# Beach Quality on Hilton Head



## vacationcrazy (Jan 26, 2013)

Can anyone tell me how the beaches are on Hilton Head?  Is the water clean and clear?  Is the bottom sandy or rocky?


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## Gophesjo (Jan 26, 2013)

Not very clear water, but sandy rather than rocky beach bottom.  Lots of live sand dollars and quite a few live starfish in the water as well.  In the summer time the water is quite warm.  The continental shelf is broad and shallow, so there are few waves.  There is a broad swath of hard sand during low tide, and so bike riding on the beach is very popular.


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## tombo (Jan 26, 2013)

The water is not clear. HHI has my least favorite beaches because the water is so murky and because the sand is brown. The Florida Panhandle (Destin, Panama City, Fort Walton,etc) have soft sugar white sand beaches and water almost as clear as the water in the Caribbean. If you are going for soft sand, no rocks, and clear water go to the Pahandle, not HHI.

HHI is a favorite of many TUGGERS, but I went for a week once, and I won't ever go back. As you drive around the Island you can't even see the ocean. You can get the same view driving inland 200 miles from the ocean. Most of the time you can't even tell you are on an Island . The majority of HHI beach access is inside gated communities. If you aren't staying within the gated community, you can't visit their beach. Most condos/timeshares within those gated communities are on golf courses with no view of the ocean and you have to ride a bike or car to get to the beach. There are a couple of public beaches you can drive to. When I go to an Island or beach destination I love to see the ocean from my balcony and as I drive around to sightsee, not trees and golf courses with no ocean views . JMHO.


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## Pompey Family (Jan 27, 2013)

The beach in front of Grande Ocean was great for young kids.  There is a gentle slope so you can wade out quite far before it gets deep.  The water is rich in plankton and coupled with the dark sand it makes the water murky.  If you like to see where you're treading when in the sea then HHI beaches may not be for you.  We were there last August and the water was warm.  Don't expect much in the way of shops or entertainment along the beach as planning laws are strict and the natural look is favoured.  If your intention is to sun yourself and mess around in the water then you can't go too wrong with HHI but if you're after a beach with a boardwalk and stores etc then the place isn't for you.


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## Gophesjo (Jan 27, 2013)

I love your use of the word 'murky' to describe the water at the beach in HHI.  I had been thinking 'sluggish' but murky is much closer to the mark.

One thing that I do like to do that involves the ocean at HHI, however, is explore the sounds' beaches (inlets and other non-direct Atlantic front areas).  Far fewer people. great views leading into the marshes, wildlife, etc.


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## npey (Jan 27, 2013)

I was told in one of the tours of the Coastal Discovery Museum that the water is dark because of the abundance of animal life and plants.


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## Kola (Jan 27, 2013)

tombo said:


> .... The Florida Panhandle (Destin, Panama City, Fort Walton,etc) have soft sugar white sand beaches and water almost as clear as the water in the Caribbean. If you are going for soft sand, no rocks, and clear water go to the Pahandle, not HHI.
> 
> HHI is a favorite of many TUGGERS, ......As you drive around the Island you can't even see the ocean. You can get the same view driving inland 200 miles from the ocean. Most of the time you can't even tell you are on an Island . The majority of HHI beach access is inside gated communities. ...JMHO.



I largely agree with the above. We spent two weeks at HH Marriott's but could hardly see the ocean. Only one Marriott has a decent beach access. Unless you want to play golf all the time HH is not for you. But then keep in mind the stormy season ... it can be rather unpleasant. I recall driving back from Florida on I-95 north in December with snow in South Carolina !

As to Panhandle, Fl resorts, it depends on exact location. My preference is to stay away from over-commercialised areas.  Be selective.


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## tombo (Jan 27, 2013)

Kola said:


> I largely agree with the above. We spent two weeks at HH Marriott's but could hardly see the ocean. Only one Marriott has a decent beach access. Unless you want to play golf all the time HH is not for you. But then keep in mind the stormy season ... it can be rather unpleasant. I recall driving back from Florida on I-95 north in December with snow in South Carolina !
> 
> As to Panhandle, Fl resorts, it depends on exact location. My preference is to stay away from over-commercialised areas.  Be selective.



