It was simply amazing. I was wearing one of my t-shirts titled, "Actions speak louder than blogs." I could not have received any more glares or compliments. Myrtle Beach was very serene and peaceful. The two bedroom, two bath, condo exceeded my expectations once again. It took us about a day and a half to arrive at Myrtle Beach. The traffic in Manassas, Virginia was bumper-to-bumper, and stretched miles long. We made a stop in Stafford, Virginia in a supermarket to pick up some salad and other essentials after 4 hours of sitting in traffic. We finally decided to call it a night in Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina. Of course it is always a plus when you can redeem points for loyalty at the Hilton Family Hotels.
Dinner at Ryan's Buffet can feed a family of four for under $50 for those families on a strict budget. The next day we were off on the road again with a couple of rest area stops, we arrived at our condo at around 4 pm, check- in time. The rooms were not ready for us, so we went to Super Wal-Mart and purchased a few more items for a quiet first evening dinner. We gazed into the night sitting in our patio overlooking lake Arrowhead and admiring the sunset.
Myrtle Beach is not only a golfers paradise, but also a beach lovers' dream. The water temperature in August is about 85 degrees daily. Even if it rains for a brief period the sun always seems to shine minutes later, and no one panics and leaves the beach.
The Southern hospitality of Myrtle Beach is outstanding and overwhelming. I only wish New-Yorkers could catch on and follow their footsteps. The week in our condo was simply amazing. It had everything we needed, comparable to our home. Unlike a hotel, where you can just sleep and watch television, having a condo includes the many varieties and amenities available to you at home.
One of the many highlights of the trip, was picking our own 25 pound juicy watermelon as well as South Carolina peaches. Followed by "Broadway at the Beach," where the fireworks were breathtaking. The short but elaborate fireworks display left us speechless. After the fireworks, we wandered off on the boardwalk were we encountered not only a funny magician, but also a sweet-tooth lovers' paradise store called "It's Sugar." Every type of candy you can possibly imagine was easily accessible and every color of M&M's were stacked in tubes from waist-level to the ceiling.
For crafty people like us, who enjoy making our own jewelry, seashells were bountiful in all shapes and colors. Snails, mussels, and a school of fish were seen in the clear ocean waters. Its no wonder people from Alabama, Mississippi, and Florida flocked to the Grand Strand. The oil spills were definitely not in Myrtle Beach. We swam in the pristine crystal-clear water.
It was sad to leave but we had to return back home. On the return, we stopped in Baltimore, Maryland which was beautiful. We highly recommend it. At a tourist stop area, a very knowledgeable man gave us sightseeing information on what to do in Baltimore. On of the main attractions was at the Inner Harbor. The world trade center, the national aquarium, port discovery, children's museum, historic ships in Baltimore, including the Chesapeake, USS Constellation, and many more. We were very fortunate that we found a two-hour parking meter by Gay Street, on a Friday night, considering they had the baseball game nearby at the stadium. For those of you not that fortunate, they do have parking garages on Gay Street for about $6-$10 to par your vehicle. Seafood restaurants were just about on every corner. If you have time, you can take a ride on the water taxi, or the kids would love the dragon boats. We managed to get a quick glimpse of everything. We topped off our evening with a stop at the Cheesecake Factory. They also have plenty of shopping. As divas, we had to make a few pit stops at the shopping centre in the Harbor around the Broadway pier.
Driving back home, from Maryland be prepared to pay about $20 in tolls one way. What a shame. They charged $5 for a two- axle vehicle exiting Maryland, and $4 entering Delaware. In addition, $6 was for entering New Jersey. How many times do we pay for the roads. Unlike the North or South Carolina roads where you do not pay any tolls.
Now it is time to unpack, and we will continue with our next blog soon. We will keep you updated on traveling, celebrities, and anything else we think is pertinent to update all of you on!
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