Best location in Sea Pines at Hilton Head

[bethyg]

Anyone ever rented a villa from Sea Pines? We were given an option of Plantation club, Harbortown, Southbeach. Which area would be central to pools and on-site activities, but away from the crowds?

 

[Figment22]

All of the villa properties will have their own pools. Harbourtown and South Beach will be the more crowded areas as each has its own shops, restaurants and marinas. You're not directly on the beach in any of the locations you've mentioned.

What made you choose Sea Pines? I'd be much more apt to recommend Palmetto Dunes.

 

[bethyg]

I'd like to know more about Palmetto Dunes. We've only been to HHI once, and stayed at DVC. You can't go on the island and not hear about Sea Pines. We were looking for something comparable to a DVC: onsite activities for the kids, pools, playgrounds, beaches, etc.......

If you can make any suggestions of other places to stay on the island, we would love to hear them!

 

[dis-happy]

When are you going and how old are your kids? Most of the activities take place during the summer only.

Plantation Club would be the closest location to the beach. Some of the activities take place at the beach, such as tye-dye t-shirts or decorate a kite. They have bands playing at night; I've heard some good music there.

Harbourtown (which property?) has the children's show each night (except for Sat) w/ Greg Russell during the summer months. Also, many shops and dining are right there. There's also a wonderful playground. And a kid's camp (summer months only). First class tennis facilities and instruction are available. From Harbourtown you can also take a free trolley shuttle to the beach club (main beach access) if you don't want to drive. The distance is a little over a mile. (note: Don't stay in Harbourtown during Hertage Classic Golf week in April---the area becomes a rowdy drunken mess, not very family friendly.)

Heated pools in the winter: Plantation Club and Harbourtown. I don't think South Beach pool is heated. You'd have to be staying at specific places to use these particular pools, so check when you book.

South Beach: the beach isn't as good in this area....the island rounds the point and you don't get the good ocean waves. Also, there's more of a rip current that can occur. But you do get another large harbor with shops and restaurants, the ability to rent a sail boat or book a kayak tour, tennis courts and a swimming pool (if your villa gives you access), small scaled down play ground, and many evenings a clown will be there to entertain the kids, as well as live music for the adults.

Where I live in the summer: Stoney Creek Villas, a short walk from H.Town. It has its own pool, I like the walking distance to HT and don't mind driving to the beach.

Good luck! All of HH is beautiful and I'm sure you'll enjoy your stay no matter where you end up.

 

[bethyg]

Dis-happy: Wow, you are my new HH connection!

We are looking at a Plantation Sea Pines villa located on Beach Lagoon Rd. When I mapquest the address, it looks as if it is the closest street to beach front. We are going 1st week in June. We have stayed at Disney's DVC and are familiar with the beach at the beach house (palmetto dunes I think). I hope the beach in the Plantation is the same. DH is counting on me to MAKE SURE IT IS A REAL BEACH you can walk on, play on, ride bikes, sandcastles, etc.....I guess the only way I can know FOR SURE is for him to send me there early to "scope out the place".

Anything you can tell me about the Plantation area of Sea Pines (clubhouse, pools, activities, golf and tennis) would be great!

 

[dis-happy]

I'm trying to figure out where these villas are. "The Plantation Club" is the clubhouse building where you tee off for the Ocean Course and Sea Marsh Course and also has pool (not sure who can access this pool other than property owners), bike rental place, clubhouse restaurant. It's also across the street from the entrance to the Sea Pines Beach Club, which has a restuarant, life guards, bathrooms, a couple of shops. At times they use the Plantation Club for overflow parking for the Beach Club, and I'd call that a 5-10 minute walk, to cross the street, walk through the BC parking lot and hit the sand. In gereral it would be a good location for mostly beach. You can also count on some activites being available at the BC for you little ones to do, such as the kites. These take place most afternoons and have a small fee involved.