Much of the panhandle is commercialized, but I love it. I usually spend at least 3 or 4 days out of 7 on the beach and at the resort without ever leaving. With the turquoise waters, sugar white sand, a full kitchen to make meals, and a balcony overlooking the beach and ocean why leave? We eat out a few times for lunch and a few times for supper. However with the views we have of the ocean from the den, kitchen, and from our balcony I would rather eat in the room than go out to eat. No restaurant has a better view than I have at the resort. I go to the beach for the beach. I have restaurants, golf courses, and plenty of trees and woods at home.


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## Paumavista (Jan 27, 2013)

Kola said:


> As to Panhandle, Fl resorts, it depends on exact location. My preference is to stay away from over-commercialised areas.  Be selective.



Well the reason I like HHI is that we usually rent a home with a pool (in the shade of big mossy oak trees) within walking distance of the beaches - we spend mornings and evenings at the beach and in the afternoon heat of the day we enjoy the pool & shade - - (and we all love the biking). 
PLEASE help me find a location like this in Florida - I would LOVE to visit the beautiful beaches of the pan handle but we HATE crowds - we have actually stayed at Cape San Blas a number of times and really like it ALOT!!....but no trees and I'd like to try further up the pan handle.....does anyone have any suggestions.  
I am looking further down the gulf as well.......we've been to Captiva and LOVED it (although it is getting more and more expensive to rent).  I've looked at Anna Marie Island......any comments?
Thanks so much.
Judy


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## npey (Jan 27, 2013)

You won't find many souls in Cayo Costa. Also, look into Palm Island Resort, Cape Haze, only accessible by water. We loved it.


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## tombo (Jan 27, 2013)

Paumavista said:


> Well the reason I like HHI is that we usually rent a home with a pool (in the shade of big mossy oak trees) within walking distance of the beaches - we spend mornings and evenings at the beach and in the afternoon heat of the day we enjoy the pool & shade - - (and we all love the biking).
> PLEASE help me find a location like this in Florida - I would LOVE to visit the beautiful beaches of the pan handle but we HATE crowds - we have actually stayed at Cape San Blas a number of times and really like it ALOT!!....but no trees and I'd like to try further up the pan handle.....does anyone have any suggestions.
> I am looking further down the gulf as well.......we've been to Captiva and LOVED it (although it is getting more and more expensive to rent).  I've looked at Anna Marie Island......any comments?
> Thanks so much.
> Judy



There are no timeshares or cheap rentals but Seaside, Water Colour, and Grayton Beach FL all are resort areas with no high rises and strict blg codes. Seaside is where they filmed the Truman Story. I think 3 stories is the max height and the colors are all pastels. Lots of bike trails and the white sand and turquoise water the panhandle is famous for. Many of the streets are reserved for bicycles and golf carts only.

http://www.visitflorida.com/Seaside

http://www.seasidefl.com/history/gallery/

http://watercolorflorida.com/


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## Kola (Jan 27, 2013)

Paumavista said:


> Well the reason I like HHI is that we usually rent a home with a pool (in the shade of big mossy oak trees) within walking distance of the beaches - we spend mornings and evenings at the beach and in the afternoon heat of the day we enjoy the pool & shade - - (and we all love the biking)....
> Judy



Sorry, but we cannot afford to rent a home with a pool at HHI !!
And, of course we need to make maximum use of our T/S weeks exchanges.   HHI  T/S in season are very difficult to get.


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## jme (Jan 28, 2013)

*Hilton Head beach*

Here are random photos of the beach at Hilton Head, specifically at or near Marriott Grande Ocean. This is how the EAST COAST beaches are, from Maine to mid Florida, and on the West coast too, for that matter. I would say the beach sand is more gray than brown (only near the water), and the water itself is in no way "murky".  You cannot completely see thru the waves, but it's not dirty or clouded in any way.  If you filled a bucket with water, it would look clear like normal drinking water. It's just darker and not turquoise like the tip of Florida or Caribbean. It's due to abundant plant life. The beach is wide and flat, with an extremely minimal amount of shells. There is not an abundance of starfish, only a few occasional ones, and nothing is felt under foot but sand when in the ocean. Shells may be found in clusters on some areas of the beach, but not so much near this area. Sand is very soft near the dunes, hard-packed in the middle, & somewhat softer under the water. Sand is darker gray when wet; lighter when dry.  Also, there are no ROADS around the periphery of the island because if so, you'd have to mow down all that you see in the pictures----the dunes (protected as ecological habitat), the foliage (cannot be trimmed by law), and the beautiful private homes and resorts.  HH is perhaps unique in that regard, but it's a refreshing change not to have a highway with vehicles whizzing past near the ocean. There are thousands of miles of that everywhere else....

