Up for a cheap new adventure only a short drive from Greenville, SC that the whole family will love? Tryon International Equestrian Center is only an hour or so from Greenville and a unique experience you will look forward to visiting again and again! We’ll fill you in on where this hidden secret is, what they offer and why you should visit!
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Mom Review: Mirror Maze in Gatlinburg, Tennessee
Have you been to Ripley’s Mirror Maze? Gatlinburg in the winter is a different sort of town than Gatlinburg in the summer, and one of the things you don’t want to miss is Ripley’s Mirror Maze.
Thank you to Ripley’s for providing tickets for this review.
Purchasing via this link allows a small amount of the proceeds to go to Kidding Around Greenville.
When we took our recent adventure to the mountain town, we found it sleepy and quiet and that’s exactly the way we liked it. Traffic was minimal (except for the weekend) and the streets were not overcrowded and the restaurants had no wait time. Again – that’s exactly what we love – especially when we are always a party of six (at least) and generally tables for six are not as readily available at peak times.
We had some great laughs and funny moments at several other stopping points along the Gatlinburg streets.
Find a place to stay in Gatlinburg, TN. This article contains Stay22 affiliate links.
Here’s your ultimate guide to visiting Gatlinburg, Tennessee!
Ripley’s Marvelous Mirror Maze
The first choice for us, after visiting the aquarium, was to walk down the street to Ripley’s Marvelous Mirror Maze. The Mirror Maze is right on Gatlinburg’s main street and it’s very easy to walk from anywhere you park in town. (Lucky for us, we just left our car in the aquarium parking lot, which was convenient.)
The lobby of the mirror maze features two gigantic walls of candy so – you know – parents beware. Your kids will definitely ask for candy. You can say no, naturally. I didn’t want to purchase pounds of sugar and food dye and banana-flavored everything, but I also remember what it was like as a kid to be looking at a WALL of dreamy candy so I offered a quick compromise to my band of kids. “Everyone can pick two pieces of candy,” I told them. Oddly enough, they were thrilled and quite satisfied. So they each chose literally two single pieces of candy – and we were all content. A little sugar versus begging and copious amounts of sugar. Or, again – you can just say no. Isn’t it funny, parents? You really do get the choice.
We were kind of extra excited about the concept of a mirror maze because most of us have been reading the book series of The Mysterious Benedict Society and the kids in the novel series are always facing challenges and puzzles and this mirror maze felt like our own challenge and puzzle.
The employees told us to put on plastic gloves that they provided – gigantic, ill-fitting plastic gloves – so that we would be more hygienic as we touched the mirrors that every other guest has most assuredly been touching as well. I tried to avert my thoughts from the finger touched mirrors and just tried to think of the fun of conquering a maze with my children.
We decided to all hold hands to add to our experience and because we genuinely thought we might face the possibility of getting lost from one another inside the maze.
That probably wouldn’t have happened.
The mirrors were everywhere – as they should be in a maze – and they certainly played tricks on your mind as to which direction to turn and which door to take and where to go next.
There was an “infinity” room that made me laugh a lot – mostly because of the song blaring – was it Journey? – and the lights flashing and the disco ball. All those quirky details, you know.
Our technique of making it through the maze was rather effective as we found the ending in record time. But, because we liked the mirrors and we wanted more of a challenge, we decided to pretend we didn’t find the exit and kept trucking through the corners and the twists and the turns all over again just for fun.
Also, we discovered a fundamental truth concerning mirror mazes. Fundamental, I tell you. It is this: You should choose your outfit wisely and fix your hair carefully before entering said mirror maze. Because you are going to be seeing yourself from every angle. Every. Angle. And you’re going to want to leave this mirror maze with some self-respect intact. Every. Angle.
[clickToTweet tweet=”‘Also, we discovered a fundamental truth concerning mirror mazes. Fundamental, I tell you. ‘” quote=”‘Also, we discovered a fundamental truth concerning mirror mazes. Fundamental, I tell you. ‘” theme=”style3″]There you go. I’ve covered the walls of candy and the dress yourself correctly bits. They were important.
As far as the maze itself goes, it really was lots of fun. It was speedy, though. And that’s a little hard to swallow to spend money to be in and out of an attraction in ten minutes or less. When you buy the Mirror Maze as part of the an add-on ticket, it hurts a little less.
