Hollywood Wax Museum, Myrtle Beach, SC

Date of Visit: July 29, 2026

Visiting the Hollywood Wax Museum in Myrtle Beach has been on our to do list for pretty much the six years we have lived here as Mik and I enjoyed when we visited the one in Hollywood. We almost went last week, but Nora was out of town and we knew it would be even more fun with her (it was!).

The front entrance to the building has steps in front of it, but on both sides of the building there are ramps up to the entrance.

Many of the scenes had props you could use for taking photos. Mik wouldn't wear the pirate hat with Captain Jack Sparrow, but he did not mind Mom getting in the photo with the hat.

Mik was willing to wear the prop hat with Indiana Jones, though.

Mik enjoyed finding the Rock and posing with the weights as he had done the same at the Hollywood Wax Museum in Hollywood.

While most of the buttons were too high for Mik to reach, especially the path he ended up choosing that led to him being a dark enchantress, we all enjoyed the What Villain Are You? game. Mom ended up with mad scientist. Nora was a werewolf. Dad was a mobster. I got double agent.

The museum is on multiple levels. The elevator is very easy to find next to the stairs along with lots of signage including inside telling you which button to push depending on if you are going up or down.

The signs on the doors inside also tell you which one is for exiting depending on if you are going up to continue on the second floor or going down to exit the rear door for the last part of the museum and exit.

Mik's favorite on the second floor was Reese Witherspoon in her Legally Blond role.

We got the all attractions pass that included the Hannah's Maze of Mirrors and Outbreak, Dread the Undead, which are both located in the lower level accessed via stairs or elevator from the gift shop. We only did the maze because none of us were interested in the scary horror seeming other attraction.

Nora and I thought the maze was surprisingly a lot of fun. Mik thought it was okay, but he would not do it again. His main complaint seemed to be that it felt tiny, which it was a little tight, but there was adequate space for turning even when we hit dead ends. Mom hated it because she thought it was endless as she did not know where the out was. Dad and her did take longer to get out than the rest of us, but it still took them less than 10 minutes to get out.

At one point in the maze, there was a turning floor. I pushed Mik right on to it, let go, and waited for him to get turned around to notice he was going on his own and I was not behind him anymore.

Overall we had a lot of fun at the Hollywood Wax Museum in Myrtle Beach. It was fun to do once even though it is kind of expensive (local discount helped make it a little cheaper). Even though the maze did not take long, it made it worth getting the all access pass even without doing the third attraction.

Destination Info:

Hollywood Wax Museum

1808 21st Ave. N. Unit A

Myrtle Beach, SC 29577

Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park - Wright-Dunbar Interpretive Center

Date of Visit: June 26, 2026

We enjoyed exploring the Wright Brother's history in Dayton and the parachute museum at the Wright-Dunbar Interpretive Center.

The entry doors have buttons to open them. The ranger pressed the inside button when she saw us coming because she said sometimes the outside button does not work.

Mik and I caught the end of the movie, which he only let me go in to watch because Martin Sheen was the narrative, but he did not want to stick around for it to start over and watch the whole thing.

Mik enjoyed pressing the various buttons to make things happen in the first floor exhibit. This one in particular was cool because to watch the helicopter toy.

Helicopter Toy

He regretted pressing this engine one, though, because it was very noisy.

The propeller one made quite a breeze that he wanted to quickly move on as it made him cold.

The first floor also has a recreated grocery store, which once was in this building.

The second floor had the Aviation Trail Parachute Museum.

The second floor also has exhibits about the Wright Brothers work before flight with particular focus on the printing press.

Mik felt the doorways in the printing press area were too narrow, although he did fit through no issue at least with me pushing him.

Destination Info:

Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park - Wright-Dunbar Interpretive Center

16 South Williams Street

Dayton, OH 45402

Hopewell Culture National Historical Park

Date of Visit: June 25, 2026

As we had not visited Hopewell Culture National Historical Park, our visit was for more than just an America 250 stamp. However, as there was not much for Mik to do, it was not that much longer of a stop than the places we have revisited this year just for a 250 stamp.

The access ramp to the sidewalk was a little awkwardly placed at back of the first parking spot, which could easily end up being partially blocked if the person parking there does not pay attention.

Not sure if it is often this way or just the day we were there, but there was a hose across the path to the main entrance of the visitor center. There was a "ramp" over it, but it was narrow and steep to cross over meaning it was safer and easier to just go over the hose only.

The visitor center has a side door that leads out to the mounds, which can be also be accessed by following the path around the building, that we used to go in and out once we realized that was an option.

The visitor center did not have much to see. The only exhibit was of tribal nation flags of tribal nations associated with the site. There was an interactive language thing, but it was being used by other visitors and it seemed it would be awhile before we could have a turn. I think they might have had a movie, but this was a rare site that the rangers were not all that engaging and were too busy talking with each other to have been directed to it or be told when it was showing next.

There is a sidewalk that leads up to the entrance to the mounds area and that is as far as Mik could go.

It is understandable that they do not want to disturb the mounds area and add sidewalks to be provide access to the mounds and the signage they have out there. However, it does not make sense that the first sign is not put near the end of the sidewalk so at least that one could be read.

There are some signs about the mounds near the visitor center. However, since there are not really any informational or artifact exhibits inside the visitor center, for Mik this site felt much like one of our quick visits to a NPS site just for the 250 stamp, although he did let me go walk around the mound area to take some Ranger Dan photos while Dad and him sat in the shade by the visitor center.

Destination Info:

Hopewell Culture National Historical Park

16062 State Route 104

Chillicothe, OH 45601

New River Gorge National Park & Preserve - Canyon Rim Visitor Center

Date of Visit: June 24, 2026

Our visit to Canyon Rim Visitor Center was mainly to get the America 250 stamps they had there. Dad and I had visited here before, but since it was Mik's first visit, we also walked out to the overlooks so he could see the river and the New River Gorge Bridge. As we wanted to make sure we had enough time at our next stop of the day in Ohio, we did not end up seeing the movie in the visitor center.

There is a good overlook of the river out the back door of the visitor center. You can also view the river out the back windows from inside the visitor center, but Mik found the frame lines of the window were right at eye level for him when Dad rolled him up to the window.

To see the bridge, there is a short boardwalk trail off to the side of the visitor center.

The trail continues down steps including a warning to know your limits as going down is optional, but coming back up is not. Even without going down the steps, you can get a decent view of the bridge.

Destination Info:

New River Gorge National Park & Preserve - Canyon Rim Visitor Center

162 Visitor Center Road

Lansing, WV 25862