We are planning a beach vacation in July and need some advice. We are a family of 4, with 2 kids (ages 12 and 9). We know it will be hot then, but that's when we can go. Here's what are looking for:

-Interesting natural surroundings.
-Warm water.
-Access to Biking, kayaking, beach walking.
-We don't need lots of tourist attractions, and prefer a place without high rise resorts.

In Florida, we have considered Sanibel Island and Siesta Key, but are nervous about Red Tide.

In South Carolina, we have looked at Kiawah and Seabrook Islands. They look nice, but is the water warm there?

We would grateful for input, or for suggestions about other places we should consider.

I have been going to FL in July the past couple of years (near Siesta Key) and never seen Red Tide.

dtmafam...

We start swimming in our waters in South Carolina in May. It will be plenty warm by July and it will be hot - best plan - hit the beach between 8 - 11, go lunch and nap/read/relax, hit beach again from 5 - 8pm. Perfect day! Biking in July is the lowcountry of South Carolina should be done in early morning or late evening.

Kiawah is very nice - very upscale and no high rise resorts. Somewhat remote in that you are limited to a few restaurants and island things - great family time! Great biking trails and you can rent bikes there, if needed.
Seabrook - also nice, similar to Kiawah.

If you need a few things to do with the kids, you might consider Isle of Palms, South Carolina. It is close to Mt. Pleasant which has miniature golf, movie theaters, water park, et cetera. Isle of Palms is also close to downtown Charleston.

Avoid Myrtle Beach if you don't want touristy things.

Another option is Pawleys Island, South Carolina but I don't think it is as pretty as the Charleston area, IMO.

Hilton Head fits your requirements as well. Many threads on HHI on this site.

HILTON HEAD! My family began going there yearly in 1969; went on my honeymoon in 1978; since have traveled from Texas to share it with kids; spent some anniversaries there; I was last there in 2007--HUGE changes but the beaches are still gorgeous. PLENTY to do for all ages--or just walk the beach and lay around with books by pool or in the AC! I love Sea Pines and all the bike trails. Strongly recommend this as a vacation spot!

Of the places mentioned so far I would go w/Seabrook. You'll still be close to Charleston but it is also much less populated (resort-like) than Kiawah (a golf haven) or HH (just too many people). I also favor Amelia Island & there is more restaurants & things to do there, than at Seabrook. (More restaurants, a Fort, an 'old town', etc.)The water will be like bathwater, in either place. You could get in the water @ Amelia Island right now, the water temp is 68. Charleston is @ 61. We've not had much of a Winter, the water really hasn't gotten that cold this Winter.

Hilton Head came to my mind too as I read your requirements. It fits them to a T. It would make a terrific family vacation, especially with the family friendly condos.

I wouldn't worry too much about FL and red tide. We lived there for 8.5 years and rarely rarely experienced it. The water and sand are so much prettier than the GA/SC coastal area, and in July tourism is at its low point and prices are pretty good.

Another FL location you might think about is Boca Grande. It is really laid back and low key...maybe even more than you want, but the area is lovely if you are looking for a quiet vacation.

We also lived in Savannah for a while and honestly, temperature-wise it isn't much worse in FL, if any worse, than it is in the Savannah-HH corridor in the summer, in fact the hottest I've ever been in my entire life was one summer day in Charleston!

We too have been to Hilton Head many times. Sea Pines is wonderful with the bike trails but frankly, it has way too many people in the summer to be fun, the restaurants are crowded, the beaches are crowded, the drive over to the island is horribly congested - all of this imo, of course.

I will begin with the disclaimer that we are property owners at Kiawah. I'm a Charleston native and know all the beaches in the area well and there was no question that we would eventually attach ourselves to Kiawah at some point.

The beach there is amazing. The water temperature in July, also at HH, will be in the low 80s. Bathtub. When we were down last August, the water was 87 degrees. You will not be cold.

If I had a family, I would choose Kiawah over Seabrook, simply because of the free activities offered each afternoon and evening on the island. The Wednesday night carnival, Sunday night magician show, kazoo concert, pool movie. There is something scheduled each evening.

