I've never had any problems with controllers at CRE or MYR and have been to both many, many times over the past 10 years. In fact, they are probably some of the nicest out there.
Grand Strand has a nice miniature golf course (Hawaiian Rumble-- I think it's called) a very easy walk from the airport, and there's a strip mall with a Subway and Baskin Robbins right across from it. Good place to take the kid for a nice day out and you don't even need a rental car. The beach is a little longer walk, but they will rent you a car by the hour. I think it's up to 2 hours free if you buy gas and then $8 an hour after that. Cagney's is a great restaurant right up the road if you want to take the S/O and then plenty of public access points to the water for a walk along the beach after dinner.