2 weeks at HH too long?!!!!!

[Debs Hill]

We would like to try HH for the first time, but as we are coming from the UK and it is a LONG flight we would plan on staying 2 weeks. My hubby is keen golfer........so that's him taken care of.........which leaves me and my son (aged 4)..........

In your opinion, is there enough to keep us occupied for 2 weeks? Also, is it warm enough to swim in March/April?
Thanks
Debs

 

[doubletrouble_vb]

Any place can be fun for a couple of weeks if you research it in advance. However you definitely need a car. Research the possibilities and see what you might want to do. Hilton Head is in close proximity to other interesting cities like Savannah and Charleston. And since you already have a car you COULD split your trip between HH and DWorld. Buy open jaw plane tickets...fly into Savannah and out of Orlando or the reverse. In fact you could go down to Vero Beach instead of DWorld and take in the some of the sites along the coast flying out of Orlando at the end.

 

[OneMoreTry]

Hilton Head is restaurants, beaches, bike paths. Fishing charters available are expensive -- unless you do a party fishing boat for about $40. You can kayak in the marshes and see wildlife. The Disney resort has some kid's activities. Nearby are charleston and Savannah for day trips. The resort has lots of activities throughout the day for kids aged 4.

If you know how to relax and enjoy life there would be plenty to do there. If you like to go-and-see-and-do all the time you would probably get bored.

I like doubletrouble's suggestion of 1 week HH and 1 week WDW. That's what I would do with 2 weeks.

 

[BrentKohl]

There's plenty of stuff to do there, but a two week stay there would definitely be best suited for someone who loves the beach, biking, golf, and tennis. Of course, if you branch out a little bit and do some sightseeing in Savannah and Charleston, then that might justify a longer stay. For me personally, I'd probably be plenty satisfied with a one week stay.

 

[dis-happy]

I live on HH all summer long and we always seem to find new things to do. I second the idea of having a car and visiting Savannah or Charleston as a day trip---and would not recommend if for someone with only 1 week to spend at HH, since time is so short. The island is a bit quieter than in the summer months and not all the children's programming (such as day camps) will not be up and running. The ocean would be a little cold for swimming, but if the weather is nice it would certainly be good for getting your feet wet and playing on the edge, making sand castles and taking walks. The DVC resort pool is heated, which is nice. Go visit Sea Pines---big playground there, climb to the top of the lighthouse, plus the Harbour Town golf course is there. When were you thinking of going? Harbour Town hosts a big PGA tour game the week after the Masters--check PGAtour.com for dates(edited to add: the dates will be April 11-17, 2005). Some other activity options include horse back riding and the nature center walks and fishing for blue crabs off the bridge. Definitely rent bikes!

Have fun planning! If you do go for 2 weeks, you will be totally relaxed and rested when you return home---there is something about HH that causes all the stress to just roll away....

 

[Caskbill]

If you want to go to Savannah for a day, two suggestions:

1) Don't drive over to Savannah, but take the boat. It's a fun way to get there and you dock right in downtown Savannah. <i>(You'll still need a car on HH to get from the Disney resort to the boat docks by the lighthouse. That's where all the boats for fishing, dinner cruises, etc, all leave from.)</i>

2) When you get there, take one of the tours of Savannah. If the weather is nice, the horse-drawn tour rides are very nice.

Also, while at Disney, definitely rent bikes (either from Disney or from the other bike rental places on the island). HHI is loaded with bike paths. But for me, riding directly on the beach is the best. HH has the best packed sand for riding on, it's as easy as riding on pavement. (Check with the bike rental agencies for their policies about riding on the beach. Just be sure not to ride directly in the water)

 

[Dean]

While I don't think 2 weeks is too long on HH, I do think it's too long at DVC. While I like the resort, not being on the beach is a negative. Why not stay a week there and try to get a week exchange on the Beach at one of the Marriott, spend a week at WDW or consider someplace else not that far, like Williamsburg or Gatlinburg.

We stayed at HH for two weeks two different times. But in both cases, it was a week with extended family followed by a quiet week.

 

[OneMoreTry]

I don't know about springtime, but last week they had quite a few kid's programs, including a trudge through the marsh for crabs. They had crafts and campfires and storytelling, etc.

DVC's distance from the beach is not necessarily a negative. I didn't feel it was, anyway. I've stayed at beach condos where we would leave the patio door open to hear the surf all night, and that's wonderful. If you want that then you should trade to a Marriott. But DVC's ambience -- the way it's tucked into the natural landscape -- more than makes up for distance from the beach. But that's highly subjective because I grew up in Miami and spent alot of time at the beach -- so I do get tired of it. (I'd rather be on a boat.) Anyway, the beach house is a 5 minute bike ride away. They have bike trailers for toting small kids.

Oh, and there's a nice mall with some upscale women's stores less than a mile from the resort. Sak's, Ann Tayloer and Talbot's.

 

[LisaR]

My whole famiily LOVES HH. But, we have been in March and the weather was rainy and cool. Obviously, it can vary year to year. But, when it wasn't raining, it was too cool to swim for any length of time because it was so cool. We could spend a month at HH but for our family, we would rather spend it there when we have the best chance of good weather.

Lisa

 

[LisaR]

Originally posted by Caskbill

1) Don't drive over to Savannah, but take the boat. It's a fun way to get there and you dock right in downtown Savannah. <i>(You'll still need a car on HH to get from the Disney resort to the boat docks by the lighthouse. That's where all the boats for fishing, dinner cruises, etc, all leave from.)</i>

I didn't know there was a boat to Savannah. Cool! Any idea on the price? How long does it take to get to Savannah? Is this a leisurely type boat ride? Thanks for any info.

Lisa

 

[Desperado]

Originally posted by Debs Hill
2 weeks at HH too long?!!!!!

Nah...... Enjoy!

 

[Don & June]

I also am interested in the boat idea from HH - we are going to be there during our wedding anniversary - which just happens to be St. Patricks day - heard Savannah is the place to be for St Pattys day

 

[Sian]

I am from the UK and off to Hilton Head at the end of the week. As you will need to change planes somewhere, take advantage of a stopover. We are spending 3 days in New York before heading down to HH for 11 days.

 

[vernon]

We had a 10 day stay in HH and didn't think there would have been ANY problems in extending that time to take trips to Charleston or Savannah.
But saying that, given that you'll have to fly to another destination first and you have a 4 Y old, I would give some consideration to flying into/out of Orlando. Spending 4 or 5 days at WDW then drive up to HH spend a week or so there before driving back for the return flight. You could drive direct from HH to Orlando Airport with suitable flight times, but I'd probably go for leavinging HH early afternoon the day before and booking a hotel near the airport the night before. You can always fill your time the day of the flight by visiting the Florida Mall. That way there are little/no stresses about car breakdown/traffic/getting to the airport on time.

I think by splitting the vacation WDW and HH it gives a little excitement for DS and plenty of relaxation for the whole family at HH. That way in the unlikely event of you finding HH a little "slow" you would still have had other events in the vacation that would mean you didn't feel the whole vacation wasted some of your precious vacation time. For a first time visit to HH, I think splitting the time with a tried and tested vacation favourite ( WDW) is a sensible option, just in case you feel the area isn't what you were looking for. Obviously you could just as easily fly into Orlando( I'd guess on a Saturday), rent a cheap room near the airport for the first night, drive to HH the next day, spend 6/7 days relaxing, then back to WDW for 4 or 5 days before flying home. With a little luck you could probably avoid an extra of those expensive weekend nights by leaving HH on a Saturday and booking a motel offsite before checking into your DVC rooms.