Why do you love Hilton Head?

[smkiya]

We will be going to Hilton Head this summer. I have been reading through past threads to get more information about it and all I've been reading is how much everyone loves Hilton Head. I haven't really read any real reasons why when we go we will fall in love with Hilton Head (as I hope to). Can those Hilton Head lovers elaborate on what makes it so special to them? I look forward to reading your responses!

 

[HeatherC]

I think part of what makes any place special is the wonderful memories you may have of a terrific trip.

I personally love Hilton Head for a couple reasons.

The beach is gorgeous and goes on for miles and doesn't get as crowded as some other places.

There are bike paths all over the island so you can ride through all the plantations and such on sun dappled bike paths.

The golf courses are beautiful.

There is a ton of shopping...everything you can want, but it has been developed in a way that you don't even see the shops from the main road. Not as "tacky" I guess people would say as other places.

You can always find a quiet spot away from the crowds.

Lots of activities...kayaking, biking, golf, boat rentals, sailing, parasailing, surfing, etc. Keeps everyone busy.

Fun restaurants so I don't have to cook!

Able to ride bikes along the beach for miles.

Close to Savannah and even Charleston for day trips.

Those are my resons.

 

[deezeealum]

I think part of what makes any place special is the wonderful memories you may have of a terrific trip.

I personally love Hilton Head for a couple reasons.

The beach is gorgeous and goes on for miles and doesn't get as crowded as some other places.

There are bike paths all over the island so you can ride through all the plantations and such on sun dappled bike paths.

The golf courses are beautiful.

There is a ton of shopping...everything you can want, but it has been developed in a way that you don't even see the shops from the main road. Not as "tacky" I guess people would say as other places.

You can always find a quiet spot away from the crowds.

Lots of activities...kayaking, biking, golf, boat rentals, sailing, parasailing, surfing, etc. Keeps everyone busy.

Fun restaurants so I don't have to cook!

Able to ride bikes along the beach for miles.

Close to Savannah and even Charleston for day trips.

Those are my resons.

Heather has hit everything right on the head. It is soooooo relaxing and beautiful. Very natural looking. You can see wildlife i.e dolphins, alligators, pelicans, egrets, blue herons, etc. It really is magestic with all the live oak trees and spanish moss hanging down. THere is the historical aspect too. Some of the Civil war occured there (Old Fort Pub restaurant in HH Plantation has an old fort open to public and free). The beaches can't be beat and I live in NJ which has some pretty amazing beaches! WE have been going since I was 6 months old and I am now 38. My sister did a destination wedding there so it is prettu special to our family. You won't be disappointed if you are looing for somewhere stunningly beautiful and relaxing. It is low key so don't think like you are going to Disney or Mrytle Beach. HHI is the opposite. Think large harbour basins with small outdoor bars with local singers to entertain. And Heather also has it right with the restaurants. We are going for 2 wks this August and we are already talking about where we will be going to eat!
WE leave 4 months from tomorrow

 

[HM]

Ditto what previous poster said. The whole feel of the island is comfortable (except for the main road driving...too busy at most times of year). Great family vacation spot. We've been visiting there for over 30 years. Parents owned at the first timeshare on the island (Players Club) and then bought at Marriott (Harborside) years later. We bought into another Marriott (Grande Ocean) 12 years ago and have been visiting using it every year.

 

[jacksmomma]

It is the most relaxing vacation you will ever go on!!!

It has the island feel, but is not commercial or tacky. They care about the island and the animals, so there are ordanances for things like lights, sinage, etc. it makes a difference. Everything is beautiful! There is a reason why you see so many HHI stickers on cars!

 

[DebMcDonald]

I'm one of the few that doesn't love Hilton Head. We much prefer Myrtle Beach. I hated the fact that I didn't consider HH family friendly, alot of the resturants were more upscale in my opinion, but it's also difficult to find places in HH because their signage is very small, as a family we love to MB and walking around Barefoot Landing and the other one that I can't think of the name of, we're also a huge minerature golf family. We also don't going during peak season of the summer, we're more an April and September family.

 

[PrincessDadx2]

Depends on what you like. It is a planned community and no building can be taller than the highest live oak, so there are no highrises. That leads to lower density. The beach is long and flat and the sand goes way out into the water so it is great for kids, but no surfing.