However, how old your little ones? If they are very young, you may find it easier to hop in the car and just park at the BC rather than carry all their beach stuff in the hot sun for a 10 minute (which may be optimistic) walk. Will you stay all day at the beach? Do you guys sunburn easily? Personally, I like to do the beach in smaller doses, and especially like the later afternoon hours the best. It's not as crowded and the sun isn't as strong. In which case, the additional activities (playground, tennis courts, children's show each night, pier, lighthouse, boats) and ease of eating places would make Harbourtown a better choice. HT parking is usually worse than BC parking (when comparing their busiest times), and since the distance is only 1 mile, you may not mind getting to the beach by driving or even taking the trolley (which is free and my kids like to ride around on it for fun).

Sadly, nothing is as all inclusive as Disney's HH activites! So take your pick---all beach, choose Plantation Club, for beach plus other things, go with Harbourtown.

Finally, don't forget to take your kids to Lawton Stables, bring some carrots, maybe do a pony ride. Visit Sea Pines Center and eat at Truffles or get an ice cream. Rent bikes and bike to South Beach. These are a few of my favorite things....

 

[CarolA]

I'm trying to figure out where these villas are. "The Plantation Club" is the clubhouse building where you tee off for the Ocean Course and Sea Marsh Course and also has pool (not sure who can access this pool other than property owners), bike rental place, clubhouse restaurant. It's also across the street from the entrance to the Sea Pines Beach Club, which has a restuarant, life guards, bathrooms, a couple of shops. At times they use the Plantation Club for overflow parking for the Beach Club, and I'd call that a 5-10 minute walk, to cross the street, walk through the BC parking lot and hit the sand. In gereral it would be a good location for mostly beach. You can also count on some activites being available at the BC for you little ones to do, such as the kites. These take place most afternoons and have a small fee involved.

However, how old your little ones? If they are very young, you may find it easier to hop in the car and just park at the BC rather than carry all their beach stuff in the hot sun for a 10 minute (which may be optimistic) walk. Will you stay all day at the beach? Do you guys sunburn easily? Personally, I like to do the beach in smaller doses, and especially like the later afternoon hours the best. It's not as crowded and the sun isn't as strong. In which case, the additional activities (playground, tennis courts, children's show each night, pier, lighthouse, boats) and ease of eating places would make Harbourtown a better choice. HT parking is usually worse than BC parking (when comparing their busiest times), and since the distance is only 1 mile, you may not mind getting to the beach by driving or even taking the trolley (which is free and my kids like to ride around on it for fun).

Sadly, nothing is as all inclusive as Disney's HH activites! So take your pick---all beach, choose Plantation Club, for beach plus other things, go with Harbourtown.

Finally, don't forget to take your kids to Lawton Stables, bring some carrots, maybe do a pony ride. Visit Sea Pines Center and eat at Truffles or get an ice cream. Rent bikes and bike to South Beach. These are a few of my favorite things....

I think I know where they are. Go out of the Beach Club and go towards HH. They are on the right just before the golf club. They go parallel to that road for a while. (I maybe a little off, but I am pretty sure I am in the right area, my Uncle used to own won!)

Now I like that area better then HT. I go to HH to get away from it all. (I spent a lot of time there growning up BEFORE HT or a lot of the other stuff LOL!) I do HT in the evenings for dinner and fun and beach and pool during the day.

 

[bethyg]

My boys are 14 & 4, so entertaining activities for both can be challenging at times. DVC was great for us since the pool and activities were just a short 5 min. walk away. We are inland people by nature, so our total lifetime beach experience is about 45 minutes! (pausing for laughter)....The one day we got to the beach at DVC it was so hot we headed for the shade and the kids wanted to leave and use the main resort pool with slide.

I would probably plan we would spend 2-3 hours at the beach for about 4-5 days of the trip (this is a generous guess). We want to do a little bit of everything: sleeping late, golf, beach time, sightseeing, checking out the stables and craft activities, renting jetski's and perhaps a fishing excursion. DH always has delusions (i.e: visions) of grandier about a "beach vacation" where we while away the hours on the sand while the kids play by themselves. Only in a Hallmark movie.

We looked into DVC again, but a 2BR is nearly 3 times the price of a 3 BR villa at Sea Pines. Just can't justify spending so much just for "disney". Now that I think about it, is the cheap price of Sea Pines going to give me a cheap villa? I've seen the inside pics and it looks nice, however I have no idea what the outside looks like. We were quoted $179/night for a 3 BR.