We have fallen in love! I don’t need to look any further - we see everything that we want here. Looking for input from CC members who are familiar with HH. Thoughts on retiring here? Living here full-time? Any cons we should be mindful of - besides humidity in the summer. Favorite neighborhoods? We want to be able to walk or bike to beach - so concentrating on Palmetto Dunes - but HH Plantation is also a possibility. Would love to hear from those with more knowledge of the area.
I actually do not know what “Hilton Head” is. Is it a beach town in, say, Florida? Or is it just a retirement community like the Sun City? (I guess it is the former.)
My parents owned a house in Port Royal Plantation. They did not allow condos or short term rentals, and were on the Atlantic side. Tremendous beach walking.
The downside: being forced to evacuate over the one bridge repeatedly.
I think alwaysamom has a second home there IIRC. When I was looking for a place to visit last fall with D1, and wanted something close to the water in South Carolina, she knew a lot about Hilton Head.
My inlaws owned a house in Palmetto Dunes and sold it a few years ago. We all watched HH change from a rather sleepy remote resort to one that is increasingly crowded and hectic.
People we knew who lived there full time lived in HH plantation. I don’t know what the ocean beach situation is there but there are very few transients so if you want to know your neighbors better, that is an option.
If you don’t want a gated community and want a more laid back vibe the neighborhood near Coligny circle is good. It used to be that the public beaches, like the one there, were the most crowded but now they are crowded all over.
The best surf is where the little estuary runs back and forth near Chaplin Park down Burke’s beach road. The beach is so deep there, from dunes to water that it feels less crowded than the “private” ones in Palmetto Dunes. This area is between Palmetto Dunes and Port Royal. There are outdoor showers at Chaplin Park and a bar and restaurant just off the dunes nearby.
There are “public” ocean access paths in Palmetto Dunes along Mooring Buoy road. They are hard to see but they’re there. There’s also a small parking lot on the other side of Palmetto Dunes that has access. As of now, Palmetto Dunes lets anyone ride their bike or walk in along the paths. Not true everywhere. And of course all you have to say is, “I’m picking up so and so from Trent Jones”, or “I’m having lunch at the Hilton” and they’ll let you in. Security theater is everywhere.
You can ride your bike just about anywhere. There are paths along the main road, and they go underneath so you can get to Shelter Cove, the Mall, etc. The paths behind the shopping centers are beautiful and deserted. You can ride down Arrow Road near the big circle, then through a park, then stop at Signe’s for a coffee (they have a little path to the bike path) and then back through the park and over the bridge if you want. Lots to explore and all of it flat (except that bridge).
Oh, and be careful on your bike. There are signs that will tell you that cars have the right of way and bicycles and pedestrians must yield to cars.
Sea Pine, is lovely, but beach near Chaplin is really beautiful too.
South Carolina beach community just north of the Georgia border and Savannah. Dr Beach loves the nature preserve atmosphere but thinks the water is too murky to be top 10, Fantastic number of top notch golf courses. Sea Pines ocean fronts run to many millions.
Bluffton is worth a visit. There’s a funny eatery there called the Squat and Gobble. Watch out for speed traps though!
If you have just returned, and you have never visited in the Summer, please, please do so before making a decision. Summer is very different than Fall, Spring and Winter. Much more crowded and hot.
@alwaysamom has a second home there and I imagine she will check in and is quite knowledgeable! ;
Thank you!
We have been warned about summer crowds and heat/ humidity in HH.
We spent some time in Bluffton and it was nice - but nothing incredible.
One of the interesting components is that my husband’s employer has an office in HH - so we could relocate before he fully retires.
Just ready for a change after 25 years in Maryland. Winters are awful, summers hot and humid. Traffic is awful. Congestion is worse every year. There is just nothing about it that we like at this point.
We used to go in the summer. I found the mosquitos to be worse in the DC area when I returned! Even when that area had a drought, it somehow managed to have more mosquitos.
And summer brings lots and lots of delicious peaches!
@rockvillemom, yes, we do have a second home there and I’d be happy to answer your questions. Although, if I’m not mistaken, we already had this conversation a couple of months ago. Feel free to click on my username and email or PM me. We love it there and use our house throughout the year, not just in the winter months.
We live full time on a resort island a little further down the coast. A while ago someone asked about it as a retirement community and I posted a fairly lengthy response. Many of the things that apply to my area also apply to HH. Here’s a link:
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/discussion/comment/18520035#Comment_18520035
Thank you both @alwaysamom and @deega123.
@alwaysamom - we did pm a few months back. I think we were more focused on Bluffton back then - have to reread.
@deega123 - thanks for the link. I do like the idea of renting at different times of the year before we purchase. I do also want to visit Asheville/Hendersonville - no beach - but sounds lovely.
Deega’s area is wonderful! After vacationing at many different east coast beaches, we said that if we ever were to live at the beach, St. Simons would be the spot. HH is very nice, but I would definitely rent in the summer to see if the crowds and tourist atmosphere would be an issue for you.
Have you visited Beaufort? Wonderful southern town with many of the charms of Charleston, but less expensive and less busy. You may want to research Daniel Island . It’s closer to Charleston , but it’s amazing.
I’m really interested to hear more about Hilton Head. We didn’t have time to look at any residential areas because our schedule got really messed up, but did visit for a few hours. Didn’t know our way around but the beach area we went to was wall to wall bodies and there was nowhere to park at some of the areas with beach access. Are there less crowded accessible beaches?
We visit the Charleston area as my son lives there and love the Sullivan Island beaches. That I was hoping to find something more like that.
@rockvillemom - so happy for you that you have found somewhere you love
It is the “low country” and even though there is only a 3 foot rise or so in the water between tides, it usually comes in 80 feet or more onto the beach. It makes a huge difference in how crowded the beach feels.
The sand is superfine and packs really hard. Bad for snuggling into with a blanket, difficult to wipe off your skin, but really, really good to bicycle on! It is firm enough that you can bike over the full beach, almost up to the dunes.
At low tide, if you wade into the water up to your chest or so you should be able to feel the occasional sand dollar on the bottom with your feet. Not creepy, just a bit like sandpaper.