On April 22, the second day of The Group Travel Leader’s OnSite FAM tour for student travel planners in Myrtle Beach, Tripadvisor released its list of America’s most sought-after summer destinations for 2026. Myrtle Beach won the top spot. Consider how many destinations in America Myrtle Beach had to beat out for this coveted ranking. TripAdvisor says it’s going to be a huge summer for the Grand Strand during America’s 250th anniversary celebration this year.
The FAM group enjoyed this iconic beach destination in April, but it was easy to imagine it was summer. A bright, warm sun greeted them each day while the travel planners enjoyed this stretch of 70 miles on South Carolina’s Atlantic coast. The group was there at the invitation of Visit Myrtle Beach and was entrusted to the care of three of the CVB’s best group travel ambassadors: Lori Lampo, Corey Sanders and Raevyn Ramsey.
Their home base was the towering Hampton Inn & Suites Myrtle Beach/Oceanfront, an anchor property in this entertainment mecca. The Myrtle Beach hosts showered their guests with gifts and turndowns that filled an entire beach bag by week’s end. From sweet treats and beach towels to logoed Brumate tumblers, daily gifts from Visit Myrtle Beach made these planners feel special.
Day 1
• Arrival in Myrtle Beach
• Hampton Inn & Suites Myrtle Beach/Oceanfront
• The Carolina Opry
• Pirates Voyage Dinner & Show
• Interactive Experience Unleashed
Hampton Inn & Suites Myrtle Beach/Oceanfront
After arriving in Myrtle Beach by plane or car, the travel planners checked into the Hampton Inn & Suites Myrtle Beach/Oceanfront. These student group planners gathered in the newly renovated lobby of this 230-room property overlooking the Atlantic and a beautiful, well-managed beach. With two beachfront high-rise towers for sleeping rooms, 1,230 square feet of meeting space, several swimming pools, a complimentary breakfast buffet, a full-service restaurant and an ice cream shop, this property is ideally suited for student groups. It delivers a prime location from which to enjoy the many entertainment and dining options this iconic destination offers school groups.
The Carolina Opry
The travel planners’ first stop was at one of Myrtle Beach’ revered theater complexes, The Carolina Opry. This 40-year favorite projects a commanding presence; its auditorium seats 2,200, and its public space includes an elegant lobby and gift shop. Produced and directed by Myrtle Beach entertainment pioneer Calvin Gilmore, The Carolina Opry currently offers regular season performances from January through October and heartwarming Christmas Special performances in November and December. Groups can choose from three entertainment experiences: “The Carolina Opry,” “Time Warp” and “The Christmas Show of the South.” The complex accommodates numerous motorcoaches for any performance. Student groups are among its most popular clientele, and its group services and rates are available to any group of 22 or more. Groups receive discounted rates, a special greeting, reserved seating, gift shop discounts and dinner package options, and student groups may enquire about opportunities to perform.
Pirates Voyage Dinner & Show
The planners enjoyed a swashbuckling opening evening event at Pirates Voyage starring Blackbeard and dozens of male and female pirates who performed acrobatics, diving and swimming stunts, trapeze acts and other feats on sets designed as ship decks. Even mermaids, sea lions and tropical birds get in on the act. The theatrical sets are built above a huge 15-foot-deep lagoon that provides the watery landing for all the stunts performed during this rollicking show. The group enjoyed a delicious seafarer’s feast highlighted by a roasted half chicken with all the sides and choice of desserts. The meal service was exceptional, and drinks were refilled before anyone could ask. Pirates Voyage drew a packed house, including many school-age kids who were delighted by its imaginative brand of entertainment.
Interactive Experience Unleashed
The night wasn’t over until the planners enjoyed a fascinating stop at Interactive Experience Unleashed, a venue designed to make learning fun. Dozens of stations in this complex offer interactive games that teach kids as they go, such as 3D printing stations where they can design their own house; mind games that allowed our planners to test their mental dexterity and enjoy friendly competition; or a virtual reality station where planners struggled to cook a virtual meal while the rest of the group looked on in laughter. The planners gave a unanimous thumbs-up to this learning venue for their student groups.
