A relaxing family vacation doesn’t have to include expensive attractions and dining out three meals a day. All you really need is a quiet, relaxing place to get away from it all and reconnect with the people you love the most. Tilghman Beach and Golf Resort in North Myrtle Beach is the perfect setting for exactly that kind of getaway.

Tilghman Beach and Golf Resort is a condo complex with both owners and rental units available. It’s located directly across the street from the ocean and the beach, with many units boasting private balconies with sweeping views of the Atlantic.

Renting a condo instead of booking a traditional hotel room for your beach vacation gives you the opportunity to wash and dry your clothes (which means packing less and having dry beach towels!), fix your own meals, and relax in a home-like environment. You will need to buy groceries, but you’ll save on food costs overall by not having to rely on restaurants for every meal. When you do want to have someone else do the cooking, you’ll find a number of restaurants within walking distance or a short drive away from Tilghman. The condos themselves will also offer much more space than a hotel room, an important feature for families traveling together. Our condo had three bedrooms and three bathrooms, along with a large kitchen, dining area and living room with plenty of room for the four of us to stretch out.

While any condo can provide these particular benefits, what sets Tilghman apart are their additional amenities. You’ll find an indoor and outdoor pool that’s open late and a lazy river that’s fun for kids and adults. There’s also free movie rentals available on site with an impressive selection of new releases and family-friendly titles. A day at the beach or pool followed by a family movie night can be an incredible stress reliever if your family tends to be overscheduled at home. Of course, if you do need to check back into real life during your stay, there’s free wifi available in each unit.

Find out more or book online at the Tilghman website.

Our family received a complimentary two-night stay at Tilghman during our Myrtle Beach visit.

Photo by Britt Reints

Beachfront.

5 stars.

Impeccable luxury.

A spa with southern hospitality.

Take your pick to swim in one of two outdoor pools or a luxurious indoor lap pool.

Custom-made beds and enormous balconies overlooking the ocean make for a getaway on the Atlantic coast that falls into your travel plans.

Kiawah Island Sanctuary Resort Pool & Atlantic Ocean View, South Carolina

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Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

As this recent Uptake blogger noted, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina is a fantastic place for the whole family to visit – there are so many things to see and do! There are wide, sandy beaches with beautiful water perfect for swimming, surfing and wake boarding, tons of stores and boutique shops for shopaholics and golfers can’t hit a ball without hitting another golf course or even a miniature golf course. During the summer, Myrtle Beach is hot, crowded and expensive, three things I really dislike. Yes, the water is gorgeous, but what fun is it if you have to fight through the crowds to get there?

We went to Myrtle Beach this year for New Years, and while it was pretty empty and dead, we had a great time! No crowds, no heat to deal with, and prices were low, low low.

Sounds great, right? Here are some hotels to consider in Myrtle Beach for your winter getaway this year:

Marriott Myrtle Beach Resort & Spa

Even if the gorgeous pools are too chilly to swim in, this property is still lovely to walk around, and it’s right on the beach. Casual elegance and top notch amenities.

Island Vista

Gorgeous property with three indoor and outdoor pools, one of which is heated in spring and summer (just wait a couple more months!). Great golf packages available.$70/night in winter!

Prune Village

Brand new hotel and condo complex, right on the ocean. Indoor and outdoor pools and large rooms.

Photo: jelene

guest post by Sherry Gray

Anything on the beach is going to have a certain amount of awe associated with it just by virtue of the natural environment.  But some beach hotels go the extra mile to make the most of their prime location.

Six Amazing Beach Hotels

The National Hotel on South Miami Beach, FL

The Naitonal - South Beach Miami hotel

Known for the elegance and luxury of a bygone era, the hotel sits right on the sands of Miami’s best known beach and features a unique 205-foot long infinity pool. The National was built in the late 1940s and boasts chic art deco style with all the amenities you expect in a luxury hotel.

itty bitty picture of big infinity pool

What’s to love: Style! Fully restored to its original glory in 1997, the National is loaded with charm and style.

The Sanctuary Beach Resort in Monterey Bay, CA

The Sanctuary Beach Resort in Monterey Bay

Built on the edge of The Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, this luxurious resort offers the kind of unspoiled nature you’d normally have to sleep in a tent to enjoy. The isolated location of The Sanctuary Beach Resort offers stunning views of the Pacific Ocean or rolling dunes of seemingly endless sand alive with an amazing array of indigenous plant and wildlife. You can’t go wrong, either choice is simply breathtaking.

What’s to love: Put simply, raw nature. With the Marine Sanctuary just steps away, you’re surrounded by wilderness while being spoiled rotten by amenities.

The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort just off the coast of Charleston, SC

The Sanctuary

This five star resort hotel built in 2004 is designed to be reminiscent of an elegant seaside mansion, and to fit into the landscape as if it has been in place for hundreds of years. Sweeping, Gone With the Wind staircases dominate the expansive lobby, beautifully decorated in traditional southern décor accented by antiques, lending a homey feeling of casual elegance.

What’s to love: Gorgeous, oceanfront golf. Golf Digest ranks The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island Golf Resort at number 25 on it’s list of 100 Greatest U.S. Golf Courses and number 4 on the Best Public Course list.

The Wyndham Hotel Galvez in Galveston, TX

Tropical pool at The Wyndham Hotel Galvez

Recently restored to its full glory, the glamorous Wyndham Hotel Galvez dates back nearly 100 years. Dubbed the “Queen of the Gulf” when it first opened in 1911, the hotel was frequented by celebrities and public figures like Teddy Roosevelt, Frank Sinatra and the enigmatic Howard Hughes.

What’s to love: Aside from rich historical background, the incredible tropical pool complete with swim up bar is a sight to behold.

The Victorian at the Beachmere Inn in Ogunquit, ME

Beachmere Inn

This beautifully restored Victorian mansion built in the late 1800s was once a private residence. Comfortable, affordable rooms decorated in Shaker style and soothing seaside color overlook a panoramic view of the beach below.

What’s to love: Wood burning fireplaces in some of the suite-style rooms for cozy evenings in.

The Turtle Bay Resort in Oahu, HI

View from The Turtle Bay Resort

Forty-five minutes away from the high density overpopulation of Honolulu, the Turtle Bay Resort is an oasis of tranquility on nearly five miles of dazzling white sand beaches. Because of its unique construction, every room in the resort has a spectacular ocean view.

What’s to love: Surfing! The Oahu shoreline is home to legendary surfing spots including the Banzai Pipeline.

You might have guessed that I’m not a huge fan of cookie-cutter chain hotels. I look for unique factors that will make my beach vacation memorable. Fortunately it’s not that hard to find a hotel full of charm, grace and elegance. They key is to break away from the familiar and search for the original.