A Tween-ager’s Guide to Fun in Myrtle Beach

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“O-M-G, I am sooo bored!”

If you have kids in their tweens, that tricky 10 to 12 age group, you've heard it hundreds of times. You can recommend cleaning their rooms to cure the boredom but you only get that blank stare, if you can get them to glance up from their cell phones long enough to give you “the look.”

Trying to make them happy anywhere can be a challenge, even a fun-packed place like Myrtle Beach. After a day or two on the beach and in the hotel pool they'll start to get that glazed over look in their eyes – unless you know where to take them. Here are five can't-miss attractions designed with tweens in mind:

* Family Kingdom: They won't be on their phones at this downtown amusement and water park. Featuring roller coasters and other thrill rides, as well as aquatic playgrounds and water slides, tweens can spend the day splashing around the water park and all night screaming on the machines. Best of all, parents can tag along for free if they just want to supervise.

* Fun Warehouse: This entertainment megaplex includes all the things to can catch a tween's attention – a skating rink, laser tag, arcade and game room and more. Purchase a fun pass that provides access to the activities they prefer the most, plus a meal and soft drinks from the snack bar. If you have younger ones too, there's a play area for the little ones.

* Mini-Golf: Myrtle Beach is more than just a golf capital; it's also a mini-golf capital. With more than 50 courses on the Grand Strand, you're never far away from a putt-putt course, some of which also include arcades, snack bars and game rooms. Many courses offer all-day passes for a only a couple of dollars more than the price of a single round.

* WonderWorks: This crazy place is easy to find amid all the attractions at Broadway at the Beach because the building is upside down. From the ceiling to the basement, Wonderworks is packed with interactive attractions, including a rope-climbing center, laser tag room and a zipline.

* Wild Water & Wheels: If this place doesn't jiggle their fun-meters, nothing will. Filled with water slides, a wave pool, lazy river and water playground, the water park is only part of the fun. Go-cart tracks, bumper boats, an arcade and snack bar make for a full day of action. Guaranteed to make them LOL.