Hilton Head

[marynvince]

Which season is your favorite to visit HHI?

been there twice in the summer. once DVC, once not. Prefer DVC and said i wouldnt go back unless DVC. DVC Thanksgiving was very, very relaxed. And the smell of Turkeys cooking and the football game outstanding. Didnt book quick enough for this summer so we are going back on Thanksgiving.

Went to HHI end of march for Spring break, not DVC, had a bad weather week. Vacation was fine, not sure with all th erain if DVC would have made any better.

I like HHI alot, relaxed, drivable from Ohio..Northern feel with the trees plus you have the ocean. It does feel like coming home, here I think more so than WDW DVC. And again, cant beat the CMs.

 

[IknowDoYou?]

been there twice in the summer. once DVC, once not. Prefer DVC and said i wouldnt go back unless DVC. DVC Thanksgiving was very, very relaxed. And the smell of Turkeys cooking and the football game outstanding. Didnt book quick enough for this summer so we are going back on Thanksgiving.

Went to HHI end of march for Spring break, not DVC, had a bad weather week. Vacation was fine, not sure with all th erain if DVC would have made any better.

I like HHI alot, relaxed, drivable from Ohio..Northern feel with the trees plus you have the ocean. It does feel like coming home, here I think more so than WDW DVC. And again, cant beat the CMs.

We were thinking of going to HHI for Thanksgiving next year, but were concerned about the weather being too cold. How was the weather when you were there?

 

[marynvince]

Like spring break weather is a gamble. There 2 years ago and it was coolish, low 60s as high, lots of hut tub. didnt go last year but watched weather, 70s all week. It's a relaxing Thanksgiving and the weather is better than NE Ohio. Lots of fun activities at resort

 

[missy2217]

We went to HHI for the 1st time in last August for 6 nights. It was very different than what I imagined. The first thing was that none of the resorts sit out on the main road, everything is sort of tucked away behind other buildings. We thought our GPS had gone bonkers when it was leading us through, what we thought was some sort of office park. But no, it was correct, there was DVC! The whole island was laid out really weird to us.

A day trip to Savannah is a must-do also.

We thought the same thing, everything is tucked away one the island, you have to look real hard to find things. But that also keeps it from looking like a "strip" with flashy lights.

We loved HH and would go back. We spent a week in August a couple of years ago and were just down there for Spring Break.

 

[rcchello]

I love it for Christmas. The only problem is having to cook your own food on Christmas day - diner is open but the restaurants are closed. Love sitting in the hot tub even when it is chilly out. (but then I like sitting in hot tubs when it is actively snowing. Also seeing palm trees decorated with light is always a kick for us northerners.

No matter what time I am there there is always one day when it is warm enough to go kayaking (great thing to do).

I agree Savannahs is a must do for a day. Try Mrs Wilkes boarding house for lunch if you want food that has been a Savannah institution since way before Paula Deen.

 

[Who's your Mickey?]

Yeah, well there's the Boardwalk and the amusement rides down at the end at OC...and there's a water park & go karts etc. There is no Boardwalk or any amusements or anything like that at HHI. It's just a beach.

It depends what you are looking for...

If you are a golfer or boater, HHI is a paradise... There are countless PGA quality golf courses and marinas all over the island... Harbour Town Golf Links is home to The Heritage PGA golf tournament... It's quite pricey for a round, but if you are a serious golfer, it offers a great challenge and the walk down the 18th fairway towards the Harbour Town lighthouse is worth the greens fee... Just think twice before you try to carry the marsh on your approach to the green... The winds off of Calibogue Sound are trickier than you think...

If you want the typical Jersey/Delaware/Maryland shore scene (boardwalk, tacky t-shirt shops every 50 feet, amusements and food stands), HHI may not be for you... The island is a planned community with blue laws that prohibit neon signage at the street, so it does appear to be secluded and quiet... But there are plenty of things to do on the island, you just generally are unable to walk from one to the next... There are plenty of putt-putt courses, tons of shopping and if you know where to look (and are of age) plenty of bars with a great nightlife... HHI is not going to be an ideal location for the go-go-go vacation crowd, but if you are looking to kick back and chill... It's fantastic...

I've owned a vacation house in Sea Pines near South Beach Marina for almost 20 years, so the DVC resort there is not really of use to me, but I have gone over to take a look around and the place is in a great location and is very nice...

Savannah is an easy 45 minute drive with tons to see and do... I've been to The Lady and Sons and while the food there is good, Savannah has several other restaurants that put it to shame... Check out the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist... It is one of the most stunning churches I have ever seen... The Juliette Gordon Lowe house is a must see if you have a Girl Scout in your family... If you are looking for something to do on a Friday night during the summer, check out the Savannah Sand Gnats (Class-A Mets affiliate) if they're home... The stadium is old and kinda crappy, but like most minor league teams, they put on a good show and their Friday night fireworks display is awesome... Charleston is about two hours north and also offers tremendous history...

