Hellobee

We just returned from a week-long vacation on Hilton Head Island. We had a fantastic time!  I have been going to HHI since I was a kid.  A few years ago, my husband and I went for a long weekend and I was re-introduced to the island from an adult perspective. I think Hilton Head has an undeserved reputation for being a little stuffy. But that really isn’t the case! For us it is perfect, because the whole island is very family-friendly. But the town’s focus on eco-oriented development gives it a muted feel that we appreciate.

Hilton Head is very versatile.  If you are looking to rest, you can stay at a resort and have all of your meals on-site.  If your toddler values the familiar, there’s every chain under the sun! But there are lots of local places if you want to try something different.  If you want to venture farther afield, Hilton Head is ideally located as a starting point for fun daytrips.

WHERE TO STAY:

There is no lack of accommodations on HHI.  Condos are the most popular, but there are hotels and homes to rent as well.  The majority of the rental options are located in plantations, which are basically just private resorts.  There are some areas outside the plantations that are popular with vacationers also. What you will prefer depends a lot on your needs.   If you want a lot of privacy, then staying on a plantation is your best bet.  When I was growing up, our family always stayed at Sea Pines, which is the largest plantation on the island.  It is beautifully maintained, with gorgeous walking and biking paths.  Chances of seeing an alligator are high!

But for us, affording a condo inside a plantation would have meant a long walk, bike ride, or drive to the beach.  One thing that is key to remember with HHI is that there are very few oceanfront accommodations. This is due to the strict regulations that limit development along the beach.  This is the case within the plantations, and outside of them. In Sea Pines, for example, most of the oceanfront options are houses– too expensive for us– or resorts– which didn’t offer the space we wanted.

So we decided to stay off-plantation in an area of town known as South Forest Beach, in an economical, town-house style condo, with public beach access about two blocks away.  The beaches are more crowded there.  But the area offers lots of restaurants, bars, and cafes.  Staying in a plantation puts you farther away from all of those things, and makes you more car-bound.

GETTING AROUND:

To me, biking is an essential part of a vacation to HHI.  Eveyone bikes!  Well-maintained, beautiful paths will get you to any part of the island.  The beaches are smooth, with hard-packed sand.  This makes it easy to bike along the shore.

We found that we could manage pretty well without using our car if we planned ahead.  We biked to the beach, to the grocery store, and to grab meals.  In our normal life we are pretty car-bound, so this was a nice change of pace for us.

I know that many people would prefer beachfront accommodations, but I have such fond memories of biking around HHI as a kid, that I really don’t view biking to the beach as a negative.  Scribble absolutely loved biking.  He never wanted to leave the beach, but we could always entice him away by promising a bike ride.  One thing that sets HHI apart from other beach destinations is the amount of vegetation and shade.  Because the island is so shaded, we didn’t have a problem biking everywhere, even in the humidity and the heat.

I rented bikes online a few weeks before our arrival.  We used Bicycle Billy, but there are tons of rental options, and most of the prices are comparable.  We set a delivery and pick-up time during the order process.  They offered everything– trailers, baskets, helmets, locks, etc.– and delivered it in advance of our arrival.

We rented two adult bikes and a trailer.  We put Scribble on one side of the bike trailer, and fastened our umbrella to the other side with our bike locks.  The trailer had storage space in the back that was big enough for one beach bag, plus one pail and shovel.  I also carried a backpack and used a bike basket.  We had plenty of storage!  Plus, biking to the beach kept us from overpacking!

One thing I should mention is that you are generally not allowed to bike onto private property; this includes the interior of the plantations.  So unless you’re staying in Sea Pines, for example, you cannot use their bike paths.  You can buy a guest pass to visit Sea Pines and rent bikes there for the day.  Their paths are exceptional!

FOOD:

The most important part, right?  As I said earlier, HHI has all the large national restaurants.  We live in the middle of nowhere, so we love going to places like that! You wouldn’t believe how exciting it is for us to be within a 25 minute drive of a Starbucks.  But generally, we try to get farther afield.  Here are my favorites:

A Lowcountry Backyard is perfect for a nice meal that is also kid-friendly. They have a sweet outdoor patio with games for kids and a putting green.  The food is classic South Carolina; let’s call it “fancy Southern.”  No reservations accepted, so get there early (5ish) to avoid lines.

Roastfish and Cornbread is my favorite place for Gullah-style seafood.  Very kid friendly but make reservations because it gets busy after 6 PM! A little bit of a drive from most of the plantations, but the location–among Spanish Oaks in a Mediterranean-style home–is fantastically pretty.  Lots of vegetarian and organic options for kids.  This place is BYOB!

