Visiting HHI for the 1st time

Just booked a week in Sept 07 at Ocean Palms, 3br. Would love to hear anyones thoughts on the Ocean Palms. We used 25000 skysaver miles on delta for a total of $10.00 each so that worked out well. Flights were avg around $350.00 RT. Just started researching car rentals from SAV. Cheapest so far is a full size with Budget for about $201/wk. I'll keep searching that one.

It's our first time on HHI. We will be meeting a few friends from Georgia for 3 or 4 days. We are looking forward to this trip after hearing so many nice things about HHI.

My wife would love to try some type of dolphin tour. She loves the whale watches in NE. Any suggestions on one would be welcomed. Also just started reading all of the restuarant reviews. I love the researching a new vacation spot leading up to the actual trip. Keeps me busy and out of trouble. Any thoughts on HHI in Sept. would be appreciated. Thanks

We enjoyed the dinner cruise on the Palmetto Star, docks at Shelter Cove. Their website is vagabondcruisedotcom or vagabondcruisesdotcom, sorry I can't remember exactly singular or plural.

I have good luck with Hotwire for car rentals.

Prescott's had a nice seafood buffet and all you can eat crab legs special.

Wbob
Here's the HH dining guide. Your food Bible for the island. Nice resort you booked,its near Barony Beach in Port Royal. September is nice and warm there.

http://hhidining.com/
We love the island ourselves. Do plan on driving around in the daylight as vendor signs are not light and many places are tucked away in wooded settings.
Here's some plantation island maps.

http://www.hhidirect.com/maps.html

I also like this site as it has many ideas and they update restaurants openings and closings every year.http://www.hhisleinfo.com/first_time_visitors.htm

There are the typical HH vacation sites but these are different. Like you I research trips in depth. Keeps one going while working and waiting to explore someplace new.

We just went on the Schooner Welcome at Shelter Cove Marina. It may no longer be there when you visit because it was up for sale but what a tour. 3hours in total which is longer than any others and we saw about 30 dolphins. Also went on the Zodiac explorer tour on our 1st HH visit. Leaves from Sea Pines near the Salty Dog and South Beach Marina and only holds 6 people. You may want to rent a kayak to see dolphins up close they have tours for that also.

We have booked through Budget,Avis and Hertz. Prices change all the time. We just paid 178.00 for a full size car through Hertz and belong to the Gold Club. I think it's free through AAA or II. You have plenty of time to watch prices and you can revise your booking if the price drops. SAV is a nice small airport like PVD. You can walk outside to the rental area to pick up the car. We use the coupon codes from AAA and also get website emails for specials.

Hilton Head is wonderful in Sept. The crowds have thinned out and the weather is still good for swimming. After Labor Day things really get quiet. Today is perfect with very cool morning and warming to low 70's. It is great to live in the area. Let me know if I can answer any questions as you do your research. Your condo will be very nice.

Thanks for the info. From what I found so far the dolphin tours look like a nice way to relax.

I would enjoy hearing about Ocean Palms if anyone has stayed there recently.

Dolphin Activity

We just returned from a stay at the Cottages in Shipyard (10/28 - 11/4). Units were great - we had a 3bdrm (Unit #145) right next to the pool (unheated!). Egrets Point just down the street had a very large heated pool that we could use. We spent every day but one on the beach since the temps were in the high 70's and lower 80's. There were many dolphins frolicking in the surf. I've never seen anything like it. Leaping, slapping the water with their tail fin, even coming up out of the water standing on their tail fin. We actually observed small dolphins in about a foot of water on the very edge of the surf. It was just incredible. The beach was so relaxed and very few people though there were folks enjoying it with their bikes and local people there too. Best meal of the week was at the Bonefish at the Fresh Market shops across Hwy 278 from Palmetto Dunes (go there for fantastic groceries!!!) and Charlies L'Toile (hand-written menu of mostly fresh fish). Just fantastic food and great service. We picked up filet mignon and lobster cakes and flavored coffees at The Fresh Market. Best steak I've eaten --ever! Can't wait to go back to this superb location again next year. Maybe for two weeks!!

Maybe it's too obvious to mention but there is plenty of golf if you play. We are currently at the Marriott Grande Ocean on Forrest Beach. I believe Ocean Plams is close to the "heal" of HHI while the GO is closer to the "toes" and Sea Pines. Not sure what kind of biking there is at that end of the island, but our family loves biking in Sea Pines. We did that Monday and will probably go back tomorrow or Saturday.

I also wanted to recommend the Mexican restaurant, Mi Tierra. They don't advertise because they don't have to and it's easy to miss. A friend told us about it. A little more pricey than our staple Mexican restaurant at home but very good. Everyone enjoyed their meal. We just had Corona's and Dos XX but I here the margaritas are very good, too. From HHI resorts, it's just past the Cross Island Expressway and Bus. 278 intersection on the left.

If you are into sweets, two places to recommend. First for breakfast, there is the Flamingo House of Doughnuts in the Park Plaza (Harris-Teeter grocery store) shopping center right at the Sea Pines Circle. The "Hot" sign is always on. They make your doughnuts with the toppings you want after you order them. My other newly found favorite is Frozen Moo's in the Coligny Shopping Center. They have 92 flavors of ice cream!!