Thursday, July 20, 2023

Dayton House Resort at Myrtle Beach Offers Great Service, Fun Activities, & is Oceanfront

 

Dayton House Resort in Myrtle Beach, SC © Katrena
Dayton House Resort in Myrtle Beach, SC © Katrena

Located at 2400 N. Ocean Blvd., Dayton House Resort has been around since the 1960's. They offer a family-friendly atmosphere in Myrtle Beach right on the ocean. I don't work for the Dayton House Resort and did not mention that I have a travel blog when I made reservations or checked in to the hotel, so I feel that I received treatment just like any other guest in mid-July 2023. I found all the staff to be friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable.

Front Desk Staff Member, Sierra, Provided Friendly and Professional Service © Katrena
Front Desk Staff Member, Sierra, Provided
Friendly and Professional Service © Katrena

At the front desk, Sierra was professional and pleasant, even when I had several questions and changed my reservation since a couple of people in my group were unable to come. I also checked out sandbags for playing corn hole at the front desk and found each person at the desk to be knowledgeable and welcoming.

Annie at Dayton House Resort Keeps the Rooms Clean & Goes the Extra Mile © Katrena
Annie at Dayton House Resort Keeps the
Rooms Clean & Goes the Extra Mile © Katrena

If you vacation right on the ocean, keeping the rooms clean can be a significant challenge. People are often tracking in sand on their shoes and areas tend to get moldy easily with the combination of warm temperatures and high humidity. We found our room in the middle building to be very clean. The beds were comfortable and everything including the air conditioner, microwave, refrigerator, and plumbing, worked fine. Annie, the housekeeper, made a point of welcoming us to the hotel and offered tips for times to visit when the weather is particularly nice. She went the extra mile for us the entire time we stayed at the hotel and checked more than once to see if we needed anything.

Dayton House Resort Provides Beachfront Vacations © Katrena
Dayton House Resort Provides Beachfront Vacations © Katrena

Since we vacationed during a very hot part of the season, I began checking to see if my daughters wanted to do some indoor activities during our vacation, but they unanimously decided they wanted to simply enjoy the amenities at the hotel, so we stayed on site for our whole vacation.

View from the Balcony at Dayton House Resort © Katrena
View from the Balcony at Dayton House Resort © Katrena

Dayton House Resort offers a complimentary hot breakfast that was delicious and served with a smile. The staff is very conscientious as they work together to keep the indoor areas, grounds, and rooms looking nice. I saw several crew members meticulously lining up the deck chairs and straightening the lawn chairs with the umbrellas each morning.

Multiple Pools & a Lazy River at Dayton House Resort in Myrtle Beach © Katrena
Multiple Pools & a Lazy River at Dayton House Resort in Myrtle Beach © Katrena

My crew found the pools and hot tubs to be relaxing and refreshing. I particularly liked how some pool areas offered shade and indoor options. We had lots of fun playing corn hole one evening as well.

Direct Beach Access from Dayton House Resort © Katrena
Direct Beach Access from Dayton House Resort © Katrena

Those who enjoy the beach won't be disappointed staying on oceanfront property. We could walk right out onto the balcony and see and hear the ocean. Taking walks together on the beach offers a great opportunity to enjoy the simple pleasures in life together. 

Yellow Umbrellas at Dayton House Resort in Myrtle Beach © Katrena
Yellow Umbrellas at Dayton House Resort in Myrtle Beach © Katrena

The Dayton House Resort has lots of yellow umbrellas on the lawn on the way to the beach, so it's easy to find the hotel after taking a walk along the shore.

Sunrise at Myrtle Beach © Katrena
Sunrise at Myrtle Beach © Katrena

I stayed at this hotel for the first time about 20 years ago and am delighted that it is still thriving and offering great service. They have added more buildings and items like the lazy river, but they have maintained a welcoming family atmosphere that can appeal to multiple generations. The resort actually had quite a few guests staying when we did, even though my photos tend not to have people in them.

Visit the Dayton House Resort official web site for more details.

Sunset at Dayton House Resort in Myrtle Beach © Katrena
Sunset at Dayton House Resort in Myrtle Beach © Katrena

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Fun Things to Do at Dayton House Resort in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

Fun Things to Do at Dayton House Resort in Myrtle Beach SC © Katrena
Fun Things to Do at Dayton House Resort in Myrtle Beach SC © Katrena

The Dayton House Resort, located at 2400 N. Ocean Blvd. in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, has been around since the 1960's and offers a friendly family atmosphere that encourages families with multiple generations to visit over and over again. Our family has stayed at the resort several times over the years and we've found that the hotel has evolved to incorporate a great mix of activities. The pools, decks, and grassy areas appeared to be well-maintained when we visited.

