This was prepared by Marty Echols, a frequent visitor to Hilton Head, and member of the Timeshare User's Group (www.tug2.net).
Hilton Head Activity/Restaurant Information
Information provided by TUG Member Marty
Last update June 5, 2001
Hilton Head
Places to see...hmmmm....First of all, general stuff---- Hilton Head is not a glitzy place...it's a CLASSY place because everything is nice, but there is not a lot of glitz, like amusement parks, nightclubs, casinos, etc. Activities can be just about anything associated with the beach and inland waterways: regular beach activities (and the beaches are very wide and frequently have tide pools which are great for little kids), and HH beaches excel in that they are flat and wide...great for walks, biking, sand castles, boogie boarding, wind surfing, fishing, sunning, watching dolphins & pelicans, catching minnows, playing any type of ball (paddle, volley, catch, soccer, football, koosh, etc., etc.), frisbee, collecting shells (although the beach is not very shelly), deep-sea fishing, "enviro-tours"& kids' "camps" with Greg Russell.
There is one place called Adventure Cove which has laser tag, a small kiddie roller coaster, bumper cars, video arcade, playworld, motion theatre & laser show, "jump zone", batting cage, & driving range. There is one WaterFun Park, but it is relatively small, but very fun. I'm sure I left out a lot, but we've done all the above. Each resort has its own "activities", but many, including the Marriotts, include and/or will help arrange guided nature tours/walks, excursions, crafts, tie dying, painting sand dollars, swimming & pool games, dolphin watches, boating/canoeing/kayaking (there's even a kids' kayaking camp),roller blading, etc., either directly or by referral to a source providing such services. Some activities are geared for kids, some for adults. Many resorts are now providing massages, jazzersize, aerobics, etc....even full spa services at the new Marriott Barony Beach Club Resort. Some Marriotts have putting greens on site, shuffleboard courts, table tennis, bench swings, hottubs, delis, bars (those are activities, aren't they?). You can even go on bird-watching tours. Harbour Town is the origination center for parasailing, jet ski rentals, and some boating excursions, like dinner cruises. South Beach Marina also has a few of these activities. Fishing activities can range from deep sea to back water to just crabbing. Several types of sailboats are available for rental. Horseback riding is available. Evening live performances are located at Shelter Cove and Harbour Town, and will include Greg Russel or other entertainers...usually very family-oriented and kid-oriented. There are many, many bike rental companies, over a hundred great restaurants, dozens of golf courses, many tennis centers/courts, numerous mini-golf courses, two very large outlet malls, as well as a regular mall. One can travel to nearby Daufuskie Island via ferry for a tour or for golf....several great courses are located there, and Daufuskie Island can be seen about a quartermile off Hilton Head's south shore. Also the city of Savannah is about a 45 minute drive, and the tour of Savannah is almost a MUST...really a lot of old southern charm and history, not to mention the sites associated with the book "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil". Savannah has many famous restaurants and shops, too.
*My personal favorite, RESTAURANTS: All restaurants are casual, but the finest places are really "dressy casual", meaning (for men) long pants and a nice shirt or shirt/jacket. No ties are allowed on the island (kidding). This dress code only applies to two or three places..You could wear shorts anywhere and be accepted...no problem, but still "dressy" casual to a select few. The following would qualify as my favorites: Charlie's L'Etoile Verte (known as Charlie's, but NOT Charlie's Crab which is another place)...the best restaurant on the island, reservations a must; Santa Fe...nextdoor to Charlie's..fantastic Southwestern decor & menu, reservations also a must.....(my favorite meal on the island, the grouper, is here! Try it---you'll see why!)...both located one block from Palmetto Dunes entrance, in Plantation Center Plaza and next to the Christmas Shop (I tell you this because both are NOT advertised, and you may never hear of them otherwise); Charleston's...down the street from Charlie's on Hwy 278 toward 1st traffic circle...must enter from one street over...very quiet and elegant...white tablecloths and candlelight...best lump crabmeat appetizer I've ever had; Cafe at Wexford...another quiet and wonderful place...great menu, but a fraction less on my scale from Charlie's...still a great choice; Cafe Europa---the FIRST place we run to....mainly for the best BRUNCH this side of heaven, with a water view at Harbour town, just below the lighthouse, true European cafe atmosphere with fresh flowers and great food and service...also a GREAT place for dinner...VERY romantic and wonderful food...not for kids at night...strictly fine dining...(for brunch, the Belgian Waffle or country breakfast is great for kids)...all types of omelettes, like Californian, Neptune, and many more; Westin Hotel seafood buffet---truly the finest buffet you'll ever see...lots of fishes, prime rib, crablegs...LONG decadent table of desserts...$29/adult, $12+? kids; Truffles...at Sea Pines Center ...great lunch or dinner...we like lunch better...soups, salads, sandwiches, and good "larger" entrees...decorated sort of like an Applebees, but nicer; Fitzgerald's---an old favorite ...at Adventure Inn down S. Forest Beach Dr. from 2nd circle near Coligny Plaza...large selection on menu...perhaps the largest...from all types of seafood to good steaks, veal, chicken, swordfish, prime rib, rack of lamb...low-light with red walls and black leather chairs...nice cozy atmosphere; Giuseppe's---the best place for Italian or Pizza...all fresh ingredients and wonderful menu ...we ALWAYS go there at least one night, and very reasonable...located behind Fuddrucker's on Hwy. 278 near Shelter Cove Mall area; Antonio's Italian...very "high-end" and pricey but wonderful menu...NOT for kids...in Wexford Center; Hilton Head Diner..."cheeseburger in paradise"...and great breakfast...on Hwy 278 down from Shelter Cove; Wild Wing Cafe--our newest favorite...be prepared for great food