In Review
I’d say the key to all Gatlinburg attractions is the same, keep your expectations in line. Recognize that this is not Disney. This is Gatlinburg, Tennessee. These are mirror mazes and world record museums and 5D moving theaters on a street in a mountain town. A town that sells footlong corn dogs at place called Fannie Farkle’s for the same price that you can buy two kids’ meals at Chick-fil-A.
Be reasonable, guys.
If you are visiting Gatlinburg for the second (or thirtieth) time, you already know this.
And you’re okay with it.
You’re making these return trips to Pigeon Forge and to Gatlinburg, to the cabins and to the go cart rides, to the outlets and to the pancake houses, because it’s nostalgic, because you first came to Gatlinburg as a kid with your Memaw and your Pepaw, because you brought your toddlers here and you remember how big their eyes grew when they first ordered their silver dollar pancakes at the Pancake Pantry and rode their first roller coaster at Dollywood.
You like the idea of returning to the same quirky streets that seem like they never change, old time photo shops on every corner and a gem store and wooden guns and beanie babies. That’s why you come to Gatlinburg.
So you stroll through the mirror maze and you let the kids buy a couple of pieces of candy and you stop in for the free fudge samples (always take the free fudge, people) and you admire the hand-crafted wooden knives and you buy the funnel cake and you stack up those memories and that nostalgia for all its worth.
Expectations, friends. Most adventures fare better when you can manage your expectations.
Purchasing via this link allows a small amount of the proceeds to go to Kidding Around Greenville.
Are you traveling to Gatlinburg / Pigeon Forge? See our other travel reviews:
- Read our Review of Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies.
- Read our Review of Dollywood.
Charleston, SC: Find Shark Teeth and Fossils at this Island with Coastal Expeditions
Shark teeth and fossils are plentiful on Morris Island outside of Charleston, SC and Coastal Expeditions will make it the highlight of your trip!
Thank you to Coastal Expeditions for inviting us to go on the Morris Island adventure with them.
The South Carolina coastline is incredibly diverse with wildlife and ecosystems and because of ancient history (think Ice Age), there are some pretty amazing fossils to be found along the coastline. And you get the chance to do just that with the adventure out to Morris Island with Coastal Expeditions.
About Coastal Expeditions
If you’ve read some of our Charleston content or bucket list adventures, you’ve read about Coastal Expeditions. They took us out to Bulls Island where we got to experience an otherworldly place with lots of gators. It was amazing and we haven’t stopped recommending it ever since.
Coastal Expeditions was started in 1992 to help people experience the beauty of the Lowcountry, not just see it. Their knowledge of the environment here is completely unmatched. Our naturalists on both trips blew me away with their extensive knowledge of the lands, people, history, and wildlife. More than that, their deep love of the area is evident and it’s because of that love that they want to share their knowledge in hopes that others will come to love and respect the amazing land that is the Lowcountry.
Coastal Expeditions has a wide range of offerings to help visitors explore Charleston’s wild side from kayak rentals in Shem Creek to the excursion to Bulls Island to guided kayak tours to fossil hunting on Morris Island. You can choose adventures that are more kid-friendly or more adventurous, depending on what you and your family would like to explore. They also offer summer camps and other kid-focused activities. This tour – and any of them -are perfect for homeschoolers.
Both excursions – Bulls Island and Morris Island were kid-friendly but Morris Island was a lot less walking!
Heading Out to Morris Island
Our big adventure to Morris Island began at the flagship of Coastal Expeditions at Shem Creek, which is a beautiful area full of restaurants and a park that borders the creek. It’s best known for its amazing sunsets and its local population of dolphins.
There is parking at Coastal Expeditions but be sure to get there at least 15-20 minutes early if you need extra time to find parking during busier times and use the restroom as there is no bathroom on the boat or at Morris Island.
The boat we had was nice and spacious and Captain Dolph did an excellent job getting us to and from the island. As we were leaving the dock and slowly making our way out of the creek and into the harbor, we got to see some dolphins. I love dolphins and always get super excited to see them.
We also learned a crazy cool fact: these dolphins that live in the estuaries and creeks along the South Carolina coast are actually smaller than Atlantic Bottlenose dolphins and genetically different, so much so that they have been declared a new species. True story. It happened during the summer of 2023 after a decade of research led by Ana Costa, Ph.D. Their name is Tamanend’s bottlenose dolphin.
