket instead and its about $105 that $5 per mph over the limit. We we finally we on our way and got on 17 and took that to 95 in Fredricksburg VA. We stopped at a 7-11 for a restroom break and got on 95. We took 295 around Richmond and got off at exit 15b onto route 10 and got to our hotel about 7:30 pm. We checked in and brought our overnight stuff in and my dad, mom, and I went to the hot tub to soak our feet and now I am here in our room typing this report and we are snacking on stuff and watching tv. We are leaving around 8 am if we can and have some flea markets to check out on our way. By the way I contacted Smith Rentals where we rented our room at the Breakers last Saturday and they told me they just sent out our keys but last evening the keys still did not arrive in the mail and they we not there this morning. So I called them today and they at least will have our room unlocked for us and keys in the room for us. But they should have got the keys to us earlier. Night everyone.

We also rented thru Smith Rentals but for Breakers Boutique North Tower....our letter of confirmation stated keys were to be picked up at desk @ Resort. Maybe it is different for each hotel. Anxious to compare notes with you on the VRBO since we both went thru same rental/management company!
I am already extremely jealous!! I take a 1X/year vacation with my extended family,,,,but I do see a few things changing in the upcoming years. Once a year in MB is just not enough for me!
Looking forward to your live trip report this week!!

Brenda

I will not be renting through Smith Rentals again. When we found out that linens would not be included when we reserved the room and had already paid half my father talked to Smith Rentals and told them we would just cancel our reservation and go somewhere else so they said they would give us the linens for free. Well we got here and there were no linens so we called the maids number we were given and she brought some over including toilet paper as there was no toilet paper here at all. We had to use Kleenexes as toilet paper. Well today I got a call from the management service and they said that he will call smith rentals tomorrow but what they will probally say is that they did not say they would give the linens free and we will have to pay $48 for the linen package. Not only that but the key problem we had to. The room it self is great and clean but no we will not go with Smith Rentals again.

Saturday September 26
Today went pretty well. We got up around 6:30-7:00 and got things packed up and got ourselves ready. Headed out about 8:00 and got coffee gas and breakfast sandwiches at WaWa. Headed to a Flea Market in Bellwood VA near our hotel and spent a hour there and ended up on 95 about 9:30 Drizzly and rainy most of the day. We stopped outside of Wilson NC for a stretch and restrooms and then stopped in Smithfield NC at Smithfield Chicken and Bar-B-Q for good southern fried chicken that's what my dad wanted. Then to the Brightleaf Flea Market for a hour. We got on 701 and then on to 9 in SC and got to our hotel at 5:30 we put all our luggage on a cart and took it up to our room and unpacked. I called my brother and he and my niece came over. We just relaxed and snacked later and watched tv as it was still a bit dreary out. Went to bed then.

Sunday September 27
Got up about 9:30 and once everyone was ready was not till 10:30 we left and went to Plantation Pancake house. Our server was pretty slow as others had ordered food and had it and left before we even got ours. Food was ok the Corned Beef Hash Omelet was so good. Best omelets I have ever had. Went to the beach store next to the restaurant and then off to the Surfside Beach Flea Market for a bit then to the Food Lion for Game Day essentials we got wings and macaroni salad. Then back to the hotel for some swimming till game time. Made the wings and watched the game. To bad the Steelers lost. Now its getting to be bedtime and my niece is staying over and I am getting sleepy. I'm going to the library tomorrow to print tickets for the boat tour in Charleston and then my mom is going to a AA meeting and we are heading to Barefoot landing a bit then back to the hotel to swim. See you till tomorrow evening.

Sounds very relaxing so far~ Continue to have a great time and keep us posted!!

Is the weather still dreary? Keep us posted on your activities! Have fun!

JoAnn

No today was wonderfull and warm.

Monday September 28
Got up at 8:30 and grabbed a banana and ran out to the library to try to print tickets for Charleston but still would not work for me so I called Charleston Harbor Tours and I can pay when we get there. So we came back to the hotel and made breakfast. We had sausage and eggs and toast. Then we got ready to take my mom to a AA meeting at the Alano Club on 67 ave north. While she was there my dad, my neice and I went to Barefoot Landing for a bit went to a few stores and the General Store. Then we stopped at a Beach Store and I got some sandals and a beach chair. Got my mom and headed back to the hotel where my brothers were waiting and we relaxed a bit then made BLT's and headed down to the beach and pools for the afternoon. Came back to the room and showered and got ready for dinner. We had a hard time deciding so Me and my mom went to California Dreaming in Surfside while the guys and my niece went to sonic. We stopped at another Beach store and got some ice cream at Baskin Robbins. Now we have a very long day tomorrow and my knee and legs are killing me I have pulled some muscles in both I think and I just need to relax. We are going to Charleston tomorrow and have to leave at 7:00 am Nite all.

