12SCH On the Road: Hilton Head Island, SC

Hilton Head Island has long been on our list of places to visit.  One dreary day last January, our need of something to look forward to happily coincided with a Southwest Airlines fare sale and we booked our tickets to finally make it happen.  We had an amazing trip (so amazing in fact that we've already booked a return trip in September) and I've had a few people ask for recommendations so I thought I'd put together a little Hilton Head guide of all the things we loved!

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO:

1. Toll Bridge - There is a toll bridge that leads on to the island that is cash only.  The toll collectors are a sassy bunch and prefer you have exact or nearly-exact change ($1.25 for our big SUV, not sure if it goes up if you're pulling a trailer or in a large van?).  You CAN avoid this bridge by simply driving around the island.  It adds about 3 miles and 5 minutes or so to your trip, but not a huge deal especially depending on which end of the island you're staying on, and could save you some cash over the course of the week depending on how many trips to Wal-Mart you'll be taking.  
2. Sea Pines Entrance Fee -  Sea Pines is a popular resort area with lots of shops and restaurants, a golf course, horse stables and the popular HarborTown lighthouse.  To enter Sea Pines by car, there is a $9 per-car fee that has to be paid each time you enter.  You are not allowed to enter through the front gate on bicycle, however you CAN ride your bicycle into SeaPines if you ride in on the beach and not the street.  There is no charge to leave SeaPines by car, and you are allowed to leave on bicycle via the road.
3. Getting Around - Hilton Head Island is pretty flat and the sidewalks are wide.  There are also bike lanes and trails almost everywhere you'll need to go which is great news in that its a great place to walk/jog/run/bike/rollerblade.  However, if you plan on driving your vehicle everywhere, you'll want to be on the lookout for pedestrians and cyclists.
4. Getting There - If you're headed to HHI and can't or prefer not to drive, then you have several flight options.  There is a small regional airport on Hilton Head that supports flights on American, Delta and United that is a great option if you want to fly in and be right there.  Because Nashville/BNA is a hub for Southwest, we found some great direct flights into Savannah/SAV on SW which was perfect for traveling with a toddler and lugging tons of beach gear with us..  SAV is only about a 30-45 minute drive, so we grabbed a rental car and headed over, and then enjoyed lunch at Forsyth Park ahead of our flight home the day we departed.

WHERE TO EAT:

• FishCamp On Broad Creek - We chose this as a nice night out and it was top-notch.  The outdoor seating was beautiful including an area with patio furniture if you have to wait for your table, and a gorgeous view of the river.  Our toddler loved dancing inside the wooden rowboat to the live band and the whole atmosphere was the chill-yet-lovely vibe we were craving.  And speaking of craving...even as I type this my moth is watering thinking about the ahi tuna two ways appetizer we started our meal off with.  If you want to just say, "We'll have what they're having," the rest of our order included the blackened Carolina catfish, Daufuskie Island Blue Crab Cakes, and for dessert the Chocolate Peanut Butter Mousse w/whipped cream & oreos.  Check out our instagram post from our visit for food and atmosphere photos.
• Java Burrito - Normally I'm skeptical when places claim to be good at more than one thing so when a friend recommended Java Burrito to us I assumed that either the coffee would be good, or the burritos would but could not wrap my head around the possibility that they would excel at both.  I've never been more delighted to be proven wrong.  This place makes both a fantastic cup of coffee and and staggeringly delicious burrito.  (Their mixed drinks are mighty yummy too so really, they could advertise themselves as a bar as well and no one would argue.). I didn't write down our orders for this one, but just go. Go and drink all the coffee and margaritas and eat all the burritos and thank us later.
• SlapFish - A friend who frequently visits HHI recommended this to us and we're so glad he did.  The atmosphere is clean, simple and fast-casual (think Chipotle) but the food is downright delicious.  A roll of brown paper on the wall tells you the catches of the day and where they came from and even our tiny one scarfed down every bite of her food.  We'd recommend this as a great lunch option if you planned on a light dinner later, or a great dinner if you wanted to just walk in, order and sit down.  