Our excellent naturalist, Jackie, told us that this is just incredible because dolphins are so well-studied and to have discovered a new species is essentially unheard of. Then she said some other names in Latin of wildlife that sounded really smart. Jackie was actually amazing, which I’ll get to in a bit when we explore Morris Island.
One other thing that we learned when heading out to Morris Island was that The Coastal Expeditions Foundation was instrumental in renourishing Crab Bank, a seabird sanctuary for resting and nesting birds, that was washed away in 2017 by Hurricane Irma. Coastal Expeditions raised funds for this effort of conservation and you can only go to this island in wintertime when the birds aren’t nesting – and search for fossils!
I have come to really appreciate the mission of Coastal Expeditions because they practice what they preach. They are so enthralled and amazed by the beauty in the Lowcountry and use that love and knowledge to share with others in hopes of continuing to preserve it for future generations.
On your way out to Morris Island, we passed right by Fort Sumter where the first shots of the Civil War were fired. We also got incredible views of the Harbor and Ravenel Bridge. And we saw more dolphins – it was a great trip before we even got to the island. For you history buffs, you can read about the history of Morris Island on the Coastal Expeditions website.
Hunting for Fossils
Once we made it over to Morris Island, about a 30-minute boat ride from Shem Creek, we descended onto the sand and Jackie drew a map right on the sand of the island. She gave us her expert opinions of where to search for shark teeth and fossils. But the best part of her short presentation was when she showed us what she had found in the past on the island so we knew what to look for.
She showed us a ton of cool stuff: shark teeth obviously but also vertebrae of sharks, fossilized clams, stingray teeth, and fossilized mammal bones. The tides and waves naturally erode the beach, dredging up fossils and teeth from thousands and thousands of years ago that are buried beneath the island. That’s how you can find some really neat things and why this place is so special.
Once we got our instructions and tips from Jackie, we were off to find some treasures. You have three hours on the island, which may seem like a lot of time but it’s not a small island and you’ll want to walk slowly as you search for treasures.
Within a few minutes, my kids had already found a couple of shark teeth, their very first ever. It took me um, a little longer. But I eventually found some and started looking more closely at anything that resembled a shiny triangle, which, it turns out, there are many of along this beach and they are not shark teeth. But I persevered!
The island is very peaceful, clean, and beautiful. It is uninhabited and even if there are lots of other people, it won’t feel crowded. People just do their thing and look around or hang out on the beach and get some sun.
We ran into Jackie a little over halfway through the time we had on the island and showed her some of our finds. We walked together for a little ways and she so kindly would draw circles in the sand where she saw shark teeth so my daughters could find more. Really, I should have looked in those circles because I was terrible at finding them but I thought it was really nice she did that to help them out.
What We Found on Morris Island
My kids found shark teeth a lot faster than I did. They had a good eye for them. But about 30 minutes into our walk along the shoreline, I hit the jackpot. I found a huge shark tooth and nearly jumped up and down at my find. It was just the coolest thing. Jackie, in all her knowledge, said it was from the predecessor to the Megalodon shark. That’s super old.
Jackie has a cool book she carries around with her where you can match your shark tooth to a picture and it will tell you where it came from. She is a great naturalist though and was easily able to identify where most of our shark teeth came from, which mostly included bull sharks and reef sharks. My one daughter found a really old one that was older than the big one I found.
One of the things I was really hoping to find was a vertebrae. I knew it looked like a really small version of a cut up tree trunk and to my great surprise, I found two. Jackie said they likely came from a shark.
We also found a couple larger vertebrae and a fossilized clamshell plus some really gorgeous shells. I’m not sure exactly what we are supposed to do with all these shark teeth (I will tell you that we are heading to the Nature Exchange with some of them at the Roper Mountain Science Center!) but to have them is pretty neat and a wonderful reminder of the beauty of the Charleston area.
One other neat thing about Morris Island is the lighthouse on the island. It’s very pretty but also too far to walk to and from in order to make it back to the boat. It’s no longer in operation but it was shown in the Netflix series, The Outer Banks. So if you’re a fan of show and love fossil hunting, you will love this tour.
Comparing Finds on Morris Island
I really enjoyed the time we spent awaiting our boat to come back and get us since that’s when a bunch of us in our group got to compare finds and Jackie could help us identify things we didn’t know, which was pretty much everything.