The restaurant issue is a legitimate one. However, a third new place has just opened at the Freshfields village which makes 10 different places to eat within 5 miles of the beach. Some really good choices for families now.

And, as I have mentioned in other emails concerning Kiawah, be sure to scope out the access to the pool when renting. Several developments on the island have their own pools. However, if your unit does not have a pool, you must rent through the Kiawah Resort itself to have access to the large Night Heron pool.

Hope you have a great trip.

water and sand are so much prettier than the GA/SC coastal area

I have a question for all of you others who say the beaches at HH, etc. are amazing. I've only been to HH once, in July, and we were very surprised by the beach, in that it was very wide, but very flat, hard sand, not fluffy white sand like I expected (think Hawaii or Florida). Did we experience something unusual, or is that just the way the beaches are on the Carolina coast (great for beach walked, though, since you don't sink in the deep sand).

I'm one of the people that do not like Hilton Head.

I think Wild Dunes would fit your needs perfectly.

You can rent a house and they also run kids programs for the kids.

Spend your days on the beach and nights in Charleston.

Also, you are only 15 minutes from downtown Charleston and there are tons of shopping, dining, and attraction options.

Fort Sumter, SC Aquarium, Hunley, Fort Multrie, tour the USS Yorktown, tour the plantations, take a carriage ride

I'm with GoTravel....I would choose one of the beaches closer to Charleston, so that you've got both the beach and the city. Both Sullivan's Island and Isle of Palms meet all of your criteria. We have stayed on Sullivan's Island several times and absolutely love it. Even in the summer, the beach there is not crowded. Both locations have views of the salt marsh, as well as the ocean. The water is warm in the sumer and fine for swimming. The beaches are flat and wide and great for walking or biking. Sullivan's Island is particularly interesting to walk, because you can walk all the way down past Fort Moultrie and enjoy the view of Fort Sumter, the Charleston Harbor, and the Morris Island lighthouse. We have rented kayaks before and paddled out to the huge sandbars off the edge of the island . There are also a number of companies that do kayak tours, both of the salt marsh, the rivers, old rice plantations, and just about any other area where there is water. There are several bike rental companies and both islands are pretty bicycle friendly. Sullivan's Island has no high rises at all. Isle of Palms has a few within the Wild Dunes area.

Many thanks to all for the input. We have decided on Kiawah, and have booked a condo through vrbo.com.
We aren't worried about the lack of restaurants, because we will cook most of the time we are there.

We will be flying into Savannah, which seems to be generally cheaper than Charleston, and will spend two days there before driving to Kiawah. Anyone ever taken the "Ghost Story" version of the city tour in Savannah? My son is crazy about ghost stories.

Once again, thanks to all!

dmlove, no, you weren't experiencing anything unusual. GA/SC beaches are hard packed brown sand. It's great for walking and bike riding (at low tide), but not nearly as pretty as FL beaches.

Have a delightful time and be sure to sit on the beach some during the cooler parts of the days and watch for the dolphins. You should definitely see some out there...

We just got back from Florida. My favorite areas in Florida are Sanibel and Sarosta (Siesta Key). We visited both this time and just love them.

Sanibel has no high rise resorts but Siesta Key does. But Siesta Key's beach is just awesome - soft powdery sand. I also like Sarasota a lot as a community. It's not a happening kid place, though.

Our favorite place on the South Carolina shore is the Litchfield Beach Inn. Not the hotel, but the old-fashioned Inn. It has several sections, but our favorite is in the oldest building, on the second floor, expecially room 207. We have stayed here at least 7 times and we never go back anywhere. This place has basic sleeping with 2 queen sized beds, a beaten up, but immaculate bathroom, a refrigerator, and a screened balcony, with, believe it or not, rockers. Wonderful.

And, generally cheap. The beach is extremely wide, hard white sand. There is an interesting state park nearby with historical interest, and you can always take the family to Myrtle Beach for a beach resort (with amusement park, etc) fix.

I can't say enough about this area.