The kids are back in school and already they miss summer. And if you’re being honest with yourself, don’t you? Don’t let the fall get you down, not when there’s still plenty of fun you can have just up the road on Hilton Head Island. Pretend you’re still on summer holidays with a family trip up to an island paradise; if you plan now, you’ll be ahead of the curve for that Labor Day or President’s Day trip they’ll never forget.
And once you’re there, you’ll find plenty that the kids will love. Here are a few of the hotspots for tots that will make sure you earn that “Best Dad Ever” mug or that “World’s Best Mom” macaroni art.
Adventure Cove
One part putt-putt part, one part arcade and all family fun from top to bottom.
The good times start inside, under the flashing lights and electronic clamor of an arcade packed with today’s most exciting video games and ticket-dispensing tests of skill. Fill their pockets with tokens and watch them go nuts in a glittering madhouse of digital awesomeness.
Then, get them outside and show them how it’s done on two of the island’s most famed mini golf courses, Paradise Falls or Lost Lagoon. Each one offers up a completely different experience, so let them choose and then get out there and rule the links as a family.
Coastal Discovery Museum
There’s something about getting out into nature that sparks a certain sense of curiosity in a child, and Hilton Head Island’s unsurpassed natural beauty works wonders in that regard. A trip to Coastal Discovery Museum will let them encounter native critters and plants, walk among the tidal plains of a maritime forest and even get up close and personal with butterflies.
Trails wind throughout the grounds of Historic Honey Horn, letting your children pet a Marsh Tacky and explore the wilderness to their hearts content.
Where to Stay
Of course, the easiest answer to the question, “Where should I take my kids on Hilton Head Island” is “the beach.” As such, you’re going to want to look for a vacation rental just steps away from the ocean, with enough resort-style amenities to keep the kids entertained for hours. Vacation Company has a few different options for you there, from family-friendly villas in SeaCrest and Ocean Club to full-on vacation homes in the Forest Beach district to ensure that you and your family will find something perfect waiting for you.
Now get out there and make some vacation memories with the kids. And a few for yourself, while you’re at it.
BY: BARRY KAUFMAN
