MB in July versus Augsut

We are still going through Myrtle Beach withdrawal after our wonderful 10 day vacation 8/19-29 : ) With that being said, we are already talking about our next trip in summer 08. We have gone in mid-late August the last 3 years, but are thinking about trying next July.

Can anyone offer advice on what I can expect if we try July as opposed to August? I figure there may be be more crowds, but is it really that much worse? I am expecting the rates for hotels, condos, etc to be higher, but I am more concerned with restaurants and activities. We have always been lucky and gone out to eat fairly early and never really had to wait long, but have seen the lines on our way out!

Are the rates for shows and other activities higher in August? Are the beaches much more crowded than in August? We stay in the northern end of Myrtle (Ocean Reef, Sea Watch, Dunes Village) and would be returning to that area or perhaps North Myrtle Beach.

Thanks for the info!

MB in July versus Augsut

Sorry, that%26#39;s AUGUST. Should have spellchecked : )

MB in July versus Augsut

Most schools in the south (as well as colleges) have already started by the time you usually vacation in Myrtle Beach in August. In July, there will be more people doing their family vacations and plenty more teenagers and college age young people.

There are a couple things to consider.

First, the crowds. June is really the biggest month for Myrtle beach as the temperatures tend to hover at or above 90 degrees during the peak of the day for much of July which actually tends to scare off a few travelers.

That being said, it will be significantly busier especially on the weekends. You%26#39;ll notice it most at water parks, shows, and restaurants. It%26#39;s not too difficult to work around this though. Simply make reservations when planning dinner during peak hours (especially Friday, Saturday and Sunday) as most restaurants will accept them. You%26#39;ll also want to show up a bit early for any shows you plan to attend to avoid the lines and possibly set up any water park trips for weekdays.

Staying in the North Myrtle area or NMB itself is essential in July or August. You%26#39;ll notice a great deal of congestion in the area near the center of town (where the Pavilion used to be) as teenagers frequent this area heavily during the summer. There is also a Myrtle Beach tradition of ';lining up on the strip'; during summer nights. Teenagers basically line up in their cars on Ocean Blvd starting at around 8 PM and drive slowly by mingling with people and just having a grand ol time. Usually, this takes place from the strip in the neighborhood of 3rd Ave North all the way up to as far as 24th Ave North. This makes Ocean Blvd all but impassable at night so take note of this on a July trip and avoid hotels near this area and any traveling to the south side of town should be done on Highway 17 (or the bypass if possible).

Other than that you shouldn%26#39;t have too many problems. Traffic does get hectic but staying in NMB or the north end of Myrtle allows you to cut over to the Bypass to see Broadway at the Beach or visit the south end of town to avoid some of the traffic whenever possible. The beaches on the north end of town and NMB won%26#39;t get too crowded even in peak season.

Also, be sure to avoid any major activity weeks. I believe the summer Bike Weeks and the Sun Fun Festival fall in May-June but you%26#39;ll want to check the calendar to be sure. The 4th of July week also tends to get pretty hectic so you may want to avoid it if possible.