[shilala]

Andrew, if you head down south a bit to Litchfield/Pawley's Island, it's missing the zoo atmosphere and is downright enjoyable. The beach population is thin enough to where it's perfect. Tons of room for everyone.
There's easy access to run up to Murrell's Inlet, which is downright cool. You can always run up the coast and thrust yourself into the human zoo any time you want, it's not a big drive.
The prices of food and lodging are much better, and you can find a really nice room on the beach for under a hundred bucks a day. It's quiet, you can dig the wildlife and grass flats, and avoid the brain-numbing bustle of Myrtle Beach proper.

It depends what you like, I suppose. Myself, I wouldn't do it any other way. My buddy takes the kids up north and they seem to like that, but he's not tried it down south yet. I've seen his beach pics and I'd be a nervous wreck, afraid to lose the kids.
The two places aren't far apart, but they really are two whole different worlds.