HHI no longer live trip report. updated 6/8

[Tinks "SS"]

tick, tock, tick, tock. Pretty much packed up and ready to go but waiting on DH to get home from office to pack up truck and get kids up and out the door. I have so been looking forward to this trip and the day is here. We can't wait to experience HHI during the summer months. We had a short taste on thanksgiving weekend and we fell in love. Hope everyone else is having a great weekend as i know there are several others getting ready to leave soon. Safe travels to everyone leaving soon!!

 

[Tinks "SS"]

We got to the area around 12:30 today and stopped and had lunch at Fuddruckers. (Good hamburgers that don't break the bank and the one near us closed several years ago and we like it. ) We got to the resort a little after 1p. Our room wasn't ready but it was ok. We found out we are in the main lodge and headed out into the resort to relax and kill time. We walked out to the fishing pier and met a couple of older teenagers from our area (within 60 miles anyways) and they were telling us what all they have caught out there fishing the past three days. They were really cool and gracious to my 2 boys. They even let them use some of their rotten chicken to catch some crabs. This thrilled my boys beyond belief. When we were here in november, they didn't catch anything at all. We even caught a special crab who didn't have any pinchers and lost all of his legs on one side. It really broke my heart as i worried he was getting enough to eat. not sure why but it really broke my heart as we have a dog that has had a stroke and still walks with limp and some deficits.

We got the text our room was ready and we went to check out our room. I really feel like we got some great water views this trip. I was beyond thrilled. We are in a 1 BR and i requested marsh view. Well, i get water all the time as we are looking at the Marriot across the way. I'm fine with it though and we have an extra long deck. The only negative is the A/C's are right on the other side of the partition. Doesn't bother me much as i can drown it out but DH complained a little.

We then headed out over to Shelter Cove as i wanted to walk around and check it out. I took Wolfpackfans suggestion and we ate at San Miguels! My DH and I loved the atmosphere of the place. We ate outside with a nice breeze and no wait, Good food and live music. We felt like we were really Home.

Talked my family into going to pool for a little while after that and then to campfire. My oldest DS thought he was going to die of embarrassment. He is 11 almost 12 and thinks he is grown. Of course, We all just got into it that much more. My DH was a great sport and even wore the tinkerbell wings for the dress up story. Followed up by some extreme ping pong.

Overall a great first day and relaxing although the boys to were pushing to do too much today. We are tired from getting up so early and enjoying the evening and an adult beverage.

See ya tomorrow.

 

[bdoleary]

Sounds like a great first day - enjoy HHI and the rest of your vacation!

 

[WolfpackFan]

Tinks it was nice meeting you out on the pier.

 

[debbieandroo]

I wish I was there, too - sounds wonderful!

Have a great time.

 

[Tinks "SS"]

didn't get on yesterday to update. Saturday we ate at panera for breakfast before hitting the grocery store and walmart. The boys really want to fish alot while we are here. We hit the beach after runing around all morning and grilled hamburgers out on the grill.

Sun am we went to One hot Momma's for their sunday brunch. It was good and very reasonably priced. Had to go back to walmart for fishing poles issues. After that, fishing on the pier it was. Well, i had to do a side trip to meet B'Loo and Shadow. I enjoyed it but the boys were ready to be go fishing. Sat out on the pier for quite awhile. Met Wolfpack fan and his lovely wife on the pier.

Our plan for today is just to hit the pool at the resort in a bit. We have the dolphin cruise today at 1p so i'm excited about that. Then hit the pool again. We may try Scott's tonight for dinner. We really love the convenience factor of being able to walk over to the marina area.

 

[udflyer00]

Tink what did u think of the dolphin cruise?? We are doing that tomorrow?

Thanks Mark

 

[Tinks "SS"]

Udflyer, did not get to go yesterday. The rain and thunder was coming in right at that time so we had to reschedule for tomorrow as well. We are going at 3p tomorrow.

Well, who ever gets our room after us will have a very clean microwave. My DH decided to cook some chili for his hotdogs in the microwave and of course the paper towel he put down on the bottom stuck to the bottom and it splattered all over the place. So i just got finished cleaning the microwave really good to get all the stuck on paper towel and chili off.

Last night we went over to Scott's for dinner. Definitely the most expensive place we have eaten so far. Not sure that we will go there again. The food was good but not for the prices they are charging. we didn't get to do the dolphin cruise last night after all. My Boys have really enjoyed B'Loo's magic tricks and tall tales so far. They fished so more again last night and i got to watch the sunset. We keep walking over to the marina and looking at all the boats. We are just amazed at how big some of them are. There is one called the dream which is our favorite and we dream about owning it one day. yeah like that will happen.