As for the beach descriptions, judge for yourself. 

(Contrary to one post above, 4 Marriotts have beach access......GO, Barony, Monarch, Surfwatch.)






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## jont (Jan 28, 2013)

Thanks for the great pictures Marty. I wish I was back there !


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## tombo (Jan 28, 2013)

The water at HHI is very dark and murky. If you get ankle deep or so at HHI you can't count your toes. Before you get knee deep you can't even see your feet. On the Panhandle you can be chest deep and count your toes. Here is a pic of the Destin beach. Click to enlarge.


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## tombo (Jan 28, 2013)

Here is a pic from the bridge in Destin.
.


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## tashamen (Jan 28, 2013)

tombo said:


> The water is not clear. HHI has my least favorite beaches because the water is so murky and because the sand is brown. The Florida Panhandle (Destin, Panama City, Fort Walton,etc) have soft sugar white sand beaches and water almost as clear as the water in the Caribbean. If you are going for soft sand, no rocks, and clear water go to the Pahandle, not HHI.
> 
> HHI is a favorite of many TUGGERS, but I went for a week once, and I won't ever go back. As you drive around the Island you can't even see the ocean. You can get the same view driving inland 200 miles from the ocean. Most of the time you can't even tell you are on an Island . The majority of HHI beach access is inside gated communities.  JMHO.



I'm with you - we went to HHI once and left after 4 days of our week-long exchange...

However, the problem for me with the Panhandle (where we go quite often because it's easy for us to get into the Club Intrawest at Sandestin) is that there are no shells.  I love walking the beach and collecting shells but there are none there.  So this year I'm going to Sandestin in April and then  Ft. Myers Beach in July for my shells.


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## tombo (Jan 28, 2013)

View from the balcony of one of my timeshares in Panama City Beach.


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## tombo (Jan 28, 2013)

Another pic of Panama City Beach.


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## tombo (Jan 28, 2013)

tashamen said:


> I'm with you - we went to HHI once and left after 4 days of our week-long exchange...
> 
> However, the problem for me with the Panhandle (where we go quite often because it's easy for us to get into the Club Intrawest at Sandestin) is that there are no shells.  I love walking the beach and collecting shells but there are none there.  So this year I'm going to Sandestin in April and then  Ft. Myers Beach in July for my shells.



We had a company trip to HHI staying oceanfront at the Westin in 2007. We had stayed at the Sandestin Hilton 2 years earlier. The company trip planner got so many complaints that he said we would not go back to HHI. Our trips have been to Washington DC, Nashville, New Orleans, Orlando, Destin, and HHI in the past 10 years. HHI was the least favorite from responses received from over 500 employees. We went back to the Sandestin Hilton in 2009 and 2011 because the survey showed Destin was the favorite destination and that Washington DC was a distant second.

There are not many shells on the panhandle like there are in south Florida. When I had young children finding shells was a highlight of every trip. It is hard to find a decent shell on the Panhandle that doesn't have a hermit crab in it. Now that my kids are grown I can sleep late, relax, and not search for shells at daylight every morning.The good thing about few shells is no need for beach shoes.

I really should stop telling everyone how great the panhandle is. It is hard enough to get an exchange there already. Change of strategies. Go to HHI. You will love it.


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## jme (Jan 28, 2013)

We've found the beach at Destin quite beautiful, as pretty as any, however it's been decimated by recent storms over the last decade and we went 2 years and never went back. We stayed in the Sandestin area. There was only about 20 feet of soft sand near the top----too thick to walk in---got bogged down, then it fell off like a 4-foot wall and then sloped so severely we couldn't even walk the beach. Maybe that's changed. We went once in Fall and the water was full of thick green slime for about 50 yards out to sea, which i assume was seaweed, which I also hope was just a seasonal thing for Fall. It happened more than once. no one went near the water. The gulf water seems to get deeper quicker, so the gentle slope of the land/sand is not so friendly for younger kids, and there were frequent really deep areas which we stepped into.


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## tombo (Jan 28, 2013)

jme said:


> We've found the beach at Destin quite beautiful, as pretty as any, however it's been decimated by recent storms over the last decade and we went 2 years and never went back. We stayed in the Sandestin area. There was only about 20 feet of soft sand near the top----too thick to walk in---got bogged down, then it fell off like a 4-foot wall and then sloped so severely we couldn't even walk the beach. Maybe that's changed. We went once in Fall and the water was full of thick green slime for about 50 yards out to sea, which i assume was seaweed, which I also hope was just a seasonal thing for Fall. It happened more than once. no one went near the water. The gulf water seems to get deeper quicker, so the gentle slope of the land/sand is not so friendly for younger kids, and there were frequent really deep areas which we stepped into.