Day 2
• PopStroke Industry Event
• Lunch at The Hangout
• Ripley’s Aquarium
• WonderWorks
• Dinner at The Original Benjamin’s Calabash Seafood
• Greg Rowles Legacy Theatre
PopStroke Industry Event
The travel planners headed to the links for mimosas and a light breakfast at PopStroke, a new miniature golf concept that loses the windmills and adds sand traps and undulating fairways to the mix, making the 18-hole layout more like real golf. Myrtle Beach industry members representing hotels, receptive operators and student tour destinations joined the fun and met the planners at each hole to build valuable relationships. Located at Broadway at the Beach, the popular 350-acre entertainment complex in Myrtle Beach, PopStroke proved to be an excellent place to hold a gathering that marries fun with business.
Lunch at The Hangout
Following 18 holes of fun, the group headed over to lunch at The Hangout, a huge restaurant that emphasizes interactions between its staff and customers. Planners ordered from an extensive seafood menu while staff members jumped up on tables to celebrate a birthday party nearby and then to recognize our group. The restaurant owner joined in on the fun and personally extended an invitation to all planners to include an entertaining meal at The Hangout whenever their groups visit Myrtle Beach.
Ripley’s Aquarium
The group’s next stop was Ripley’s Aquarium, a fascinating marine wildlife venue that is as educational as it is entertaining. Tour guides divided the planners into two groups to maximize their time in this immense two-story complex. Sharks, jellyfish, stingrays, sea turtles, penguins and fish of all types are displayed in natural habitats that encourage their interaction in nonthreatening environments. Student groups can choose from camps, touch pool experiences, overnight stays and even state-of-the-art Marine Science Research Center tours. Ripley’s cares for marine life of all kinds in highly technical environments managed by marine biologists, and the planners received a personal tour of the research center while on-site.
WonderWorks
A fascinating stop at WonderWorks, also located at Broadway at the Beach, brought planners face-to-face with several high-tech venues that students can use to simulate extreme conditions like storms or even brief disorientation. Designed to be fun as well as informative, this complex allows visitors to encounter these sensory experiences in a shared environment. Planners enjoyed entering creative zones that simulate extreme weather, outer space, illusionary art and even creative dancing.
Dinner at The Original Benjamin’s Calabash Seafood
The group was treated to dinner at one of Myrtle Beach’s dining icons, The Original Benjamin’s Calabash Seafood, an expansive restaurant that overlooks the city’s Intracoastal Waterway. For more than 30 years, this eatery has entertained visitors with its collection of maritime artifacts, including anchors, replicas of ships, diving gear and artwork. Diners are encouraged to visit its raw bar, seafood bars, salad and vegetable bars, and dessert bar as often as they choose. On any given night, hundreds of fresh crab legs with melted butter are served up to diners at this culinary hot spot.
Greg Rowles Legacy Theatre
The second day ended in style at Greg Rowles Legacy Theatre, where the group was treated to a backstage tour of this longtime entertainer’s theater. Greg Rowles has enjoyed a 40-year career in music dating back to his performances with his parents’ band to successful stints with Opryland USA and the Alabama Theatre in Myrtle Beach. Rowles’ backstage area is a museum of sorts, filled with costumes, billboards, celebrity photos and even two vintage barbershop chairs he uses in a hilarious skit during his concert. Rowles’ “Music & Memories” show played to a full house, and his band included skillful renditions of many hits from the 1980s and on. His “One Hit Wonders” segment and old television commercial music segment were favorites with everyone.
Day 3
• Breakfast and tour at Holiday Inn Resort Oceanfront at Surfside Beach
• Eco-cruise at Marshwalk in Murrells Inlet
• Lunch at Wicked Tuna
• Brookgreen Gardens guided tour
• Dinner at Angelo’s Steak & Pasta
• Charles Bach Wonders Magic Show
• Dave & Buster’s
Holiday Inn Resort Oceanfront at Surfside Beach
The group began its last full day at the Holiday Inn Resort Oceanfront, located in a delightful small seaside town that retains many of its older homes, including some on the beach. The travel planners enjoyed a breakfast buffet in the hotel’s spacious dining room and then toured the property and sleeping rooms, many of which include balconies overlooking the beach. Its well-maintained beach is ideal for school groups, and its beachfront pool and expansive deck with fire pit and Adirondack chairs provide a great place for kids to relax. This property offers the best of both worlds in Myrtle Beach: It’s close to all the city’s major attractions but also offers school groups a quiet place to unwind after a busy day of touring or performing.