Some will consider it boring. No boardwalk, people, go carts, carnival rides, mini golf, palm readers, night life, etc. If you like laying on the beach doing nothing it is the perfect spot. There are activities, but no where near the buzz of a high rise or commercialized beach resort.

 

[bnhasak]

While we liked HHI we didn't love it. We didn't like having to drive to everything and anything. Maybe we were just at the wrong resort (Sea Pines) but the beach was small and had no waves and the town was a good bit of driving to get to.

We are also just so used to the Stone Harbor/Avalon NJ beaches. There you walk to everything and never need a car. We just like the small town feel better than the big beach town.

I do however LOVE the Fresh Market there as well as the outlets. I think we are going to give HHI another try someday but while the kids are young we like to just walk to and from the more family friendly shops and restaurants.

 

[bnhasak]

Oh, and just a tip. Do not check in for the first time at night. It is SOOOO dark there. With all the shrubbery and trees you can't see a thing.

We circled around most of HHI looking for our resort the first time. LOL!

We were driving from WDW and got in later than expected. We won't make that mistake again. LOL!

 

[smkiya]

All of the descriptions are fascinating. It really sounds like a wonderful place to visit!

 

[blessedby3]

I cant say enough good things about HHI!! We LOVE it and have been going there since 2001. MUCH better than commercializied, teenage infested Myrtle Beach (to us). We love that it is mostly families and that the beaches are never crowded. It is so relaxing and lovely. I also love the beauty of the island and that they cant have skyscraper hotels and huge Walmart signs. The grounds are so pretty with beautiful flowers EVERYWHERE. Some of the restaurants are upscale (and we are not upscale people) but we find plenty of family friendly and reasonable places to eat.

We used to vacation at Myrtle Beach and (no lie) my dh had to go down at 7am most mornings to stake a spot on the beach...they got so crowded!! We were also usually accosted by teens with their boom boxes blaring so loudly that you couldnt think, as well as lots of drinking around us. I have never found that to be the case at HHI, thank goodness.

There are also lots of places that arent right on the beach at HHI (Sea Pines included) and you have to rent bikes, walk or drive to the beaches. I wouldnt like that and we have always rented condos that were oceanfront.

We are heading to HHI again this year in August and are staying at the Moorings. Previously we have stayed at Hilton Head Beach and Tennis Club Resort in Admirals Row. We just LOVE it on HHI

 

[bnhasak]

The biking is really great there. If your family is in to riding, it is perfect. Safe paths and not many cars/bumps to cause young riders any worry.

Definitely a plus!

 

[Priorityonecb]

We do several days at Myrtle Beach, and several days at Hilton Head every summer. There is just a family friendly, relaxed, go with the flow vibe about Hilton Head that I really love. I love seeing families riding their bikes, going for a simple ice cream treat, shopping at all the quaint shops.

MB on the other hand, we enjoy that for the nonstop action. Boardwalks, golfing, fishing, surfing, shopping and eating at Broadway at the Beach. It's a different feeling and vibe. We enjoy both, but have often said we'd like to retire on Hilton Head Island.

 

[UGAFan0829]

For us, the Low Country feel was one thing that we feel in love with. We're used to visiting places like the Florida Panhandle on our beach vacations, so Hilton Head was a nice change. I agree that the beaches are definitely less crowded, and the bike paths are a very nice way to get around. It seems like the whole feel of the island is a very relaxed atmosphere. I think one big thing that helped us fall in love with HH, is Disney's HHI Resort. The abundance of daily activities were awesome, as well as the feel of the resort. Being able to walk over to Shelter Cove for a great meal was a wonderful plus as well. I think another neat part of HH is the history.

 

[jandel]

I'm one of the few that doesn't love Hilton Head. We much prefer Myrtle Beach. I hated the fact that I didn't consider HH family friendly, alot of the resturants were more upscale in my opinion, but it's also difficult to find places in HH because their signage is very small, as a family we love to MB and walking around Barefoot Landing and the other one that I can't think of the name of, we're also a huge minerature golf family. We also don't going during peak season of the summer, we're more an April and September family.

You're definately not alone. We went there for our anniversary a few years back. Pretty enough but full of snooty people - I felt more at home when we stayed at the Yacht Club! And very pricey as well.

