Hilton Head Island

By Memorial Day Weekend, the weather here is smoldering hot. It was in the low nineties with high humidity already when we were leaving for our mini vacation to Hilton Head, SC. It was really a breath of fresh air to get out of our daily routine and go to the beautiful coast, stay overnight and explore the beach. 

We checked the kids out a little early on Friday and drove straight to Hilton Head. Our friends from Cary were meeting us there the following day so we could hang out together and let the kids play. 

Hilton Head Island is quiet unique and not because it's an island. It's like its own big community of condos and houses and tennis courts and golf course. It's very walkable and very bike friendly which is why we brought our own bikes there. It seemed that everyone had a bike! We stayed at a two bedroom apartment with a small kitchen and a balcony. Hilton Head Island is not a cheap place...so you should book early if you go. 

In the morning we headed to the beach (entrance by the Sea Pines Beach Club) bright and early. We biked to the beach and then ON the beach. We walked pass the most crazy busy part of the beach where people from big resorts hung out to the area which was empty. 

We met up with our friends and spent half of the day playing with them. 

And boogie boarding.

The sand was fantastic on that beach (although nothing can beat Destin to this day).

Kissed by the sun. 

In the afternoon we biked around "town". It looked like a nice warm paradise. So pretty, lush and green! It was very humid too but bearable. 

Do you see what I see?

Alligators were everywhere in the ponds. The animal control people, of course, take care of the numbers of these predators and make sure they don't grow too large. If they do, they move them out. We hope.

In the evening after dinner with our friends (at their place), we walked to Harbour Town, which is like a mini historic/shopping center. We watched the sunset and enjoyed ice cream.

My sweet Robert who still loves to take us on adventures. 

Alex got a bunch of nasty splinters in his finger minutes before this picture was taken. We tried all sorts of ways to get it out but instead just made it worse. Not until Monday night when we came home and did our new baking soda method did they come out. They were super painful.

Here are the kids with their friends.

The following day we went to the beach again but this time we biked all along the coast to the south tip of the island (the South Shore).  For lunch we went to the famous Salty Dog Cafe. Experiencing this American way to vacation is new to us:) The beaches are so different here than they were in England/Europe and especially Japan. 

After lunch we biked on the beach again for some more time to play. The day was cloudy but it was still incredibly warm. 

Setting up our beach tent is not super difficult but it requires a few helpers to fill the bags with sand. We bought it before our trip to Sardinia and so glad we have it. It's a changing room and "keep your food and purses out of the wind" room or "put your head in the shade room". It's pretty light and compact and has SPF 50 protection.



In the evening we had dinner at our place and then again ice cream in Harbor Town. Although the trip was only three days long (well, two full days on location), it was very rejuvenating. We loved this place! I really hope we can go back there and feel like we know the island a little more next time.

On our way home we stopped by the outlets (brand name clothes shopping) and ended up spending a few hours there. It was our first time at the outlets since we'd moved back to the states. Mark absolutely hated that place and I think it will be giving him nightmares for years to come-hahahaha:) He absolutely hates shopping of any kind, well, maybe not candy shopping.

Lyana.