Indoor/Outdoor Pool at Dayton House Resort © Katrena
Indoor/Outdoor Pool at Dayton House Resort © Katrena

My favorite pool is the indoor/outdoor pool. I think I can get sunburned in about 15 minutes while being lathered with 70 SPF, but I really enjoy hearing the ocean waves while enjoying an outdoor atmosphere. This pool was a great option for me and tended to be less crowded than the largest pool.

Sauna at Dayton House Resort in Myrtle Beach SC © Katrena
Sauna at Dayton House Resort in Myrtle Beach SC © Katrena

A sauna and hot tub are located next to the indoor/outdoor pool. We visited in the middle of July in 2023 and it was hot and humid already, so I didn't try either one of them. However, my oldest daughter sat in the hot tub both days we visited and enjoyed it. She mentioned to be particularly careful when stepping into the hot tub because there is a third step that is easy to miss when the water is bubbling.

Outdoor Zero Entry Pool at Dayton House in Myrtle Beach © Katrena
Outdoor Zero Entry Pool at Dayton House in Myrtle Beach © Katrena


View of Pool from Middle Room Balcony at Dayton House © Katrena
Nighttime View of Pool from Middle Room Balcony at Dayton House © Katrena

The largest pool offers zero entry, which is especially nice for people with mobility issues or for those who want to enjoy a very shallow area without going to a separate pool. This one tends to be quite popular. When staying in an ocean front room in the middle building, the balcony provides a nice view of this pool as well as the ocean.

DJ Playing Music at Dayton House in Myrtle Beach SC © Katrena
DJ Playing Music at Dayton House in Myrtle Beach SC © Katrena

On Sunday afternoon, a DJ played music between the snack bar and largest pool. I noticed people of all ages were enjoying the music and a few were dancing by the pool. We only saw the DJ with music on Sunday, so I'm guessing they only offer it on the weekends or just for special occasions.

Ping Pong at Dayton House Resort © Katrena
Ping Pong at Dayton House Resort © Katrena

To the left of the snack bar is a room with a ping pong table. Guests may check out paddles and balls at the front desk. A small kid's pool is also by the snack area at the south building.

Indoor Pool in Suites Building at Dayton House in Myrtle Beach © Katrena
Indoor Pool in Suites Building at Dayton House in Myrtle Beach © Katrena


Large Hot Tub at Suites Building in Dayton House Resort © Katrena
Large Hot Tub at Suites Building in Dayton House Resort © Katrena

The suites building features an indoor pool, which is a great option if weather conditions don't allow for outdoor swimming. A small indoor kids pool is located beside this one on one side. Another larger hot tub is located just outside the door by the other end of the indoor pool.

Lazy River at Dayton House Resort in Myrtle Beach © Katrena
Lazy River at Dayton House Resort in Myrtle Beach © Katrena

Dayton House now offers a lazy river that runs outside in front of the suites building. Guests can hop in a provided flotation device and float through various spraying features. We made a few laps around the lazy river one day.

Corn hole at Dayton House Resort in Myrtle Beach © Katrena
Corn hole at Dayton House Resort in Myrtle Beach © Katrena

A couple of sets of corn hole boxes are located in the grassy area with the yellow umbrellas. Guests can check out beanbags at the front desk. It's particularly nice to do this on grass because the sand can get particularly hot in the middle of the summer.

Fitness Center at Dayton House Resort in Myrtle Beach © Katrena
Fitness Center at Dayton House Resort in Myrtle Beach © Katrena

Dayton House offers a fitness center in the west building for those who wish to exercise indoors while on vacation. They have a couple of machines (pictured above) while the other half of the floor is open, so if you want to do dance exercise, kickboxing, yoga, tai chi, Pilates, etc., you'll have a space to do so. The fitness room has two mounted TVs and some towels for your convenience and is located next to the laundry.

Enjoy the Atlantic Ocean Beach at Dayton House Resort © Katrena
Enjoy the Atlantic Ocean Beach at Dayton House Resort © Katrena

We enjoyed days with no rain, so we opted for walking on the beach for our exercise, walking down to the Skywheel one evening and walking the other direction on the other day. Walking in the sand is a great workout while enjoying the sounds of the surf and perhaps a beautiful sunrise or sunset. I recommend wearing flip flops or slides because the dry sand can get quite hot in the hotter parts of the day. We went barefoot once we got out to the wet sand. Of course, swimming in the ocean is another option for those who are strong swimmers. Four of the current Dayton House Resort buildings are adjacent to the beach. Those staying in the west building are right across the street and parking for guests is free.

