# Hilton Head Island beaches



## Gophesjo (Aug 18, 2012)

Does anyone else think that the beaches on Hilton Head Island are about the boringest beaches around?  Just completing my second vacation in Port Royal Plantation, and while everything is absolutely gorgeous - golf courses and resorts and houses, etc. - the beach is simply boring.  I do enjoy bike riding on the beach, which I have not been able to do elsewhere, but there hasn't been a body-surfable wave in sight all week.


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## Egret1986 (Aug 18, 2012)

*I wouldn't choose Hilton Head for body surfing.  Boring? Never looked at it that way.*



Gophesjo said:


> Does anyone else think that the beaches on Hilton Head Island are about the boringest beaches around?  Just completing my second vacation in Port Royal Plantation, and while everything is absolutely gorgeous - golf courses and resorts and houses, etc. - the beach is simply boring.  I do enjoy bike riding on the beach, which I have not been able to do elsewhere, but there hasn't been a body-surfable wave in sight all week.



I love biking on the beach.  I haven't found anywhere else I can do that.  And for that reason alone, I am chomping at the bit right now to go for my upcoming September trip.  I love being out there for a beautiful sunrise on my bike.  

One particular beach can't be everything to everybody.  

I've only been to Atlantic Beach a couple of times.  But found the body surfing there incredible.  Unfortunately, my husband got twisted up in a wave and says he still has issues from it.


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## Gophesjo (Aug 18, 2012)

*Is it serendipity - or irony?*

 

I'll be going to Atlantic Beach in September... sounds like we'll both be pretty happy (assuming no hurricanes, of course).


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## pedro47 (Aug 18, 2012)

To the OP what and where is your beach of choice?  I live near Virginia Beach, VA and we do not like the beach at Virginia Beach.  It is like a zoo between June and September. 

The best time of year to visit Virginia Beach, VA in my opinion are October, November, April, May and June.  These months the beach is not congested with people.

Our favorites beaches are in South Florida, St Lucia, San Diego, CA and Hilton Head Islands.

I hope you enjoy Atlantic Beach and your vacation.


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## Gophesjo (Aug 18, 2012)

Thanks, Pedro,

I also like Virginia Beach in early October - the Ocean is still warm enough to swim/surf, but the crowds - which don't really bother me - are down.  The dolphins, however, are out in force, which is really great!

I really like Myrtle Beach - I like the crowds in Myrtle, and the slope of the beach is less gradual, so there are waves more often.  I also really enjoy the other stuff - i.e. the Boardwalk, Broadway at the Beach, Barefoot Landing, etc.

This will be my first trip to Atlantic Beach.  I have also not been to the OBX.  Maybe next summer...


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## Egret1986 (Aug 18, 2012)

*Since you're a North Carolinian, I had expected you probably had been to AB & OBX*



Gophesjo said:


> Thanks, Pedro,
> 
> I also like Virginia Beach in early October - the Ocean is still warm enough to swim/surf, but the crowds - which don't really bother me - are down.  The dolphins, however, are out in force, which is really great!
> 
> ...



By your comment about HH beaches, I think you will love the beach in AB.  By your comment about Myrtle Beach, you will probably find Atlantic Beach too quiet.  For us, it was all about the beach, with little else to do.

I live near VA Beach also.  I have lived near it all my life.  I used to avoid it.  Now I embrace it.  Maybe because I'm older and my motivations are different than they used to be.  Also, I have seen great improvements taking place in VA Beach over the last several years.

The OBX is somewhere between VA Beach and Atlantic Beach.  There's no boardwalk, but there's so many little towns to explore, and plenty to see and do.  Also, you get some decent wave action most of the time.

Enjoy your Atlantic Beach vacation.  And hush your mouth about hurricanes.     Don't want any of that, no do we?!


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## cpepdan (Aug 18, 2012)

We took our first trip to HHI this past June. I have been in bigger waves in my bath tub. The water was warm and if you have small kids then it would be great. I was thinking maybe it was just our bad luck and would have tried out HHI again. We loved everything else about the island and the area.

Agree with VA Beach being too crowded. Loved Myrtle but have had trouble getting near the beach during the summer. OBX is good too but the riptides and rough sand can be tough on some people.

