<p>Looking to spend 4-5 days in this area but have never been there. Open to any ideas for a group of mature adults who like the beach but like walking/playing cards etc. Not looking for nightlife and fancy restaurants. According to a friend, Harbourtown has the best of everything including walking to town for the morning paper and muffin type of place. Bikes to rent etc, trolley to the beach although probably not swimming. Unfortunately we are going the week of April 14 which apparently is Heritage Golf time. So any suggestions? Could also be some of the Gerogia coastal islands-Tybee, Jekell, etc. Thanks for any ideas for neighborhoods, plantations, even street names! Thanks so much in advance.</p>
<p>Beachwalk in Shipyard is nice. It’s a short walk to the beach and a short drive to shops and restaurants. Harbourtown is very nice and you can walk to many conveniences but is likely to be extremely pricey during Heritage week</p>
<p>Exactly. Hence for the search for something with the some of the same features especially the walking distance to the shops/bakeries/ice cream etc. Figures the one time we are able to plan this adventure it conflicts with the Heritage Golf. 
Will look into Shipyard. Thanks for the idea.</p>
<p>Check out Sea Island–one of the Georgia coastal islands. I tagged along with my H to a meeting he was attending a few years ago. We stayed at The Cloisters. It was a beautiful spot. I did lots of beach walking and biking–I don’t golf but my husband does–he really enjoyed the golf course there. We also went fishing. Along with the Cloisters there are private homes for rent.
[Getaway</a> Resorts | Sea Island - Accommodations | 5 Star Hotels](<a href=“http://www.seaisland.com/accommodations/]Getaway”>Plan & Book Your Stay at Sea Island | Sea Island Resort)</p>
<p>Pm me if you’re looking for a recommendation on a nice villa in Beachwalk</p>
<p>Agree with suggestion for Sea Island, St. Simons or Jekyll Island. Sea island is a bit more expensive. IIRC, Jekyll has less to do. Less shops, etc. Look into St. Simons, which is just south of Sea island (but part of the same island)</p>
<p>We go to HHI twice a year. I would avoid Harbourtown during the Heriatge. Just too busy. Palmetto Dunes Plantation is great. You can stay on the beach, just off the beach or on the Marina. Great walking, biking, restaurants and shops.</p>
<p>Are you looking for a villa to stay in as a group? An inn? A hotel?</p>
<p>That week is not a week that you want to be anywhere near Sea Pines which is where Harbor Town is. It will not only be pricey (and that’s if you can still find accommodation), it will be very busy. Traffic in and out of Sea Pines is busy at the best of times but that week, it’s terrible.</p>
<p>I agree with Bigdaddy that Palmetto Dunes has many great places to stay, as do several other HH locations. We have a second home there and spend a lot of time there throughout the year now that my husband is retired. If you’d like more detailed information, click on my username and send me an email. Just want to point out that I’m not trying to rent out my home. We don’t do that and our community does not allow short term rentals!</p>
<p>By the way, avoiding nightlife and fancy restaurants won’t be difficult in HH. There are dozens and dozens of great restaurants but there is very little fancy about them. 
