Savannah, Charleston or somewhere else with child
 

We're looking to take a vacation in late April and are looking for the following:

-Ocean-front hotel/condo
-Educational activities for 6 year old (plantations, children's museum, etc)
-Quiet beach to explore (probably too cold to swim)
-For adults - parks, historical places, places the locals would love...
-Not interested in arts, architecture, bars, touristy locations...
-Thinking Savannah or Charleston, but also open to other possibilities

Any suggestions?

Thanks for your help!

Jekyll Island would be wonderful and is VERY quiet. Savannah is about an hour up the road for day trips and there's plenty more to see in the area if you want - or just relax on a lovely, quiet natural island with a great beach.

Charleston has a nice children's museum and a great aquarium.

Just so you know, neither Charleston nor Savannah are on a beach. Savannah has Tybee Island. starrs suggestion of Jekyll is a good one. Charleston has several barrier island communities: Isle of Palms, Folly, Kiawah and Seabrook a little farther out.

Too bad you don't much like architecture, since both cities have stunning old buildings.

What Jekyll Island has to offer -
- a quiet, natural island with long beaches and oceanfront hotels
- a safe, bike-friendly island with only 4' rise in elevation. You can bike around the island on bike and/or surreys with a fringe on top
- a wonderful Sea Turtle Rescue center
- mini-golf
- a historic area with "cottages" (mansions) built by the world's wealthiest
- a trolley ride in the historic area
- carriage rides in the historic area

Just off the island, you can board a shrimping boat for a tour of the marsh. See dolphins swim alongside the boat. They will toss out the shrimp net, put the catch on a stainless table and let the kiddos handle the marine life that is caught (cannonball jellyfish are favorites) and then the wildlife is returned to the ocean

An hour up the road is all that historic Savannah has to offer

About an hour south is a NPS ferry to a virtually deserted barrier island with miles of beaches and wild horses for a day trip - Cumberland Island

There isn't really much reason to go to either Savannah or Charleston unless you like architecture/urban design and food. Maybe gardens, maybe history. But really, it's the eye candy and the food.

Each of these small cities is a model of how people -- yes, relatively few well-off people -- can live in an environment that promotes social and cultural interaction in a setting beautified by a common set of aesthetic understandings. You do not, in these cities or in Nantucket, where I live, "express your personality" by a building a house that stands out in an historic area. You build a house that fits in with everything around it or you adapt and preserve something that is already there. Ditto clothes. Ditto, to an amazing extent, food. How many ways can you make shrimp and grits? More than you can imagine.

If this kind of place appeals to you, you will like these cities. You may be happier in a resort (Amelia Island) or so beach town (Sullivan's Island) close enough to spend a day in Charleston or visit Middleton Plantation.

We were at Fort Pulaski and Fort McAllister. Both are very well kept historical sites. I would recommend also a trolley tour. We loved that and for one price you get the tour then, they'll drop you off anywhere along their route. Check out also St. John's Church. It's beautiful. :)

What's your budget and for how long?

Hilton Head Island.

Mark

Just wanted to second the earlier response re: Jekyll Island. Great natural scenery and lots of kids activities, plus you can always take a day trip to Savannah.

What on earth would HHI offer?!! LOL
I think Charleston would offer a lot of what you want. You could get a rental on Wild Dunes and go into Charleston. Just ignore the buildings!! LOL
Aquarium, plantations, good food--no GREAT food--rent bicycles. There is the aircraft carrier at Patriot's Point. There ia a bird sanctuary at Bird Island (?).
If you go up to Georgetown there is a 3 masted sailing ship that does "pirate" cruises that are really fun for kids.

Gretchen: I've lived on HHI for 34 years. Stop around and have some fun!

<<What on earth would HHI offer?!! LOL>>

<<We're looking to take a vacation in late April and are looking for the following:

-Ocean-front hotel/condo:check
-Educational activities for 6 year old (plantations, children's museum, etc: yep
-Quiet beach to explore (probably too cold to swim: oh yeah
-For adults - parks, historical places, places the locals would love... haven't seen too many unhappy natives.
-Not interested in arts, architecture, bars, touristy locations...: OK
-Thinking Savannah or Charleston, but also open to other possibilities: Savannah is a 45 minute drive, Bluffton, Beaufort are a short drive.>>

Mark

Of all the places in the world, I love the Sea Islands of GA and SC. The marshes, the food, the music, the dolphins, the osprey, the tides, crabbin, kayaking, fishing, the history (not the British part).

We spent 10 minutes on HHI.

Then left.

"We spent 10 minutes on HHI.

Then left."

Hahahaha! Me too.
Actually, I've stayed longer for work, but only go for work.

You really should go out on the Lady Jane shrimping boat! It's a great experience. Beautiful cruise through the marsh. The only Coast Guard certified shrimping boat doing tours. They toss out the nets and drop the catch on a table and pick up and talk about marine life. Kids can hold cannonball jelly fish, hold crabs and shrimp and fish. All are tossed back over into the water (marine life, not the kids). Dolphins swim alongside. If you go near sunset you get a sunset cruise too. HIGHLY recommend. Just over the bridge from Jekyll and on the way to St. Simons too.

And to pile on for HHI--THE most sterile beach setting in the world.
Cool idea about the shrimp boat!!