Offering something for everyone, Broadway at the Beach is a great place to spend a day and night as a family. There’s shopping for mom, a surf-and-turf dinner for dad and live entertainment theaters for the grandparents. But the key to everyone having a good time is often the children: If they aren’t happy, nobody’s happy.
That’s not an issue at this key Myrtle Beach attraction, where the hardest part about keeping the kids entertained might be deciding which child-oriented attractions to visit. They can burn off some energy at the on-site amusement parks or putt-putt golf, or enjoy some educational-oriented entertainment at one of the many indoor attractions. Cap the night with a free fireworks show and some ice cream and the kids will be ready to call it a night.
To make your family outing the best, check out these top five attractions for kids at Broadway at the Beach:
Dragon's Lair Fantasy Golf: Play a magical round of putt-putt on the grounds of a medieval castle on the Lake Broadway waterfront. Knights (aka players) choose a sword (putter) and storm the castle (clubhouse), where a 30-foot dragon lies in wait and emerges to breathe fire into the sky. Featuring 18 holes, Dragon's Lair offers all-day passes, group rates and occasional tournaments for prizes.
Pavilion Nostalgia Park: When the downtown Myrtle Beach Pavilion closed in 2008, many of the rides and novelties were moved to form these three small but thrilling amusement parks at Broadway. Longtime Myrtle Beach visitors will enjoy seeing the same rides they loved as kids, and sharing them their children, who might not appreciate the nostalgia but will love the fun. The timeless Herschell-Spielman carousel and kiddie rides are joined but more modern ones, like the Myrtle Turtle roller coaster, the Cliff Hanger and the Wave Swinger. All-day passes or a la carte tickets are available, and there is no admission fee so adults and small children can watch the little ones have fun for free.
Ripley's Aquarium: Experience the beauty of the underwater world at this popular aquatic attraction. Requiring more than 1.5 million gallons of water to fill the aquariums, pools and displays, Ripley's Aquarium is home to a wide range of sea life, including rare species of sharks, stingrays and tropical fish. Danger Reef features a 350-foot moving walkway that carries patrons to a face-to-face encounter with some of the scariest sharks in the sea, and the Discovery Center offers interactive displays with creatures from all over the world. Mermaid shows, feeding times and educational sessions are held throughout the day, and guests can pet stingrays, hold horseshoe crabs, and take selfies with Sharky the mascot.
Soar & Explore: Affiliated with WonderWorks, the outdoor zipline takes riders on a 1,000-foot ride over Lake Broadway while soaring 50 feet above the water. The “Explore” part of the title offers a pirate-themed ropes course that stands 40 feet tall and has 33 different elements using 3,000 ropes and cables. The course increases in difficulty and offers fun for the whole family.
WonderWorks: Get out of the heat and into the air conditioning for a few hours and get ready to exercise your mind. Perfect for adults and kids alike, this upside down museum is filled with science-based attractions that are interactive and educational. Experience hurricane force winds, the G-forces of flying a jet, a 360-degree virtual roller coaster and more in this bizarre three-story building that stands on its roof. The top floor (basement) offers laser tag and a rope-climbing course that are available at an extra charge.
(Posted: 4/22/15)
