I think younger kids would like Myrtle, for all the obvious reasons. Both Hilton Head and Kiawah much more low key. I love them both, but I think Hilton Head still offers more to do than Kiawah.

First Kiawah, then Hilton Head. Not a lot to do in Kiawah. More to do in Hilton Head, but Kiawah is much more upscale. I am not a fan of Myrtle Beach, but did have fun when I went.

Hilton head is not commercial. I've been going there every summer for 30 years! Since I was a kid now I take my kids there because it is a wonderful place. Sea pines plantation is great, like pp said you can ride bikes everywhere on paths or the beach, horse back ride, kayak at sun down to see dolphins, explore the nature preserve, it's great. I haven't been to the other two so I can't compare.

If you think Hilton Head is commercial then what do you think of Myrtle Beach. If he doesn't like tacky then I would skip Myrtle, it is the epitome of tacky.

Can't go wrong with either - we prefer Hilton Head as it has a little more to do in my opinion.

I would stay put in one place rather than packing up and schlepping kids and everything from place to place. I would pick Kiawah or Hilton Head (confess I haven't been to Myrtle Beach), becuase they are also close to Charleston and Savannah, respectively.

Kiawah is really nice, but we also liked Hilton Head - plenty of things to do there as well. We hiked, rode bikes all over (including on beach) and went horseback riding. You can take a boat over to Savannah, which is really beautiful. But also with Kiawah you're very close to Charleston, which is also lovely.

Good luck and have fun!

Kiawah above all else. Great new pools with slides and fountains at night heron park. A lot of nature!

Hilton Head is very commercial.

Thinking about taking our 4 and 6 year old on a SC beach trip this spring or summer. We usually do vacation rentals but recently enjoyed the waterslide pools and extras at a full service beach resort with really nice landscaping and I really enjoyed not cooking and cleaning up all the time for once. Looks like the Marriott Grande Dunes in Myrtle is not too bad - I do not want to scare my DH off of Myrtle Beach and this will be our first trip. Has anybody tried hopscotching between these SC destinations or have a preference on which one is most fun for kids without being offputting for a DH who prefers nature to tacky attractions? To be fair he enjoyed Orlando because the kids liked it so much, even though he complained all the way there that he would hate it.