Sunset at Myrtle Beach South Carolina © Katrena
Sunset at Myrtle Beach South Carolina © Katrena

Visit the Dayton House Resort official web site for more information. Thanks for visiting my Love 2 Travel with Kids blog! Find more of my articles via the search bar, topics tab, or site map. Below are a few of my articles you may wish to read:

Complimentary Breakfast at Dayton House Resort in Myrtle Beach - Hot Tasty Meal Served with a Smile

 

The Rose Room at Dayton House Resort in Myrtle Beach
The Rose Room at Dayton House Resort in Myrtle Beach © Katrena

We visited Myrtle Beach in South Carolina in the middle of July 2023, a time when the ocean waters were beautiful and blue! A complimentary breakfast is offered with reservations for guests. We stayed two nights, so we had the opportunity to enjoy two free breakfast meals. Upon check-in guests are provided with armbands that permit entry to the breakfast and pools. I noticed they had some well-maintained pretty flowers growing around the Rose Room building as well as beach-themed artwork on the walls, which was a nice and colorful touch.

Complimentary Hot Breakfast Served Daily to Dayton House Guests
Complimentary Hot Breakfast Served Daily to Dayton House Guests © Katrena

The free meal is served from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. daily at The Rose Room. If you are walking out of the lobby of the middle building, you can see the The Rose Room on the far side of the parking lot directly across the street. Signs at the hotel indicate that breakfast is least crowded during the first hour and most crowded during the last hour. We went after 9:30 one morning and shortly after 7:00 the next morning and found the signs to be pretty accurate. We found that they had plenty of food during both of our visits. I did not mention that I have a travel blog ahead of time, so we were getting the real deal without any special treatment.

Mrs. Hager and Ashley at The Rose House
Mrs. Hager and Ashley at The Rose House © Katrena

Guests are invited to enter the building on the left side of the building and then turn to the right. We were greeted by Mrs. Hager, a delightful lady who asked our room number. She was quick to notice anyone who was not sure where to go by quickly offering information. Ashley, another staff member, would switch off with Mrs. Hager or bus tables whenever needed while we were there. At least one other person was bussing tables and I didn't catch his name or get his photo, but I did notice that he also did a great job with a smile.

L.J. and Von Serving Breakfast with a Smile!
L.J. and Von Serving Breakfast with a Smile! © Katrena

After checking in, we were treated to a buffet with a nice variety of breakfast foods, such as fruit, granola, yogurt, eggs, sausage patties & links, grits, cheese grits, seasoned potatoes, biscuits & gravy, coffee, and juices. L.J. and Von were also quite welcoming and brought more of the same pleasant atmosphere as they served us our meals. Guests could choose to eat in the restaurant or take a carryout box. In addition to multiple tables inside, a picnic table is on the porch or guests may wish to eat at tables to the right of the middle building while listening to the sound of ocean waves or head back to enjoy air conditioned rooms.

Pretty Artwork at Dayton House Rose Room
Pretty Artwork at Dayton House Rose Room © Katrena

I am guessing that Dayton House Resort serves several hundred meals each morning, but nobody had to wait in line more than a couple of minutes and the entire area was kept very clean. I was particularly impressed with the wonderful social atmosphere at The Rose Room. Being surrounded by welcoming, kind people while enjoying a tasty, hot meal is a great way to start one's day at the beach!

Pretty and colorful flowers around the Rose Room
Pretty and colorful flowers around the Rose Room © Katrena

Visit the Dayton House Resort official web page for reservations, directions, and more. Thanks for visiting Love 2 Travel with Kids! You can find more of my articles via my site map, topics tabs, or search bar. You may also wish to visit some of my articles below:

Mrs. Hager - thanks for a great start to the morning!
Mrs. Hager - thanks for a great start to the morning! © Katrena

Sunday, May 16, 2021

Grayson Highlands State Park in Virginia - Wild Ponies, Hiking Trails & Amazing Views

Grayson Highlands State Park © Katrena

Grayson Highlands State Park, located at 829 Grayson Highland Lane in Mouth of Wildon, in southwestern Virginia boasts a wide variety of hiking trails meandering along its over 4500 acres of land. Hikers who are hiking the entire Appalachian Trail will at some point find themselves trekking through this state park with amazing panoramic views atop the ridge. Visitors tackling Little Pinnacle find themselves standing at an impressive elevation of 5,089 feet. But the wild ponies that call this state park home steal the show for most folks visiting Grayson Highlands.

