Welcome to the low country! Get ready to explore the beautiful city of Savannah and Hilton Head Island. They have done so much to preserve the history and the kept the (term I’ve coined) “old beach” feel. Especially true on the island, you will not be bombarded with neon lights or someone ready to sell you a hermit crab with an airbrush t-shirt on every corner. It is an excellent place to recharge.
We have always taken the drive over to South Carolina, from Tennessee, but if you are further away, you can easily fly into Savannah and rent a car to take over to Hilton Head. Hilton Head is about an hour from downtown Savannah. This could be an easy day trip from Hilton Head if you prefer not to do it on the way onto the island.
I have been to Hilton Head many times growing up, for fall breaks, and more recently, we moved ourselves there for two weeks during Covid to escape major cabin fever. After having gone in every season, now, I strongly believe Fall on the island can’t be beat. And, although Savannah can also be enjoyed in any season, it comes alive in October, especially around Halloween!
SAVANNAH!
Let’s talk about Savannah first. When I picture Savannah, I cannot help but think of the incredible oak trees lining the cobblestone streets. I think of the beautiful antebellum homes and rowhouses, and eerily majestic cemeteries that neighbor them. It’s a hauntingly gorgeous city with a diverse population and cultural flair.
As far as I am concerned, you go to Savannah for the history, the food, and the tours.
Our first stop takes us to lunch at the Ordinary Pub. Its a super cool pub in the basement of the old Sears and Roebuck building. The loaded pub fries and the Pork Belly Donut Sliders were to die for, and just the carb load we needed to take on the day.
There are so many fun stores in the Bay St. area. Among them, there are two great bookstores to visit. One is right on Bay St called Books on Bay and the other is a few blocks back, closer to Forsyth Park, called The Book Lady Bookstore. Another can’t miss is the River Street Market! It’s an open air market with food and entertainment down by the riverfront! Speaking of riverfront, how about a fun ride on the Georgia Queen Riverboat? They have cruises all day, so you can pick the one that suits your needs the most. After your fun day of exploring Savannah, make sure to leave enough time to check out the Old Pink House for dinner (reservations strongly recommended). Legend has it that it is haunted in the hallway to the bathroom, so who wouldn’t want to go see if they catch a ghost for themselves!? After dinner, head to Savannah’s Candy Kitchen for all the old-fashioned candy you could ever want. Fun fact, our daughter, Savannah, was named after Savannah, GA. We lived far away from the south when she was born and I wanted her to have a strong Southern name. What name screams “southern belle” like Savannah? She has always loved having her picture taken all over town, and there was a time she thought she was super famous and the town had actually been named after her. What a cutie!
So, back to our ghosts–I HIGHLY recommend one of the ghost tours that Ghost City Tours offers. We did the Grave Tales Tour, which was well after dark and plenty spooky for us and our kiddos. There are even spookier tours, if you dare!
We’re not quite done with Savannah. I want to add a couple of our other go-to’s when in town. You must must must visit Forsyth Park, the Cathedral of St John the Baptist, Wormsloe Historic Site, and Bonaventure Cemetery. These are no less impressive than what I mentioned previously. They’re just off the main drag, but worth a second full day, in my opinion.
One final note before we head to Hilton Head-We’ve only ever stayed in a hotel here. I know, shocker! But, it’s right in the middle of the historic area and easy to get to everything quickly. The rooms are comfortable and the breakfast is great. I’ll link that here.
HILTON HEAD!
Now that you’ve spent a day or two taking in the city sites, it’s time to unwind and relax in Hilton Head! As I mentioned before, we have been and stayed in nearly every plantation on the island. But, out of them all, Palmetto Dunes and Sea Pines have our heart.
We typically stay in Palmetto Dunes but spend some time in Sea Pines throughout the week (pay attention to plantation pass fees and buy what makes the most sense for how often you plan to enter each plantation). You really can’t go wrong with the location within Palmetto Dunes. According to your budget, you can choose ocean front, but there are far more options, within walking distance, that are much more reasonably priced. We tend to stay off the ocean a few blocks and ride our bikes or pull our wagon over to the beach. You have to be staying on (or get a paid pass for) Palmetto Dunes to use the public beaches, which makes it nice to protect the plantation from being overcrowded. If you do prefer a more “resort feel” right on the water, there is a large Marriott that is ocean front.
Activities on the Island
There is so much to do on the island besides play in the sand.
We usually rent bikes from Hilton Head Outfitters to have for the week, if we do not bring our own. You can ride on the beach and there are great paths all over the island for the experienced riders. Having bikes is perfect in Palmetto Dunes because you can easily ride out to Shelter Cove for breakfast, drinks, or dinner. Palmetto Dunes also has a small general store for light offerings of basic needs, and our kids’ favorite–candy and Icees!
Having bikes is a great way to get some exercise as you bike your way over to Shelter Cove for yummy treats. One of our favorite things to do is get up in the morning and ride over to Hilton Head Social Bakery for pastries and coffee and enjoy them with the marina views. Shelter Cove often has live music and events in their main plaza area, as well. Check their events calendar here to keep up to date on the latest.
While we’re discussing Shelter Cove, I want to add that there is a Disney Vacation Club resort here. One of the perks of staying in Palmetto Dunes is that, although you cannot use their amenities, Disney has a beach house ocean front (for their Shelter Cove guests) that you can purchase snacks from, including…..drum roll please…..MICKEY ICE CREAM BARS! This was a very fun activity for our crew while spending the day at the beach. They have dole whip and some of the other crowd favorites, as well! It’s also a nice place to go to the bathroom, if your rental isn’t ocean front.
Shelter Cove Marina also offers boat rentals through Hilton Head Boat Rentals. We rented a boat one afternoon and it was one of the more peaceful boat rides we’ve done. After a pleasant “stroll” through the bay, we docked at Harbor Town and had dinner from the Sea Pines Resort.
While we’re on Harbor Town, I’ll mention that is a spectacular area to watch the sunset and, if you’re a golfer, its a great resort for some very nice golf at Harbor Town Golf Links.
You can easily make a full day with the round of golf or an afternoon/evening with some shopping, dinner, and sunset.
Make sure to come back to Sea Pines to visit Salty Dog one evening, especially if you can join in when they have live music! It’s super laid back and has great food and cocktails!
Before I leave you, I’ll give you all the links to the rest of our favorites, below-
Skull Creek Boathouse for seafood
Local Pie for pizza
A Low Country Backyard Restaurant
Savannah and Hilton Head are a perfect combo for a week-long stay in the low country. And, although I’m showcasing it as a great fall break experience, this trip really can be done any time of the year!