Scot, The Doppleganger's Homepage -

Travel
Akron
Toledo
Atlanta
St Louis
Gunstock
Somerset
Cincinnati
Savannah
Kitty Hawk
San Diego
Ghettysburg
Washington DC
Hilton Head Island
Health
Writings
Graphics
Skydiving
My Old Cars
My Stratus R/T
Doppleganger
Murphy's Laws
Military Science

Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

My girlfriend's aunt and uncle were kind enough to host their family reunion at their timeshare at the Disney Resort on Hilton Head Island. The Disney resort lived up to its name for friendly, courteous, and available staff and very comfortable facilities. Even though the resort is bay-side vs ocean-side there was reasonable access to the ocean through shuttle busses that delivered guests to the Disney beach house every half hour or so.

One of the things that will strike you about this well developed island is that you really wont notice the extent of development. Island ordinances are in place to restrict the types of buildings built and even the number of trees cut down during new developments. So you will see lots of VERY large old-growth trees all over the island. Unfortunately for vacationers, all this beauty can make getting around difficult. Everything starts to look the same after a couple blocks.

Our resort lived up to its namesake with lots of well organized activities and a family friendly atmosphere that has something for absolutely everyone. Fireworks shows, movie nights, live entertainment, kayaking adventures ... in fact you'd hardly know that you were at the ocean if you planned your week that way.

I almost forgot about the ocean! If you were there you would understand why, but all the same it was the best ocean I've been on in many a year. The water's temperature and salinity were perfect. There was no jelly fish, and no stinging sand either. The only thing it didn't have were good body-surfing waves.

All in all, I would not call this the ultimate relaxation-at-the-beach-vacation-destination. There is a lot to see and do, and despite the lack of a boardwalk, you'll never get away from the tourist industry. And the industry is jumping. If you would like to buy something and pay top dollar, come to Hilton Head. Still, with so much to do and see, you'll still enjoy yourself! We did!

For some more pictures of our trip, click here.

Travel:	Airports - Savannah International Airport Auto - The coast of South Carolina is accessed by I95 which runs almost directly parallel with the Atlantic. The speed limit is 70mph, but don't be tempted to go faster than the speed of traffic. I95 is full of speed traps and heavily patrolled. Access to the island is served by a good 4 lane divided highway. As with any vacation spot, getting there off normal travel hours will save a lot of headaches in traffic.
Sites:	Ocean - All the offshore resorts also have a beach house available to access the ocean. Otherwise you could be staying on the ocean in the ocean-side resorts. Otherwise there are only 2-3 public beaches and be prepared for NO available parking and expensive meters. Intercoastal Water Way - There are plenty of walking and boating tours of this nature preserve. Lots of wild life to watch and visit. Low tide is the best time to visit since there is more to see. Lighthouse - There isn't much to the lighthouse other than itself as a destination. You'll pay $5 to drive in that part of the island and another $1 to walk up the 140' tower. Down below is a marina and shopping center with a few interesting tourest shops. But again, the prices will make this power vacationer step back.
Tours:	There are several dozen private tour companies that will take you on everything from walking tours to kayaking tours to boating tours. To watch the dolphins, take a boat tour. To get close to shellfish and birds, take a walking tour. For a water side view, go kayaking. Just measure your abilities before you go, because they raise in physical difficulty and reflect whether you bring your kids or whether you go with your sweetheart.
Events:	Fireworks - Tuesday night Disney puts on a show at their resort. You can watch from Shelter Cove Harbor which has a craft fair that same night.
Restaurants:	Hofbrauhaus - (843) 785-3663 Off Pope Ave - Authentic German cuisine in a very comfortable Bavarian atmosphere. Offering daily specials and live music most nights. Their prices were typical for a casual to nice night out on the town. $18-25/plate Kingfisher Seafood & Steak House - (843) 785-4442 - Lots of good seafood and early bird specials. Live music nightly and dancing. Not the coziest atmosphere but good if you have a large group or family to squeeze into a night out on the town. $20-25/plate
Clubs:	There are more than a few "resort bars" and a few local pubs off the main drags. But be prepared to pay Premium prices for bottom shelf liquor.