 

[Simba's Mom]

Like spring break weather is a gamble. There 2 years ago and it was coolish, low 60s as high, lots of hut tub. didnt go last year but watched weather, 70s all week. It's a relaxing Thanksgiving and the weather is better than NE Ohio. Lots of fun activities at resort

Boy, are you right that the weather's a gamble at Thanksgiving. We've gone for 5 years (going on 6) and 2010 was our first hot tub year (60s is too cold for us in the hot tub). We've been there when it was 32 degrees and icy on Thanksgiving day. But the Christmas decorations are up, so it's always pretty. Here are some "weather-extreme" pictures.
Ice on the railing-

Attire for golf-

Not too many times where you can play golf in shirtsleeves-

Finally, 2010, the hot tub-

 

[disneygal922'sboy]

Thank you everyone for all your help/opinions. I think my wife and I are going to try and get a 1BR next year in early May. We own at BLT, so hopefully it won't be too hard to get a 1Br at 7 months.
I'm a big fan of the "laid back" vacation so I know I will enjoy HHI. My wife likes a bit more of an upbeat pace, but as long as we have a car, we can take day trips and try new things.

 

[Halle]

LOVE IT! Stayed there in the summers of 2007 and 2010 for a week each. The resort is very laid back and secluded. Even though it's not on the beach, the beach house fits the bill for hanging out at during the day and going back from pool to beach. Almost everything rolls up for the night around 9-10pm, but we quickly got used to that. I agree the waves aren't huge, but at certain times you can get lucky (I want to say High Tide).

There is a LOT of sea life. One of the things my kids look forward to doing is looking for: crabs, starfish, sand dollars, fish, dolphins, stingrays, a small shark and the dreaded jelly fish! We have seen all of these on our trips!

We also love Myrtle Beach (more waves, more things to do at night with Broadway at the Beach), but the main difference for me is that I have no interest in living in MB. HH, on the other hand, I would actually like to live at or nearby. The island is absolutely beautiful!!! And the hidden buildings/businesses is to preserve the beauty without looking too overbuilt.

I can't wait til we can go back!

I agree 100%. I too would love to live in HH or at least have a summer home there.

 

[SusieBea]

We feel the weather on the Island is best mid-March through April into early May, and late September through early November. It can be extremely HOT in late May through early September.

I always encourage visitors to go into Sea Pines. It costs $5 per car, but you can come and go all day. There is a stable where you can take trail rides, South Beach Marina where the Salty Dog restaurant and shops are located, and Harbour Town where the iconic lighthouse, upscale shops, and more restaurants are located.

I would also recommend you visit Coligny Plaza which includes casual shops and restaurants and is near the popular public beach.

In addition to Savannah, there's a little town, Beaufort, about an hour north that is full of low country charm. It is the home of author Pat Conroy and was location for filming of several movies.

 

[BWV Dreamin]

Printing this off right now!! Thanks for the info!

We feel the weather on the Island is best mid-March through April into early May, and late September through early November. It can be extremely HOT in late May through early September.

I always encourage visitors to go into Sea Pines. It costs $5 per car, but you can come and go all day. There is a stable where you can take trail rides, South Beach Marina where the Salty Dog restaurant and shops are located, and Harbour Town where the iconic lighthouse, upscale shops, and more restaurants are located.

I would also recommend you visit Coligny Plaza which includes casual shops and restaurants and is near the popular public beach.

In addition to Savannah, there's a little town, Beaufort, about an hour north that is full of low country charm. It is the home of author Pat Conroy and was location for filming of several movies.

 

[Conan the Librarian]

Who can tell me about their trip to Hilton Head?? Positives/Negatives? Would you do it again? How long did you stay?
Any information you can share would be awesome.
Thanks in advance

We live about 40 miles from HHI and love visiting the resort. We look for reasons to visit HHI for other reasons so we can pop into the resort for lunch and a Mickey Premium.

We also stay over there occasionally and love it!


Don't forget to visit Savannah!

 

[Sammie]

Would I do it again, yes, I would move there forever.

There is plenty to do, it just depends on what you like. Golf is huge as is tennis. Minature golf is some of the best anywhere. Lots of nature type tours, plenty of shopping and some of the best eating, in a small area anywhere.

Lots of places to take day trips too.

 

[Sammie]

We live about 40 miles from HHI and love visiting the resort. We look for reasons to visit HHI for other reasons so we can pop into the resort for lunch and a Mickey Premium.

We also stay over there occasionally and love it!


Don't forget to visit Savannah!

Possibly one of the most beautiful and fun places to visit.