Tropical Paradise 2019 Myrtle Beach

The two days of travel were worth the wait when we finally arrived at our 2019 Tropical Paradise condo in Sunny Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

The trip seems to take longer every year that we drive down but the condo that my granddaughter found for the family vacation was worth all the times the GPS took us on a different turn and added an additional half hour to our travels.

Check in 4 PM: All of the luggage is in. The balcony only has a view of the ocean around seaside villas. We have investigated all of the cupboards to see what needs to be purchased besides groceries at the store.

Dinner consisted of a multitude of different pizzas since it was too late to shop and then cook. First nights are always pizza nights.

Off to the beach with the whole family to take in all the fun we have been missing for two years and first time views for the youngest great grandson.

All settled in and the routine begins:

For me it's early to rise and then off to watch the Sun come up from the sandy walkway. I don't do sand so I don't venture out onto the beach. I enjoy the view from the balcony but this year I can't see the beach from the balcony so I have to walk down to the walkway at 14th Street.

After I took my first picture my son walked up behind me and I just about fell off my walker chair. I had just finished taking a video of the waves lapping onto the shore.

Right behind him came my son-in-law. The two of them went off combing the beach for seashells. they came home with several finds which included a hermit crab which one of the great grand daughters has been nurturing with sea water and sand. Im not sure how long this poor creature will survive with all of the "TLC" that it is being shone.

Then scrambled eggs and bacon for all before the whole gang went off again to the beach with suntan lotion and dragging four beach wagons along with various buckets shovels, sand chairs, umbrellas, towels and anything else they could think of the keep themselves amused until lunch.

Their beach trip netted them a very small baby lobster in one of the sand buckets.

After lunch the ladies went shopping for the few things they had missed on their first trip and a Father's Day cake along with some gifts for the three Dads in our group.

You've heard of Taco Tuesday. Well, it was taco Sunday at our condo after which the three Dads went off to a pier to do some fishing. The children were treated to Movie night in the upstairs living room.

The guys went to Apache Pier to fish. First catch of the night was a little shark. All in all they caught some gropers and a couple of sharks. They left the condo at 7 and returned back around midnight.

Tuesday the whole family loaded up and went to Broadway on the Beach.

They started out in the It's Sugar Shop and the grandchildren and great grandchildren walked about shopping. Each child had some money of their own to spend but they passed on the candy.

Next was Christmas on The Beach shop where one of my granddaughter-in-laws bought some ornaments.

Then they boys big and little went on a motor boat ride. This speed boat makes sudden stops and quick turns to delight all aboard.

While my daughter's family went to the Aquarium my son's family took me to Margaritaville to wait for them.

Two hours later it was time for dinner which we ate at a barbecue restaurant since the restaurant we chose had an hour wait for a table.

Then it was off for more shopping in the other direction which took the smaller children to Ripley's Believe It Or Not upside down house for fun.

We adults all split up and we went back to Christmas on the Beach since my daughter didn't get to shop there doing grandma trips with the girls to the facilities.

Everyone met again at the condo to share shopping finds.

We started out for the Flying Fish for dinner on Thursday evening but they don't take reservations and the wait time was going to be 2 to 3 hours so we passed on that restaurant. That was our good fortune because the House of Blues was a perfect spot for an enjoyable evening with family even though we had to split up into who tables.

My one time I have a cocktail is when I'm on vacation and I finally found a place to order a real Margarita. Cheers everyone!!!!

We started to go see the exhibit where you can get your picture taken with baby tigers but it was closed for the evening by the time we came out of the restaurant.

Our final day was spent at the beach and returning all the live sea life back to the ocean that they had brought back to condo. That evening we went to a movie theater to see Toy Story 4. I haven't been in a movie theater since I was a child so it was a new experience for me. Sodas and popcorn for all.

It's always a bit sad to have to pack up for the trip home but we can chalk this week up to fun for all.