Take Your Grand Strand Adventure Off the Beaten Path

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After days of relaxing on the beach at The Strand Resort, vacationers looking to explore a different side of the Grand Strand can take a four-wheel-drive scenic ride through the beautiful backwoods of the Carolinas. The Myrtle Beach area offers some of the region’s best and most adventurous ATV tours — and better yet, they are only a short car ride away from The Strand Resort.

Located in Ash, North Carolina — near the Carolina border and about a 30-minute ride north of The Strand — is Carolina Backwoods ATV Adventure Tours. The business offers private ATV tours in the Myrtle Beach and North Myrtle Beach areas. In addition to exploring off-the-grid locales on a four-wheeler, guests are able to fish and enjoy the natural surroundings.

Depending on how experienced you are, or how dirty you’re willing to get, your Carolina Backwoods tour guide will help you determine the best trails to take for the ride of a lifetime. The tours are perfect for a family experience or a rowdy trip with a group of friends. You can have up to 10 guests in a group, and the ride will last for about two hours — plenty of time to wear the kids out. Don’t worry, Mom, they provide protective gear to assure maximum safety and fun. The price of this adventurous ride is $130 per rider; those between the ages of 5 and 11 can be accompanied by an adult for $45. 

A little bit further into the Carolina backcountry in Nesmith, South Carolina, about an hour drive west of Myrtle Beach, you will find Battery Park Off-Road Dirt Track & Trails Adventure Park. ATVs aren't the only thing you can ride around this massive off-road park. Other options for your off-road adventure include dirt bikes and jeeps.. You will get dirty, this they promise — but no worries, as they have a bathhouse just for you to wash away all of the dirt and mud after your adventure.

If you don’t have your own mode of transportation, no problem — you can rent a variety of dirt bikes, four-wheelers, and even a Jeep or dune buggy! Battery Park has over 30 miles of one-way, enduro-style trails and three loops of two-track trail. The terrain varies from beginner to advanced, so the tracks can accommodate all skill levels. To ride for the day, it is $20 for adults and $10 for kids 12 and under. Depending on how you prefer to get dirty, rentals range from $90 to $250.

Now that you know the hot spots where the outdoor enthusiast can ride off-road, what are you waiting for? Pack some clean clothes and closed-toe shoes and get ready for the time of your life!

After a day out riding through the woods, you can return home to The Strand, where you can catch a shower and then take a relaxing dip in the pool, or even go for a walk along the ocean if you just haven't had enough of the outdoors for one day.

The backwoods of the Carolinas are calling your name. So make your reservations at The Strand Resort, pack your bags, and hit the road!