I live close to Myrtle Beach and it would be so easy to drive 45 minuets to Myrtle rather than 4.5 hours to Ameila Beach BUT when I tell you it was worth the drive, it really was!!! No awful tourist attractions on every block, no cars with loud music all hours if the night, no crazy beach or pool crowd (& we stayed on Memorial weekend!) The whole trip, room, location, pier, beach and pool was so clean & relaxing!!! This is now a family favorite vacation location!!! Ooohhhhhh and subsets on the PRIVATE pier are AMAZING !!!!