THINGS TO DO:

• Coligny Beach - Hands down one of the nicest public beaches we've ever been to, Coligny Beach is at the center of HHI and we found it to be clean, not terribly crowded (although we were not there at the peak of beach season) and well equipped with restrooms, foot washes, and a cool mesh boardwalk into the sand.  No admission or beach badge is required and there is a large parking lot conveniently located as well as beach shops, ice cream and treats just across the street.  Definitely a great beach option if you are driving in for the day or staying somewhere that doesn't have it's own beach access.
• Pirates Island Adventure Golf - There are 3 mini-golf places on HHI and being the trip planner than I am, I deliberated at length over which would be the most memorable experience for our beloved 3 year old (who, you know, won't remember it anyway.).  I looked on TripAdvisor, Yelp, you name it and read all the reviews and decided that Pirates Island looked like the best option.  My decision was solidified when I mentioned heading to play mini golf to the guy at the bike rental company and he said verbatim, "Oh, do the pirate one.  The other two aren't good."  We ended up playing "the pirate one" twice during our stay and had a blast both times.  (Our return trip was due in part to having been given a free game token when we went the first time).  It was also reasonably priced: kids 3 and under play free and their website has a coupon for $1 off an adult round of golf (which I showed the front-desk. guy on my phone instead of printing it out.)  The course was clean, well-maintained and well-laid out/decorated, and I personally enjoyed reading the pirate facts at each hole.  There are two course options...an easier one and a harder one.  We played both and I think you'll enjoy it no matter which course you choose.  To see pics from our pirate adventure, check out our instagram post here!
• Island Life Bike Rentals - One of the best investments of the week for us was getting 2 bikes and a bike trailer from this awesome rental company.  Located just about a 2 block walk from our condo, they helped us get bikes that were the perfect fit for us and a helmet for our little one.  The sidewalks on HHI are wide and the island is pretty flat, so even if you didn't buy a pandemic-Peloton, you should be all set to peddle around to your hearts content.  There are also bike lanes almost everywhere you want to go, and you'll see lots of folks of varying skill levels riding around. We road over 20 miles one day and the giant baskets on the front were perfect for bringing groceries home from the Piggly Wiggly.  One insider tip we got was that while you can't ride bikes through the front gate of SeaPines, you CAN ride them into the resort on the beach which helps you avoid the $9 entrance fee, and is a really gorgeous ride; one of our favorite parts of our entire week.  The sand down near the water's edge is smooth and easy to ride on even though we were towing our toddler in a bike trailer, and it was the perfect way to get in on our ride to the lighthouse.  There are lots of other companies to choose from should Island Life not have any bikes available, and most places rent not only bikes and toddler trailers, but kiddie seats, tagalong kid extenders, tandem bikes and adult tricycles so you can ride in whatever kind of style you choose.
• Lowcountry Celebration Park - We stumbled across this gem on our first day walking from our condo to the beach and it was a hit every single day.  The park itself is gorgeous (and the restrooms are super clean and there's even free Wifi!), but it was the pirate ship playground that really did it for us.  It is truly the playground that dreams are made of and we loved that there were many parts of it that were accessible for those with wheelchairs or who need to accommodate other special physical differences.  If you have kiddos say age 10 and under, this is an absolute must-do.
• HarborTown LightHouse - This adorable lighthouse has 114 steps to reach the top and it's worth climbing every single one.  There are some great displays, history and memorabilia located along the wide and easy to navigate staircase and a gift-shop located at the top of the lighthouse itself.  We had fun picking out souvenirs for friends and family because when else can you say, "hey I bought you this at the top of a lighthouse?" If you want to check out the view from the top before you go, or be able to say "hi mom" while you're there, just log onto their live webcam feed.***Note that there is a $9 fee to enter Sea Pines resort where the lighthouse is located if you enter by car, so you'll want to figure that amount into your budget for the day.  Admission to the lighthouse itself is $4.95 per person, children ages 5 and under are free.

WHERE TO STAY:  

• "Hilton Head Happy Place" - We were lucky enough to find this adorable condo through a random AirBnB search.  Located about .4 miles from Coligny Beach, this condo is spacious, bright, clean, and well laid out.  The host Grayson is super easy to communicate with and I've actually already booked a return stay to his place in September.  Read my AirBnB review of his place below, and be sure to give him your business (and a 5 star review)...just leave some space on his calendar for me!  :)

"Grayson’s condo was the perfect place for a week at the beach with my husband and our 3 year old. The unit itself was clean, bright and larger than I thought it would be and the whole condo complex was quiet, party-free, safe and well-maintained including a great pool area.  Location was excellent - my daughter loved the proximity to the pirate ship playground at the local park, and my husband and I loved the short walk to the beach made shorter by the excellent wagon provided for carting our stuff there. (Also provided for guest use was 1 adult and 1 child size folding chair, assorted sand toys and a beach umbrella.) The bed was super comfy (as was the twin bed that our daughter slept on) and having a bathroom in each bedroom was a huge plus. We had a couple small questions during our stay and Grayson was always immediately reachable, kind and helpful. We actually ended up changing our travel plans and staying an extra 2 nights. As an AirBnB Superhost myself for almost five years, I’m pretty picky, and I’m happy to say I would highly recommend and stay again!"