Today we spent most of the day at the beach until the rain came. My DH says he doesn't need to do the dolphin cruise now. They saw alot of dolphins swimming about 20 feet from them. They also saw alot of sand dollars, starfish (2 legs fell off while my oldest was holding it) and a horseshoe crab. My youngest enjoyed the pool games. We ordered pizza from Giuseppi's for dinner and enjoyed B'Loo's ghosts and legends tale. We are waiting for the pool party and ice cream drop to start now.

 

[udflyer00]

Tink my family and i went to B'Lou's magic show yesterday, did you go or just your boys??? There were 2 boys in the Den playing pool when the show started... it was a very fun show. We were also at the beach house for the games @ 2. My son Luke won the 2nd prize. My wife and oldest son and daughter went to the Ghosts story telling a bit after it started if you might have noticed them. We didn't get to do the pirate party as we headed into Sea Pines to try the Salty Dog cafe. Did they get to do much for the pirate party? It poured on us at dinner so we were curious. We seem to just be a step behind... we are going to try the dolphin cruise at 11 tomorrow. Hopefully the weather will hold up for us.

Hopefully we cross paths before you head home.

Mark

 

[MinnieGi]

Enjoying all the live reports! Helping me prepare for our trip in three weeks!

 

[Tinks "SS"]

Mark, it was good to meet you and your family as well. They are sweet. The behind the ears tour was really neat and we enjoyed it alot. I told my boys they missed B'lou doing card tricks. They were bummed about that but had fun at pool party.

MinnieG, i'm so jealous that you still have your trip to go. I'm down to our last full day and not happy about it at all. My boys and I have been trying to figure out how to stay longer down here but my oldest has a baseball game and the last one on sat so we need to get home.

Yesterday, it rained and misted most of the day. We still had a good time cause we were here. My boys got to fish some more. My DH's mom and step dad came to HHI for a couple of days to check out their options for timeshares( they have II and will check them out prior to staying in one). We invited them over and showed them around our room, resort and beach house. They enjoyed it and thought we had the best view of any. We also did the behind the ears tour, and the mental world of B'Lou. I have really enjoyed all his stories and have tried to catch as many as possible. We met my in-laws over at San Miguel's again for dinner last night. It was really good again and will definetely be on our list to come back to in the future. The camp fire was fun again last night. I didn't pack a jacket cause its JUNE AND WE ARE AT THE BEACH. But i have been really chilly here this trip with the breeze. My DH was great and found a coat for me in his truck. The only problem was it was his work coat that he wears on the side of the road for heavy tractor trailer wrecks and it is reflective bright neon yellow. Couldn't miss me last night.

Not sure what we will do this morning but will be hitting the beach later as well as the low country boil.

 

[Tinks "SS"]

We are home now. This was one of the best vacations we have ever had. We had a great time even with some rain in there. I will be working on getting a few of my fav pics up over the weekend. I was fighting leaving and trying my best to postpone leaving but my darn husband just makes me go. We finally got in our dolphin cruise today and it was really nice and extremely enjoyable.

 

[mickeyplanner]

Thanks for the trip report, we are debating on trying to get into HHI May 2013 at the 7 month window. We own at BLT too. I am just wondering if we should wait until our kids are older?

 

[MinnieGi]

Thanks for the trip report, we are debating on trying to get into HHI May 2013 at the 7 month window. We own at BLT too. I am just wondering if we should wait until our kids are older?

My kids have been going almost every summer since they were 2 & 6. They loved it right from their very first trip. We leave in three days for yet another wonderful summer week in HHI!! It is the perfect place for little ones because there are lots of activities but lots of relaxation too. Their beach is the best beach for little ones. It has very calm water - no riptides!! It is very shallow for a wide stretch and no "shelf" drop like lots of other Atlantic beaches. The sand is the best to play in as it is hard and compacted and makes great sand castle building. Plus these little tide pools form at low tide that little ones especially like to go play and soak in not to mention "catch" the little sea creatures.

 

[mickeyplanner]

My kids have been going almost every summer since they were 2 & 6. They loved it right from their very first trip. We leave in three days for yet another wonderful summer week in HHI!! It is the perfect place for little ones because there are lots of activities but lots of relaxation too. Their beach is the best beach for little ones. It has very calm water - no riptides!! It is very shallow for a wide stretch and no "shelf" drop like lots of other Atlantic beaches. The sand is the best to play in as it is hard and compacted and makes great sand castle building. Plus these little tide pools form at low tide that little ones especially like to go play and soak in not to mention "catch" the little sea creatures.