I noticed some of your pictures look like they were of the HHI Westin where we stayed. The huge beach you show is only large at low tide (at least itwas that way where we stayed). At high tide from the end of the boardwalk to the water was a few feet. To get waist deep you have to go a loong way out in the water. I love to stand waist to chest deep in the water to relax and it is farther than I want to wade to get chest deep. Brown water and shallow depth for 100's of yards from shore is what the Mississippi beaches are like. That  is why I drive 7 hours to the panhandle passing Mississippi beaches which are less than 3 hours from my house. The Westin did have nice pools and amenities though.

All of the panhandle beaches have been refurbished and are as large and white as they used to be. Seaweed does wash in from time to time, but it has never kept people out of the water when I have been there. The sand is very soft and tiring to walk on except for at the water's edge. It is not for everyone. If you like hard packed beaches with brown sand, then the Atlantic coast is better. You can even drive your car on the beach in Daytona. If you like clear water and sugar white powder sand, then the Florida panhandle is your choice.

P.S. There might be seaweed in the water at HHI too, but the water is so dark and murky that you would never see it. On the panhandle you can see anything (dolphins, fish, seaweed, shells, your toes) because the water is so clear.


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## jme (Jan 28, 2013)

tombo said:


> I noticed some of your pictures look like they were of the HHI Westin where we stayed. The huge beach you show is only large at low tide. At high tide from the end of the boardwalk to the water was a few feet. To get waist deep you have to go a loong way out in the water. I love to stand waist to chest deep in the water to relax and it is farther than I want to wade to get chest deep. Brown water and shallow depth for 100's of yards from shore is what the Mississippi beaches are like. That  is why I drive 7 hours to the panhandle passing Mississippi beaches which are less than 3 hours from my house. The Westin did have nice pools and amenities though.
> 
> All of the panhandle beaches have been refurbished and are as large and white as they used to be. Seaweed does wash in from time to time, but it has never kept people out of the water when I have been there. The sand is very soft and tiring to walk on except for at the water's edge. It is not for everyone. If you like hard packed beaches with brown sand, then the Atlantic coast is better. You can even drive your car on the beach in Daytona. If you like clear water and sugar white powder sand, then the Florida panhandle is your choice.
> 
> P.S. There might be seaweed in the water at HHI too, but the water is so dark and murky that you would never see it. On the panhandle you can see anything (dolphins, fish, seaweed, shells, your toes) because the water is so clear.




Absolutely none of my photos were anywhere near the Westin, which is a mile or more north near Barony. All beach photos were immediately in front of Grande Ocean's beach, and any landscaped photos or resort photos were of Grande Ocean exclusively.

HH ocean water is not brown, and sand is not brown---it's gray, see photos, but it doesn't really matter.   whatever you think is fine. The whole east coast is that way.  Most every beach has less width at high tide (news flash), but even high tide at HH is never "only a few feet wide"...never.  It's still plenty wide to walk. The water never gets very close to the dunes. At low tide, the east coast beaches are indeed a hundred yards wide or more, which makes it far more user friendly and way wider than anything on the gulf....

sure wish we had both a wide beach AND perfectly clear and turquoise water, but unless we travel to somewhere exotic or the extreme tip of Florida, we will both have to pick and choose our places. Florida does have that, but it's way down. Travel Channel does a good job identifying those beaches. Happy there's enough different places to make everybody happy. 

Also, i'm very familiar with the Sandestin Hilton----there's an annual dental meeting there for the last 15-20 years, which i attended for about 6 years running. It's the prestigious Alabama Academy of General Dentistry, and is a small but world-class meeting. The hotel is not exactly world class, though, nor the beach in front of it. That's where we see the green slime that is so thick no one dares go in or even touch it. But I understand why it's there, due to storms, and it's a Fall thing, so it doesn't bother me, other than the loss of use when it happens. The hotel is the pits though.....but it's the closest beach for all Alabama doctors, so that's where it is. 

It's a popular site for many company meetings too. As you recall, the rooms are awful...small, musty, worn and torn, stuck in the 70's/80's, with the 2 bunk beds just inside the door, stuck in a dark cut-out area the size of a closet, and the king bed is OK but the room is very small---barely enough room to turn around. The bar downstairs is called "Seagars", and is nothing more than a part of the open lobby that is walled off on one side by a large planter about 20 feet long. The restaurant is on the other side of the lobby walkway, and everybody pulling their cart with luggage walks by within 5 feet of those dining-- Really intimate. 