Some people in our group really brought in the haul and had lots of cool shark teeth, some of which were pretty big. One lady found a piece of post-colonial pottery, which she was legally able to keep. If it had been dated before that, she would have had to surrender it as it would have been considered an artifact. We were legit living our Indiana Jones dreams right here.
Jackie also had what she thought was a bone of a Leatherback Sea Turtle. She needed to consult her “bone guy” to get it properly identified though. Even so, it was neat. If the bone was from a Leatherback Sea Turtle, she guessed it came from the one that had washed up deceased on Morris Island a little over a month ago. She had shown it to us while we were walking along and it was enormous. It’s the largest kind of sea turtle in the world and was easily longer than myself. As sad as it was to see the turtle being delivered back to the Earth, from a scientific perspective, it was fascinating.
Tips on Visiting Morris Island
We learned a few things on our trip that may help you when you go:
- Wear shoes. Shells are sharp and you really don’t want to cut yourself or have your kid cut their foot. That will be most unpleasant.
- Bring water, sunscreen, and bug spray. We went in April and the temperatures were perfect but it was sunny and sunscreen and water were crucial.
- Bring a few snacks but don’t go crazy. I totally overpacked my bag and it was really heavy the whole trip. I had three water bottles, my camera, a lot of food, sunscreen, and bug spray. I really only needed the water and a couple snacks. If you have a small and comfortable hiking backpack, that would be a great option for this trip.
- Keep the pups at home. Dogs are not allowed on public boat trips. For private boat trips, an exception may be made.
- Bring a sunshirt or jacket. Weather on the coast can be very unpredictable. A light jacket or sun shirt would be useful to protect yourself from the sun on the island and if the boat ride gets a little chilly.
- Bring a plastic bag for your treasures. A gallon-sized ziplock bag is perfect for collecting and admiring your treasures. A fanny pack to attach it to would be excellent.
- You’ll be walking (very slowly) for most of the time if you want to search for fossils. We pretty much walked around 2.5 hours of the three hours on the island. I could have stayed there all day but just be prepared if you have smaller kids that may not want to do that kind of activity. You don’t need to go that far on the island to find treasures though – we just wanted to explore. You can certainly find a few spots to hang out at and look around.
- Towels are useful. Towels can be helpful if you get a little wet during the boat ride or just want to sit on the beach and relax. Towels can also be useful if you decide you want to swim in the ocean for a bit.
- For those with accessibility needs, they are evaluated on a trip by trip basis. Coastal Expeditions suggests giving them a call to talk about mobility and what those needs are and see if they can be accommodated.
Booking Your Morris Island Trip
The Morris Island excursion runs from March 16 – October 15 and in total is about four hours. You can book your tickets online.
Tickets are $65/adults and $40/kids. Gratuity is not included but very much appreciated if you really enjoyed your trip. The trip begins and ends at their Shem Creek flagship location.
For other excursions and adventures run by Coastal Expeditions, check out the Coastal Expeditions website.
If your family loves adventures, trying new things off the beaten path, and making amazing memories, this is the trip for you. My daughters and I thoroughly enjoyed the trip and we learned so much in the process. This is the best kind of learning! And going with Coastal Expeditions – an established company with an impeccable reputation – you know you are going to have the best experience possible.
Coastal Expeditions
514 Mill Street, Mount Pleasant, SC
843.884.7684
Coastal Expeditions Website | Facebook
Looking to make a longer trip? Here’s our Charleston, SC Visitor Guide… things to do, where to eat, and where to stay.
What to Expect at Pirates Voyage in Myrtle Beach
Ever heard of Pirates Voyage in Myrtle Beach? Recently, my family traveled to nearby Myrtle Beach in order to check it out for our Kidding Around community. We had a lot of adventures (you can read our full Myrtle Beach itinerary here) but one of the experiences that stands out for being truly amazing and beyond our expectations was the dinner & show, Pirates Voyage produced by the Dolly Parton Company. Here’s a review of our experience at Pirates Voyage plus some tips for your visit.
Thank you to the Myrtle Beach CVB and Pirates Voyage for inviting us to enjoy the show.
Here’s your ultimate guide to visiting Myrtle Beach, SC!
Before the show
Don’t head in too quickly as you might spy a sea lion or parrot outside before the show.
