Hilton Head Island

No matter how rough the sea, a lighthouse is always shining in the distance to help you find your way~~Author Unknown










We traveled to Hilton Head Island, SC, this weekend. We stayed at the Hilton Head Island Motorcoach Resort which is exclusively for owners of either Class A or Class C RVs. The lots are owned by individuals and are rented just like a condo or cabin. We chose lot #377 which was very nice. It had a perfectly manicured lot with a view of a lake and was very close to the amenities (pool, tennis courts, etc.) My only complaint about this resort was that it seemed kind of formal. It was like living in a very nice housing subdivision with very strict covenants. What motorcoach resort doesn’t allow the RV owner to put lights on their own awning? I could understand not allowing renters to modify the property since it is privately owned but to dictate what they can/can not use on their own RV? Other than that, we were very impressed with the resort although we really didn’t spend much time there; we’re usually out and about most anywhere that we stay. The staff were also very polite and helpful at this resort.
We arrived around 3:30 on Friday so there wasn’t much time to do anything Friday evening. A lot of our friends who have visited Hilton Head Island recommended Harbour Town at the Sea Pines Resort. Harbor Town is famous for the lighthouse although true lighthouse enthusiasts will educate you on the fact that it isn’t a real lighthouse. We decided to visit Harbor Town Friday evening. The children played at the nearby playground, we watched the boats docking, and had dinner at the Cafe` Europa restaurant. This restaurant is located at the base of the lighthouse and had a sign on the door stating it would close for the winter months after Saturday night. One of the shopkeepers recommended that we try it. I would give our dinner a 6 out of 10. Jeff and I both had seafood dishes and we both think the seafood we have eaten in Georgia and Florida coastal restaurants was much better. The she-crab soup was good but I thought the crab bisque that I had in Saint Mary’s was better. The fried green tomatoes were overpriced and not nearly as tasty as the ones I have eaten in Juliette, GA, at the Whistlestop Café. After dinner, we walked around through a few shops and then decided to turn in for the evening since we had a busy day planned for Saturday.
We made reservations for a 12:00 alligator boat tour on Saturday at the Sea Pines Forest Preserve. We packed some trail mix and drinks and took a walking tour of the Preserve, ate a picnic lunch at Lake Joe, and then went on the boat tour. Before I move on to the events, I wanted to note to anyone thinking of visiting Hilton Head Island that only limited tours are offered on the weekends. They offer more tours during the weekdays which seems opposite of any vacation spot that I’ve ever visited. I’m sharing this because if you would like to do the other tours, you really need to plan for a long weekend where you can fit in a couple of weekdays. I really wanted to try the Gullah Tour but the one I wanted was not offered on the weekends.
The Sea Pines Forest Preserve was beautiful and we couldn’t have asked for a more gorgeous day: sunny with a temperature around 71. There were no insects and the mild temperature made the walk even more enjoyable. I challenged the girls to see who could find the most animals. The winner would get a special treat and a prize at the end of the day. They did a pretty good job. Jeff and I joined in. The most challenging animals spotted were the otter, the woodpecker, and the alligator.
We sat near the lake while waiting on the boat tour and was amazed at the Anhinga. The Anhinga are the dark colored birds standing with their wings outstretched. These birds feed by swimming under water. We spotted one in the water with little more than its long neck above the surface. I’ve seen some birds dip their head or body in for a very brief period but I’ve never seen any type that completely submersed itself and swam under water. It was quite fascinating to watch.
The boat tour was educational. We learned a few facts about alligators that we didn’t know before and we spotted several along the banks during the tour. I think the girls enjoyed the boat ride but in the end, I’m not sure it was worth the money. We spotted just as many gators by simply walking through the Forest Preserve. After our tour of the preserve we decided to try out one of the beaches. While the weather was perfect for a nice hike, it wasn’t so great for a day at the beach. The water was pretty cold and we decided to just walk along the beach. The beach was very clean and deserted. There were some people walking or riding their bikes but very few sun bathers. We stayed for about an hour. I think I mentioned it in an earlier post but in my humble opinion, you just can’t beat the beauty of the gulf coast beaches.
By this time, we were pretty hungry since we munched on trail mix and fruit for lunch. Since we were in the Sand Pines Resort we decided to head back to Harbor Town to try The Crazy Crab for dinner. Again, I’d give our dinner a six out of ten. Jeff had the bourbon glazed salmon which was very good. I got the blackened mahi-mahi. I found it to be pretty bland and overcooked. This restaurant’s specialty seemed to be either the fried seafood or the broiled seafood. If we ever eat here again, I’d go that route. It might’ve been better.
Since Rachel and Anna both did great at finding animals, they got their treat…chocolate ice cream. After that, Rachel and Anna wanted to go to the Harbour Town playground so we went there for about an hour and then headed back to the camper for some much needed rest.
We enjoyed our visit to Hilton Head Island and if we make another trip to this area, I would be tempted to stay in Charleston instead and drive to Hilton Head Island rather than staying on the island just to try something different. We had a great time and would recommend it for couples this time of the year when the island isn’t very congested with travelers and kids are in school. Hilton Head Island is beautiful and there is a lot to do for those who love outdoor activities: hiking, bike riding, horse back riding, or roller blading. It is a place I'd visit again but I think we'd spend more time exploring areas nearby to the island.