Experiences are the texture of ordinary weeks—not ticketed festivals. From Conway, keep inland quiet as your baseline, then choose half-days when you want more: Brookgreen Gardens in Murrells Inlet for sculpture and gardens; Huntington Beach State Park for a quieter state-park beach; the Murrells Inlet Marsh Walk for an evening waterfront stroll; and Market Common in Myrtle Beach when you want outdoor dining without living on the tourist strip. The Conway Riverwalk, about 10 minutes from the main section of Myrtle Trace, stays the easy early walk. Charleston is honest arithmetic: about 2 hours one-way from Conway (roughly 97–98 miles via US-17)—round-trip drive alone is about 4 hours before museums and lunch, so overnight is often the kinder version.
From inland Ocean County, shore days are optional outings via Route 37 east—not a boardwalk lifestyle. From Holiday City near Redhook, Island Beach State Park is about 25 minutes (quieter barrier island; arrive early on summer weekends), Seaside Heights about 23 minutes (carnival treat day, then home inland), and Cattus Island County Park about 19 minutes (nature without carnival). Pinelands drives offer a different mood when the shore is crowded. When you visit family near Verona and Kearny, fold in a Highlands walk—Ramapo Mountain State Forest or Wanaque Reservoir overlooks—so the trip is not only kitchen tables and highways.
Build a personal weekly rhythm rather than a tourist checklist: one errand morning, one social touchpoint (coffee, clubhouse, library program), one longer outing, and plenty of unscheduled home time. That balance travels with you whether the porch faces Carolina pines or New Jersey oaks.