We’re looking to get away in mid May. It’s possible it could be our last long vacation as a family as D will be doing research all summer away from home, and will graduate next year so who knows where she’ll be.
Anyway, we originally were going to do a split vacation between the Smokies and somewhere on the coast of the Carolinas. When I started doing all the research into the coast, I realized there was so much there, we could do an entire vacation in that area, so we decided not to do the Smokies at all. (We do a LOT of hiking vacations, so we are okay with this.) I originally put together an itinerary with a couple of days in Savannah, then 3 nights on Jekyll Island, then a couple of nights in Charleston, followed by 3 nights in OBX. That seemed like a lot so I took off Jekyll Island and decided we’d just do 3 nights each in Savannah, Charleston, and OBX. Now I’m rethinking that once again because Jekyll Island just sounds so nice.
Sooooo, if you’re familiar with those areas and you had 9 nights/10 days, what would your itinerary look like? Where would your home base be for each location? Would you remove one of the stops? We like a mix of things to do on our vacations: moseying around cities/towns, relaxing on the beach, outdoor activities like hiking, kayaking, biking (maybe surfing or fishing), and historical/cultural sites. We are all foodies. We do not like touristy/built up areas, big crowds, traffic, etc. Appreciate any help. I usually find it really easy to plan our vacations, but this one kind of has me stumped!
We went to the Outer Banks in early May a few years ago and a lot of restaurants had not opened. But the ferries were open, and we had fun going on the ferries. I do not know about mid-May. We went to Wright Brothers monument, then stayed in Manteo. It could be very different this year, due to pandemic.
A visit to Kinston to Vivian Howard’s restaurant (Chef and the Farmer) might be fun, we did this on the way home from OBX. However, she has a restaurant in Charleston now. We also like her (and her husband’s) pizza restaurant in Wilmington, Benny’s Big Time. We have been there several times. I am a big fan of Vivian Howard.
We live between Charleston and OBX and that will be a LONG drive. Just check out travel times.
I love Kiawah Island, South Carolina. (I can’t say what is open there now though). We went kayaking, bicycling on their miles of paths, beach combing and played tennis. Golf is a big sport there also. There are lots of birds and lots of alligators. It is convenient for day tripping into Charleston to see the historic homes and enjoy the restaurants there.
Thanks! I decided this morning to remove OBX. It just seems easier to stay in a smaller geographic area. OBX is closest to where we live, so it’s possible to do another time.
@TatinG I read a comment from someone this morning likening Kiawah to Hilton Head and that scared me as I don’t think HH is an area we’d like very much.
I’m now tentatively thinking of 3 nights on Jekyll (with maybe a visit to St. Simons), followed by a day trip to Cumberland Island, then 3 nights in Savannah, then 3 nights in Charleston. We’ll probably spend a day on Folly Beach (kids want to take a surfing lesson).
Interesting. The pictures I’m seeing look beautiful. What makes them not great? Sand, water, waves, size, etc.? How else would you say the islands differ?
I would consider Amelia Island instead of Jekyll. Very charming downtown (Fernandina), very close to Cumberland Island (we have taken a speedboat tour there with our kids which was super fun and toured Cumberland but you can also go and eat at the Greyfield Inn if it is open). Much more to do but lovely oak lined streets with Spanish Moss. We love staying on Amelia Island plantation on the beach but there are lot of other places to stay including the Ritz Carlton.
Plantation is great with kids because miles and miles of bike trails, beach, pool, mini golf on the plantation, pickle ball, basketball, ping pong, tennis, golf, fishing, etc. You won’t run out of things to do.
We go to Kiawah usually once a year - it’s definitely open and I would not compare to Hilton Head. Charleston is fun and easy to get to from Kiawah for day trips and dinner. The beaches at Jekyll and St. Simons depend on the tide and area of the island - you might have no beach. Sea Island has done work on the beaches, etc. so they don’t disappear at high tide. I think your plan to include Savannah and Cumberland Island sound great.