and "stimulation"....loud music and very crowded, but fantastic fun...19 flavors of wings and much more...an hour wait for sure, but worth it...live band arrives at 10 pm...on Pope Ave, near 2nd traffic circle near Coligny Plaza area ("wild west" wings are my favorite)...kids will want to go there EVERY NIGHT, so you must have a plan to escape; Skillets for breakfast...in Coligny Plaza...small and family-owned, but great breakfast...traditional items, nothing fancy...well, maybe a couple ...crowded but quick entry; ****SEAFOOD: our favorite is the Old Oyster Factory....great selection (too many to count), nice place (huge), overlooks harbour, very crowded...an hour wait, but where do you really have to go?....get directions, but take Matthews Drive south, which crosses hwy 278; Remy's--a small hole-in-the-wall place, one street over from McDonald's (after crossing the street, behind the quick-shop)near 1st traffic circle down from Shipyard Plantation...very good seafood at a very good price...not at all fancy...wood floors...wear cutoffs and t-shirts....a great favorite of locals; Kingfishers...near Disney Resort entrance near Shelter Cove...great menu, but can you believe they took fried shrimp off the menu??? "broiled"...gosh, we're getting stuffy....great place, tho and great food...live entertainment most nights...slightly more pricey; (other people may have their favorite seafood places, but those three are ours...I've heard Crazy Crab is OK, but some disappointments have been Huge Seafood Company, Crabby Nick's, Hudson's, & anything at South Beach Marina!);Great Plains Cattle Company...just a quick meal with a regular menu, like meat & potatoes and chicken fingers, etc....very reasonable; Coligny Bakery...had to slip that one in there....fun, fun, fun; Aunt Chilada's on Pope Ave. ...just a quick, cheap, fun alternative for the kids...big screen TV's, etc.; BEST drink in town: Quarterdeck Lounge at Harbour Town near lighthouse...the sunset over the water from the second story lounge is awesome, especially if you've been there a while!!!
****Now, there are many, many more restaurants at Hilton Head, and I've heard many good and bad things about most of them, but you can count on the ones I've mentioned as being "can't misses". There are still many places we haven't tried, but we're pretty happy with our selection so far, but ask around, and if someone recommends a place highly, try it. I could learn something new, too. Hope this helps...we'll be there this next weekend, just for the Memorial Day weekend, and I can tell you the first place we'll visit is Cafe Europa for brunch and Santa Fe or Charlie's for dinner. 'Course we won't have the kids for the weekend, so THAT will be exciting, too. I'll probably think of something else later, but for now, that'll get you by.....come to think of it, I'm kinda hungry, so please excuse me for a while...
Harbour Pointe is in fine shape (we walked thru some units this past summer), and I think some of the units have undergone refurbishing, if I'm not mistaken. It is located, as you know, in an area near Shelter Cove, and therefore if you want to bike there you can, but the really beautiful trails are located in Sea Pines---for this reason, I always recommend going into Sea Pines to rent bikes, specifically at a place next to the Plantation Club...it's about a couple of hundred yards past Marriott Monarch on your right after you turn right onto Lighthouse road headed to Harbour Town. Once you turn right you'll see the place on your right as you slow down for the golf cart crossing there at the golf course. The reason this place is great is because the bikes are good, they have plenty, they're very nice people, and you can have a nice ride in several directions, the best being into Harbour Town...a perfect but not long ride (I'd say about 15 minutes, comfortably), and you also pass Plantation Drive on your right, which you must try also because that's the most beautiful trail on the island...huge moss-covered trees, winding trails, and you end up near the stables, allowing you to see the horses---it's a great ride---don't miss it. You may also ride in the opposite direction, i.e., back past Monarch, for another nice set of trails, allowing you to ride up into some of the side streets (all named for birds) and see some of the gorgeous beach homes...very private area, all covered by the typical high canopy of gorgeous trees, but you're still on a "public road". Our favorite thing to do is start out at PC, head toward Harbour Town, turn right on Pl. Drive, come back and continue to HT, park the bikes and get some ice cream at Cinnamon Bear Country Store there in the HT shop area, then window shop & tour the lighthouse area for a nice little rest, then head back. It's a wonderful half day, and you will pass several beautiful lagoons & see white herons & other birds in flight...watch out for sunning gators!!! Another tip---for an extra treat, when you reach the Harbour Town area, take a left toward HT Golf Club, just after you pass the tennis complex on the left(Lighthouse Lane, I think, about 100 yards short of the HT parking lot) and ride back up into that area of streets past the clubhouse (just continue straight past the clubhouse a few yards and bear left)to see some of the beautiful homes! The streets are just gorgeous and the area will be also shaded by huge trees...a very pleasant area not well-known by regular bikers. A nice walk around the harbour to see the boats is fun, too.
***To answer another of your questions, you CANNOT use the facilities at the other Marriott resorts, unless you are specifically signed up for an official "activity" at either Grande Ocean or Monarch (which host some of the Marriott activities). Someone made the comment that you can use the GO indoor pool, but this is NOT true, and they have tightened up the abuse of this rule lately.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information contained in this TUG Dining Guide is provided by TUG members and is solely the opinion of those members. The Timeshare Users Group is not responsible for its content. This information is for the personal use of TUG members only. Any commercial use of this material without the written permission of the Timeshare Users Group is strictly forbidden
Copyright 2000, Timeshare Users Group
PO Box 1442
Park, Fl 32067
Phone: 904.264.3512
