The Real Deal: Round-trip airfare and three nights' accommodations from $370 per person—plus taxes of about $30.
When: Sept. 8-Nov. 30, 2008.
Gateways: Atlantic City, Boston, Detroit; add $36 for Fort Lauderdale; $70 for New York City.
The fine print: Starting rates are based on Monday departures; add about $20 per person for weekend travel. Hotel taxes and service charges are included. Airport taxes and fees are an additional $30 per person. Breakfast daily and airport-hotel transfers are not included. Based on double occupancy; single supplement is about $235. Read these guidelines before you book any Real Deal.
Book by: Aug. 25, 2008; afterwards, the package will still be available, but at a higher rate that hadn't been determined as of press time.
Contact Spirit Vacations, 407/583-5216, spiritvacations.com.
Why it's a deal: According to a recent search on Kayak, the lowest round-trip fare between Atlantic City and Myrtle Beach is $220, including taxes, for travel in mid-September (Spirit). For an additional $150, this Spirit Vacations package covers airfare as well as three nights at a beachfront resort and all taxes.
Trip details: The package includes round-trip airfare on a Spirit carrier and three nights at the 86-room Fairfield Inn Myrtle Beach North, which is the most affordable hotel option for this package as it's located about two miles from public-access beaches. The hotel has an indoor pool and free wireless high-speed Internet access.
Interested in exploring beyond the hotel? Nearby attractions include: Tanger Outlets, the Carolina Opry, a musical variety show, Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede, the Alabama Theatre for the Performing Arts, Barefoot Landing, a shopping dining and entertainment center, the House of Blues, Broadway at the Beach, another shopping and entertainment center, and NASCAR SpeedPark.
At the time of booking, you'll have the option of upgrading to a hotel other than the Fairfield Inn. Total package prices start at $469 for the oceanfront Hilton Myrtle Beach Resort, just off the main highway at the north end of Myrtle Beach, and $494 per person for the 255-room beachfront Embassy Suites.
Before you go, visit the official tourism Web site for South Carolina and the Myrtle Beach Area Convention and Visitors Bureau.