If you want a quiet, family beach experience I highly recommend Edisto Beach. Beautiful, quiet and un-commercial...and close enough to drive into Charleston for shopping.

 

[*pixie*dust*]

Hilton Head is much more refined and laid back than places like Myrtle Beach or Virginia Beach. There is no dedicated "boardwalk" like so many "beachy" towns. It is a bit more expensive than some but it is a quality, relaxing vacation.

 

[mafibisha]

We used to vacation at Myrtle Beach and (no lie) my dh had to go down at 7am most mornings to stake a spot on the beach...they got so crowded!! We were also usually accosted by teens with their boom boxes blaring so loudly that you couldnt think, as well as lots of drinking around us. I have never found that to be the case at HHI, thank goodness. :

Thats not true everywhere, as it totally depends on where you're at in MB. Much of MB is composed of family friendly resorts, with each one trying to out-do the other in terms of amenities. The water parks are out of this world! If you're looking for wild and crazy, you can probably find it but we as a family have never ventured to that area. It all depends on what you're looking for.

We do several days at Myrtle Beach, and several days at Hilton Head every summer. There is just a family friendly, relaxed, go with the flow vibe about Hilton Head that I really love. I love seeing families riding their bikes, going for a simple ice cream treat, shopping at all the quaint shops.

MB on the other hand, we enjoy that for the nonstop action. Boardwalks, golfing, fishing, surfing, shopping and eating at Broadway at the Beach. It's a different feeling and vibe. We enjoy both, but have often said we'd like to retire on Hilton Head Island.

Thats us too. When our kids were babies, we did Stone Harbor or VERY charming, DRY Ocean City NJ, which BTW is nothing like Ocean City, MD! As the kids got a bit older, we started staying at HH and always loved it. They're at the stage now where they much prefer a beach like MB where there's so much to do. One year in HH they all took a friend and while they all had a blast, having 6 kids equalled just too much $$!

MB offers everything, from the uber family friendly resorts to a wonderful variety of things to do, which our 3 adore.

DH and I took all 4 of our parents to HH one spring as they're in their 70s now and preferred the sleepy quiet of HH.

 

[sdd1841]

The island is beautiful...and it stays that way due to the zoning in the area. Others have mentioned that it can be hard to see signs, etc...this is the number one issue that I hear when people do not like the island.

That being said... what area are you are staying in? Perhaps we could give you some where to go what to do info...also, any kids traveling with you? Because you are on the dis boards my guess is you are a planner - just look at some maps and grab some of the free brochures when you arrive and you should be able to get around easily. We have small kids so we actually eat in a lot - it can get busy during the summer but if you get some insider info from these boards you should be fine!

 

[blessedby3]

Thats not true everywhere, as it totally depends on where you're at in MB. Much of MB is composed of family friendly resorts, with each one trying to out-do the other in terms of amenities. The water parks are out of this world! If you're looking for wild and crazy, you can probably find it but we as a family have never ventured to that area. It all depends on what you're looking for.

We had been vacationing in MB since 1978, until we found HHI. My experience (and we have stayed at many different areas of MB) was just as I posted. Glad you were able to find family friendly areas.

 

[mafibisha]

We had been vacationing in MB since 1978, until we found HHI. My experience (and we have stayed at many different areas of MB) was just as I posted. Glad you were able to find family friendly areas.

We too have been to both several times.

My DH calls HH a gated community since it is an island and does have that kind of vibe.
We recently moved to a gated community (not for the gate LOL but for the house - it just happened to be IN a gated area) so I understand the concept, and agree that HH IS lovely.

MB however, is a city and much larger with a variety of areas, communities, so certainly it will be different. Not worse, just different.

Drive into the downtown area where the old Pavilion had been located and you won't see the same family friendly crowd - so we don't drive there Its several miles away so we don't have to if we choose not to. And so we don't. We love the biggest- and best part of MB and NMB that are very family friendly. And lets not forget FUN

One summer, the weekly rate was MORE at our NMB resort than the condo we had considered at HH, likely due to the lazy rivers, pools, slides ect.

Its kind of sad that MB can be slammed for the one (little) area (downtown) where most families don't go, instead of the vast areas of lovely beaches, upscale restaurants and shopping.