I love Chincoteague but there is no TS there. We are considering Emerald Island, SC but same issue no TS.


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## jme (Aug 18, 2012)

With all due respect, you seem to forget that boring is just what the doctor ordered. It's why most of us are there. Both beautiful and excruciatingly boring----that is good.  

There are hundreds of places which fit your desires, and only a handful which don't.....should that be changed?  Places like HH are hard to find.  Theme parks won't work well there.  

As for wave size, etc., the resort owners DID NOT create the beach or the wave size.  Someone else did, and it's rather nice to recognize that. 

Maybe you have 15 ways you'd like to jazz it up?  please don't.  

try Waikiki ...it sounds perfect.


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## travelguy (Aug 18, 2012)

*"Functional"*

I'd say HHI beaches are very "functional" beaches.  

They are wide enough that you get a huge area of beach to yourself, they are flat enough to walk forever without "sand fatigue" from pushing the dunes with each step, they are quiet enough for a bookworm to finish a book a day, they are packed down enough to bike for miles, there is enough wildlife (fish, foul, amphibian and human) to keep any voyeur entertained, the water is warm enough due to the gulf stream to make even a toddler comfortable in the surf and they are clean enough to make you wonder if an army of cleaners scour the beach in the middle of the night.  The only thing HHI beaches are not .... is scenic.  

IMHO, Hawaii and Caribbean beaches are much more scenic but not as functional as HHI.  But Hawaii and Island beaches tend to be boring also ...


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## Gophesjo (Aug 18, 2012)

Hey jme,

If you give me your Oceanwatch  I guarantee you I will forget about the 15 ways I have thought about to change HHI.  By the way, I love your phrase 'excruciatingly boring.'


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## colatown (Aug 18, 2012)

cpepdan said:


> We are considering Emerald Island, SC but same issue no TS.



Do you mean Emerald Isle, NC?


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## MOXJO7282 (Aug 19, 2012)

We  love the beaches on HHI. You're not going to catch a wave or anything like that but they're very wide which allows for finding a good spot and we also love riding bikes along the beach so for us they're just wonderful.


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## cp73 (Aug 20, 2012)

Having never been to Hilton Head beaches is it safe to swim in the ocean? How far out can you swim? Should I bring my fins with me? Will be going next month for the first time. Can't wait.


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## Gophesjo (Aug 20, 2012)

Yes, you can certainly swim in the ocean on HHI.  You will find the water to be quite warm.  

This past week we experienced lots of ocean fauna - especially at low tide - often stepping on living starfish and sand dollars, and even an occasional small conch shell (snail?).  We also saw a couple of incidents of jelly fish sting, though these were not al all serious, and the life guards were equipped with antiseptic spray.


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## lprstn (Aug 21, 2012)

For fun and happening things we like
- Virginia Beach
- Myrtle Beach
- Panama City Beach

We have driven from Atlantic City to Wildwood (the kids love it there)


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## riverdees05 (Aug 21, 2012)

We love them!  Great to walk and ride bike on when we visit.


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## suzsaz (Sep 3, 2012)

Swimming down the Jersey Shore since I was a kid, I was amazed at how quiet the HH water seems.  My husband who loves to body surf, was terribly disappointed.

However, for many people there comes a point in time when it isn't fun to risk life and limb in the ocean (Jersey shore is ROUGH).  I personally find at this stage in life the beach at HH to welcome us "non young ones" with open arms.  Nice to know you don't have to fight to the death to take a dip.:whoopie:


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## Koontzy (Sep 3, 2012)

I don't know if it is because I am still young (28), but I never see what makes hilton head so great? I live 40 mins from there, and persoanlly don't care much for it...


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## Renny30 (Sep 3, 2012)

I've only been to HHI twice. Can't say I want to go back. I prefer the beaches on the gulf coast, but we do frequent MB because my parents live in SC and it's easier to tie a trip to a visit and take my mom along with us. Plus, my kids need the activity. MB is busy, busy, busy. Great for kids.  

Back to HHI -My son (16 the last time we went) hated HHI, so did my ex-husband. They don't golf. My son thought it was boring and the water wasn't fun (not sure what he meant).  So, IMO, yes, it's boring, but I think that's because it is so quiet, peaceful and flat. That's a good thing.


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