Ten Top 'Summer Enrichment Options' Make Myrtle Beach the Place to Learn While Having Fun

National Trend Is For Vacations That Include Learning Experiences; Myrtle Beach Venues Deliver.

Myrtle Beach, SC (PRWEB) July 13, 2007 -- You've seen it in the comic strip "Cathy" and you've read about it in trendy magazines. The new buzz phrase for vacations this year is "Summer Enrichment." Gone are the days when it was okay to just relax on the beach. Today's young families - and the older ones too -- are looking to get more out of their two weeks off than just a red-hot sunburn or golden tan. They want a vacation to include learning experiences as well as fun.

That's why more and more people are heading for the Myrtle Beach area of S.C. The 60-mile-long "Grand Strand," as it is called, built its reputation on delivering great sandy beaches, plentiful arcades, extravagant water parks, and all kinds of places to eat. But now it also offers a number of unique attractions where kids and adults can learn, as well as have fun. Here are the top 10 places to go along the Grand Strand if you are seeking "summer enrichment options."

1. IMAX 3D Theatre, Broadway at the Beach, 1195 Celebrity Circle, Myrtle Beach -- This brand new theater shows five different IMAX 3D films that stimulate the senses as they teach you about everything from dinosaurs to deep sea creatures and the famous "big five" animals of the African continent. The technology is so awesome that moviegoers feel like they are transported to distant places and times, and literally positioned beside the creatures they are viewing. You'll be awed and instructed by the 45-minute films shown here at this Discovery Channel on steroids attraction. Phone: 843-448-IMAX. Online: www.imax3dmyrtlebeach.com.

2. Martin's PGA TOUR Superstore, 1400 29th Avenue North, Myrtle Beach and 2310 Highway 17 South, North Myrtle Beach -- It's not just for golfers anymore. If you have never been to a PGA TOUR Superstore (there are also several in Atlanta, Dallas and Phoenix), then you have to put this on your list of summer enrichment options. These unique golf stores focus on learning, providing interactive opportunities for people to experience state-of-the-art technology just like that used on the professional golf tours. Swing simulators, launch monitors and on-site teaching professionals help customers delve deeper into the mechanics of the golf swing and the techniques and tools that result in game improvement. It's fun to check out the technology knowing that pro athletes use the same stuff to pump up their games behind the scenes. Junior clinics, conducted by PGA teaching professionals, are available for kids who want to be like Tiger. Phone: 843-839-4653. Online: www.pgatoursuperstore.com.

3. Hobcaw Barony, 22 Hobcaw Road, Georgetown -- This 17,500-acre wildlife refuge is a research facility for forestry, marine biology, wildlife, flora and fauna. Legendary philanthropist Bernard Baruch once used the Barony as a hunting reserve until he deeded it to his daughter Belle. She saw its great potential for advancing understanding of coastal wildlife and plants, and, upon her death, left it for that use. Today, two major universities use it as their coastal research facilities and public tours are available almost every day. Kids can even participate in "School Field Studies" held most Wednesday and Thursday mornings (by reservation) for grades K-5. Phone: 843-546-4623. Online: www.hobcawbarony.org/Tours.Programs.html#School_Field_Studies.

4. The Rice Museum, 633 Front Street, Georgetown -- When most people think of the agricultural history of the South, they think of cotton. But, for more than a century, it was rice that put the coastal South on the map. Just a short ride south of Myrtle Beach, the Georgetown District is credited with producing nearly half of the total rice crop of the United States and helping plantation owners to amass great fortunes using the sophisticated technology brought over from Africa by slaves. A large part of that wealth could be found in the tiny port of "George Town" which was the center of rice production in the colony of South Carolina from the mid-1700s to the late-1800s. Today, the town's Rice Museum features dioramas, maps, artifacts and other exhibits about those glory days. Don't miss the 60-minute guided tour that begins at the museum and takes visitors through nearby historic buildings. Tour guides provide an enlightening overview of the rice culture in the U.S., one of the most colorful chapters in American History. Phone: 843-546-7423. Online: www.ricemuseum.org.

5. Children's Museum of South Carolina, 2501 North Kings Highway, Myrtle Beach -- This little gem of learning is smack dab in the middle of the hurly burly of Myrtle Beach. Just blocks from the beach, its interactive displays will entertain the kids for hours as they learn about the sciences, technology, the humanities and culture. Special programs are offered regularly by the museum. Best of all it's free. Phone: 843-946-9469. Online: www.cmsckids.org.

6. Hard Rock Backstage Tour at Hard Rock Park, 211 George Bishop Parkway, Myrtle Beach -- Learn about music and more when you take the backstage tour at Hard Rock Park. It's a magical self-guided trip through six interactive rooms that showcase the six unique, custom-designed zones that will celebrate rock's culture, lifestyle, and legends when the completed park opens in 2008. Free to the public. Phone: 843-236-7625. Online: www.hardrockpark.com.

7. Brookgreen Gardens, 1931 Brookgreen Dr, Murrells Inlet -- One of the top gardens in the South, Brookgreen actually has the world's largest outdoor display of figurative sculpture by American artists. This park-like venue offers guided programs on art, history, nature, and culture among fabulous moss-draped live oaks and towering palm trees. Flowers are changed out with every season so there's always a display of color and the sculptures range from the massive and impressive to the delicate and delightful. Picnic facilities are on site, as well as a museum store and snack shop. Phone: 843-235-6000. Information and online registration forms: www.brookgreen.org/organize.html.

8. Ripley's Aquarium, 1110 Celebrity Circle, Myrtle Beach -- Ripley's Aquarium does what government-owned aquariums wish they could do - it entertains first, then educates. While you and the family could spend hours just wondering through the dazzling displays of sea life or watching divers feed the sharks, you won't want to miss the hands-on educational programs offered here. School groups are encouraged and lesson plans are available for teachers to help plan student activities. Phone for school groups: 1-800-734-8888, ext. 226. Online: www.ripleysaquarium.com.

9. Alligator Adventure, Highway 17 at Barefoot Landing, North Myrtle Beach -- No 10-year old boy will think his summer enrichment trip complete without a trip to Alligator Adventure. In a kitschy building right on the highway in the heart of north Myrtle Beach, you'll find one of the world's largest reptile parks with snakes, turtles, crocodiles and even tropical birds and river otters. There are educational talks and you can observe hand-feedings at the main exhibit pool, as well as see numerous reptiles, lizards, turtles, frogs, and birds in their natural habitats. Phone: 843-361-0789. Online: www.alligatoradventure.com/

10. Ripley's Believe It Or Not Odditorium, 901 North Ocean Boulevard, Myrtle Beach -- Odditorium is right. Right across from the ocean, this Ripley's attraction educates and entertains young and old alike with an assortment of the creepy and bizarre. You'll want to check out the original exhibits that are displayed in individually themed galleries and revel in the eye-catching illusions, clever animation, intriguing video, and state-of-the-art effects designed to enhance the learning experience. Phone 843-44-2331. Online: www.ripleys.com.

So as you're contemplating your "Summer Enrichment Options," consider Myrtle Beach. Now you know it's a place where you can not only kick back and relax, but can come away knowing a thing or two more than you did before you arrived.

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