Hudson’s Seafood House On The Docks.
SOMETIMES A VACATION IS ALL ABOUT LYING AROUND. Find one spot to rest in for a while, get up for a snack, then move to another. Kind of like how my cat Malibu Ken spends his days.
Following Ken’s example, my husband and I became connoisseurs of relaxation on our recent trip to Hilton Head Island. And the Hilton Beachfront Resort & Spa Hilton Head Island was happy to oblige. The resort staff invited us out to see how the resort was refreshed after changing from a Marriott to a Hilton property, and we were treated royally.
We wanted for nothing while we were there. We were indulged in spa treatments, a cabana by the pool, a generous food and beverage allowance and even an experience at the adjacent Toptracer Golf Driving Range at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Course in Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort.
The first delight came when we checked into our oceanfront room. We sat on the patio as a gentle breeze swept by; combined with the mild October temperatures, it immobilized us for what seemed hours.
Hilton Head beaches are great for strolling. ©Hilton Head Island
After a tour of the property, we weren’t quite ready for dinner, so continued our down time at the pool. I brought a book with me, but the lounger was so comfy that I started in on my zzzzzzs early. Hey, traveling to your destination can be tiresome!
Next, we headed to Blue, the property’s signature restaurant, which offered imaginative cuisine choices such as the Shrimp “Cargot”, presented the same way escargot is typically served. It was rich, buttery and delicious, and we used the rest of our breadbasket to sop up every single bit of the goodness left behind. Our seafood feast continued with a decadent New England Lobster Roll, made with a cold water lobster salad, lettuce, tomato on a toasted roll, and perfectly seasoned mussels.
Blue’s cocktails were also a highlight—we came back for lunch the next day just so we could work our way down the list. Our favorites included the Peachy Paper Plane, made with old forester Kentucky straight bourbon, aperol, amaro nonino with fresh lemon juice and real peach.
An oceanfront room at Hilton Beachfront Resort. ©Hilton Head Island
We ended the evening with another sit on our room’s lovely balcony, watching those brave enough to wander out into the ocean during low tide. It was almost completely dark outside, thanks to the resort’s devotion to making sure sea turtles don’t have any barriers in making it out to the sea.
Relishing the chance to sleep in the next morning, the following day was also a study in repose. We (leisurely) explored our surroundings a bit more before making it down to the lovely Spa Soleil. Here we had side-by-side massages in one of the couples’ rooms; my masseuse employed deep, sweeping strokes that helped calm my body and work out my knots. Following the massage, I pulled a blanket up over me in the relaxation room and drifted off once again.
The rest of the afternoon consisted of another visit to the pool, and since the cabana was close to the pool’s steps, my hubby and I sat half-submerged in the water while noshing on fresh fruit and enjoying another beverage from Blue, which also has a pool menu.
After a quick nap and wardrobe change, it was off to dinner—the Hilton Head Island Bluffton Chamber of Commerce had secured us a reservation at Hudson’s Seafood House on the Docks at sunset. The setting was out of a postcard; we sat at a table near the waterfront, with our server, Ben, telling us about the restaurant’s history. Hudson’s uses one of only two remaining local fishing fleets on Hilton Head Island to bring fresh-caught seafood straight from dock-to-table. We wondered if any of the vessels tied to the docks that night had hauled in our dinner.
Spa Soleil at Hilton Beachfront Resort and Spa ©Hilton Head Island
Ben’s recommendations were also spot-on: I started with the shrimp dip and opted for almond-crusted flounder. The menu has multiple fish-of-the-day choices, which you can have prepared to your liking. My husband was happy to dig into some regional oysters on the half shell, again excellently described and recommended by Ben. He also followed up with fresh fish.
It was a delightful experience we didn’t want to end.
The next morning began with a walk on the beach, at sunrise—which we were first able to see from the bed in our room.
Hilton Head Island’s sugary sand is firm, making it easy to walk on, and with a horizon that seems to go on forever, it’s easy to walk a fair distance without realizing it. This is because the sea floor is shallower, thus lessening wind and wave energy, reducing the effect of tropical storms and beach erosion. We were surprised to learn that the island’s longitude is within a degree of the longitude of Cleveland, Ohio! In any case, it makes the beach wider and flatter, with more space to play and explore.
A tour by Outside Hilton Head showcases the beauty of the island and its coastal treasures.
With time before our final excursion of the day, we had a chance to seek out some of the island’s thrift stores, and indeed, we found some goodies. After reading about The Litter Box’s mission (it benefits the animals at the Hilton Head Humane Association), we made it our first stop, and found some fun items for the home and great apparel (button-down shirts for my husband and a cardigan for me) that looked like it had never been worn. By the time we got over to St. Francis Thrift Shop, it was a bit picked-over, but again, my husband scored a wealth of new-looking shirts.
We capped our visit with a Dolphin Eco Tour from Outside Hilton Head, another activity the chamber graciously secured for us. This two-hour tour departed from the Shelter Cove Marina, and it was a clear, sunny day for our adventure. Our captain, Bayard, was a wealth of information about the area, and we saw many birds and dolphins as we made our way through the waters. But the highlight of the tour, and one of the top experiences of the trip, was watching a baby dolphin swim alongside its mother as we made our way back to the marina.
A Major Golf Destination
There are 26 championship golf courses on Hilton Head Island, designed by masters in the field such as Pete and Alice Dye, Jack Nicklaus and Robert Trent Jones Sr. It is ranked the 10th golf destination globally by Golf Digest readers.
A tour by Outside Hilton Head showcases the beauty of the island and its coastal treasures.
While we didn’t have time during our stay for a full round of golf, we did make it a priority to visit Toptracer Driving Range at Palmetto Dunes. The resort was the first on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina and entire Southeast to introduce Toptracer Technology.
If you’ve ever experienced Topgolf, this range is similar, although it’s entirely outdoors. With 14 covered hitting bays, Toptracer provides instant ball tracking data, so you can adjust your approach in real time. It’s perfect for golfers of all abilities; although our games were a bit rusty, we were able to make immediate corrections to our stance, shots and follow through, and ultimately feel better about our future games.
When it’s time to go beyond practice, you can choose to play one of more than 20 world-renowned courses right from your own bay, Pebble Beach and St. Andrews among them. A fun challenge for groups is “Closest to the Pin,” generating some friendly competition while working on your swing.
And don’t forget the vittles! Toptracer has a full menu, so dig into some crispy chicken tenders, a juicy burger or a pile of nachos to keep your hunger at bay.