Myrtle Beach, somewhat unsurprisingly considering its unique selling points, attracts over 14 million tourists a year.

As a vacation hub it is hard to beat if you're looking for the sort of break that combines the lure of the green, glorious beaches and exhilarating watersports with world-class nightlife and dining. And even if deciding whether to use the six or nine iron is not for you, there are enough other activities - from Scuba diving to grand prix driving to ensure you always have many entertainment options.

The Grand Strand is consistently the Eastern Seaboard's most popular destination attracting visitors to an area that won't disappoint. And with so much on offer just about every type of visitor is catered for. For the family there are some of the States' most innovative and exciting amusement parks. Here you'll find the exotic reptile park - Alligator Adventure situated at Barefoot Landing, and the Family Kingdom Amusement and Water Park - where you can have a good old scream on their all-wooden roller coaster. Aquatic thrills and spills can also be had at South Carolina's largest water park - Myrtle Waves, as well as a number of similar parks. Kids and big kids alike won't know what white-knuckle ride to try first. And being Myrtle Beach that little dimpled ball is never too far off the agenda; nearly 50 minigolf courses ensure all ages get a chance to go for a hole in one (even if it is through a clown's head).

After a day playing - be it on the greens, rollercoasters or windsurfing (yes you can do that too), you can expect some great southern-style entertainment in Myrtle Beach's hotspots. A must in this part of the world is the Dixie Stampede Dinner and Show - featuring eight buffaloes who "stampede" as you dine on a southern barbeque - a unique experience to say the least. Staying on the musical theme, the world-famous House of Blues, attracts some of the biggest acts around or if you miss the real thing, see some of the best-known sound-alikes at Legends in Concert. With 11 live entertainment venues to pick from you shouldn't have any problems finding the show for you. If it's fine dining your after, Myrtle Beach is home amongst a plethora of cuisines, to some of the best seafood restaurants around, such as the locals' favourite, the Sea Captains House.

After all that you'll be needing a good night's sleep. Try Hilton's recently renovated Myrtle Beach Resort and you won't be disappointed. It is situated on the northern beachfront, minutes away from the area's main entertainment attractions. The next morning, if you're looking to take some time off from the links, watersports and amusement parks, take a riverboat cruise or hire your own craft and drift lazily past sleepy plantations on the Waccamaw River or the Intercoastal Waterway - an inland stretch of water which runs the entire length of the Grand Strand.

Another favourite Myrtle Beach way to relax is to hire some tackle and cast off, either on the inland waterways, from one of the seven piers along the coast, or for the really big catches, on a deep-sea fishing charter. Alternatively you might find therapy of the retail kind is just what you need to get over that wayward tee-shot. Myrtle Beach's 300 outlet stores, boutiques and elegant malls, including the area's newest and South Carolina's biggest - Coastal Grand, should satisfy that particular craving. After you've played all those sports, seen every show and shopped till you've dropped, its good to know you can lie back on the golden sands and pat yourself on the back for choosing Myrtle Beach. Just watch out though if you hear someone shout "fore".