Hilton Head and Savannah help
 

Heading to Hilton Head with my mother in law and my 8 and 9 year old boys. We will be there for 4 nights at the end of February. My mother in law chose the destination, and now I'm trying to find things to do. She will NOT do anything involving water. She can't swim, so she will not set foot on a boat. Dolphin tours or other things like that are a no-go.

We are staying at the Disney Resort (her choice).

Wednesday: Fly into Savannah, grab lunch, drive to resort. Probably just enjoy the resort amenities, specifically the heated pool and water slide.

Thursday: Maybe play miniature golf if any courses are open (mother in law is a fan), go to the Coastal Discovery Museum and sign up for the 3-4pm Civil War tour, walk around Shelter Cove (she loves to shop). My husband will arrive later in the evening for the rest of the trip.

Friday: unsure. Do we do today and Saturday in Savannah? Is there a different town to visit on a day trip?

Saturday: Head to the Georgia RR Museum, lunch and strolling in Savannah, Old Fort Jackson. I'd like Fort Pulaski, but it's just that much further away.

Sunday: fly home

Advice?

This is hard given these "restrictions" you've talked about. Does she have any others we need to know about concerning sightseeing, etc.?

i was going to suggest a visit to the older part of nearby Beaufort if you don't want to do Savannah.

She's 70, but in relatively good shape. She has no issues walking around town. But hiking is out of the question. She's more shop/eat local organic food/sip tea/some sightseeing. She will also be dressed nicely the entire time. She doesn't own jeans or sneakers.

I enjoy Savannah/Hilton Head/Charleston. But I'm not really sure what to do with her since nature is out. I've got the railroad museum and the Fort for the kids. They love that kind of typical "boy stuff". But they are pretty adaptable.

I wonder if Savannah has any scavenger hunts that you can sign up on line for and you use your phone? I'll have to google.

Do you have to spend every minute of this vacation in her company?

Drive up to Charleston and see the Hunley exhibit, have a great lunch, go to the aquarium.
It's February--water isn't gonna be in the picture unless it's indoors and/or heated!!

Cdnyul...well, most of it. I'll have only one rental car. She won't drive in unfamiliar places. I can maybe leave her at a shopping plaza for a bit. Or the boys and I can rent bikes and ride early while she's getting dressed and doing make up.

Gretchen, the hotel pool is heated. So the kids will take advantage of that after dinner each night. But I realize not Beach weather. That's why I'm not really sure why she chose Hilton Head.

Since your MIL appears to have the same character as my mother, my advice is:
- MIL pays 100% of cost, you don't go
- MIL pays part of costs, gets to do what she likes part of the time
-MIL does not share any of the cost, you do what you want.

In Savannah, I enjoy the Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum and the Bonaventure Cemetery.

It is a bit of a drive (about 2 hours) from Hilton Head, but I think all should be able to enjoy Francis Beidler Forest near Charleston.

There is nothing wrong with Hilton Head, nice beach, nice accommodations, easy biking.

Bring a couple of kites.

We are sharing the cost.

I'll check out the places you mentioned. Thank you.

You and your boys will enjoy riding bikes. The bike trails are great in Hilton Head. You might like the Old Town Trolley tour in Savannah-it is a lot of fun and you can get on and off at the stops where you want to spend more time. We enjoy Hilton Head-we mostly walk on the beach and ride bikes. Wexford is a very nice shopping area with good restaurants also.

Well, I would NEVER choose HH, but for having a resort with those amenities, it is good for kids. The chances are your weather will be REALLY pleasant that time of year for walking or playing on a beach, biking.

Here is my recent trip report for Savannah, Charleston, and Beaufort. It was a couples trip but we did lots of fun/nerdy things that boys would like. The Savannah History Museum with the tour given by the Revolutionary War Guide is a MUST. Fort Pulaski is sooo much more interesting. The Gullah/Geechee exhibit was something your kids would like too. Drop off Grandma to go shopping and you can do the fun stuff.

https://www.fodors.com/community/uni...rip-report.cfm

Thank you! I just contacted the history museum and the tours are year round. My boys are going to love it! I hadn't come across that in my guide books. So excited!!

Go down to the third reply to see what I did in Savannah (2 days) and Charleston (3 days) on this thread:

https://www.fodors.com/community/uni...-itinerary.cfm

Thanks!! We moved hotels. Staying in Savannah now since she wasn't interested in biking, beach combing, dolphins or anything in HH.

Staying at the new Fairfield Inn. Many hotels have no availability. We are right next to the RR Museum and the Savannah History Museum. Planning to do a 1030 tour at the museum. We will also go to Pulaski and Pin Point. Going to teach the boys lots of history on this trip.

Great location!

The Gray restaurant is practically next door.

Take the boys to Savannah's Candy Kitchen and Leopolds Ice Cream.

SCAD has a store on Bull St near Madison Square.

A whole lot better than HH!! If you have time do a day trip to Charleston and the Hunley and Aquarium. MIL will love shopping.

Your boys might enjoy the Juliette Gordon Low house (Girl Scout museum)

Definitely take them to Vinnie Van Gogos for pizza.

They also might enjoy eating at the Pirates House.

Leopolds is on our list!!

Once I get a plan together, I'll post it here for review.

Love your revised plan!!! You will be so much happier!

