The 4 OWJs head to Hilton Head
 

We decided yesterday to get away with the kids to HH Wed-Sunday. We've already worked out lodging (we're renting a friend of a friend's ocean front 2BR condo in Palmetto Dunes)

Last time we were down there it was prekids so it's been awhile. Any child-friendly restaurant recs?? Activities for 18mo. olds in case the weather's not great?? How about a reputable baby sitting service we could hire so we could have an night to ourselves??

GoTravel, are you reading this?

Thanks!
OWJ et al

PS This is our first vacation and first trip to the beach with kids! Wish us luck!

OWJ, I topped a few threads with some ideas.
Look into Kenny B's cajun restaurant.
I like the Greek restaurant there. Nothing fancy, but good food.
Check out the menu at Redfish (not Bonefish).

Have a great time!

&quot;<i>
PS This is our first vacation and first trip to the beach with kids! Wish us luck!</i>

How much fun is this going to be ?!!
You got all the luck you need ((L))

Scarlett ( misty eyed with memories )

I don't have any suggestions for you, OWJ, but what fun! Have a wonderful time.

Lee Ann

Hey OWJ's, I'm so glad you are taking this trip. I wish I could go along so I could babysit the little angels while you go out. ((a))

Have a blast and hugs to all!! :-D

Oh OWJ..I haven't had a lot of good news these last days..but your news has me smiling from ear to ear!

No advice of course, but just my warmest wishes that you all have a wonderful time and that all of your questions will be answered. And wishing you luck..that goes without saying my friend! ((F))

Awww, thanks guys! You're all the sweetest!

Now, can anyone alert GoT or the South Carolina contingent that I need them??

Starrs--Thanks for the suggestions!

PS Did you guys get the last batch of Rachel and Lainey pics that I emailed? They're not the greatest shots because toddlers move faster than camera shutters snap pictures but wanted you to see how big they're getting!

I sure did OWJ, but with the way life has been I am saving them to look at today (Sunday)..I try to keep Sundays relaxing and nonbusy so that will be my &quot;treat&quot;..looking at photos of &quot;our&quot; precious girls.

No, I didn't get the latest batch of pixs!! Please send!! :)

STW--

You have Rachel and Lainey mail!

Debbie

It's been a couple of years since our last HHI trip. I remember La Famiglia (something like that) a small family run red sauce Italian resto not too far south from Palmetto Dunes gate. The HHI Diner, while certainly not haute cuisine, has decent food and is kid friendly. If you find a babysitter for the kiddies, try the Alligator Grille. There was also a semi decent Jewish style deli in a strip shopping center just south of PD and on the left side of the main drag. We enjoyed The Oyster Factory, which was a large restaurant right on the water and was packed with mutli generational families. My kids are late HS/early college, so it's been a while that we had to deal with toddler activities, but there was weekly song fests with jugglers at a mall in the middle of the island. Our kids used to love the boat rides, we always saw tons of dolphins. There used to be a great toy store in Coligny Plaza, ask them about kid activities. There is also an ice cream place in that plaza as well.

The Sea Shack is a great place to take kids. It is very casual and great seafood too.

Thanks, Aliska and NLG! I am adding your suggestions to the list :)

hopefully you won't have a rainy day but the mall at shelter cove has a kiddie play area that could keep a 1-3 year old entertained for probably about an hour. sorry, don't have any other rainy day ideas! have fun

Have not been there yet, but here's hoping you have a great time and send us some pictures of the girls!

Thanks Atlantan (BTW, where in Atlanta are you--we're north of the city....and are you aware of the fodors get together in June??)

RNCheryl--Thanks. I'll send you pics but need your email address :) You can email using my user name at hotmail dot com.

We're back and let me just say that HH is a GREAT place to for a family vacation with toddlers and it's proximity to Atlanta, our home, is a plus.

The condo we rented in Hampton Place (in Palmetto Dunes just past the Hilton) was perfect--2br/2b with ocean views. The ocean was too cold but the girls had a blast running up and down the beach chasing after gulls and dogs. Lainey loved sitting with her pail and shovel showing me every stick and broken shell that she dug up. Rachel was like the Walmart greeter saying hi to just about everyone she passed.

One night we went down to Harbor Town and ate at Crazy Crab. As most of you know, it's nothing special but very kid friendly. After dinner, the kids had fun dancing in circles near the guitar player and trying out the playground equipment nearby.

The conceirge at the Hilton recommended the seafood restaurant near the Palmetto Dunes security gate as being very good and kid friendly. (I'm drawing a blank but the name starts w/an A) Anyway, we did have a good meal there but it is NOT kid friendly, at least with toddlers. They were the youngest diners by many years. We ate early and fortunately for everyone the girls were extremely good; however, next time, they're staying with a sitter. AT $30 or more per entree, noone really wants to dine w/little ones, including us.

Another night we ate at The Hacienda which is in the Publix shopping center by the Sea Pines traffic circle. Noone recommended it, we just happened upon it. Nothing great, nothing horrible but good for our kids.

We ate every lunch and breakfast in except one and tried Signe's. It was good. I really enjoyed the baked blueberry french toast and OWJ's turkey sausage was tasty and probably homemade. We ordered what we thought was a kid's french toast but the portion size was exactly the same as ours. My guess is someone made a mistake.

When we weren't at the pool or beach, we would try to find playgrounds. We hit the outdoor one in Shelter Cove a few times but to be honest, the kids prefered running up and down the paved walkways better.

Sunday AM we took them to the soft play area inside the Shelter Cove Mall. We were there before the mall opened which was great for our 18mo olds--no big kids to contend with.

We never ended up getting a sitter...Each night, once the kids went to sleep, we broke open the adult beverages and listened to the surf from the condo balcony. In my single days, or even prekids, I would've found that pathetic and lame but now it seemed like bliss.

Yes, we'll be headed back, hopefully soon!

Sounds like heaven on earth!
Glad y'all had such a great time!
Looking forward to the pics :-)

It does sound like bliss! I'm so glad your first beach vacation went so well!

I haven't received the girls pictures is quite a while - so when you get some time...

I hope to see you all at the kswl's in June.

OSB--I think I lost your e-address back when my computer crashed. If you email me at hotmail, I'll reenter you into my address book.

I'm too tired to download pics tonight but will try to do it in the next couple of days.

OWJ

OWJ: You have mail --- and a fun picture!

Hi there OWJ, your vacation was obviously as wonderful as I was hoping it would be! Love the mental pictures of the girls on the beach and your descriptions.

It is nice to know of a great area one can return to in the future. Big hugs!

I just wandered across this post, sorry I didn't see it sooner! I'm heading down to check out my house tomorrow for the weekend (turn on the sprinklers, change from heat to AC, etc..).

It sounds like you found plenty to do though. There is a little magazine called 101 things to do on (near?) Hilton Head Island - I keep a couple of copies at the house to pull out for new ideas.