Myrtle Beach offers a myriad of activities from golf and theatre to helicopter rides

If you are headed to Myrtle Beach (www.visitMyrtleBeach.com), regardless of the time of year, do not worry about finding fun things to do. The list is extensive.

The Myrtle Beach area boasts more than 100 championship golf courses and 30 miniature golf courses, making it a premiere destination for golf enthusiasts and aficionados. There are approximately 3.4 million rounds of golf played annually in the Myrtle Beach area. Check out Hawaiian Rumble, where they host the Masters Tournament of mini golf every October. It is located on Highway 17 and very popular as was illustrated by the lineup when we arrived at 7:30 one evening.

There is nothing like a helicopter ride to truly see all of what Myrtle Beach has to offer. Ocean Front Helicopters (http://oceanfront-helicopters.com) provides some of the best deals and we can personally vouch for an amazing experience. There may be other helicopter companies in town, but Oceanfront offers the only $20 flight that will actually take you over the beach! The Inlet Tour is the one we opted for. The views are simply breathtaking, such as low country marshes, untouched sand dunes and a bevy of native wild life. Several bird species, alligators and turtles all call the marshlands home. The length of this tour -15 to 20 minutes – also greatly increases the chance of spotting a pod of dolphins playing in the water or even a lone shark hunting for its next meal! Bring your camera on this tour and snap some photos that will make all of your family and friends green with envy! The location is right by the airport, with plenty of free parking. For more information call (843) 946-0022.

A birds-eye view of photo taken from our helicopter ride

For my family, no holiday is complete without a live show and that is exactly what we got at the Alabama Theatre (www.alabama-theatre.com). There is good reason why this is recognized as the number one entertainment venue in the area. Located at 4750 Highway 17 South next to popular Barefoot Landing, the theatre opened in 1993 and got its name directly from the country music super group Alabama whose members decided to build this state-of-the-art facility.

We saw ONE The Show, which runs six nights a week February through October, and it was nothing less than spectacular. The presentation from a talented group of singers, dancers and musicians features everything from country, gospel, Broadway, pop and rock to plenty of hilarious family comedy. Emcee and featured vocalist Greg Rowles is quite personable and remember the name Ricky Mokel. This is the alter ego of stand-up comic Grant Turner. He introduces himself to the audience before the actual show begins as a stage hand and reads out a series of instructions. With a thick Southern accent, he has the crowd roaring with laughter in seconds. Throughout the evening he comes back to perform small bits and at intermission and the end of the night signs autographs in the lobby. One day each week the theatre generally presents a guest artist. Info: 1-800-342-2262 or online.

Check out the SkyWheel for what promises to be a very enjoyable eight to 10 minute flight. The recurrent hours of operation are Sunday to Saturday from 11 am until 11 pm, barring of course inclement weather or lightning. Email [email protected] for more information. Anywhere from two to six people can fly at one time. For the VIP flight, up to four can fly. And don’t worry – if there are just a few of you, no strangers will be put in with you. Each flight is your own private experience.

The Grand Strand shopping complexes are destinations within themselves, including more than 300 outlet stores. Visitors can stroll along boardwalk promenades on warm evenings, venture in and out of hundreds of unique specialty stores, and dine in exceptional restaurants along the way. We checked out the Tanger Outlets and were impressed with the deals available at the major brand name stops. Ditto for Broadway at the Beach, a gigantic and fun complex of food and fun.

So what have I placed on my list for “next time?” Shopping at the Market Common and Coastal Mall. Evenings of entertainment at the Caroline Opry, Legends in Concert, the Palace Theatre, Medieval Times Dinner Theatre and the House of Blues. Stops at Brookgreen Gardens, Ripley’s Aquarium, Hollywood Wax Museum, Wonder Works Indoor Amusement Park, MB Zipline Adventures, Waves water park and perhaps even some minor league professional baseball with the Chicago Cubs affiliate the Myrtle Beach Pelicans. Check all of these places out on the web.

Mike Cohen’s email address is [email protected]. Follow his travels at www.sandboxworld.com/travel and on Twitter and Instagram @mikecohencsl.