Hilton Head question about Harbour Town

[JimV]

Okay all of you HH experts...

(I have never been to HH and I have a few questions since I started doing research).

1. I hear a lot about Harbour Town -- good restaraunts, playground, shopping -- but when I checked, this is part of Sea Pines Plantation. Do I have to be a Sea Pines guest to go there? Do I have to pay to get in?

2. Where is the best place to go bike riding? Are there good trails accessible from Disney's HH?

3. I have heard about some folk singers open air concerts at the Liberty Tree -- I saw an obscure reference on another web site and have not spent time finding out what it means. Where are these concerts and are they worth going to?

4. Are the restaraunts on site decent for breakfast? Or should I just plan on eating this meal in the room?

5. How are the rooms equipped with cooking utensils -- suitable for a meal for six? I saw huge variations between VB rooms and commented to management on this but what have you seen at HH?

I'm sure I will come up with more questions, but that is all for now.

-- Jim

(and my family does not know we are going there yet -- not going to tell them until we are in the van)

 

[Cap]

I'll give a few answers based on my trip to HH last November.

Harbour Town - we had to pay a small amount to get in - I think it was $5. Shops and restaurants were good.

Bike riding - lots of opportunity. You can ride from HH to the beach house, or wander around lots of other paths / roads.

Breakfast - there are not any "restaurants" on site where the rooms are located. However, there is a good small coffee / sweet roll shop about a five minute walk across the bridge. There is also a good, clean, diner style restaurant that serves a great breakfast that's about a 15 minute walk from HH. If you have kids, you'll probably want to do breakfast in the rooms. I think the utensils will vary based on what type rooms you have - e.g GV will probably have more than 1 Bdr. However you can ask housekeeping for what you are missing. They were very cooperative with us on basic items such as bringing a blender.

I'm sure DVC members who have used HH for several years will add on with lots more info.

Cap

 

[walter]

Be careful of what time of year you visit HH. If you are there during an event (such as golf or tennis), you will have a difficult, if not impossible time, travelling on the Island and especially in the Habourtown/Sea Pines areas. I suggest that you be a little flexible on your time for ressies and do your homework by looking on one of the HH websites for a list of events.

 

[NJDVCmember]

The Liberty Tree is also located in Harbour Town. Yes, if you have children it is well worth going in. The singer is great. Kids get to go up and sing with him. Very cute. Make an evening of it. There is a trolley service from the Sea Pines gate into Harbour Town. (not bad at all) Harbour Town has limited parking. I would use the trolley during the summer months.

Also right across the bridge in Shelter Cove is a singer nightly.

 

[JimV]

Now I know I can make breakfast in the room. But isn't it strange to have a major resort that does not serve breakfast on site?

Followup item -- many times after putting our four kids to bed (who decided to eat burgers at the sandwich stand by the pool), my wife and I will order room service or I will go to an onsite restaraunt for a take-out order. Will I have to go off-site to do this? There isn't good "neighborhood" information on any website I have found that talks about what is in the immediate area of the resort.

Thanks for your help.

(once again the overplanning vacation Dad kicks into gear)

-- Jim

 

[Tommy]

While there is no resturant on site, there are many just a short walk across the bridge. Since eating seems to be one of the major attractions on the island, I assume that Disney felt that it would not be worth their while to try to compete with the other fine local resturants. You can get snacks like burgers, etc. on site now, which you could not do in the past. Personally, I have never missed having an "on-site" facility. I do enjoy having the kitchen in which to fix my own leasurly breakfast and to sit on the porch and enjoy my coffee.

ttowery@memphis.edu
DVC Hilton Head Member since 1997
My DVC Hilton Head Resort Page

 

[GrammieMame]

$5 to get into Sea Pines. Once summer starts, and maybe before, parking is a nightmare. It's a nice place for a one-time visit though. Very nice playground for children, and a sunset opportunity on the pier.

Sea Pines bike paths are better than the ones around DVC area. I know people who spend a day taking their own bikes in and just riding around. They also have loads of bike rental places there.

There is a singer at Liberty Tree, but here is also one in Shelter Cove, which is directly across the marina from DVC. He does two shows a night in season, and one is very oriented towards children.

I second the breakfast recommendation at Hilton Head Diner, just to the right as you exit on the main road. There is also a very reasonably priced seafood "joint" just beyond that called Captain's Seafood. Very kid-friendly; eating outdoors (no view); good value for the price.

 

[carlotta]

The singer at the tree is Greg Russell. He travels around the country during the off-season, but has always returned to Sea Pines in the summers. We often listen to his CD when we need a little "vacation".

As a new member whose home is HH and who has never even seen the property, can someone please tell me how one is supposed to cross the main highway on bicycles to get to the beach? This really has me concerned as the traffic and driving habits of visitors is horrible!

 

[disneydog]

there ia a brige that you can walk or ride on that goes under the highway.

 

[JimV]

So Harbour Town has better bike paths, I can get closer to the ocean, better restaraunts, on-site entertainment for the whole family -- so why am I staying at DVC HH?

I am not at the point of changing but I just called Sea Pines and can get into a 3 BR villa for about $1500 for five nights. Not too bad. Why should I stay at DVC HH?

I think the pool is better, crowds are less, but can anyone help me out here?

I don't want to sound traitorous but are there better places to stay on HH?

 

[cds62]

If you have children, staying at the DVC on Hilton Head will be very enjoyable. The resort like the other DVC'S is geared towards the family, with the waterslide and activities.
I have stayed at Marriott resorts in Sea Pines Plantation as well as Disney and by far enjoy the Disney resort. Unless you are staying at a resort directly on the beach you will have to drive to the Sea Pine's Beach Club for access and that place tends to be very crowded. Although Disney is not on the beach either, you have a five minute drive to the beach house which is only accessible to guests.
Sea Pines is a short drive and is a nice place to visit once or twice during your stay. Try to make to the South Beach section at night, you will enjoy yourself there. I don't think you will be disappointed by staying at the DVC on Hilton Head.

 

[cindyf]

Just back this evening from our first stay at HH. If you can't be at WDW it's a wonderful second best vacation. It is soooo relaxed with all the touches that only disney does so well. We got bikes for mom,dad and 6yo daughter. We rode everywhere all week. The kids activities were really fun. Went to dinner at Crazy Crab in Harbourtown and had a great evening. Dolphin Discovery was a blast, great boat ride. Tried fishing off the pier but caught a crab!!! Didn't really miss a restaurant on property. And the beach house and beach were super. Can't believe we are back in Maine with snow ....