Have you ever thought about going to Hilton Head Island? If you’ve got young kids like us, it was the perfect destination to spend Spring Break last year. With our extended family of nine, with kids ages 2-14, there was something for everyone, including the adults! Here’s how we got to the island and what we did while we were there.
Getting There
Getting to Hilton Head Island with kids was a bit trickier than some places we’ve been before, but only because there wasn’t a direct flight from Minneapolis to Savannah, the airport closest to the Island. We chose to fly Southwest on miles borrowed from our father-in-law (while we wait for our next Southwest bonus to hit!), and it cost us roughly 100,000 miles for our two daughters and me to fly. My husband was in Atlanta for work, so he met us in Savannah a few hours after we arrived. After picking up our minivan and waiting for my husband, we made the hour's drive to Hilton Head Island.
Where We Stayed
When looking for a place to stay for our group, we checked out Airbnb, our usual go-to lodging choice when traveling. Based on the number of bedrooms/beds needed as well as a pool/hot tub, we couldn’t find what we were hoping for on the site, however. Thus, we turned to VRBO. There were lots more options on the site for us to choose from, and eventually, we narrowed down our choices and picked a 6-bedroom house on the southwest side of the island. It was within walking distance of the beach, had plenty of room, and had a hot tub. We decided not to heat the pool for extra money, so it served as our cold therapy tub for the week! We had an excellent stay and would highly recommend the VRBO (4 Firethorn Way) to others.
Just a few minutes out the door of our VRBO to this beautiful view!
What We Did
There’s lots to do on Hilton Head Island, especially if the weather is nice!
The Beach
The first few days in Hilton Head were in the mid-70s, so we spent the majority of our days at the ocean. Between soaking up the sun, playing beach soccer, splashing in the waves, and building sand castles, we had a blast! There was a outdoor bar a 10 minute walk down the beach, so occasionally one of the adults walked down to grab a round of drinks for the adults. The kids loved jumping waves and looking for seashells too.
Hi my name is Katie and I like long walks on the beach.
Salt in the air, sun in my face, and children playing in the sand make for a perfect morning.
Mini Golf
On the third day the weather called for rain, so we loaded into our vehicles and headed out to mini golf. There are three mini golf courses nearby one another on the Island (Adventure Cove, Legendary Golf, and Pirate’s Island Adventure Golf) Being we had young kids with, we thought that Pirate’s Island sounded the most fun. We played a round of 18 holes, winding in and out of the pirate-ship themed course. At the end of the kids got a paper pirate hat and little plastic flag, a big hit with our 4- and 2-year old. The rain held off too - which was nice!
Excited for mini golf!
Jamming to Live Music
One of the best parts of the island is the amount of live music you can find on any given day! After our round of mini golf, we headed to Coligny Beach Park, a popular shopping area right outside the beach. There are public restrooms and a few restaurants alongside the ocean, including the Tiki Hut. The Tiki Hut is an outdoor bar situated right on the beach. We grabbed a round of beverages and listened to the two musicians jamming out on their guitars.
A delicious IPA from local Westbrook Brewing Co. enjoyed with a view of the beach - nothing better!
Just a dad dancing with his two girls at the Tiki Hut.
Exploring Savannah
With Savannah only an hour's drive away, we took the last day we were in town to check it out. We walked down the old cobblestone roads, popped into a few stores, and grabbed drinks before walking alongside River Street. Before our dinner reservation that night, we lounged in Forrest Gump Park, starting at the Spanish Moss and old commemorative statues. Next, I took the kids into an old bookstore and grabbed a children’s book by a local Hilton Head author.
While in Savannah, we ate at Husk, one of my husband and I’s favorite restaurants out of Charleson. We love the importance they place on sustainability and local ingredients, and the unique take on Southern food is hard to beat. Their menu changes with the seasons but I can say with certainty that everything is delicious. And do yourself a favor. If they have it, order the Carolina Gold rice.
The brick walkways and Spanish moss hanging from the trees made everything so picturesque.
Where we Ate
There is certainly no shortage of delicious food on Hilton Head. But by far, our favorite thing was the fresh seafood. There are many local restaurants to enjoy, but here are a few of our favorites.
The Old Oyster Factory
While in Hilton Head, we tried to eat at as many waterfront places as possible, and The Old Oyster Factory did not disappoint. We sat inside, with the beautiful wood beams, elevated ceiling, and large windows overlooking their private pier. The Old Oyster is located on the northeast side of the Island, inland, but situated on the creek. We enjoyed a handful of seafood dishes, and the Southern Fried Catfish was surprisingly delicious. As someone who hadn’t had much catfish before, I thought it was delicate inside and crispy outside, just like a fried fish should be. My husband enjoyed the raw oysters, and we all shared a few appetizers, including the hushpuppies. Being from the Midwest, the local seafood dishes were a top priority and hit the spot.
Hudson’s Seafood House on the Docks
Situated in an old 1920 seafood processing plant, Hudson’s Seafood House on the Docks is one of Hilton Head’s oldest restaurants. Located in the far northwest corner of the Island, on Skull Creek, Hudson’s serves up local shrimp, crab, oysters, crabs, and fish. You can order your seafood prepared in various ways, including blackened, broiled, pan-seared, fried, or steamed. I had the delicious She Crab soup to start, one of my favorite South Carolina eats, and the catch of the day, filleted in-house. Our group also split a basket of hot-from-the-oven hushpuppies as we were on a mission to try as many different ones as possible. Needless to say, Hudson’s were some of the best.
Skull Creek Boathouse
Right next to Hudson’s, Skull Creek Boathouse had a gorgeous outdoor patio area overlooking the docks on the creek. We dined later in the evening and ate by the light of the lit tiki torches. Featured on Food Network’s Diners, Dine-ins, and Dives, Skull Creek Boathouse is heavily awarded. Known on the Island for its raw bar, Skull Creek offers something for everyone. I had their Avocado Bombs, which were avocados filled with spicy tuna and crab salad, topped with eel sauce, crispy wontons, and spicy mayo.
Coast
We also enjoyed one night at Coast at the SeaPines Resort, which had the best dining views we had seen all week. They, too, had live music outside with ocean views. The drinks and food were tasty. Add the live music and ocean views; it was the perfect dinner.
Live music outdoors is our happy place!
Bonus: Stop at Bluffton
If you’re in Hilton Head and driving to or from Savannah, take a few hours to explore Bluffton. Bluffton, South Carolina, is a town of fewer than 30,000 people with incredible charm. We visited on our way back to the airport and fell in love with the quaintness and history of the place. Local shops and restaurants fill the main strip of Bluffton, housed inside historic buildings with their own story. While there, we had lunch at the Old Town Dispensary, a tavern with elevated bar food and local taps. They also have live music, outdoor seating with fire pits, and corn hole. Their nachos and pulled pork sandwich were both delicious and so was the local brew.
Lunch at Old Town Dispensary in Bluffton, South Carolina.
An example of one of the historic buildings in Bluffton.
Trying new local brews/breweries is one of my favorite things to do while traveling!
That’s a wrap on traveling to Hilton Head Island with kids! If you have questions or want to chat about anything travel related (including credit card rewards!) leave me a comment or message me Instagram @katieoelkermedia, where you can see more of our family’s travels. Thanks for reading and happy traveling!
Katie