I don't think I would EVER call Hilton Head "quaint". Have yo thought of Charleston, Beaufort or Dafuskie Island--or anywhere else.

Savannah, Charleston or Beaufort would be a better fit for you. Thery all have many small, quaint, romantic places to stay. Lots of great food in Charleston and Savannah.

Hilton Head is overdeveloped, full of condos and housing/resort developments. It's a good place to go play tennis or golf. A honeymoon in a small, quaint place with great food- not so much.

SO totally agree with padams.

We've stayed at the Inn at Harbour Town in the Sea Pines resort (for an anniversary) & really loved it. Wish we'd known about this for our honeymoon!

Charleston is a good suggestion too, but we also honeymooned in Hilton Head; we actually rented a condo for a week which cost about the same as 3 nights in Charleston would have (staying at one of the hotels/B & B's we were interested in; I'm sure there are less expensive options).

A favorite for us for dinner in CQ's which is within walking distance of the Inn at Harbour Town.

I agree, CQs was really good, ate there two years ago and they have a nice early bird dinner, soup or salad choice of 3-5 entrees (I had the salmon which was good) and dessert, cost me under $30 with tip and a glass of red wine.

When you say "small quaint places" do you mean an inn or small, secluded resort? If so, I'm not aware of those kind of places on HHI.

Certainly you can get great views and have lots of choices for great food on Hilton Head, but I agree that "quaint" is not a word I'd associate with HHI.

However, with your budget during Oct you could probably rent a pretty nice beach house to yourself, possibly with its own pool. And if you're looking for a great beach, lots of big trees, miles of bike paths and loads of dining and adult bars/nightlife options, then HHI could be a great choice.

There are dozens of great restaurants on HHI, many targeted at adults. Just to give you a flavor, one of our favorites is Michael Anthony's:

http://www.michael-anthonys.com/

I agree. HH has lovely beaches, but "quaint" isn't in the mix there.

I recommend Wentworth Mansion in Charleston. It's beautifully done, has a world class restaurant on site and will treat you like the honeymooners that you will be.

I am a great fan of Hilton Head, so my comments are all positive.

Hilton Head is all about the beach, riding bikes, island atmosphere, kayaks, and great seafood restaurants. October is third season. Prices will be a value. Weather will still be excellent. As mentioned above, you could rent a beach house with a private pool at $400 a night. But, at $1,000 to $1,500 a week, you can rent a beach condo with a private pool nearby restaurants.

Savannah or Charleston offer B&Bs, Inns, historic houses, quaint neighborhoods and fine restaurants. You will have no problem finding places at $400 a night. Just a matter of what your trip is about.

Carolina low country is a fine honeymoon destination. Just choose your flavor.

I have to cast another vore for the Inn at Harbor Town in Sea Pines. Absolutely beautiful!

Also, the attentive, but unobtrusive service at the Inn at Harbour Town will make your visit special. Request a room overlooking the golf course & get the Bed & Breakfast package. They also used to have bicycle rentals right there & we tremendously enjoyed biking all over Sea Pines.

Do take a look at Sue's suggestion. It would be VERY special, and the dinner at Circa X (can't remember) will be memorable. Hilton Head is a sterile housing development on the ocean (where it is--otherwise it can be very far to the ocean). I'm sure the Sea Pines place is lovely--and SeaPines IS. But it is the immense surroundings that you have to go through to get to it.
there is just so much more to do and experience and see in Charleston for such a special occasion.