Myrtle Beach, S.C.

We're living in an ocean front condo in the Coral BeachResort in Myrtle Beach. We wake up every morning to a view of the ocean sunrise. We see palm trees, sand, seagulls, pelicans, an occasional pair of dolphins and the ocean from the eastern, glass wall of our condo. It is off season here so, except for weekends when a few families check into the resort, we have the huge indoor pool, Roman spa and sauna to ourselves. Sometimes it feels spooky, as if we are the last survivors of a nuclear apocalypse.

We found the condo through Vacation Rentals By Owner. We’re paying $3,000 for December, January, February and March. The rent covers electricity, water, heat, trash, cable TV and internet. We have no fixed home costs – real estate taxes, apartment rent, mortgage, etc. We have no maintenance costs.

There are downsides. It is off season so many restaurants are closed or have reduced hours, the ocean is too cold for swimming and there is some noisy, off-season construction and maintenance.

However there are positives to being here in winter. We found and fell in love with Brookgreen Gardens. We can wander the many paths, admire the sculpture and trees without being jostled by other tourists. There is very little traffic. We never have to wait for a tennis court.

Will Myrtle Beach be a regular winter spot? At this point I don’t think so. Often, January and February have been either surprisingly cold or too windy for tennis. The emptiness is almost overwhelming and, because we are renting directly from the owner and not through the resort, the Coral Beach management has been pointedly unhelpful.