If you're sharing the cost, how about "sharing" the itinerary? Make a list of activities/restaurants (OK if too many choices). You choose the itinerary two days, she chooses the other two. Rules are that there's no complaining - if either party doesn't want to do an activity on the other party's day, then they "opt out" & keep busy until the next activity (Go shopping/have tea/take a nap/sit by pool, etc.) Incorporate some "boys'" choices in both sets of days, so no-one feels left out.
Even if you wouldn't particularly enjoy a certain activity, you may be surprised that making someone else happy may make you happy (at least for a part of a day!) - good teaching experience on both sides...

Good move on moving to Savannah.
If you are interested in a day trip, drive down to Jekyll Island. She may enjoy the historic cottages and the Jekyll Island Club, where the world's wealthiest spent winters on a private island. 10% of the world's wealth congregated there each winter and the Federal Reserve Bank was created there in secret. All of you may enjoy a walk on the long beach. Great biking around the island for the kids. New shopping/ stores to browse at the roundabout.

A day trip to Cumberland Island would be fabulous, but you'd need to give up one night and spend it at St Marys before taking the ferry over. An almost deserted island, with miles of beaches and wild horses. There's a new van tour of the island going to the ruins of the mansions. JFK Jr was married in the tiny chapel there. Truly almost one of a kind.

Cumberland isn't really an option...she doesn't enjoy switching hotels. She fully unpacks, lines drawers with tissue paper, etc. It's too much of a hassle for her.

I gave her free reign on the dining. I emailed a few dozen menus for places with good reviews. She's the most finicky eater of everyone going, so it's easier to let her control that. Note: I'd love to try Mrs. Wilke's but my oldest has social anxiety and community seating isn't an option. Tried it once. Didn't go well.

Her choices:
Breakfast - included in hotel. Would like to go out one morning. Haven't figured this meal out yet.
Lunch - Joe's Homemade Cafe, Cafe M, Paula Deen's Creek House, Sweet Potatoes
Dinners - Vinnie Van Go Go's, The Pink House, Garibaldi's, and need one more.
Dessert - Leopolds

I gave her numerous attractions to choose from as well. She opted out of a day trip to Hilton Head. Here is what we are planning.

Wednesday - arrive, lunch at Joe's, check in to hotel, then just walk around the historic district and use the pool.

Thursday - early morning drive to the Savannah Wildlife Sanctuary just over the border in SC to do the 4 mile drive. Maybe the boys will see a gator or two. Then we'll go pick her up. Head to Wormsloe and Pin Point for the day. Lunch will be at Sweet Potatoes.

Friday - 930am historic walking tour, lunch at Cafe M, Savannah History Museum (230pm battle reenactment), RR Museum. Dinner at Pink House at 530pm before the date crowd.

Saturday - Fort Pulaski, lunch at Paula Deen's, head over to Tybee Island to walk the beach, check out the light house, etc.

Sunday - head home

Am I missing anything? Something not make sense?

Day trip to Hilton Head? Non-starter--no "there" there, IMO. Don't see it on your final list that looks quite comprehensive so that's good.
The gators will be in their wallows hibernating at this time of year. If that is a point of this, you might reconsider.

Yes, she said no to Hilton Head, so I took it out of the itinerary and put in Wormsloe and Pin Point instead.

Bummer on the gators. I was hoping by 2/28-3/4 (our dates), the high 60s weather would bring them out. If not, we can skip that short trip.

You can call and check but we found this true at the park near Litchfield that has a LOT of gators.

Our favorite breakfast spot in Savannah is Goosefeathers.

http://www.goosefeatherscafe.com/

Thoughts - Cafe M is tiny and nearby parking is virtually nil. Get there early and walk there, or drop her off and move the car to park.

Garibaldi's and Olde Pink House are sister restaurants. Good news = great menu and you could eat there everyday for a week. Bad news = similar menus if you are looking for a different approach.

I'd still head out to Wormsloe and drive to the Isle of Hope Marina and look to the left to see the gorgeous homes of the Bluff. You may want to stop at Sandfly for some shopping and/or eat at the Sandfly BBQ.

http://www.sandflybbq.com/
http://www.10best.com/destinations/g...pping/sandfly/
If you like antiques/vintage, go to the Sandfly Market Place -
http://www.sandflymarket.com/media

If your trip was later in the year, you could watch the Savannah Bananas -
https://thesavannahbananas.com/

If you have an extra day, still consider a day trip to Jekyll Island. Walk the great beach. Drive around the historic area. The kids might enjoy a kayak trip in the marsh out of the 4H center while you lunch at the Dining Room at the Jekyll Island Club.
Kayak -
http://www.tidelands4h.org/tours.html
Grand Dining Room -
http://www.jekyllclub.com/jekyll-isl...d-dining-room/
All would enjoy the Sea Turtle Center -
https://www.jekyllisland.com/activit...ry/sea-turtle/
Or just walk the beach. :-)

I dunno--it was cold when we went to Savannah and Charleston--and the gators were out sunning themselves at the plantation we visited. yikes!

Time of year? Just curious? I suggested she call the park for that info and that would be a good idea.

OR maybe this will happen. We were at our Litchfield villa one February when the lagoon froze over--herons were walking on the ice with their fish catches.
However, THIS was in our paper this morning. Alligators frozen in the ice!!
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/new...193602684.html

The Wildlife Refuge is only 10 minutes away. So we'll just drive up and check it out.

Starrs - thanks for pointing out the small size of Cafe M. She REALLY wants to go there. I think I'll find a back up in close proximity in case we arrive and the wait is crazy. Also, Sandfly looks good!