Sea Shack: The chef at Roastfish used to be at Sea Shack, so the food is very similar.  It is less expensive and it is closer to the interior of town, but it is more crowded, cafeteria style. I love it, but Roastfish is better if you want to relax.

Skull Creek Boathouse is such a fun place for families.  Totally outdoors, among the live oaks, on the marsh, with lovely sunset views.  The wait is killer so get there early. But they have a marina there to mess around at, and lots of kids activities: crafts, lego table, sandpit, hula hoops, giant Connect Four, etc.  We actually went to Skull Creek for drinks and let Scribble play at all the stations, then went home for dinner, thus avoiding the wait altogether!

Outside Roastfish and Cornbread

Kenny B’s French Quarter Cafe is a small, casual restaurant.  The inside is decorated with lots of NOLA stuff, collegiate football memorabilia, and Mardi Gras beads.  The food is great, the portions are giant, and very inexpensive.  You can sit outside (I really prefer to do this when the weather is good, because my kid is a bit of a squealer these days).  Lots of options for local seafood and non-seafood dishes to please a varied group.

Bluffton Oyster Company: We went out for dinner twice, and cooked at home the rest of the nights.  We purchased seafood here.  Bluffton is a little bit of a drive from HHI, but it is a really quaint town and worth the venture.  The oyster company is located waterfront, beside a small city park.

SIDE TRIPS:

We considered almost all of the Sea Islands when planning this trip.  We eventually decided to return to Hilton Head because it is so well-situated for daytrips.  We took two side trips on this vacation, to Hunting Island State Park, and to Savannah.

Hunting Island is a lush, secluded beach about one hour away from HHI.  The park features a 136 feet tall lighthouse; adults can climb to the top for 2 dollars.  One portion of the beach is scattered with the remains of live oaks and palm trees– it is really stunning!

Savannah is a 40 minute drive from Hilton Head.  There is so much to do in Savannah, but with a toddler in tow we kept it simple.  We just took a long walk up to Forsyth Park (this is the one you always see in movies), admiring all the homes and shops, then had lunch and ice cream at Leopold’s afterward.

There are lots of options for other day trips. Charleston is a two hour ride away.  Daufuskie Island is another option; it is a minimally developed, historically-rich island that is only accessible by ferry.  HHI is also home to Pinckney Island Wildlife Refuge.

Next time we return to HHI, we want to spend more time in Beaufort.  Beaufort is a historic river town located in South Carolina between HHI and Hunting Island.

TO DO:

In my former life, I’d spend all day snoozing on the beach, drink in hand.  Nowadays, our toddler loses steam after a few hours, so we had to switch up activities a few times a day.  Generally, we tried to get on the beach in the morning, then come back to our condo for lunch and a nap, then get out into town and do something fun in the afternoon.  HHI has all the usual stuff–mini golf anyone?— but here are some suggestions that are specific to the area.

Coligny Park is the most popular public beach on HHI.  It offers beach access and a splash pad free of charge.  There are tons of shops, restaurants, and cafes in the Coligny area.  Since it is public, Coligny can get really crowded, especially on the weekends!

The Sandbox is a children’s museum on the island.  This would be a great rainy-day option!  Admission is only six dollars!

Sea Pines has a few options for kids’ activities. There are two little “towns” inside the resort: Harbour Town and South Beach.  In addition to trinket shops and restaurants, Harbour Town has a really beautiful playground among the live oaks.  There’s also a marina there, and a pier, which is good for dolphin spotting.  They have kid-friendly entertainment every night in the summer.  South Beach is notable for being the home of the ubiquitous Salty Dog Cafe, an open-air, sit-wherever, restaurant and bar.  I’m sure you’ve seen the t-shirts!  Salty Dog is extremely popular with tourists, so it can get very crowded.  But it is a great place to go to grab a beer and let your kids run around.  I’d suggest visiting early afternoon mid-week; HHI has a lot of long-weekend vacationers, so things are most crowded Thursday–Monday.  Sea Pines also is home to a forest preserve with nature trails.  If you are not a Sea Pines guest, expect to pay 6 dollars per car to gain entry to the resort.

The Palmetto Dunes resort has a similar “town” with shops and restaurants that overlook a marina.  In the summer, they have fireworks on Tuesday evenings.  Admission is free!

We’ve never been, but the Coastal Discovery Museum looks fun– they offer guided sea turtle walks!

Of course, Scribble had the most fun on the beach, playing in the tide pools!  And really, that’s what we came to HHI to do!

Are you taking a beach vacation this year? Where are you headed? If you are a fan of HHI, what are your must-dos on the island?