Eco-Cruise at MarshWalk in Murrells Inlet
The planners headed over to nearby Murrells Inlet, a longtime favorite getaway that offers busy student groups a place to enjoy time in a quieter, more reflective setting during their trip to Myrtle Beach. The group arrived at MarshWalk and boarded their cruise vessel for a two-hour saltwater marsh tour with a young marine biologist aboard. They made their way out into the saltwater estuary that characterizes Murrells Inlet and cruised to a remote beach for shelling and walking. The guide offered several demonstrations on the trip with commentary about the area’s blue crab and jellyfish, as well as the oysters that play an integral role in filtering and cleaning the waters of this remote marshland.
Lunch at Wicked Tuna
Lunch was a treat in Murrells Inlet. The group was seated on an outdoor terrace at Wicked Tuna, and the weather was perfect for dining outside. This popular waterside restaurant offers some of the best views on the MarshWalk. Fishing and sightseeing vessels were moored nearby, and Murrells Inlet was busy. The catch of the day was red snapper, and the group enjoyed everything from fresh snapper to flounder, sushi and oysters on the half shell.
Brookgreen Gardens Guided Tour
Brookgreen Gardens adds a cultural component for any student tour that teaches kids that beauty, art, heritage and reflection remain integral to a well-rounded education. The story is inspirational even though Archer Huntington and his wife, sculptor Anna Hyatt Huntington, were the beneficiaries of remarkable wealth. Archer Huntington was one of the wealthiest men in America. He was a Hispanic scholar, a published poet, an industrialist and founder of not only Brookgreen Gardens, but also numerous other museums across America. Anna Hyatt Huntington became one of the of the most celebrated sculptors in American history. Today, Brookgreen Gardens includes more than 2,000 works by more than 400 artists, including sculptures by Anna Hyatt Huntington. It preserves flora and fauna from throughout the Southeast and maintains a 250-year-old Live Oak Allée that stretches more than a mile from the gardens to the Atlantic Ocean. Student groups can choose from several tours, including Brookgreen 101, which includes transportation in an electric vehicle; the Creek Excursion, which uses a 48-foot pontoon boat to navigate the property’s waterways to see alligators, eagles and ospreys; and the Oaks Excursion, which explores the rice plantations that once occupied the property and the grounds of its slave village during that time.
Dinner at Angelo’s Steak & Pasta
On their final night, the planners enjoyed dinner at another Myrtle Beach institution, Angelo’s Steak & Pasta. The proprietor, Angelo Antonucci, joined the group and led two tours of his sprawling restaurant that was filled with many longtime diners. Antonucci has spent many years in Myrtle Beach and is well known for his array of steak dishes, all of which are aged and carved on-site.
Charles Bach Wonders Magic Show
The planners headed to Charles Bach Wonders Theatre at Broadway at the Beach for one of Myrtle Beach’s hottest tickets, “Charles Bach Wonders Magic Show.” Bach is a master illusionist and does a great job of pulling guests from the crowd to assist him. On this evening, he picked one of the FAM group members, followed by a young boy whose demeanor was priceless, another guy and finally a couple from the crowd. His card and cellphone tricks, as well as large-scale illusions using his assistants, baffled everyone. Afterward, Bach and his assistants stayed and greeted any guest who wanted to get photos with them.
Dave & Buster’s
The Visit Myrtle Beach hosts spared no details in entertaining the group on their last night. Everyone headed over to Dave & Buster’s, the well-known entertainment emporium that is a fixture at Broadway at the Beach. The hosts gave the travel planners cards loaded with free plays on any of dozens of interactive games, from virtual car races to games of skill. Afterward, they treated the group to refreshments at Señor Frog’s, a waterside restaurant, before calling it a night.
Day 4
The following morning, the Myrtle Beach hosts made sure their guests made their flights or loaded up their cars to head home, taking with them a newfound passion for bringing their student groups any time of year to Myrtle Beach, America’s top-rated summer destination for 2026.
For more information on this itinerary or to plan your own Myrtle Beach group trip, contact:
Visit Myrtle Beach
Lori Lampo
843-916-7299
