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In my last post, I told you about our maiden trip out in Rosie Lee, so today I wanted to tell you about where we stayed!
We booked our getaway at Pirateland Campground in Myrtle Beach. I’ve only been south to the beach once, and that was when I was 8, so this was a new experience for me. Considering we’ve got Little Bit on the way, there didn’t seem much point in heading to a party beach like Ocean City, Maryland, and it’s always so crowded there.
The campsite was wonderful. We were right in front of the bathhouse which was so much better than I was expecting. It was either new or recently remodeled, and so nice that I didn’t mind not having a bathroom in the camper (although The Fellow is already talking about upgrading and checking out bathroom layouts). Our site was maybe 300 feet from the beach with private access, and the beach was exactly the change I was hoping it would be from Ocean City. It wasn’t crowded, and you could play on the beach which you can’t in Ocean City. (The Fellow got scolded one year there for tossing a ball with his buddy.) People had set up kites and corn hole. There were beach chairs and umbrella rentals available, but the best part was the water. It was so warm and the waves were mild. I was concerned I wouldn’t be able to get in for fear of risking Little Bit, but I only missed out on swimming one day when it was a red flag day. (More on the flag system later.)
We did have one little scare. While we were out swimming one day, the people next to us in the water saw a shark! Granted, it was only about 2 feet, but we decided it was better safe than sorry and we headed in. Thankfully, that was our only real encounter. That’s the day we also learned about the flags on the lifeguard chairs. There are 4 colors that the lifeguards fly: green, yellow, red, and blue. As you might have guessed, green, yellow, and red relate to how rough the waves are, and they change them as the weather changes throughout the day. Then there is that blue flag. A blue flag means marine life typically jellyfish – or sharks!
Pirateland has a ton of on-site amenities. There is a pretty nice camp store, mini golf, a food truck that has different themes on different days, a pool, kids splash zone, a lazy river, and golf cart rentals!
People take their golf carts very seriously! If you’re a long-term resident, you can have your own cart, but otherwise rentals are available. Every night about 9 or 10 o’clock there is a golf cart parade! People buy or bring decorations and trick out their carts. The most common decoration is a novelty inflatable strapped to the top of the cart, and then they play music and ride their carts as if they were on a parade float, smiling and waving, up and down the back road. We all sat on the guard rails along the sides and waved and cheered them on. It was hilarious, and a great way to end the evening.
This was my first time in Myrtle Beach, and while I had a great time, I don’t think I’d ever go back if I were responsible for the driving. Maybe if we packed in all of our food and never left the campground, it would be okay, but I really, really hated the roads. I’m used to Ocean City. It’s crowded, but easy to navigate. The best way I can describe Myrtle Beach is as sprawling. The main road is a divided highway and everything is just sort of sprinkled along it on either side. The difficult thing is that there are also roads that run parallel to the main highway, so after you cut across traffic you’re not just in a parking lot, you’re in another tiny median (essentially in a another road) that you also have to try to cross.
But that was the only bad thing. The rest was great!
What other beaches do you suggest we check out? Let me know!