And the elevators are slow, slow, slow.....we met so many people while waiting for them. We stopped going because it was such a dirty hotel for the price----$250-300 a night. The pool is that of a typical 2-3-star hotel pool, but on the small side for a Hilton Hotel. I now understand the meeting is no longer held there----no surprise. If that's the beach you like, i'm shocked......too slopey to walk, and there was still a 4 foot wall drop off from soft sand to 10 feet of packed sand/water due to erosion last time we were there. Hard drive to get there and last leg is a 3-hr drive on state hwy thru dinky towns. No other way to get there. I actually despised that meeting, but went for required continuing ed hours. We liked the outlet mall, and there were some nice seafood restaurants nearby....lol.

One thing i will agree with you on....Roll Tide. great year, great team, far superior to all others.....i'm a GA fan, but was pulling for Al bigtime....great program....could probably beat 1/3 the NFL teams.


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## tschwa2 (Jan 28, 2013)

I always thought that the clarity of the water had to do with temperature.  I guess because whenever I have been to places that had year round temperature in the 70's to 80's it has been clear but all the east coast beaches have the green brown water.  So I decided to look it up.

Here is an article about The Clarity of the Caribbean and its Vivid Fish.


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## Pompey Family (Jan 28, 2013)

jme said:


> sure wish we had both a wide beach AND perfectly clear and turquoise water, but unless we travel to somewhere exotic or the extreme tip of Florida,



You could just go to some of the Mediterranean islands.  Solitary coves with soft sand, turquoise water, trees for shade and not another soul in sight....bliss, unless you have your kids with you and then you can guarantee that they'll want an ice cream / pizza / water park.


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## tombo (Jan 28, 2013)

tschwa2 said:


> I always thought that the clarity of the water had to do with temperature.  I guess because whenever I have been to places that had year round temperature in the 70's to 80's it has been clear but all the east coast beaches have the green brown water.  So I decided to look it up.
> 
> Here is an article about The Clarity of the Caribbean and its Vivid Fish.



In the Gulf water clarity is mainly determined by proximity to rivers with high flow rates. In Alabama , Texas, and Mississippi the water is darker because of the silt etc washed into the ocean by the Mississippi river. The farther you get from the mouth of the Mississippi (heading east) the clearer the water becomes. It is pretty clear in Pensacola but it gets very clear by Ft Walton.


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## tombo (Jan 28, 2013)

jme said:


> Absolutely none of my photos were anywhere near the Westin, which is a mile or more north near Barony. All beach photos were immediately in front of Grande Ocean's beach, and any landscaped photos or resort photos were of Grande Ocean exclusively.
> 
> but even high tide at HH is never "only a few feet wide"...never.  It's still plenty wide to walk. The water never gets very close to the dunes. At low tide, the east coast beaches are indeed a hundred yards wide or more, which makes it far more user friendly and way wider than anything on the gulf....
> 
> ...



Here is a quote from trip adviser (not mine):
 "What happened to the beach's at high tide (low tide is still great!!)?
I have been going to HHI for 30 years and there is essentially no beach at high tide- storms earlier in the year?" 
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopi...Beach_Erosion-Hilton_Head_South_Carolina.html

When I was at the Westin at high tide, like the trip adviser poster above,  there was virtually no beach. Perhaps this was just before a beach restoration or perhaps the beach is smaller at the Westin than at your resort.

I do not enjoy the elevators at the Sandestin Hilton, but I like the resort and love the beach. Perhaps my standards are lower lol. The rooms are spacious for a motel with couches and bunk beds for the kids. Mini fridge and microwave. The Baytown Wharf has plenty of restaurants and night clubs and there is a free shuttle. Your dental convention might have moved but there are plenty still held there. The SEC conference is still held there annually. Mark Richt, Les Miles, Nick Saban, et al make an annual trip there. They have been going there for at least 20 years. I have been there several times during the SEC convention  and I have been in the bar, lobby, restaurant, or on the elevator (or waiting for it lol) with Lou Holtz, Steve Spurrier, Jim Donnan, Tommy Turberville, Vince Dooley, Pat Summitt,and Tubby from Kentucky, etc. My son was young and waited for them to come out of meetings to get autographs. 

