Packing for your spring break getaway in Myrtle Beach can be as tricky as the weather. Still unpredictably stuck somewhere between winter and summer, you might need clothes and gear for both occasions, but you don’t want to bring your entire wardrobe. Just follow these five tips for things to bring to for your Myrtle Beach vacation this spring:
* Bathing suit/bikini: OK, so maybe you don't have your beach body ready to roll out the swimsuit just yet. No one does, except for those cheaters at the tanning salon. Here's your chance to get a nice base before those sizzling summer months arrive. The spring time marks the start of some unseasonably warm beach weather. Besides, even if you get a cold or rainy day during your stay, Long Bay has some of the finest indoor water facilities on the Grand Strand. Sail down the lazy river, kick back in the hot tub or relax in the sauna.
* Beach Games: Even if the weather is too overcast or breezy for swimming and tanning, there are plenty of other ways to have a good time on the beach. One of the best ways for families and friends to enjoy some free fun than a little competition, and there are games you can play on the beach that will get the action going, such as Bocci, Corn Hole, Ladder Ball, and a locally developed game made specifically for the beach called Myrtle Ball. For sale at local beachwear stores, the game involves burying buckets in the sand up to the rim and rolling balls into the holes, sort of a cross between golf and Bocci. Long Bay also boasts a life-sized chess and checker board and shuffleboard court on the indoor pool deck. Remember to pack a Frisbee or a kite, along with a deck of cards or board games for those rainy nights.
* Flip-flops: After a long, cold winter, your flip-flops have probably been shuffled to the bottom of the closet or stored away somewhere with your swimsuit and sunglasses. Well, it's time to dig them out. There are moments when you want to go barefoot in Myrtle Beach, like a stroll down the beach or a trip downstairs to the indoor pool deck. You don't want to stop to lace up your sneakers every time you decide it's time to go shoeless. If you can't find last year's pair, spend a few bucks and pick up a cheap one at the discount beachwear stores.
* Golf clubs: The spring golf season is already well under way. But with more than 100 golf courses in Myrtle Beach and the Grand Strand area, you can always squeeze in a last-minute tee time when the weather calls for golf. Long Bay guests are in luck. Not only are there several award-winning layouts within minutes of the resort, but Long Bay's expert golf staff can hook you up with a package or a tee time. Maybe your game isn't quite ready for prime time. Just two blocks away from Long Bay is the Cane Patch Par-3, a nine-hole layout with a practice range and putting green. If putt-putt golf is more your speed, Jungle Safari is just about a 5-iron away.
* Jacket: Just because your calendar says it's time for spring break doesn't mean Mother Nature operates on the same schedule. Myrtle Beach gets plenty of sunny days, but like spring everywhere, the weather can be unpredictable. The ocean breeze can make it feel a few degrees cooler, so be sure to bring a windbreaker or a hoodie for those chilly days or for sitting out on your balcony at night. Better to have it and not need it than the other way around.
(Posted: 2/27/15)
