South Carolina in August? Some people might say we were crazy but we felt we would have been crazy not to. When you have family living in the state, there is never a bad time to visit…no matter how much rain or humidity we encountered.
After attending an Engaged Encounter national conference in Atlanta, the four of us drove the 360 miles with Sidney’s mom and dad from A-Town to Myrtle Beach for a week of vacation with Sid’s parents, siblings, and their families.
Sloan takes a photo with her grandparents (aka Gami and Dada). What a blessing it was to be around them this past week.
It was seven much-needed days that kept us busy but relaxed at the same time. The trip produced many memories and bonding experiences. I decided to summarize our Summer 2026 Myrtle Beach vacation by detailing 10 themes from the week we spent out on the east coast…
Sloan and Beau got to do a lot over the past week. One fun moment was taking them to the Marsh Walk on Murrells Inlet. This photo was taken at the exact spot where I proposed to Sidney.
Family – First and foremost, the absolute most important/best theme from our time in Myrtle Beach was family. In fact, most of the themes below will dovetail from it. While we welcomed Sidney’s parents to Spokane for a visit in October 2025, Sloan and Beau had not seen their aunts, uncles, and cousins since our Disney World trip in May 2025. It was so nice to see everyone again as we hung out together, ate meals as a group, and did activities throughout the week. The cousins keep growing at rapid speed so it was a blessing to at least slow things down for a bit with multiple days of continuous time together.
Most of us (minus a couple youngsters) visit in my sister-in-law’s kitchen during this most recent visit to Myrtle Beach. It was great to see everyone.
Outdoor Games – What a blast I had with the kids! During the day when most of the adults were working, I was running Camp Uncle B. I bought a cheap $5 plastic bat that allowed us to play lots of wiffle ball. Hacky sack was also an activity that kept us constantly active no matter where we found ourselves (indoors, outdoors, the mall, etc.). And then of course we couldn’t shy away from the nation’s hottest game as we sweated it out on the pickleball court.
My 14-year-old nephew, Harrison, plays pickleball with Sidney. We played a lot of outdoor games over this past week.
Laser Tag – On Thursday afternoon, a group of us went to Stars and Strikes Entertainment Center to play a game of laser tag. However, our intention of playing just a “game” was extended by a very nice employee who allowed us to play several different rounds. From multiple team challenges to a few free-for-alls, everyone from Sid/me to my 14-year-old nephew to all the kids under 10 had plenty of fun.
Our laser tag crew getting ready for another mission inside Myrtle Beach’s Stars and Strikes location.
Poooool – Let me hit you with a fact: a swimming pool is more refreshing in humid weather! In some instances I might be content to just read a book poolside but this entire week in South Carolina I found myself jumping in every chance I got. I took the kids to the pool in my mother-in-law’s neighborhood and we also hit up the pool in my sister-in-law’s neighborhood. It felt so good! A football water toy we bought at Buc-ee’s prior to arriving in Myrtle Beach ended up providing solid entertainment beyond what I could have ever imagined.
Sidney, Sloan, Beau, and cousins splash in the pool during a humid afternoon this past week.
Putt Putt – A “must-do” item on Sid’s list for the vacation was to take everyone mini golfing at one of the elaborate Myrtle Beach putt putt courses. On Tuesday night, eight of us—including Sid’s dad—went to Spy Glass, a pirate-themed course. Playing under the lights, we played as two groups of four and enjoyed a competitive/good time. My 14-year-old nephew beat me by one stroke in our foursome but my father-in-law recorded the lowest score of all as he played on a foursome with Sid and the two 9-year-olds.
Sloan and her cousin, Henry, pose for a photo between holes at Spy Glass.