Park Office at Grayson Highlands State Park © Katrena

My crew visited Grayson Highlands State Park in mid-May 2021. The trip from North Carolina took us on some scenic, back roads that were quite curvy, reminding me of driving to my parents' home town in the Cedar Bluff area in southwestern Virginia. If your kids are prone to motion sickness, this would be a consideration because I don't think there is a way to get to this park without the curvy roads. I encouraged my crew to watch the road as I drove and nobody ate within an hour of hitting the curves. Although some of my group said they felt a bit carsick, everyone said they enjoyed the visit to this park.

Trail to Massie Gap at Grayson Highlands State Park © Katrena

The park charges $10 to park. Annual passes are available for people who frequently visit Virginia State Parks. I tend to avoid parks that charge an admission or parking fee, but this was one park that I particularly wanted to give my family the opportunity to see.

Homestead at Grayson Highlands State Park © Katrena

After entering the park, you'll see a park office on the left. This building offered restrooms, a small gift shop, and great advice from the friendly and informative attendant on the day we visited. She took the time to let us know where to look for the ponies, where to park, and some information about the various hiking trails. People with mobility issues will find a beautiful view across the road from the gift shop. One can see the homestead just to the right if you look down and a little to the right. We didn't visit the homestead area, but a road on the right can take visitors to the homestead and picnic area.

Rhododendron Coverage Resembling Enchanted Forest on Cabin Creek Trail at Grayson Highlands State Park © Katrena

As you continue driving, you'll see a particularly nice view a little ways farther where you can park your vehicle and see the view from the edge. I had been eyeing the campground online, so we took the road to Hickory Ridge Campground, where full service camping is available May through October. We saw several RVs, tents, a few yurts, and a lodgehouse. When I had looked online, it looked like the bathroom facilities were quite far away, but as we drove through, we could see that bathrooms were available near the lodgehouse. The official website offers a map and the ability to book reservations online with details about the various sites. It looks like many of the sites are booked by type rather than by the actual number of the site.

Trailhead to Massie Gap at Grayson Highlands State Park © Katrena

Beyond the campground road is a parking area for backpackers. I believe people have to have a special parking permit to park in this area, but trailheads to Massie Gap and the Appalachian Spur Trail are located at the edge of the parking lot. We parked in a parking area on the side of the road just above the backpacker's parking and walked down to the lot to begin hiking.

Massie Gap Parking Lot looking back from the Rhododendron Trailhead at Grayson Highlands State Park © Katrena

We were advised that the ponies are generally at Massie Gap or on the Rhododendron Trail, so we decided to hike up using the trail to Massie Gap. This trail was heavily shaded in many areas although the leaves on the deciduous trees were not quite open when we visited. The first part of the trail was narrow, preventing hikers from easily hiking side-by-side, but it was well maintained.

Horse Trail East at Grayson Highlands State Park © Katrena

Many parts of the trails are well marked, but we did end up on the 2-mile Horse Trail East, taking us about a half mile out of the way and then backtracking when we realized we must have missed the trail when we were headed back to the parking lot from Rhododendron Trail. We never saw a sign indicating the trail where we had originally hiked toward Massie Gap. If you do take the shorter route back to the parking lot, look for the gate with the Appalachian Trail on your right unless you want to end up on an extra long hike on Horse Trail East. The good thing about taking extra trails however is the extra photo opportunities!

Pine Cone's Natural Beauty & Good Photo Opportunity at Grayson Highlands State Park in VA © Katrena

The Massie Gap area features a parking area that often fills pretty quickly, but you can skip the hike from the backpaker's parking lot if you can find a parking spot on further up at Massie Gap. Restrooms are located at that parking area. We saw quite a few hikers with dogs in this area and on several of the trails that we hiked. Sometimes the wild ponies are in this area, but not on the day we visited. We like to take our time on trails to enjoy the natural beauty all around - even if we haven't found exactly what we are looking for!

Cabin Creek Trail at Grayson Highlands State Park © Katrena

The 1.51 mile Cabin Creek trail begins across from the bathrooms in this area. This trail is mainly natural terrain with quite a few rocks and tree branches, so be careful where you step. The rhododendrons provide an excellent canopy that reminded us of an enchanted forest as we began that trail. A little further, the trail splits into a loop. We chose the right side and hiked along the the level, higher part of the trail first, which meant that we hiked along the creek going down. A few spots were muddy but passable - if you have hiking boots, I'd recommend wearing them. 

