End of Summer Vacation

There is no secret on when is the best time to travel; timing and information are the keys. We all know peak season is the summer months. Most families with school-going kids are planning getaways in summer and all are looking at the same destinations. Many families in this situation will feel their choices are limited and the best advice is try book your vacation far in advance and hope everyone will have a great time.

The beach is a popular destination during summer and as expected you will be looking at crowded beaches, theme parks, restaurants with unfortunately costly accommodation, plane tickets, transfers and tours. However, if you have the option to delay the vacation to the shoulder seasons (typically when school is out in your state but other states not) you might be in for a good treat. We did!!!

My family decided to spend few days at the beach end of August this year. We got a cheap flight from DFW to ATL, we met some of our friends on the night we arrived. The next day we drove to Hilton Head Island, SC.

We stayed at Sonesta Resort Hilton Head Island and we had an awesome experience. The resort is beautiful, well- maintained and has direct access to the beach. They have gorgeous pool and a shallow entry pool which is great for kids. They have spa, golf, yoga, restaurants, kid’s club, and  rental for bikes and beach chairs- they got it all covered.

Hammocks all throughout the resort, so nice…

Kids favorite part is the beach- fine sands, wide beach (low tide) and waves are fun- my kids easily manages the waves. There wasn’t a lot of people so my kids are having a blast running around, building sand castles and bouncing with the waves. It was perfect for them.

On one night, we went to hang out at the beach. To me, it brings out a lot of memories when I was back home in the Philippines. It was a night to remember.

The kids also love night swimming. The resort also shows movies on an outdoor screen which you can watch while chilling in the pool. It was great since there wasn’t a huge crowd at all.

It is very convenient to have a bike rental inside the resort; we decided to go biking inside the plantation instead of riding at the beach. I think it was a great decision, we saw part of shipyard plantation and it’s beautiful.

Our favorite restaurant for dinner is Hudson on the Docks; serving fresh and delicious seafood.  Plus, the sunset was simply beautiful.

My hubby and I also got the chance to have lunch at The Dunes House. We left the kids for an hour at the kids club and they actually didn’t charge us. Thank you to Jack:)

Savannah is only 35 miles from HHI so we took advantage to see the city. I heard so many good things about Savannah and most people say we can see it in a day but we did it for half a day:)

1st stop – Collin Quarters for brunch, a charming restaurant… so fitting for a city full of character.

I am a taker of tours and I believe it is the best way to see a city when you have limited time. I got a groupon deal for Grayline Oglethorpe Trolley Tour. It was a bad start since there is no specific direction as to how to find them. Otherwise, it was a great tour; as I said… it was off peak season so we had the trolly and tour guide for few of us.

Tip: call them and let them pick you up at your hotel or your location before you start walking around and try to find their stops.

It was my hubby’s special day on our last day, so we decided to check out  Savannah’s most- famous restaurant, Mrs’ Wilke’s OMG… it was an unforgettable experience. Southern family style dining and a meal shared with strangers.

My family had a fantastic time during this trip. Hilton Head Island and Savannah are definitely must-visit places and both are kid- friendly.

When you are NOT sure when is the best time to travel, where to find travel deals and you need help for your travel planning; please don’t hesitate to email me at bonbonmontero@yahoo.com This is my passion and I love to see more families traveling… I am here to help.

Thanks for reading…

xoxo