I wasn't sure if I could drive to Hilton Head in one shot, because it was a 15 hour drive. The longest I'd driven before by myself was 12 hours. But - it was a breeze! It actually took 16.5 because of traffic, and the last two hours I was kind of tired. The way back Kris went with me and it took 15 and the point is ... driving far is awesome, and I should do it more.
Beach
You can ride bikes on the beach. I can't get over this. I've never been to a beach that was firm enough to ride a bike on it! I am drawn to the beach like a magnet. I love to run, walk, swim, look at it, and now - bike on it.
We got out there at high tide, and it was like riding on wet cement. It was super hard. We went again at low tide and it was a like a paved street. I didn't make that mistake again! We stayed at the Marriott SurfWatch (thanks to our friends Brian and Jenny) and they rented bikes for $30 a week, which I thought was reasonable. We just got two and took turns.
We could walk half a mile to a channel of water going into the ocean, and it changed all the time with tides. All the kids loved playing in this water.
We found dead jellyfish, live sand dollars, crabs, and a live conch. The beach was always changing and fascinating.
Parks
We rode bikes in Chaplin Park, which was close to the hotel. Spanish moss! A free range chicken, and paved roads! Excellent riding through there.
We also went to Audubon Newhall Park, and although it was small, we liked it. Everything was labeled, and we saw plants and things like cypress knees that we've never seen before.
We loved Sea Pines Forest Preserve, and you should totally go here. You have to pay $9 a car to get into the Sea Pines area, and it was worth it. We walked the trails here for about two hours, and we loved seeing the trees, the jungle-like plants, the Spanish moss, the resurrection ferns, and the alligators lying in wait in the water and on land to kill us.
We'd read about the Indian Shell Ring, and we walked a long way to see it. When we got there, we had to laugh. There was a shell ring there at one point, but now it's just a slightly raised berm covered in grass and leaves. The signs made us laugh, too. "Why do you think people put shells here?" Our guess is as good as theirs! We went with 'they ate the food out of the shells and pushed them out of the way until they had formed a ring around the fire in the middle and they also can't believe there were signs leading to this trash pit.' Ha! But everything else in this park was worth seeing, including the dead snake, the vine that broke when Ty tried to swing on it, and the giant palms Max carried around.
Harbour Town Lighthouse
There's a museum in the lighthouse (costs $4.50) that we enjoyed, and you can go outside on the top and see the beautiful view from there. All around the lighthouse they have a great playground, shops to buy food and gifts, and a nice walking area along the boats.
Kayaking
We booked with Kayak Hilton Head, because they were the only ones with a spot! Dave texted me late at night to figure out details, which I really appreciated. It was touted as a dolphin tour, and when we went, our guide Doug said we had a 50% chance of seeing them, which we were all fine with. You can't depend on sea creatures. We just wanted to kayak!
He was a good guide and we enjoyed listening to him tell about the area, the houses, the neighborhoods, and the wildlife. We kayaked to a spot and waited for some dolphins for a bit, but none came, so we shrugged and headed back. Then he got a call that dolphins had passed the marina and were headed our way. And then, there they were! The swam right around our kayaks and everyone got to see them. I loved seeing them as always. Nice addition to the trip.
Then we started kayaking back. It was against the current, and the wind was against us. Oh my - I had to work really hard to make it back, and I felt if I paused I would be RIGHT back where I started! I kayaked like a rower in a competition. He had said the day before he had to tow two people who had fallen behind and I was determined that wasn't going to happen to me. We worked up a sweat and made it just fine!
Fishing and golfing
Kris and guys went fishing on a charter that our friend Matt arranged, and they caught 11 fish. They liked it, and I liked eating them. Kris and guys also golfed at Oyster Reef, which they enjoyed. There are lots of options for chartering boats and golfing.
Food
We ate in all but one meal, because there was a big group of us and we made dinner together at night. Kroger's was convenient but always packed, (and I mean like day-before-a-holiday-packed) so try and get there early or late. Reilley's was a great place with a lovely atmosphere and outdoor seating, plus reasonably priced.
Games
Our hotel had bocce ball, basketball, shuffleboard, and horseshoes, and our kids spent hours playing these games. My grandparents were shuffleboard players, but I hadn't played, and it was great! The games were actually one of their favorite things, which makes me think we don't actually have to take them anywhere ever, just build a horseshoe pit.
I loved the trees full of Spanish moss, the beach, the water, and the general beauty of the area. I can see why it's wildly popular! A couple of people working there said that it was one of the busiest weeks in two years, which is understandable, and I still loved it. Different, pretty, and totally worth the drive anytime!