Sounds like ya'll are having a good trip! Enjoy Charleston!!

Hope you have a great boat tour! Let us know all about it. This is something I have not yet done but would like to.

JoAnn

Hope the boat tour went well.

Tuesday September 29

We set the alarm for 6:00 am. We had to be out the door at 7:00 am. We were on time and picked up my brother and niece. We got a bite to eat at a McDonalds/Hardees that was on the way. Its a 2 - 2 1/2 hour ride to Charleston. You know you are there when you cross the BIG bridge. I took lots of pictures of this bridge I like it and I enjoy architectural aspects of buildings and structures as I took 2 semesters in Architectural drafting in school before I switched my major. We made our way down to the Market and parked our van.

The shops were just setting up as we made our way through the stalls in the market. At the end we turned around and as we made our way back through we bout a few things. We wanted to make it early to the boat tour and we got there about 10:30 and we could not board the boat until 11:15 so we just had to sit and wait then we got into the line and had to stand around and wait.

Once on board there were seat and we found some on the stern side of the tour boat which had 2 floors the lower was air conditioned but not many went down below. There was a bar and snack bar on top. But we had planed on lunch after. We started out going toward the battery and made a counter clockwise route through the harbor ending at the bridge where we went under the bridge and then back under. After disenbarking we got back in the van and headed back to the Market area and found a small deli for lunch. Most everyone got a half sandwich and soup and I got a french dip.

After lunch was the Aquarium we had spent about 2 hours there and we got to watch a dive feeding show in the big ocean tank. Since a lot of the aquarium was dark I ended up taking videos instead of pictures. All the pictures and videos are being uploaded and I will post the link to all the pictures and videos at the end. The penguins was the best and Amanda's favorite.

After the Aquarium we drove again back to the Market area and shopped a bit more before our 4:50 carriage ride. The way the carrages work is they pull up to a stand and the person working the stand has a bingo ball machine and pulls a number which is a area in charleston that they have to say in. We got the western side of the city which most people do not see. The way the guide put it is you usually only go into the western side if...
A you know someone who lives there or..
B you are lost!

So we really enjoyed our ride and got a few pictures as the streets are small and you are close to the houses and its hard to get a whole house in a picture. The guide was really funny and had a lot of information about the building and houses we saw and we did go over to the Ashley river side.

More to come.

Next time I will have to go more West. We haven't gone too far inland so thanks for the idea of trying it. Will be neat to see regardless if it's super exciting or not! Thanks for th report thus far!

When we traveled down to the Ashley River we passed the landfill line we were told that they had made a landfill in the water and then made that into more land and thus more churches and houses were built on top of it. We saw some scorched areas on houses were the house was spared and the one right next had burnt and they built new. Their was also a large earthquake in Charleston it was felt as far south as Miami, as far west as St Louis, and as far north as Boston. As we were heading back to the Big Red Barn where the Palmetto Carriage Ride is at, my older Brother asks the guide have you ever wrecked the carriage and she confessed that she tipped the carriage over once as the horses slipped their bridle. After the ride we got a huge pizza at a nice little pizzeria. Then headed back to Myrtle Beach. I soaked in the Hot tub a bit before bed.

Wednesday September 30

We got up at 8:00 and went to the Farmers Market and grocery store before breakfast. When we got back I walked up to Shoney's for Breakfast buffet. When I came back to the room we all got ready to got swimming. We got a beach ball and played pass the ball in the pool. We headed up to he room and showered and went to dinner at TGI Friday's. Afterward we walked a bit at Market Common and went in Barnes and Noble and then went to Cold Stone for Ice Cream. We went back to the hotel and watched TV till 10pm and then we went to sleep.

Thursday October 1 Amanda's Birthday
She woke me up at 9:30 and wanted to open some of her presents. So we gave her two to keep her happy. We had Pancakes and bacon for breakfast and then my brother came over and we got ready and Amanda, Karl, and me went to Broadway at the Beach to shop and go to Build a Bear. Amanda picked a purple cat and her purple and black matching outfit and shoes. She named her Midnight and bought a matching baby kitty to. Then we went to the Movies and me and Amanda watched Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs in 3D. We then came back to the hotel to get the rest of the family and head to Osaka Sushi Buffet near the walmart on 501. After we stuffed ourselves with sushi and seafood we went to Food Lion and picked up Amanda's Cake and went back to the hotel.

More to come
Pictures and Video's
http://s124.photobucket.com/albums/p29/LEsherick2007/

It sounds like you are having a great trip so far. I hope you all enjoyed the birthday cake. Christine.

Thanks for the great report ! Nic pix, makes me realize how long it's been since we've been to Charleston - really miss it !

Can tell you really appreciated the engineering of the bridge. I believe it was built after Hurricane Hugo damaged the original 20 yrs ago last month... (anyone feel free to correct)

Great pictures.