Stay – Eat – Play
As a mom who tends to travel alone, I try to pick and choose locations based on a number of factors. As the age of my kids have changed, so have the factors. Picking and choosing destinations that make me feel comfortable traveling alone with my kids at any age has always been important. Hilton Head SC has been on the top of my list for a while now.
It’s not so much about the convenience of strollers and nap time anymore. The importance of certain requirements needed out of a trip shift and morph year by year. It’s bittersweet to plan trips these days because although I love the freedom to explore, it also reminds me of how much they’ve grown.
In true “like mom, like daughter” form, my daughter picked a trip to Hilton Head SC as a celebration for her 12th birthday. Yep, that means I’ve got an 18- and 12-year-old. It’s hard to fathom, but here we are celebrating a 12th birthday for my middle schooler and college planning for my high school senior.
Throughout all of these years, I’ve experienced all the age groups and been in different financial situations that dictated how I could and couldn’t plan. For many of those years I had to learn how to travel while being thrifty. The last thing I wanted to do was go on vacation and waste money on a bad resort, bad food or bad experience. I didn’t have the money to waste so if I got it wrong then we were just stuck with it. There wasn’t additional money to go around for extra stops at restaurants. I did my best to do as much research as possible before traveling so I knew where to go and where to steer clear of. It’s what makes me love finding as well as compiling lists like these. I grew to love them because I relied on them for affordability. Now that my finances have shifted and it’s not dire that I get it right every time, I still don’t want to waste money on bad food or experiences. I want to spend vacations enjoying every second.
So…..if you are a list loving junkie like me who thrives on someone else’s research then stay tuned LOL.
Stay- Hilton Head SC
For this stay we chose Hilton Head Resort through VRBO.
Amenities listed on their website:
Easy Beach Access: The resort has a private boardwalk over a scenic salt-water marsh that takes you to a secluded, white sandy beach. Good food, good drinks, good times: On the beach you’ll find Coco’s with food, drinks, draft beer, restrooms and a horseshoe pit. Central Location: Adjacent to Robert Trent Jones’ Ocean Course at Palmetto Dunes and close to restaurants, bike paths and movie theaters. Pools for swimming or just lounging: An indoor pool complete with kids’ pool plus two outdoor pools Places to play: Fitness center, indoor jogging track, six lighted tennis courts, racquetball courts, bike rentals Places to relax: sun deck, hot tub, sauna Places to eat: picnic tables, grills, convenience store and deli Security: Hilton Head Resort is a 24-hour gated community
This is really a great location for a girl’s trip, couples trip or family with older children. It is about a 5 min walk along a boardwalk to the beach. It’s a bit time consuming, but a gorgeous walk over a marsh. I honestly love it and don’t mind the walk. I did see parents with smaller children toting wagons with beach gear, but honestly it’s a bit far. I think I would choose one of the other locations if I still had smaller children. This is one of the only locations with an indoor pool and the amenities are well rounded to fit any lifestyle. Also, if you hit this location during season, you’ll get to enjoy CoCo’s at the Beach which has this incredible vibe and sits beachfront. So even if you make the trek to the beach, you’ll have access to food, drinks and bathrooms with your typical beachfront bar.
For beachfront options, I have 2…
Beach House Resort Hilton Head amenities according to website:
Popular Hotel Amenities and Features Head down to the water and enjoy a day at the private beach, or take advantage of other recreational amenities including an outdoor pool and a 24-hour fitness center. Additional features at this hotel include complimentary wireless Internet access, concierge services, and gift shops/newsstands.
Restaurants, Bars, Lounge & Dining options You can enjoy a meal at Porch Southern Kitchen serving the guests of Beach House Resort Hilton Head, or stop in at the snack bar/deli. Relax with a refreshing drink at the beach bar, the poolside bar, or one of 2 bars/lounges. Full breakfasts are available daily for a fee.
The Beach House Resort is in the popular area of Coligny Plaza. It’s one of its biggest draws in my opinion. You can walk or bike to anything you would need or want. For family travelers I just don’t think you can beat the access and convenience. Tiki Hut is a big win if you’re looking for food, drinks and music. I don’t think I’ve ever heard a bad word about it. Or lounge by the beautiful pool after a day at the beach.
Next up is the Omni Hilton Head Oceanfront Resort
If you are looking for the best hotels in Hilton Head, you won’t want to miss our stunning resort. Located on sugar sand beaches off the coast of South Carolina on the #1 island in the Continental United States, as ranked by Travel + Leisure, and the #1 island in the US by Condé Nast Traveler. As part of the prestigious Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort community, we offer access to an 11-mile lagoon system with bike trails, tennis courts and three championship golf courses. Paired with sparkling pools and delicious dining, you will be captivated by this perfect getaway.
Omni Hilton Head Oceanfront Resort
This one you really just need to see. Click the website and just browse the amenities and gallery. It’s a gorgeous property from the pools to the spa. You can even check out the kid’s camp if traveling with younger ones. It offers so much that you wouldn’t even need to leave the grounds, but if you did it is still a short drive to restaurants and shops.
You can’t really go wrong with any of these. Like I said, girls trips, couples, family, single mom… you can find exactly what you need in one of these properties.
Eat- Hilton Head SC
This one probably needs a post on its own so I will try to make this one quick and just give a brief overview of my top faves.
The French Bakery and European Cuisine
I’ve mentioned this one in a previous post and it still ranks top in breakfast, brunch and coffee. (Find that post here) I haven’t found one thing I didn’t like here.
CoCos On The Beach
I mentioned it above and it is the perfect laid back spot if you are staying at the Hilton Head Resort.
Skull Creek Boathouse
Be prepared to wait for a table for this one, but it will be totally worth it. The views and food are phenomenal.
Nectar Farm Kitchen
This is farm to table food with a sweet southern charm atmosphere. Perfect lunch/brunch spot. The honey lavender latte is everything you would want in a coffee.
The Frozen MOO
If you’re kids are like mine then no matter the age, they are always looking for ice cream LOL. This place is right in Coligny Plaza and has large portion sizes. It was pretty easy for us to split since the scoops were so large.
Play- Hilton Head SC
The Beach.
Duh. That’s a no brainer. Hours and hours of play and relaxation can go into a beach day. Pack a cooler and chairs and settle in for built in entertainment.
Bike
The whole island is bikeable and so convenient to travel around. If you or travel partners enjoy that, you’ll want to make sure you rent a bike at one of the many locations.
Harbour Town Lighthouse
This is the perfect place to walk around, shop and climb the lighthouse. It’s not a large lighthouse which makes it a unique experience, but perfect for younger kids who wouldn’t be up for a large climb.
There are also several museums and nature preserves to explore.
All in all, I think you get such a quaint, small-town charm with a vacation spot like Hilton Head. It’s not cluttered with high rise after high rise or bright bold colors or discount beach stores covering every corner like you would in other beach locations. It’s a peaceful laid-back spot that’s perfect for the solo mom travel I need. The best part is a place like this really is suitable for any vacation scenario you’d want.
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