Another vote for St. Simons vs Jekyll especially if you want a “beachy” beach. I’ve never been to Kiawah Island but it certainly is much closer to Charleston! The last thing I like doing is riding long distances when I should be vacationing.
My favorite of your choices is Charleston. We stayed at a small place right downtown which was fun because you could forget needing a car. Loads of great eating places (but this was all pre-Covid so who knows). Charleston has a lot to offer–shopping, plantation tours, walking tours. Very easy to fill up your days with fun stuff.
you cannot really go into the water and there are no “real beaches” on Jekyll. I did go many years ago. There are things to see and do. also I was not impressed with any accommodations there.
We were looking at this place:https://www.jekyllclub.com/ Beach looks decent but may things have changed since the photo was taken? What is wrong with the water? We are used to northern Atlantic beaches, and they sometimes have a lot of seaweed, but we are okay with it. I’ll check out Amelia and St. Simons. Thanks for all the input so far!
What used to be called Amelia Island Plantation is the Omni Amelia Island resort. You can rent thru the omni or rental agencies (Amelia Rentals is the largest). They have a hotel and condos which are beach or marsh front. Both are beautiful.
I agree about Jekyll. I haven’t been for years but when I went years ago it was pretty run down even the Jekyll Island Club which was certainly past its prime. There wasn’t much to do their either. The tour we took to Cumberland Island on speedboats was backwater cat tours. There are several other tours to the island though. Amelia Island | Backwater Cat Adventure | Amelia Island Boat Tour
Maybe some comparison will help me. I’m very familiar with Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard. Can anyone compare the southern islands (Amelia, St. Simons, and Jekyll) to those two northern ones? I love MV and we have a family house out there so we go a lot. That’s not what I’m looking for for this vacation. I also love Nantucket, and I’d say that’s a little closer to what we want. A small quaint town center with a few shops/good restaurants, lots of outdoor activities (walking, biking, kayaking, swimming), a nice beach and lots of natural beauty. Would like to stay on the beach somewhere, preferably a resort (no chains or high rises) but an airbnb property might work too. Does this description fit one of my choices?
I’[ll admit the beach pix are nice. But honestly there just isn’t much there on the island to do. It’s not very big. I guess it depends more on what type of vacation you want to experience.
I’m pretty sure that beach at Jekyll is underwater at high tide? I could be wrong. People do love Amelia but I’ve only been when it was too cold to enjoy and it was a long time ago. Can’t wait to hear what you decide.
Amelia would fit that bill. St. Simons is bigger so not really small/quaint. Downtown Fernandina is very quaint. This link talks about it with a short video. It is a barrier island with a beautiful marsh and lots of wildlife. Lots of outdoor activities - TripAdvisor will list a lot. Kayaking through the marsh is great. The old fort in the video is Ft. Clinch which you can tour. Also great place to bike or hike. Guide to Vacations & Attractions in Amelia Island Florida
To me you will get the most bang for your buck with everything at your fingertips staying at the Omni Resort since everything is on property or can be arranged on property. Dont know how old your kids are but very safe to let them explore on their bikes by themselves as long as they stop before crossing the road (bike paths are through the woods). It is a quick drive to downtown Fernandina.
I grew up in North and South Carolina, my parents are retired in Charleston. After college I moved to the North East so I am familiar with Martha’s Vineyard, etc…
I would rent a house on Sullivans Island, SC. Untouched beach for the most part with a strip of shops and some great casual but delicious restaurants. One being Obstinate Daughter and it’s fabulous, even for foodies.
The food scene in downtown Charleston is incredible. Too many restaurants to recommend. It would probably be fun to spend a couple of nights in downtown Charleston as part of the trip. Sullivans island is maybe 12 miles from downtown-but worlds apart as far as vibe.
For Sullivans all you will be doing is relaxing on the beach, walking the beach, or swimming in the ocean. There is no fluff there, but that is why I love it so much.