HH in July

[camp1007]

First time to HH, very excited. Booked it 7 mths out with out any problem. 2 Bedroom. Anyone know of any good restaurants to eat at?? dolphin cruise worth it?? can you rent jet ski's anywhere close?? food shopping anywhere close?? thanks for any info.

 

[DVCJEN]

I can't answer your question yet but can let you know after we go in April.

 

[RobDoc]

There is a wealth of dining options available at HH. Right near the resort (within 5 minutes walking) we enjoy Scott's Fishmarket. Also nearby is the Kingfisher and San Miguel's. A short drive away you might enjo Alexander's (it's on the right as you go to the beach), Giuseppi's (pizza), Old FOrt Pub, Hudson's, The Old Oyster Factory, Cafe Eurpoa and many others. You will get a list at check-in- and many will have a discount for DVC guests.

The Dolphin Tour is wonderful - well worth the expense. Jet Skis are available in a few locations, but none right at the resort or the beach. Information will also be available at the resort about kayaking, canoeing, horseback riding, nature hikes, fishing excursions, biking, parasailing, crabbing, shelling and there are also lots of activities right at the resort for all ages.

Shelter Cove Mall is right next to the resort and there is a Piggly Wiggly grocery store right there as well a few dining options (Fudruckers (hamburgers) and Giuseppi's.

The resort recreation staff is great and can help with advice about dining, shopping and other activities available nearby. There are wonderful children's programs at the resort as well as a few for adults.

Enjoy!

 

[gopherit]

We liked Scott's; San Miguel's was ok but we have friends who own a condo in Shelter Cove and claim Santa Fe Cafe is mucho better - we'll give it a shot next time, LOL!

ONe side note about dolphin cruises, though - increasingly, I suspect these will deteriorate in quality, as dolphins by law cannot be fed by humans, and therefore the only dolphins still seeking human interaction are those oldies that remember the "good ol' days" when popping up to a boat meant hand-outs. Younger dolphins have no reason to seek out humans. Our guide (Kyle) and Capt. Scott himself seemed to be advocating fishing trips or the sea shell trip instead. We were there in August, and out of four boats that went out for cruises, all four of us were told essentially the same thing - they can't guarantee seeing dolphins these days, and only the oldies that they know by name are popping up to say hi - and even now, at a distance. Once this generation is gone, the dolphin cruise will most likely be gone as well. I will say, however, riding around in the boat was not unpleasant and a nice morning activity, but in retrospect, I wished I had forked out the extra moolah for the shell-collecting jaunt. (I wonder, though... if more folks start doing that, will it too suffer? Will they have to "spike" the beach with shells, LOL?) JMHO, FWIW.

When you arrive, be usre to sign up for the summer events right away, if interested - they book up fast. (i.e., BBQ and seafood buffets) We enjoyed both, but in retrospect, for kids, probably not worth it (especially an 11 yr old kid that counts as adult fare!) We LOVED having bikes and the ride to the beach house was SO easy - really loved going over there at about 6 pm, when the beach was empty! We have talked about our next trip, and thought rather than doing Disney's seafood dinner, we would get take-out from somewhere and take it to beach house one evening. DOn't be afraid to eat at Signal's - we thought the prices there were good, as was the food - and something about eating on the beach makes it taste even better, LOL!

Feel free to click on my trip report from HHI - see my siggie for link. HAVE FUN AT HHI!

 

[stacy6552]

Take jackets. I know you're saying, "Jackets? Really?" YES! We went in July and yes it is sweltering, but twice we froze at dinner, because the AC was so high. The first time, we nearly froze to death, but luckily, the rest of the time, we took jackets and wore when we needed them.

 

[Chim Chiminy]

We went last August and loved it.
We walked over to Scott's Fishmarket and San Miguels. Enjoyed both a great deal.

Try the beachcombing cruise. It is a little more money than the dolphin tour, but worth it. Our kids had a blast doing this. We saw so many dolphins and got to spend an hour combing the deserted beach at Daufaskie Island. Would definately do this again.
DH also recommends the kayaking tour. He and DS went out, it is a guided tour. They saw so much wildlife while out. A huge shrimp actually jumped into DS's kayak and scared the pee out of him. We laugh about it now..........(Wear a hat, the sun is brutal!)
Crabbing on the pier........surprisingly relaxing. We didn't keep any, just tossed them back. I even caught a blue glowing jellyfish! Which was very cool.

Great programs for kids.
If you have kids, definately catch Shannon Tanner's show over at Shelter Cove. He is a great entertainer.

 

[HUFF590]

We also loved Scotts great shrimp, LOVE just walking out of the room around the water and right into Scotts, live band, and great drinks. We saw lots of wildlife on the tours. Have a great trip.

 

[canda]

San Miguel and Santa Fe are not a good comparision. SM is tex-MEX while SF is New Mexico cuisine which is very eclectic and artsy. I really think the chef and owners of SF would be offended if they were thought of just a mexican place like SM. While both are great, San Miguel is more family friendly. SM also has a great patio over looking the Disney resort and harbor. You could eat at both places and you will not feel like you ate the same thing.

Also you will get a dinning guide. If you have kids, most of the nice expensive places will have an early bird dinner hour. these times are great for children.

My favorite places: (not in order) Scotts, San Miguel, Santa Fe, Alexander,
Wild Wings, Giusippies (ever how it is spelled) Eugenes, (Pasta Garden for take out) Red Fish, (Old Oyster Factory, we will only eat there if we can get there before 5:30 due to crowds)

We have gone to HHI since Joining in 1999 atleast twice a year. we try a new place each trip and have not even made a dent in the list. Outside of NYC, it is my favorite city to eat in.