We’ve been going to Hilton Head, SC for years and it’s one of my favorite drivable beaches from Charlotte. To me it has the perfect balance of having things to do and lots of options of places to stay but it’s not overly commercialized and still has a community feel. The beach is really nice and very wide so its easy to spread out and kids have lots of space to play.
If you aren’t familiar with Hilton Head, it’s about four hours from Charlotte and is divided into community areas that each have 1-2 hotel options, condos, houses, bike baths, and other amenities. Most people traveling to Hilton Head rent condos or houses but we’ve frequently chosen to stay at a hotel when we’ve visited for only 2-4 nights. Many condos will offer shorter stay options so it’s always worth checking if you prefer less than a week stay. Many condo complexes have their own pools but if not, most offer access to community wide pools and activities. We’ve stayed in almost all of the communities in the past and lately have grown to prefer the Port Royal area which is typically less crowded and feels a bit more secluded from the rest of the island. We’ve stayed at both the Westin and the Island Club Condos in these areas and would highly recommend both locations. Palmetto Dunes is another favorite community and we love the bike paths and easy access to Coligny Shopping Center.
Hotels:
We often use Marriott points to travel so have chosen to stay at The Westin for the last several years. In addition to loving the hotel and amenities we also like that it’s in a more secluded and less crowded area of the island. Like most HHI hotels, it’s on the older side so shows some signs of age but overall it is very well maintained and clean. We love the big main pool, poolside restaurant options, covered outdoor pool that is great for rainy days, and grab and go food and coffee bar inside the lobby. The hotel is pretty large so never feels crowded and many of the staff have worked there for 20+ years. We’ve always loved our time here and usually do a 3-4 night stay when we visit.
We’ve also stayed at the Sonesta which is inside of Palmetto Dunes and is a another favorite community in Hilton Head. The Sonesta has one of the best kid-friendly pool set ups and beautiful grounds. I would also highly recommend this hotel.
The Omni and Hilton Vacations Club Resort both receive great feedback and we hope to try one of these soon.
Condos and Houses:
We’ve stayed at the Island Club Condos which is right next to the Westin in the more secluded part of the Island. It’s a nicely kept oceanfront complex with a pool, playground, and beautiful grounds. The outside of the complex is showing it’s age but many units have been renovated and are very nicely done.
There are lots of other great condo complexes and houses to rent across the island. The majority of homes will require a full week rental during the prime summer months but sometimes you can find some that offer 3-4 night options. Palmetto Dunes and Sea Pines in particular have lots of condo and home rental options.
Our Favorite Kid-Friendly Restaurants:
Hilton Head has some awesome kid-friendly restaurant options and the ones below are our favorites that we’ve visited many times. Most places don’t take reservations so the key is getting there early (4:30pm-5:30pm) and putting your name in. Many have kids areas and playgrounds you can enjoy while you wait.
Skull Creek Boathouse and Dockside. These are both waterfront restaurants right next to each other and on the waterway. Both have awesome food and kids menus. There is a small playground in between them and lots of space for kids to play if you have to wait on a table. If choosing between the two we prefer sitting on the patio at Dockside. Make sure to get there early as they can have long waits.
Hudson’s on the Docks. It’s another waterfront restaurant right by Skull Creek with great seafood and very kid-friendly. It has beautiful water views and a great patio.
Posideon. This restaurant is inside of the Shelter Cove Center which is one of my favorite areas of Hilton Head. There is a playground right by the restaurant to play while you wait and a great ice cream shop nearby – Kilwins Ice Cream. Shelter Cove option has live music in right park right outside of Posideon as well.
Hilton Head Ice Cream. I’m not a huge ice cream person but this place has some of the best ice cream I’ve ever had!
Favorite Activities:
Shelter Cove Center – shopping, restaurants, playground, live music events.
Coligny Shopping Center – splash pad, celebration park playground (huge ship playground that is awesome), shopping, ice cream shops, restaurants, beach access.
Harbor Town in Sea Pines – Lighthouse, playground, restaurants, and live music events. Gregg Russell’s nightly concerts are a huge hit!
South Beach Marina Sea Pines – Dining (Salty Dog Cafe), shopping, live music events.
Ride Bikes on one of the community bike paths
Shopping at the Tanger Outlets
Others we haven’t tried but have heard great things about: Pirate Cruise, Sea Pines Petting Zoo, Dolphin Cruises. Sandbox Children’s Museum for a rainy day activity.
