As much as there are simple pleasures to be found on a Myrtle Beach vacation, like looking for shells on the beach, or riding the carousel at Barefoot Landing, there are plenty of action-packed activities, too.

Yesterday, I described the area’s wholesome appeal for family fun. Today, I’ll share the highlights of our busier days spent at unique, interactive, and truly thrilling Myrtle Beach attractions.

Pirates Voyage
Take a dinner theater hall, put a lagoon pool in the middle, and then construct a giant pirate ship at the end. Add in a fast-paced show with sword battles, high dives, acrobats, aerialists, singers, trained animals, and a spooky appearance by an animatronic Davy Jones, and you have Pirates Voyage.

Our 5-year-old daughter was too excited to eat the four-course “feast,” lest she miss a minute of the story about Pirate King Dread, his first mate Snipe, and the battle between the Sapphire and Crimson pirates over treasure. While her favorite scenes involved the lovely mermaids, our son enjoyed rooting for the Crimsons (and booing for the Sapphires) during the duck races and other competitions. I preferred the antics of Salty the Seal, and the original music by Dolly Parton, who owns the production.

MagiQuest
To fully participate in MagiQuest, you first have to obtain a magic “casting” wand and choose an alias. Then you have to understand the lingo. Once you enter the enchanted kingdom, you and your fellow “magis” will choose your “quests” to earn spells and skills as you work toward becoming a master. Your “Ancient Book of Wisdom” will guide you through this labyrinthine space where nearly every tree, column, cauldron or crystal formation interacts with the chip in your wand, producing sound and special effects.

Our progress was monitored within our wands, and our daughter delighted in approaching every touch-screen kiosk she could find for frequent updates. For fans of Harry Potter and all things wizardry, this place is unbelievable fun. We saw our 12-year old son — who named himself “Orc” like the trolls in “The Hobbit” — for about two minutes before he tore off on his own adventure.

Ripley’s Aquarium
One of the main attractions of the Broadway at the Beach entertainment district, this two-level aquarium contains several exhibits, a touch tank, and several daily shows. Our favorite space was the Dangerous Reef, a winding aquarium tunnel you travel through on a 340-foot long glidepath, while sharks, snappers, squirrelfish, sting rays and sea turtles swim overhead.

Since we were there on a weekend, we caught the live mermaid show in Ray Bay. The highlight was meeting them afterwards in the shallow Friendship Flats pool area. They stayed in character, and chatted with our daughter about what mermaids eat (mainly seaweed)! For a complete mermaid makeover, make an appointment at the Fancy Fins Mermaid Boutique before you get there.

In addition to the aquarium, Ripley’s also operates a “Believe it or Not” museum, a Mirror Maze, a 5D Moving Theater, and a Haunted Adventure attraction in Myrtle Beach.

Sky Wheel
For the best view of Myrtle Beach, head to the Boardwalk to take a ride in the new Sky Wheel. You’ll ascend to the top of this 200-foot tall attraction in one of 42 climate-controlled gondolas. One of these – the VIP – costs extra, but has a glass-bottomed floor! Up to six people can be seated at one time, and there are no age or height restrictions. Each “flight” revolves three times around, lasting about 10 minutes.

(Photos: Myrtle Beach Area Convention & Visitors Bureau and Traci Suppa)

–Traci L. Suppa

Traci L. Suppa drags her small-town family to see a quirky array of the world’s largest, longest, or tallest things, and blogs about it at Go BIG or Go Home.

Having just returned from a Myrtle Beach family vacation, I can attest that we ran out of time before we ran out of things to do. What kept it interesting was the balance of high-thrill adventure activities with low-key, almost “retro” ways to pass time together.

Today, I’ll tell you about the best Myrtle Beach attractions and activities for wholesome family fun. Tomorrow, we’ll cover the best of the state-of-the-art sites!

Beaches and Waterparks
There are 60 miles of public beaches connecting Myrtle Beach and several smaller towns north and south, a stretch known as the “Grand Strand.” The Atlantic Ocean can be calm and clear, or wavy enough for surfing, depending on the tide and weather conditions. Lifeguards hired by the City of Myrtle Beach are on duty from March through October, and also rent out beach chairs and cabana-style umbrellas.

There’s a 1.2-mile boardwalk, as well as several piers which allow you to stroll out over the ocean, or cast a rented fishing pole. It’s worth seeking out a waterside restaurant like the Pier House for a fresh seafood meal, or the biggest PB&J your kid will ever eat!

Water parks abound in all shapes and sizes, with a few, like Splashes at Family Kingdom, open as independent attractions. Many hotels will have their own for guests, including the outdoor lazy rivers and splash zone at the Hampton Inn & Suites, and the two indoor parks at the Dunes Village Resort. (Photo: Myrtle Beach Area Convention & Visitors Bureau)

Miniature Golf
With more than 45 courses in the area, Myrtle Beach is known as the “Miniature Golf Capital of the World.” But it’s more than just quantity that makes this a must-do activity. These “adventure” courses have a variety of entertaining themes which play out in their multi-level landscapes.

Try the “Jurassic Golf” course if you want to hear a Velociraptor roar, or “Shipwreck Island” if you want to play through a ship’s deck. Fans of the Peter Pan story will enjoy “Captain Hook’s Adventure Golf,” where you can see and hear Tinker Bell at the 4th hole. Our kids got a plastic lei and chatted with live parrots before we hit the “Hawaiian Rumble” course, where a volcano erupts with fire every 20 minutes. Several, like Captain Hook’s and “Dragon’s Lair Fantasy Golf,” have accessible courses which can be traversed with a stroller.

Alligator Adventure
There are more than 1,000 alligators in residence at Alligator Adventure, a 15-acre reptile park. There are marshes, swamps, and other habitat exhibits where you can observe gators and other reptiles, as well as Siberian tigers, lemurs, monkeys, bats, and Utan, the “world’s largest Crocodile.” During the live show we attended, our daughter got to pet a blue-tongued skink and an albino snake.

Alligator Adventure is located in the Barefoot Landing shopping and dining district, so there are plenty of options for lunch or ice cream afterwards. Our kids also enjoyed the carousel and the magic shop.

–Traci L. Suppa

Traci L. Suppa drags her small-town family to see a quirky array of the world’s largest, longest, or tallest things, and blogs about it at Go BIG or Go Home.