The most exciting nightlife is probably a jazz piano at a local wine bar or a show at the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina. HH sounds like the perfect spot for what you want.</p>
<p>Thanks for so many thoughts and ideas. Wish I didn’t have so much planning to do at school after the extra long break. The internet is calling me. We are looking for a condo/villa/cottage in an area that has the same feel and amenities as Sea Pines/Harbour Town. Hopefully one that would rent for 4-5 days as opposed to a full week. I used Harbor Town as an example but know to eliminate that area totally in my search. Thanks again for the ideas. Alwaysamom, will probably send a message later. :)</p>
<p>If you’re willing to go just a bit farther, Amelia Island just over the GA/FL border would fit the bill. It has beautiful beaches, lots of bike trails, quaint shops and restaurants and a very quiet and relaxed laid-back feel. There are lots of B&Bs but also condo/villa resorts.</p>
<p>Having visited both, I prefer St Simons over Hilton Head.</p>
<p>You should work in a visit to Beaufort, SC. It’s about an hour from HH and is where The Big Chill was filmed and much of Forrest Gump. Savannah is about an hour from HH and has a lot to see in a small area along the river (and there are some other neighborhoods too, but I’m blanking on them - check out Bull Street with it’s beautiful central gardens).</p>
<p>We stay in Palmetto dunes but there’s not much to walk to in terms of shopping. You can bike all over the island on paths, even going over the toll bridge and under the main road to Shelter Cove. It’s all flat but count on having the wind in your face on the return trip!</p>
<p>There’s a good breakfast and pastry place called Signe’s off of Arrow road not too far from the traffic circle. There’s also lots to walk to in Coligny Plaza and there is at least one hotel nearby. It’s in a refreshingly out-of-the-plantation place (I get tired of all the guard posts).</p>
<p>My parents used to own a house in Port Royal Plantation, but it doesn’t allow short term rentals. It does have a wonderful, wide walkable beach on the Atlantic side. The Westin Hotel is on the same beach.</p>
<p>This is my friend’s condo on Hilton Head. The rental rates tab show availability.</p>
<p>[Shorewood</a>, 204 - S. Forest Beach - Hilton Head Island, SC - Vacation Villa Rental](<a href=“Hilton Head Island Vacation Rentals, Beach Houses, Condos | Vacasa”>Hilton Head Island Vacation Rentals, Beach Houses, Condos | Vacasa)</p>
<p>Very coincidentally we stayed in this complex 14 years ago (well before we knew them, plus they bought in past 5 years) and found it well located to everything on Hilton Head. It may be too large for your needs, but I did find the area very nice and not part of the gated communities. We found a bike shop that delivered to the complex and we were able to ride on the beach out front all the way into the gated communities.</p>
<p>Have you considered Amelia Island FL? I attended a conference at the Ritz Carlton there last year and loved the area. I found the beach very relaxing.</p>
<p>The coastal GA islands are my neck of the woods. Where ever you choose, that week is going to be busy.</p>
<p>Are you driving or flying? If you are coming from up North, choosing Amelia vs Hilton Head will add about three hours to your trip each way. If you are flying, Jacksonville airport is very convenient to Amelia/Fernandina/Jekyll/St. Simons/Sea Island and tends to have cheaper airfares than Savannah/Hilton Head.</p>
<p>Jekyll is VERY quiet. Most of the island is a state park. It has a great historic district and a couple of ocean front motels. Sea Island is a private island where one resort, The Cloister, is located. It is a really lovely 5 star resort and is one of the most expensive places on the GA/SC coast. I live in St. Simons. We have lots of great local eateries, a quaint village area and miles of bike trails. Amelia/Fernandina in FL is pretty similar to St. Simons.</p>
<p>I like Hilton Head but I feel like we do a lot of driving when we are there. St. Simons and to a lesser extent, Amelia/Fernandina, are more compact.</p>
<p>OMG, I love Charleston and Savannah so much. Especially Charleston.
You’ll have a great time.</p>
<p>Checking back in after spending lots of time researching flights. We will be driving from Atlanta and then flying back north from either Savannah or Jacksonville. Also, comparing flights to Rochester and Buffalo but needs to match where we depart from on the way to Atlanta. If it sounds confusing, you are right. Thanks again for the great responses.</p>
<p>bluejay, a word about flights. I don’t know your starting point but if it’s Buffalo or Rochester, you might want to compare flights to Charlotte rather than Atlanta. This is assuming that there isn’t a particular reason for you to be in Atlanta. Charlotte to Hilton Head is an easier and shorter drive and the Charlotte airport is easier to navigate and far less likely to result in delays, in our experience. If you can get a direct flight to/from Savannah, that would be ideal. It’s a beautiful and well-run small airport and a very easy drive to HH.</p>
<p>alwaysamom, I have thought about Charlotte but the times are important. We are attending a wedding in Atlanta so we would be leaving from there even if we flew to Charlotte and drove to Atlanta. Direct flights have not been my friends lately and I do worry about timing/delays etc. Thanks again for the tip!</p>
<p>Moving closer to a decision Staying on St. Simon’s and flying out of Savannah seems to be our best option. Maybe…just can’t stop looking.</p>