God Bless ya. Driving to Myrtle Beach is no picnic, either.
I'll give you this tip, and I won't charge you, although I should. Do NOT head down there on a Friday or Saturday. You'll spend an extra day and a half in the car. Or at least it'll seem like a day and a half.
I think you have a good plan worked up.
I'll tell ya what I do whenever I plan any vacation at all. I get on Google Earth. Then I get a lay of the land, the roads, traffic patterns, see where I'm staying, then check all the businesses around me.
I check for attractions like piers, lighthouses, giant balls of rubber bands, whatever. I study the area and know what's there, how to get there, and what to expect.
Dom taught me about Frommer's Guides. They're AWESOME books that lay out everything for you. What to expect, how to get around, what to avoid, how to act, etc. They're especially great if you're going out of the country so you're not perpetually lost and can take care of yourself and your wife. Plus you can help her (and you) enjoy the trip more by filling her in on the culture and taking her to the best places.
I looked and there's no Frommer's for Myrtle Beach, but there's an
Insider's Guide at Amazon.
It might sound silly to bother with a book for something like going to Myrtle Beach, but I 100% guarantee you'll be glad you bought it. It'll save you money and make you smart about your trip. I will never go on a trip ever again without buying a book or two. They're the best 10 or 20 bucks you can spend.
The books are not biased like websites. They're not trying to sell you something, and they don't have ulterior motivation like Chamber of Commerce websites.
Also, look for messageboards about Myrtle Beach and lean on reviews. The messageboards are excellent at steering you in the right direction, sending you to coupons, and telling you how to save money.
Thank Dom for all that info. He's the one that really taught me how to travel. He knows his sh1t, and my vacations have been infinitely better since he taught me.