Waterfall Along Cabin Creek Trail at Grayson Highlands State Park © Katrena

The creek boasts numerous smaller waterfalls and one larger waterfall that we saw. There was an area to the right for an overlook with lots of stairs that we didn't hike, so I'm not sure what we missed in that area. Quite a few boulders are along the creek, and a couple of my kids liked sitting on the tree that looped down in front of the largest waterfall for a few pictures. If you are hiking the loop counterclockwise like we did, be prepared for an uphill hike on the way back to Massie Gap. If I hike this trail again, I would likely take the left fork going down.

View from Rhododendron Trail at Grayson Highlands State Park © Katrena

If you stand facing the bathrooms in the Massie Gap parking lot, you'll see the Rhododendron Trail on the hill with a gate behind the bathrooms and to the left. A split rail fence flanks the first park of this trail. If you are looking for ponies and haven't found them at Massie Gap, this trail is where you will likely find them. The majority of this trail is uphill and a mixture of gravel and natural terrain. This trail is not as shaded, so I recommend sunscreen and a hat. 

Wild Ponies at Grayson Highlands State Park © Katrena

Once we were at the top, we took our time and enjoyed the amazing panoramic views. And yes, we found wild ponies near the top. Since they are wild, they might be in various locations, but if you ask other hikers, they will likely be able to point you in the right direction if they have already seen the beautiful animals. Although wild, most of the ponies we saw were grazing within sight of the trail and some were walking on the edge and even on the hiking trail. My crew was particularly delighted to see a tiny foal.

Boulders at Grayson Highlands State Park © Katrena

The Appalachian Trail crosses over near the top, and we saw several hikers walking along Wilburn ridge to the right. Quite a few boulders jutted above the land and a few people had conquered the climb to the top of the boulders, perhaps feeling on top of the world! Additional horse trails continued on to the left. We hiked part of the way on the left as we found several ponies. 

Wild Ponies and Foal at Grayson Highlands State Park © Katrena

One of my kids said seeing the ponies made this her absolute favorite park we have visited. That is saying a lot because we have hiked at quite a few parks in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. I'll have to say that this park was quite enjoyable for me too. Apparently, the weather can turn quickly on this mountain, but when we visited, the temperature was in the 50s and 60s and the sun was out, making for a gorgeous hiking opportunity and awesome views.

Mini Museum at Grayson Highlands State Park Visitor Center © Katrena

After hiking back to our car, we headed to the visitor center. You'll find places to park on the left with additional parking down and to the right. If you have folks with mobility issues, you'll want to drive up to the left to get closer to the building; however, it looked like parking was not available right in front of the building. The visitor center offers a gift shop, restrooms, and a small area with displays featuring Appalachian life from earlier years. The displays are informative and will bring back a sense of nostalgia for those who grew up in that area years ago. 

View from Visitor Center at Grayson Highlands State Park in Southwestern VA © Katrena

We saw a butterfly garden in front of the visitor center, but the weather was not quite warm enough for butterflies when we visited. In fact, we discovered that the area had snow two days the previous week. The view in front of the visitor center was great as well. Behind the visitor center is the 1.33 mile Twin Pinnacles moderate hiking trail. My crew was all hiked out by that time, but I've heard this trail offers amazing views and some bouldering opportunities. Those who wish to boulder should check with staff for renting a mat if they do not have one with them.

Wild Stallion Pony at Grayson Highlands State Park © Katrena

Grayson Highlands State Park was a great experience for my crew, particularly because we had the opportunity to see wild ponies while we hiked. We hiked about four hours that day. You could easily stay here several days and try many different trails. Although we saw warning signs about bears, we did not see any bears when we visited. I had seen posts that longhorn cattle grazed in the area, but we didn't see any cattle when we visited. Although we saw quite a few hikers, each group was naturally spaced apart and it did not feel overcrowded. Other hikers were respectful and the trails were well maintained.

Wildflowers Along Hiking Trail at Grayson Highlands State Park © Katrena

Those who like to ride bikes might be drawn to stay at this park since you can book shuttle service to the Virginia Creeper Trail, which is another awesome outdoor adventure. If you have ever wanted to hike just a small portion of the Appalachian Trail, this park can fulfill that goal. The park is adjacent to a national park, so there is no shortage of outdoor adventures in this area. Equestrian camping and trails are also available at this park.

Hiking Trail with Beautiful View at Grayson Highlands State Park © Katrena

Visit the Grayson Highlands State Park official web site for directions, prices, trail maps, and more.

Great Hikes in VA at Grayson Highlands State Park © Katrena

Thanks for visiting Love 2 Travel With Kids! Visit this site map for more articles, and you may want to check out my blog Travel NC With Kids to see our travels throughout NC. Here are a few of my articles to get you started: