Vacation Help Needed

[Guest ryan02]

We have a vacation booked for Destin,FL the first week of July. We go every year at this time. With all the oil and all we are looking at canceling our condo and looking for another destination. We are in Nashville,TN and looking to go somewhere with a 10 hour drive or less. We are thinking east coast, like Carolina but we know nothing about the areas.

We have a 2 kids, a 8 year old and 10 month old so it needs to be kid friendly. If anyone has ideas I would sure like to hear them. A nice beach would be a plus. Specific hotels or condo suggestions would be great.

Thanks for your help guys.

I am glad we paid a $50 fee to be able to cancel our stay with 100% refund for any reason.

[vontar]

I am thinking about going to Stone MT. GA this summer or fall, no Beach though.

[waynesan]

When my kids were small we went to Myrle Beach, SC many years in a row. We always had a good time. Its been a few years now since we've been there but I would think that it is a very family friendly vacation destination that would serve you well.

[Guest mosinon]

well, if you are looking for white sandy beaches you are screwed. East coast beaches aren't as good. they are mostly, well, blah. I've lived in Jacksonville and Ft Walton and, for me, no comparison.

I'd head to Disney World. Not much farther and tons of fun.

[jeremy155rr]

Wifes friend just got back from destin and said it was great, thats where I was hoping to get back to this year.

[Guest BEARMAN]

+1 on Myrtle Beach...You and your family will have a BLAST!

Wish I were going this year, myself...but, too many irons in the fire to make it happen this year; but, next year for sure.

For great seafood there, try Murrel's Inlet...food there's awesome, to say the least.

[analog_kidd]

A guy at work just came back from the FL panhandle area and said there was no oil anywhere. Also said that the place was like a ghost town, because everyone was assuming there was oil. My advice is to call around down there and verify. You may find you get a nicer, quieter vacation. You also may be able to negotiate prices a little better, as they are all desperate. Plus you may just help them out.

[peejman]

Myrtle is nice if you like the big-time touristy stuff. My family used to stay at Ocean Isle Beach, NC (just across the state line) and really enjoyed it. It was very quiet... while on the beach, you wouldn't be within 100 yds of the next family. If your 8 yr old likes to play in the surf, you need to be aware that there is some hurricane debris (mostly large hunks of asphalt from the old beach road) in the water. Just go out a low tide and you'll see where it is, it's not really a big deal. There were big tidal pools and water is quite shallow for a long way out.... waist deep for a good 150yds off the beach.

We've also stayed near Charleston and liked it too. Folly Beach, Sullivan's Island, and Isle of Palms are all good family destinations. Lots of neat stuff to do as well. Visit the Yorktown and the Hunley.

We took our 2 yr old to Hilton Head for his first beach trip in May. Other that having some difficulty finding stuff on the island (no signs and all the buildings are behind trees), we had a good time. There's a lot of marsh/wetlands so we had a boardwalk to the beach, but the resort had a shuttle. I think my son liked riding the shuttle as much as the beach itself. We also found it to be a bit less expensive than other areas. The beach was nice and somewhat busy, but nothing like Myrtle.

Continuing down the coast... Savannah and Tybee Island are also nice. Not as much to do as Charleston, but still some entertainment to be had.

I'd say the advice to call first and possibly negotiate a bit on FL stuff is spot-on. If you believe the news, they're dying out there.

We stayed at St. George Island, FL with my wife's family a few years ago. While not cheap, it was a very quiet, family oriented area as well. White sand beaches that were nearly empty.

Edited June 14, 2010 by peejman

[R1100R]

I have been going to St Simons Island, GA for over 30 years. Nice beaches, Not

so much tourist inclined. Plenty of things to do there and within a hours drive of

other places.

I'm headed out on Friday.

[Guest ADAM]

Try Garden City, SC or Pawleys Island,SC. Garden City has several hotels, houses, and condos to rent, it is kid friendly and close enough to Myrtle Beach (15 miles to be exact) for the tourist stuff if you like it. If you stay here I recommend Surfmaster II. You can book it through Garden City Reality. We just got back from there friday and had a wonderful time.

Pawleys Island is about an hour on down the coast (hwy 17). There are no hotels or condos here just beach houses, they are right on the beach. not much for kids here but very clean and the beaches are not crowded( I hate crowds). I prefer Pawleys Island but the wife and kids like Garden City better, just more to do there. Hope this helps. HAVE FUN

[Tempest455]

From my rental next month at Panama City:

"Currently, Panama City has not been impacted by the oil spill. None of the current NOAA trajectory maps show it impacting our area. Panama City Beach conditions are normal. Normal as in warm emerald-green water, white sandy beaches and abundant sunshine!

Please be aware that false rumors are circulating. Here's the truth--There is no scheduled oil impact, no dead marine life washing up, and the air quality has no "smell of oil." Don’t cancel your vacation--Panama City Beach is still very much open to the public and hasn’t had any impact from the Oil Spill.

Please visit these websites:"

http://www.visitpanamacitybeach.com/webcam/seahaven-webcam.html webcam of the beach

http://www.pcbeach.org/community/news-details.php?id=532

[Jasongar8]

From my rental next month at Panama City:

"Currently, Panama City has not been impacted by the oil spill. None of the current NOAA trajectory maps show it impacting our area. Panama City Beach conditions are normal. Normal as in warm emerald-green water, white sandy beaches and abundant sunshine!

Please be aware that false rumors are circulating. Here's the truth--There is no scheduled oil impact, no dead marine life washing up, and the air quality has no "smell of oil." Don’t cancel your vacation--Panama City Beach is still very much open to the public and hasn’t had any impact from the Oil Spill.

Please visit these websites:"

http://www.visitpanamacitybeach.com/webcam/seahaven-webcam.html webcam of the beach

http://www.pcbeach.org/community/news-details.php?id=532

FWIW I know some guys who fish out of PCB and they told me tar balls have been washing up there since last week. It is moving east. I was in Gulf Shores AL last week and it has been moving more and more east each day. There wasnt much oil at all when we were down there but I have seen pictures from yesterday and they are getting impacted pretty hard now.

[Guest Glock23ForMe]

Isle of Palms is AMAZING. Hilton Head is nice, too. We always stayed in Port Royal Plantation in HHI. It's beautiful

[Guest Swamprunner]

Try Northern Michigan or Canada. The weather is cooler, and they talk funny.

[Ropin4gold]

It's 12 hours, but the last 3 times I have been there it has been a blast....

Virginia Beach

Eat at Bubba's

[Guest tnfireman]

I would highly recommend Holden Beach, NC. We always rent a house on the beach. The kids, and us big kids, have easy access to the beach and it is really nice to be able to sit on the porch and watch the kids.