Being from Maine, and being a Pisces, I love water. I love to drink it, I love to look at it, listen to it, and though I can’t swim, I love being in it. One of the really nice things about Charlotte is that it’s not too far from the beach and while we typically head for Charleston, we decided to try out a Hilton Head road trip for an extended weekend.
Hilton Head Road Trip – Accommodations
Though I may have complained about it in the beginning, timeshares aren’t what they used to be. We’ve made great use of Nathan’s Hilton Grand Vacation’s timeshare ownership and this trip was no different. We stayed at the beautiful Ocean Oak hotel where it honestly felt like we were all alone with the entire resort to ourselves.
Unfortunately, we didn’t have an ocean view room but we could see it from both balconies connected to our room and the living room. We left the sliding glass door cracked at night to the sound of the waves crashing echoed throughout the night – amazing.
Because we drove, and I knew we’d have a kitchen, we actually made an Aldi and Publix stop for groceries before we left Charlotte. This stay occurred during Super Bowl and it was something we wanted to stay in for, so I wanted to make sure we had some sports-watching food and things for Sunday brunch making.
There was a restaurant that featured happy hour specials but the highlight for the kids and me was the fire pit. We gladly took a trip to the nearest store for sunset s’more supplies – this is the only time I like my food to be a bit on the burnt side.
Eats
Java Burrito Company – This Mexican restaurant/coffeehouse is probably what you’d get if Chipotle and Starbucks had a baby. Probably much cooler.
We ate here every.single.day for breakfast because it was just that good and there were so many things to choose from. I always got the breakfast bowl and loved the addition of sweet potatoes for a hint of something extra. I wish I had gotten the chance to try the bar but we were there too early for that and I didn’t want to drink and bike.
The Studio – We went here for a nice dinner out sans kids. It’s a beautiful art gallery and fine dining establishment in one, that also boost live music. We, strategically, made our reservation during a time where our food was coming out just as the band was starting. The Caribbean Gnocchi is a must and, better yet, it’s vegan.
Dough Boy’s Pizza – They were fast. They delivered to our room. They were pretty yummy. My kids are picky, so we had half cheese/half pepperoni, but I WISH we could have tried some of the Local Legends offerings like Sissy’s White or Ben’s Bangin Basil.
Aunt Chilada’s Easy Street Cafe – Latinx food of all kinds is my fave. I will always find somewhere to go to satisfy my cravings, so I was extremely happy when we stumbled upon Aunt Chilada’s. It was a super chill place and our service was excellent. This was on a bike ride sans kids, so we shared a plate of nachos with some margaritas and it was everything I’d hoped it would be.
Play
Hilton Head is one of the most relaxing places you can be. Aside from the obvious beach excursions, biking around town is a must. We parked our car in the parking deck and didn’t move it the entire 4-day weekend. We biked around in glorious bliss for 4 straight days – that is all. Buying one is on my immediate purchase list but we just rented some while we were there.
Let me also add, the saying, “just like riding a bike” is a lie. I hadn’t ridden a bike since elementary school and I DID NOT remember how to do it. Shout out to my daughter for holding the handle bars and following me down the sidewalk, so I didn’t fall off in grand embarrassment. You are the real MVP on this Hilton Head road trip.