The doors open at 50 minutes before the performance. The show is around 2 hours long so take that into consideration when you plan your arrival time. However, there is an entertaining pre-show in the Pirates Village with pirates singing and tricks to help pass the minutes before your meal begins. We were happy to see lots of seating in the waiting area and there was popcorn and drink available for purchase if you needed a snack. Before the show, you can also pay to “Join the crew” which includes face painting, costume accessories, and flags. The face painting area was decorated very nicely with huge chairs for the kids to sit in and the face painting looked very elaborate. You should reserve your spot ahead of time if you want to add this to your package.
I was also pleased to find that the gift shop had a wide range of prices and types of items. Our kids had brought some of their own spending money but it wasn’t much and both found a decent costume prop for $3 each in the gift store.
About the show
Be prepared to be entertained by pirates, tricks, animals, and even mermaids during the two-hour show. My family was impressed by the number of tricks and the many surprises. The show also included singing, dancing, and a fun story plot. Don’t worry if your kids are not into pirates, there are parrots, sea lions, mermaids, and lots of tricks and aerobatics. The show is fast-paced and kept my kids’ attention for the entire time.
You will also be assigned a pirate team to cheer for which adds a fun interactive element. It’s all lighthearted and while there is enough sword fighting and banter to keep the kids entertained, it’s not violent or scary.
At a couple of points in the show, members of the audience were given a chance to participate. I’m not sure how the members are chosen, but my kids were picked to chase ducks. They received a book from Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library and a medal for their participation.
It’s easy to see from any level of seating in the arena. We were seated in one of the higher sections and had no trouble seeing. In my opinion, it’s worth paying a couple extra dollars to be in the preferred section though in order to be in the middle of the room.
The food
Like most dinner & show venues, you will be served a set menu, though you can request a vegetarian meal or gluten free meal when you make your reservation. The beverages served are Coke, Diet Coke, tea, and water and you are served multiple refills during the meal. The food was hot and fresh and included chicken, shredded pork, corn on the cob, creamy vegetable soup, bread, basted potato, and an apple pie pastry. You can purchase additional beverages at the start of the show.
Last Tips
Be sure to bring a suitable cash tip as tips are not included in your ticket price. Our table had a small sign that suggested 15% for good service. The servers work very hard carrying large trays across the arena while in costume and they deserve a decent tip.
Have your kids use the restroom before the show as it’s a long show during which they will possibly be consuming a lot of beverages. We were really happy to find clean restrooms that were actually large enough to accommodate the crowds (in fact when we headed there after the show we didn’t even have to wait in line).
If you choose to skip the pre-show, be sure to still arrive early enough to allow time to go through the ticket lines and get your photo taken before the show.
You can purchase a bundled deal on the Pirates Voyage website when you purchase your tickets to save money on tickets to Ripley’s Aquarium or Wonderworks.
About Pirates Voyage
8907 N. Kings Highway
Myrtle Beach, SC 29572
(843) 497-9700
Pirates Voyage website
Ticket prices: starting at $59.99/adults, $34.99/children
Have you ever been to Pirates Voyage? What did you think?
Be Charmed by the Miniature Paradise of Brookgreen Gardens: Myrtle Beach, SC
While you’re visiting Myrtle Beach, SC, your itinerary must include Brookgreen Gardens! Myrtle Beach, being a busy coastal area, has a lot of natural places to explore, with Brookgreen Gardens being one of the area’s most beautiful places to visit. The 9 thousand acres of paradise tucked away in Murrells Inlet (about 45 minutes from Myrtle Beach) is a short drive from Myrtle Beach and is only a couple minutes from Huntington Beach State Park. Learn about some of our favorite things to do at this lovely garden, and why you should consider it during your next trip to the coast.
Thank you to the Visit Myrtle Beach and Brookgreen Gardens for inviting us to experience Brookgreen Gardens during our week stay at Myrtle Beach.
Find out everything you need to know before your next family vacation in our Ultimate Travel Guide to Myrtle Beach, SC!
What’s there to do at Brookgreen Gardens: Myrtle Beach?
First, don’t allow the name to trick you into thinking that you will only experience a garden (though you will certainly stroll through plenty of beautiful gardens), this award-winning destination includes also a low country zoo, several children’s areas, a large sculpture collection, and more. Put on your walking shoes and sunscreen because you could easily spend the entire day exploring.
