We are so impressed with the careful planning in Hilton Head. The island has all the amenities; shopping, restaurants, etc. and yet it is all hidden behind beautiful palm trees which makes one feel as though you are in the middle of a tropical island. Great ecological planning. Ocean Palms is a short walk, about 10 minutes, from the beautiful white sand beach. We have been there in the busiest seasons and the beach never feels crowded. Everyone you pass on the beach says hello - friendly and relaxed. Trails all over the island allow you to jump on a bike and go anywhere. There is a little seafood market, just minutes by bike, where you can get fresh fish, she crab soup, keylime pie - yum!! Inland waterways are great for kayaking and dolphins come along side the kayak. It's fun to kayak along the waterways and view some of the beautiful homes.
David likes to golf and the golf courses are lovely. It's nice that free golf is a perk of staying in Ocean Palms and even though I am a terrible golfer, it's fun to walk the course. Neither of us know much about tennis, but with free tennis courts right in Ocean Palms, we go over and hit balls back and forth (or run after the tennis balls:) There are innumerable restaurants on the island, from casual to gourmet, and everything in between. We can give you a list and directions to some of our favorites.
And then, the relaxed nature of the island atmosphere just makes the time go in slow motion and you feel the tension and fast pace of everyday life just drift away like the ocean tides. Love it!! And then there are the turtles - turtle mounds that you can adopt, waiting for the little turtles to hatch and scurry out to sea. One of these times I am going to be on the beach to see them make their way to the ocean.
We really want Hilton Head to become our family home away from home. We want our children and grandchildren to carry memories of family vacations on the island. Hilton Head is the right place.