There are certain trips that fit neatly into the Golf Aficionado mold. A refined resort. A championship golf course. A polished arrival experience. Maybe a spa appointment, a chef-driven dinner, and a golf course that feels like it belongs on a bucket list before the first tee shot is even struck.
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, is not necessarily that kind of trip.
But that does not mean it is not worth taking.
Our recent visit to Myrtle Beach was different from the luxury golf escapes we typically cover at Golf Aficionado. This was a family trip first, a golf trip second, and a reminder that not every worthwhile getaway needs to be built around white-glove service or a top-100 course. Sometimes the value is in the convenience, the beach, the pool slides, the easy flight, the ability to use Hilton status, and the fact that your 16-month-old can nap in a separate bedroom while you finally exhale for a minute.
For this trip, Allison, Cypress, and I stayed at The Ellie Beach Resort, a Tapestry Collection by Hilton property set on 30 oceanfront acres along South Ocean Boulevard. The resort has an interesting history, originally founded in 1948 by Col. Elliott White Springs as a seaside retreat for employees of Springs Industries. Today, it has evolved into a casual, family-friendly beach resort with a lot of the things that make Myrtle Beach work for so many travelers: oceanfront access, multiple pools, waterslides, a lazy river, a splash pad, casual dining, and a pier that gives the property a real sense of place.
This is not the kind of ultra-luxury escape we often cover at Golf Aficionado, but that is not really the point of Myrtle Beach. Myrtle Beach is not trying to be Pinehurst, Pebble Beach, or Sea Island. Its appeal is built around access, affordability, variety, and the ability to create a trip that works for your family.
And with Cypress along for the ride, that mattered.
The Suite Made the Trip
Anyone who has traveled with a young child knows the room can make or break the entire experience. A standard hotel room may be fine when it is just two adults, but once naps, bedtime, early wakeups, and work calls enter the equation, space becomes everything.
We ended up upgrading to a suite, and that decision changed the trip. Having a separate bedroom meant Cypress could nap or sleep while Allison and I had room to work, relax, or simply sit somewhere that was not completely dark and silent at 7:30 p.m.
It is not the kind of detail that shows up in glossy resort marketing, but for young families, it is everything.
The Ellie makes the most sense when viewed through that lens. It is not about over-the-top luxury. It is about functionality. It is about having room to spread out, the beach right outside, and enough family-friendly amenities to keep the day moving without overcomplicating anything.
The pools and waterslides were among the highlights for us. Cypress loved being around the water, and the splash pad gave the resort an easy win for families with little ones. The property also has complimentary putt-putt, indoor and outdoor pools, a lazy river, and a game-room-style atmosphere that gives kids plenty to do.
For a family beach trip with golf nearby, that combination works.
The Value of Being a Hilton Property
One of The Ellie’s biggest advantages is its Hilton connection. As part of the Tapestry Collection by Hilton, the resort gives travelers the ability to leverage Hilton Honors points, status, upgrades, and loyalty benefits.
That matters.
For families who travel often, those perks can turn a simple beach trip into a smarter value proposition. Myrtle Beach is already known for accessibility, but when you add the ability to use points or take advantage of Hilton status, the property becomes even more practical.
The resort also benefits from its location. It sits directly on the beach and is close to Myrtle Beach International Airport, the Boardwalk, Market Common, and Springmaid Pier. That pier is one of the property’s best features. It adds character and gives the resort a more memorable setting than a standard beachfront hotel. There is something timeless about walking out over the water, watching the shoreline stretch in both directions, and remembering that Myrtle Beach has always been about easy coastal enjoyment.
The on-property dining options are convenient, with Ocean Blue serving as the main waterfront restaurant, Southern Tide Bar & Grill offering casual dining on the pier, and The Market providing grab-and-go options. For resort guests, especially families, that convenience is important.
Where the Trip Found Its Flavor
The biggest surprise of the weekend came on our first night at Tidal Creek Brewhouse. It was a last-minute addition, which sometimes leads to the best travel moments. We went in without major expectations and left feeling like we had found the kind of casual, local energy that makes a trip feel more personal.
The food was excellent. The drinks were equally good. But what really stood out was the vibe. Tidal Creek had that relaxed, lively, unforced energy that is hard to manufacture. It felt like the kind of place where locals, visitors, families, and friends could all settle in and enjoy themselves without pretense.
It was exactly the kind of dinner this trip needed.
The second night delivered something completely different but just as memorable. Villa Romana Italian Restaurant is an old-school Myrtle Beach classic and a locals’ favorite for a reason. From the moment we walked in, it had that nostalgic, old-world charm that you cannot fake. The food was outstanding, the service was warm and attentive, and the accordion player added the perfect finishing touch.
There are meals you enjoy, and then there are meals that become the story you tell afterward. Villa Romana became one of those meals for us.
For all the talk about beach access, golf packages, and family amenities, the dining ended up being the emotional highlight of the trip. Tidal Creek and Villa Romana gave us two very different Myrtle Beach experiences, and both made the weekend better.
Golf in the Myrtle Beach Context
Of course, this is still Golf Aficionado, so golf had to be part of the equation.
The Ellie Beach Resort has partnered with Prestwick Golf Club as part of its Fairways to Shorelines offering, and I had the opportunity to play Prestwick during the trip. Located on Links Road in Myrtle Beach, Prestwick is a par-72 course that stretches more than 7,000 yards from the championship tees and offers six tee options.
Prestwick gives The Ellie a legitimate golf component, which is important for a resort trying to appeal to travelers who want beach and golf in the same itinerary. It is a traditional Myrtle Beach golf experience: accessible, playable, and convenient. The course is not something I would frame as a luxury golf destination, but that would also miss the point.
Myrtle Beach has built its reputation on options. Lots of courses. Lots of price points. Lots of ways to plan a trip. It remains one of America’s most recognizable golf destinations because golfers can build a getaway around their budget, group, schedule, and expectations.
Prestwick fits that larger story. It gives resort guests a convenient way to add golf without turning the trip into a full-scale golf production. For families, couples, or groups looking to blend beach time with a round of golf, that can be exactly enough.
The Final Score
Myrtle Beach may not deliver the refined luxury Golf Aficionado often seeks, but it delivers value, accessibility, family-friendly beach energy, and plenty of golf. The Ellie Beach Resort makes the most sense for Hilton loyalists, young families, and golfers looking for a more affordable coastal getaway where points, status, beach access, and convenience matter.
For us, the suite upgrade was essential. The pools, slides, splash pad, beach, and pier gave Cypress plenty to enjoy. The Hilton connection made the property more practical. Prestwick added a real golf component. And the meals at Tidal Creek Brewhouse and Villa Romana elevated the overall experience beyond what we expected.
This was not a luxury trip in the traditional Golf Aficionado sense. It was something different: a practical family beach-and-golf getaway that reminded me there is still value in destinations that know exactly what they are.
Myrtle Beach is not trying to be everything. It is trying to be accessible, affordable, fun, and familiar.
And for the right traveler, that is more than enough.