The Creek Excursion
We started our visit by heading to the Wall Lowcountry Center to purchase tickets for the Creek Excursion. This pontoon boat tour down the creek is not included in general admission but it’s priced very fairly. I’m so glad that we choose to go on the boat excursion because the tour guide shared a lot of interesting historical information about the rice plantations that were originally in the area and the various owners of the property.
We also saw several alligators and native birds. The pontoon boat is shaded too giving you a little break from the sun. Be sure you have your kids use the restroom before the boat ride as it is 45 minutes. Children old enough to enjoy the presentation or that don’t mind sitting quietly for longer periods of time will enjoy the ride best.
The Creek Excursions run from March through November each year.
Children’s Discovery Center
After we finished the boat ride, we headed back to the Wall Lowcountry Center where we discovered that the Children’s Discovery Center had opened for the day. This small room was stocked with fun activities for the kids including a dinosaur dig, a clay sculpture area, and an art station. It was also air-conditioned and had two rocking chairs. I imagine that in July, this is the most popular spot in the gardens for kids needing to cool off for a couple minutes.
Walk to the Lowcountry Zoo
You can either ride the trolley up to the Lowcountry Zoo or walk, but if it’s spring you should definitely choose to walk because you won’t want to miss the path framed by Azalea bushes and the many look out stations and trees that you will pass on the pathways.
There are complimentary strollers parked at the Wall Lowcountry Center if you have a little kid that tires quickly from walking. The strollers are quite large and our seven year old managed to cram herself in one.
Storybook Forest
Right before you reach the zoo, you will find the Storybook Forest which is a collection of play houses and structures painted and themed around fairy tale characters. There isn’t a lot of shade (despite it being a “forest”) but the kids didn’t seem to mind at all.
Lowcountry Zoo
The Lowcountry Zoo is not large but it’s perhaps one of the most relaxing zoos I’ve ever been in. The pathways were shaded and beautifully landscaped with plenty of shade and the animal exhibits mostly blended in very well with the native surroundings.
Inside the zoo, we walked close to herons, watched otters play, and saw an alligator. All of the animals in the zoo are native to the area and the raptor area is all rehabilitated birds that can not live in the wild. The zoo does offer free tours and activities depending on what time and day you visit. We also saw a butterfly house but it was not open during our visit.
Gardens
Of course, you cannot visit Brookgreen Gardens without seeing the famous gardens. They are quite large and varied. The azaleas were in bloom when we visited in early April and were absolutely beautiful. In the gardens, you will find not just flowers and fountains but also a large collection of around 2,000 pieces of art, mostly sculptures.
Tips for Visiting Brookgreen Gardens
We learned a couple things during our visit that I’m sure you will want to know:
- The gardens are considered a National Historic Landmark, and has won countless awards because of the delightful combination of art, history, and nature.
- There are plenty of bathrooms, but if you go on the Creek excursion like we did, make sure your kid goes to the bathroom FIRST. It’s 45 minutes which is plenty of time for a kid to go from “I need to go to the bathroom” to “it’s an emergency”.
- Your ticket includes the entire gardens and zoo for 7 consecutive days. It’s quite a large area and there are several guided tours. Plan on eating while you are there. There are several restaurants onsite and there are lots of great spots to eat a picnic.
- There are complimentary strollers (including “adult strollers”) which is really nice because there is a lot of walking.
- Almost everything is outside so be sure to put on your sunscreen and bring a bottle of water.
- Many of the sculptures have a fig leaf or less of clothing. Be prepared for your child to point this out loudly at the most inappropriate moments.
About Brookgreen Gardens
1931 Brookgreen Drive
Murrells Inlet, SC 29576
www.brookgreen.org
Hours: 9:30-5 every day (with extended hours during select periods of the year)
Admission: Tickets are $22 for adults and children 4 – 12 years old are $12. Children under 4 are free, and seniors get a $5 discount.
Have you ever been to Brookgreen Gardens? What did you think?
What to Expect at Medieval Times: Myrtle Beach, SC
If you have ever wanted a chance to let your kids be a medieval lord or lady for a night, you should consider reserving tickets for the dinner/show Medieval Times. Myrtle Beach is full of unique places to visit, and Medieval Times is one of the most creative and interesting experiences you’ll find. Here’s what to expect and also some key tips from our visit to help you have a fantastic experience.
Plan out your next epic vacation with our Guide to Myrtle Beach, SC, loaded with things to do, places to stay, places to eat, and more!
