I used to live in SC and no offense to Myrtle Beach lovers but it is not a place we preferred to go. We lived within a 4 hr driving distance and we still opted to fly to Florida. Now, Hilton Head and the Outer Banks can be nice.
Personally, my FAVORITE is South Beach in Miami. You do have to be more open minded, you see anything and everything, great food, great beaches, great people watching, great shopping. It is NOT where you want to go if you want peace and quiet OR if you have little to no open mindedness. The nicer hotels on the beach have great spas. There are some great restaurants and you often see celebs around because South Beach is a HOT spot.
We also go to San Destin yearly which is more of a family place. We love the Hilton Golf Resort and Spa. The Spa is FANTASTIC. You are within 10 minutes of the outlets and the wharf area is nice. It is just on the outskirt of Destin heading toward Panama City. VERY easy to get to, gated resort.
Also check out the Travel Channel. There is a program on fairly often about the top 10 beaches. South Beach and Destin area are on the list.
Have fun!!