Thanks for you feedback, our kids will be 2 and 6 if we get in and go next year. Do you drive from DE? We would be driving from PA. If you do drive do you have any tips to share on traveling that long with little ones. We did book at BLT for the 11 month window for May 2013 but we are really hoping to get in at HHI at the 7month window for May or June or even July. What time of year do you typically go to HHI?

 

[MinnieGi]

Thanks for you feedback, our kids will be 2 and 6 if we get in and go next year. Do you drive from DE? We would be driving from PA. If you do drive do you have any tips to share on traveling that long with little ones. We did book at BLT for the 11 month window for May 2013 but we are really hoping to get in at HHI at the 7month window for May or June or even July. What time of year do you typically go to HHI?

We go to HHI in June. However we own additional points at HHI just so we can get summer time home advantage. I don't think you will have too much trouble though with May. It's really the summer months that are hard to get into, however do still call right at the 7 month window!!

Yes, we always drive to HHI. It takes about 12 hours. We do it all in one day. The kids watch movies to help pass the time. And now that they are older they have their IPods, DS's, etc... to pass the time. However when they were younger, movies worked best.

Although 12 hours may seem like alot to cover in a day with little ones, to us this works better than doing half a drive one day and half the next. Our kids and us rather get it all done in one shot because then its more time on the beach!!!

We also do the 12 hours and then stay at a Hampton Inn for our first night on the island which is usually a Sat. Then Sunday morning we check in first thing to Disney's resort and although our room is not ready we are able to gain access to the beach house and spend the morning/early afternoon on the beach and in the beach house pool. Our room is usually ready by afternoon so then we can unpack and get our grocery shopping done but we feel so good b/c we've been on the beach all day!!

Good luck on getting in!!

 

[Tinks "SS"]

we got in right at 7 months. i called as soon as they opened up that day. but i also tried to go early in june for best shot to get in. My husband has decided that we need more points just for HHI. i still plan on getting some pics in soon but work and tubing on the weekends have gotten in the way. Good luck!

 

[mickeyplanner]

We go to HHI in June. However we own additional points at HHI just so we can get summer time home advantage. I don't think you will have too much trouble though with May. It's really the summer months that are hard to get into, however do still call right at the 7 month window!!

Yes, we always drive to HHI. It takes about 12 hours. We do it all in one day. The kids watch movies to help pass the time. And now that they are older they have their IPods, DS's, etc... to pass the time. However when they were younger, movies worked best.

Although 12 hours may seem like alot to cover in a day with little ones, to us this works better than doing half a drive one day and half the next. Our kids and us rather get it all done in one shot because then its more time on the beach!!!

We also do the 12 hours and then stay at a Hampton Inn for our first night on the island which is usually a Sat. Then Sunday morning we check in first thing to Disney's resort and although our room is not ready we are able to gain access to the beach house and spend the morning/early afternoon on the beach and in the beach house pool. Our room is usually ready by afternoon so then we can unpack and get our grocery shopping done but we feel so good b/c we've been on the beach all day!!

Good luck on getting in!!

You are giving courage to try traveling with a 2 year old and 6 year old next year for 12 hours in the car. Do movies really hold their attention that long? How many stops do you make during the 12 hours?

 

[mickeyplanner]

we got in right at 7 months. i called as soon as they opened up that day. but i also tried to go early in june for best shot to get in. My husband has decided that we need more points just for HHI. i still plan on getting some pics in soon but work and tubing on the weekends have gotten in the way. Good luck!

When you talk about early in June are talking first week or even second week? I guess I will find out in the Fall when our seven month window will open up. We are looking at a 1 bedroom. Are they plentiful at HHI?

 

[MinnieGi]

You are giving courage to try traveling with a 2 year old and 6 year old next year for 12 hours in the car. Do movies really hold their attention that long? How many stops do you make during the 12 hours?

We stop as needed for food and restrooms stops and just to walk around which is especially important for little ones. Now I'm not saying its always smooth sailing, but its very doable. Movies and favorite tv shows are a big plus in making the time go by faster!! Your 6yo might also be into playing games on DS or IPod. Plus just good old fashioned car travel games such as "I spy" and "Twenty questions" help pass the time and kids love.