Thank you to Visit Myrtle Beach and Medieval Times for making it possible to write this review.
The Preshow and Souvenirs at Medieval Times Myrtle Beach
The doors open 75 minutes before the show and seating is first come, first serve. We arrived about an hour before the show started and while it did result in some of the best seats in the house, our children had trouble waiting until the show began. If you are craving those front-row seats, early arrival is key, but we recommend waiting if you have younger kids.
Upon arriving you will be given your seat ticket, officially crowned with a paper crown, and posed for a photo. My kids were especially impressed when they saw that we were entering a castle, complete with a drawbridge.
Be sure to have your children use the restroom right before the show as you won’t want to have to take them in and out during the action.
The Preshow
Before the show begins you can watch a pre-show where you can pay to be “knighted”, several gift shops, a bar, and a torture museum (additional fee). The show is around two hours, so if your kids are younger you may want to arrive closer to 20-30 minutes early if you don’t care about your seats.
Gift Shop
The gift shop has a number of interesting souvenirs such as light-up swords, costumes, and rather real looking weapons. You may want to consider budgeting for flags as your children can wave them during the show. The gift shop sells some really nice flags but we were also offered $3-5 pennants and flags once we were seated in the arena.
The Food at Medieval Times Myrtle Beach
Remember that the show is a big part of the evening, but my family did really enjoy the meal too. You will be served a four-course meal, which ours included tomato bisque soup, roasted chicken, garlic bread, corn on the cob, herb basted potatoes, a dessert (it was pound cake our night), and Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, or water. Coffee is also on the menu, but it wasn’t offered to us the night we attended. You can substitute a vegetarian meal that includes items such as warm pita bread and humus, carrots and celery, three bean soup, and fruit which is a nice option.
The meal is served to you throughout the show so there is no customization available (other than the option to choose vegetarian), you will have no silverware (since you are in the Dark Ages), and there is just two rounds of drinks served. You can order additional drinks including non-alcoholic and kid-friendly drinks from the bartender who will visit your table before the show. They also have a full-service bar for adults who want a drink or two.
What Is The Show Like at Medieval Times?
The show is approximately 2 hours and includes horses, a falcon demonstration, a knight tournament, and then a battle between the knights to determine the victor. The different parts of the story are tied together through dialogue of the king, his daughter, and the herald who frequently address the audience. Our family had trouble understanding what was being said but we were still able to follow the general flow of the story.
Each family is seated in the arena and assigned a knight and team to cheer for. The show is very personable with the knights making eye contact directly to the people in their sections (or even sneering at the opposing sections). The knights are also awarded flowers from the princess throughout the night which they throw out to the children in their section.
My children seemed particularly captivated by the closeness and realism of the arena. In fact, my daughter kept blowing kisses to our knight after receiving a flower. All the seats are really quite good in the arena. But, you are a little closer to the knights and action if you have a front or second-row seat.
My kids favorite part was definitely the sword fighting at the end of the show. It was full of big clangs, sparks, and all sorts of weapons. There is no blood, but be prepared for your knight to die as only one will survive. I did read reviews online where some families felt like the fighting was inappropriate for small children, but I personally did not think that it was scary or particularly violent beyond being a sword fight.
Tips for Medieval Times
Gratuity is not included in your ticket price. Be sure to bring cash so that you can tip your server rather than tipping with your credit card. Even though the meal seems simpler than what you would experience at a regular restaurant, your server is having to carry massive trays (possibly a long distance) and be in character and costume during the entire evening. After some online research, we settled on $5/person which seems to be a common tip amount for the show.
Medieval Times is a show with horses and animals. So, don’t be surprised if you occasionally smell horses or see things that you would rather not during dinner. At least though your average kid thinks that horse poop during dinner is pretty funny. The arena is continually cleaned throughout the show.
If your kid needs to use the restroom at the end of the show (and it’s an “emergency”, of course), you might want to duck out right before the show officially ends. Lines for the restrooms can get quite long after the show.
You may be able to find deals on the Medieval Times website depending on when you are attending.
General Information
We attended the Medieval Times show in Myrtle Beach and had a great time. You can also find a show close to the Upstate in Atlanta, Georgia.
Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament
2904 Fantasy Way, Myrtle Beach, SC
843.236.4635
Have you ever been to Medieval Times in Myrtle Beach? What did you think?
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