Now You CAN Have a Sensory-Friendly Adventure at Myrtle Beach

Image from nonprofit Canva account, family with a member with disabilities on vacation for a group photo at the beach. Plane graphic taking off in the background includes the Autism handprint heart icon to symbolize accessible travel.

I love the beach! The sand, the sun, and the soothing sound of the waves. Not to mention scouring the beach for shells and sharks’ teeth! Myrtle Beach, SC. has always been a family favorite. But for individuals who may have sensory issues or be on the autism spectrum, navigating travel and accommodations can be overwhelming not only for that person, but also for the family and support persons.

I was delighted to discover that since 2016 the City of Myrtle Beach and its neighbor Surfside Beach have been working towards and are now certified autism-friendly destinations through the Champion Autism Network (CAN). There is an extensive list of resources to help families and groups traveling with persons who have autism or sensory issues to provide additional support during their vacation. These include:

sensory-friendly experiences
discounts
restaurants
preferred entrances and admissions
specially trained staff

An Autism Travel Card can be obtained at the Myrtle Beach Welcome Center and Town Hall in Surfside. These allow holders of the card to use them discretely at the various attractions and a number of restaurants that are participating in the CAN certification. Myrtle Beach International Airport provides a Quiet Room for relaxation. There are also CAN-certified hotels. They offer accommodations to help make the check in/out process and other amenities sensory-friendly. The Autism Travel Card also includes sensory friendly experiences in attractions such as Ripley’s Aquarium, Wonder Works, Big Air Trampoline Parks, and more.

The Myrtle Beach Welcome Center can also provide a GPS tracker as part of Project Lifesaver. This could help anyone where there may be the concern of wandering off or getting lost. Through this program they have a specially trained search and rescue team that is dispatched when the caregiver notifies the agency that someone is missing.

“Visit Myrtle Beach” is also debuting a “Traveling the Spectrum” video series. They report that 87% of families who have a family member with Autism do not go on vacations. However, 93% would like to. This series will follow three families as they travel to Myrtle Beach with their loved one who is on the autism spectrum. I am not going to lie, just the trailer brought tears to my eyes. You can check it out here, as well as other links for liking and following their other social media outlets.

View the three-minute trailer on any of the following social media.

“Traveling the Spectrum” website, TravelingTheSpectrumShow.com
Facebook.com/travelingthespectrumshow
Instagram.com/travelingthespectrumshow
Beach Easy YouTube page

To find out more about Myrtle Beach’s CAN certifications and participating hotels, restaurants, and attractions visit https://www.visitmyrtlebeach.com/plan/autism-friendly-vacations/myrtle-beach-sensory-friendly-hotels or visit the Champion Autism Network.

Advice from the Ocean: Be shore of yourself. Come out of your shell. Take time to coast. Avoid pier pressure. Sea life’s beauty. Don’t get so tide down on work that you miss out on life’s beautiful waves. – Author Unknown

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