The Best Dinner – A highlight of the trip was an outing we took with Sid’s parents. On Thursday night, we went to the Marsh Walk in Murrells Inlet. I showed Sloan and Beau the exact spot I proposed to Sid and then we ate at perhaps the best restaurant in Horry County—Drunken Jack’s. The restaurant has a very inviting and homey vibe and that doesn’t even begin to describe the food. Sid and her mom opted for fried shrimp while us men ordered prime rib (Sloan and Beau ordered burgers). Every bite was delicious but the hushpuppies were second to none. In fact, perhaps the only thing that beat the hushpuppies was the company of my in-laws.
A true highlight of the trip was a special dinner at Drunken Jack’s in Murrells Inlet.
Boating – Thanks to my brother-in-law, John Henry, we had the chance to go boating on Saturday afternoon. We cruised the Waccamaw River as the kids (and Sidney 😉) had the chance to go tubing. We also pulled off at a couple different sand bars for food and swimming.
Beau and his cousin, Jack, watch Sloan and other cousins ride the tube during our boating outing.
Gym – As I tried to compensate for the thousands of calories I was consuming with all the yummy food around me, I did attempt to keep up an exercise routine. I worked out at my first ever Crunch Fitness gym and I even hit up the local YMCA. However, I eventually returned to where I feel most at home. Iron Legacy Gym is where I worked out when I lived in Myrtle Beach and I have exercised there over the past several years when we visited the area. Walking into Iron Legacy on Thursday and Friday brought back a lot of really good memories and produced a couple of great workouts. I also had the pleasure of chatting with the selfless owners, Nancy and Ted Capp.
There isn’t a better gym in Myrtle Beach than Iron Legacy. I felt fortunate to exercise there this week.
Worshipping At A Special Church – On Sunday, we returned to the parish where Sid and I were married, Sloan and Beau were baptized, and Sid was welcomed into the Church. Needless to say, St. Andrew Catholic Church is very special. Making this time even more meaningful was the fact that it was my first time there since renovation was completed…it is beautiful! Fr. Roger Morgan presided and preached about distractions, a perfect message for me as I continue to navigate a very busy summer.
Sloan walks up the steps into St. Andrew Catholic Church in Myrtle Beach on Aug. 9, 2026.
Ice Cream For Dayssss – As we wrap up this reflection, it is time for dessert 😋. With it being August in South Carolina, there isn’t any excuse not to eat ice cream. Thus, you probably aren’t shocked to hear that we ate a lot of it. We raided the carton of vanilla ice cream my mother-in-law had in her freezer, we sampled custard from Freddie’s, and we tried treats from the new soft serve ice cream truck in the Myrtle Beach area called Sprinkles. But our favorite ice cream of the trip came in the form of milkshakes from Cook Out. They are thick, they are packed with goodies, and they are only $3.99. One night I had a cheesecake shake and another night I had a Snickers shake.
Sid, Sloan, Beau, and cousins purchase ice cream from Sprinkles, a new Myrtle Beach soft serve ice cream truck.
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We were sad to leave Sid’s family but we felt blessed for the opportunity at the same time. Sidney deserves every chance possible to visit her home and I found plenty of joy watching all the cousins play so nicely together.
Beau is pictured with his cousins, Patrick and Jack. All the kids got along with each other so well!
In addition to Sid’s family, I also took advantage of the opportunity to see some of my old friends. I had lunch with my former co-workers, Kim Harper and Judy Johns, and also stopped by the house of my mentors, the McCormicks.
Sloan and I pose for a selfie with Tim McCormick during our Summer 2026 visit to Myrtle Beach.
But at the end of the day, the chance I had to visit those who shaped my wife’s upbringing proved most meaningful to me. I feel very fortunate to be accepted by Sid’s family. While in Myrtle Beach, Sid and I were talking to my sister on the phone and she asked me, “Brent, are you as weird in front of the Mathis family as you are in front of ours?”
I am fortunate to have incredible in-laws who raised the best daughter.
Without skipping a beat, I responded with utmost confidence: 100%.
Thanks to my in-laws for being great grandparents to my kids and for accepting me for the weird dude that I am.
Thank you to my in-laws for having us. It was a truly wonderful trip. Don’t Blink.
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