Property Management Vacationing on Hilton Head is dream come true |
Long before I actually visited there, the name of Hilton Head Island brought forth images of a magical place, based on what I had read and heard from others. When I finally vacationed there in 2003, I was so impressed upon arrival at seeing the beautifully landscaped main highway that did not glare with neon signs, overbearing billboards and the usual beach-town hawking environment.
I felt as if it was almost too good to be true. The palm trees, yellow and purple pansies and little Carolina wrens flitting about were so welcoming, almost daring me to just see if I would not love it here!
My fiancé and I stayed at one of the condos right on the beach, and every morning I would eagerly walk out to the balcony, taking in the breathtaking view to make sure I wasn’t dreaming. Even with all our other traveling, I kept thinking, “This is paradise and I did not have to leave the country to find it!”
We ate at so many wonderful restaurants, ranging from casual and family friendly to romantic, elegant fine dining with a variety of cuisine. The service from the ever-hospitable southern staff people was the same wherever we ate, shopped or toured.
I had always loved other East Coast beach towns from Florida to New York, but I confess that after my first visit to Hilton Head, it was definitely in a category by itself. I couldn’t wait to bring the rest of the family here to experience the abundant natural beauty, exquisite charm and many fun things to do which were all offered in such a way that captured the essence of this diverse and rich culture, and instilled a desire in the hearts of my husband and me to want to come back as often as we could.
I remember the first time we walked on the beach. It was mid-winter. There were families, couples, and people running, some with dogs, and people of varying sizes, shapes and ages riding bikes. Riding a bike right next to the ocean is one of those things you can easily fall in love with the first time you try it. I recall people riding bicycles-built-for-two, and children of all ages building sand castles, couples strolling hand-in-hand, kite-flyers, joggers and sun worshippers, right there on Hilton Head beaches on New Year’s Day — all smiling, friendly, respectful, enjoying the proverbial good life.
When we brought our sons, daughters and grandchildren to vacation the following summers, they fell in love with Hilton Head as well. The fireworks at Shelter Cove, the family community events, the abundant opportunities for tennis, golf, kayaking on the lagoon, fishing, the spas, excellent live music scene, the top-class Hilton Head live theater, the variety of tours to smaller surrounding islands, dolphin and fishing excursions, the fabulous shopping, the variety of restaurants and cuisine (especially the fresh fish!), the clean, beautifully preserved beaches, and all the things the founding fathers put in place to keep Hilton Head green and natural in all its original charm and breathtaking beauty. Who wouldn’t choose to vacation in such a well-planned, safe and unspoiled haven?
Our Hilton Head home-away-from-home has now been the site of our own late-in-life wedding, a son’s honeymoon, and a place where we have added unique and special family vacation memories. We’ve even had to use the medical facilities a few times over the years. The doctors and the care were the best.
Whether for more family memories, romantic times or recapturing our sense that all can be right in the world, we return to Hilton Head. Like Dorothy returning from the Land of Oz, clicking her heels together and affirming that there is no place like home, our family has shared so many special times unique to the island of Hilton Head, that we say, “There is no place like Hilton Head.”
By Lana Ryder-Rosner
