Gran Maze of Coconut Creek, Panama City Beach, Florida

The Gran Maze of Coconut Creek was the first maze adventure for our family. I originally had low expectations of the maze, walking through a maze was not my idea of a fun time. As it turns out, I was wrong, my family and I had a lot of fun. That said, the entertainment value was on par with my original expectations. I know that it may sound like an oxymoron to say that something is fun but not entertaining, but this is the case with the Gran Maze. I think this could be improved by adding some themed décor throughout the maze. If nothing else, it would be an opportunity to stop for a selfie or a family photo.

 

The object of the maze is to find your way to four points located in the center. All four points are connected to form one football-field-sized maze. Once at each point, you punch your card to show that you have completed the maze. My family of three, who depends deeply on Google maps for navigation, finished in around 30 minutes. The leader board that is located just outside the maze, displayed times as low as 15 minutes. Honestly, it is hard to believe that the course could be completed in 15 minutes without being extremely lucky or by cheating.

The maze at coconut creek provided a fun way to stretch our legs and to log a few steps in our Fitbit’s. Our first maze was a learning experience. I am sure we will seek out this type of adventure more often going forward. With a little practice, we may even shave a few minutes off our time.

Harbor View Golf, North Myrtle Beach

Whether you are looking for a driving range, a par-3 golf course, foot-golf, or putt-putt, you will find it all at Harbor View Golf, in North Myrtle Beach.

I played this Par-3 course with my wife, who had never played, and my 7-year-old son. We visited during the off-season and it rained most of the week. This left the entire course soaked and the greens extra shaggy. I assume that the greens would be in better condition during prime season. That said, on this occasion the slow greens were a plus. They were just right for my wife and son to enjoy.

This tee shot landed hard on the green, it was a very wet day.

Many of the greens are on the small side. Since we were scrambling, we were able to hit many of the greens in regulation. In the unfortunate event that we did not, we allowed my son to use his foot-wedge. We were out there to have fun, not to beat ourselves up over missing a green by two feet.

Many of the fairways at Harbor View are wide open,
a great golf course for the family.

I have seen other reviews of Harbor View that say it is overpriced. I disagree, 18 holes of golf and a golf cart cost the three of us $80. I felt that this course offered a lot of value at this price.

If you are looking for a pristine par-three course, Harbor View may not be for you. However, high-end golf courses do not usually offer foot-golf for the kids. This Par-3 golf course is great for a day trip with your family or an easy day of working on your short game.

Harbor View Golf Course

     

Little River Deep-sea Fishing, North Myrtle Beach

Unforgettable Experience!

We showed up at Calabash Marina on the morning of our deep-sea fishing trip, they asked that we arrive 30 minutes early. The check-in process was flawless, we boarded the Hurricane II and we were out to sea shortly after. Since this was our first deep-sea fishing excursion, we opted for the half-day trip. The captain did a great job, he kept us on fish all morning and we moved to a new location each time it slowed down.

Coastal Morning View

The knowledgeable deckhands were fun and able to identify many of the different fish species found in the Atlantic ocean. They were quick to assist with removing fish, adding bait, and fixing tangles as needed. My wife ended up catching the largest fish of the morning; she managed to reel in a sharp nose shark that was just under 4ft in length.

When we returned to the dock one of the deckhands cleaned our keepers, they do not charge for this service but keep in mind that they do work for tips. We ended up giving some of our fish away and were still able to take a couple of pounds of shark and grunt fish over to Crabcatchers restaurant, in Little River, NC.

Sharp-nose Shark

My family and I loved this adventure. Little River Fishing Fleet provided our family with a unique fishing experience that we will never forget. Deep-sea fishing will be a part of our itinerary next time we visit the North Myrtle Beach area.