When Jim Donnan was head coach at Georgia my son asked him for an autograph not knowing who he was. He said who do you coach and Donnan said War Eagle. Being a Bama fan my son said no you don't. Donnan said Roll Tide. My son said I know you don't. Vince Dooley was standing there and  said I hope nobody is taping this lol. I told my son Donnan was head coach at Georgia. Donnan saw my son's yo-yo and said can I borrow that and Donnan did some yo-yo tricks. My son looked at Vince Dooley and said who do you coach. Vince Dooley said nobody wants me to coach them. I told my son he was one of the greatest coaches of all time. Dooley said there are plenty of people who would disagree with you. I have some great memories of the Sandestin Hilton.

Georgia had a great year and they were robbed of a BCS bowl. The SEC has made the championship game into something that might cost an SEC team a spot in the playoffs starting 2014. If 2 of the top 4 teams in the country play in the SEC Championship game (as happened this year), then the loser might not be a final 4 team because of that loss. It would have been sad to have Georgia knocked out of the playoffs because they won their way into the SEC game and lost while Florida might have been in the play offs for not losing in the SEC Championship. We will see how it turns out next year. BTW I was cheering for Georgia too in their bowl. They were a team that never quit and one to be proud of. Go Dawgs and Roll Tide!


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## jme (Jan 28, 2013)

tombo said:


> Here is a quote from trip adviser (not mine):
> "What happened to the beach's at high tide (low tide is still great!!)?
> I have been going to HHI for 30 years and there is essentially no beach at high tide- storms earlier in the year?"
> http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopi...Beach_Erosion-Hilton_Head_South_Carolina.html
> ...



Perhaps that Sandestin Hilton is the best Destin has?  Surely not, but if they all go there year after year, it's got to be for some other reason. The golf course?  I'm just saying it's a second rate hotel at best, and i'm glad i'm not going. Surely you've experienced better....come on....be honest. i've stayed at Fairfield Inns that are far better. Schools and companies sometimes shop by location and reasonable price "for the area", rather than luxury. There's nothing luxurious about that place though. Have you ever stayed in a Marriott timeshare?


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## tombo (Jan 28, 2013)

jme said:


> Perhaps that Sandestin Hilton is the best Destin has?  Surely not, but if they all go there year after year, it's got to be for some other reason. The golf course?  I'm just saying it's a second rate hotel at best, and i'm glad i'm not going. Surely you've experienced better....come on....be honest. i've stayed at Fairfield Inns that are far better. Schools and companies sometimes shop by location and reasonable price "for the area", rather than luxury. There's nothing luxurious about that place though. Have you ever stayed in a Marriott timeshare?



I have stayed in Marriott timeshares and most are very nice. I must admit when I travel my top priority is location, location, location. I would rather stay on the beach with a view of the ocean from my private balcony in a nice but older place than in a 5 star new resort "near" the beach. If I am going to the beach I want to see it when I wake up, and before I go to bed. I don't want to have to drive, ride a bike, or walk to the beach. I don't want to have views of golf courses, trees, other condos. I don't want to have a glimpse of water looking between 2 buildings or with binoculars.I want to see the beach and ocean from the balcony, my master bed room, the den, and as as I prepare food in the kitchen. It is my pre-requisite for a beach destination.  

Panama City Marriott Legends is a perfect example. One of my friends owns at Legends. It is a pretty good drive to the beach and the views are of a golf course and possibly the bay. I was staying oceanfront in Landmark which is older with no granite counters etc. My friend and his wife came to visit. As we had drinks on the balcony watching the sun go down listening to the sound of the ocean he said why am I driving all the way to PC and not staying on the beach? I said I wouldn't. He purchased a Landmark week he uses personally every year and he now uses his Marriott Legends to trade for other Marriott locations. 

Yes the SEC can stay anywhere in the southeast they choose, and yes for 28 consecutive  years they have chosen the Sandestin Hilton. These multi million dollar coaches, AD's, school presidents, SEC big whigs, and media reps would not stay here year after year if it was not a great destination. I guess like my co-workers who chose Destin as their number one drive to destination, the SEC members choose to come back year after year too. Not HHI, not Texas coast, not Miami, not Tampa, not Orlando, not Nashvile, not Atlanta. They always stay at Sandestin Hilton. BTW if you ever want to go to see all the coaches from the SEC it is Memorial day weekend and week if I am not mistaken every year. 

For the 28th consecutive year:
http://www.wjhg.com/sports/headlines/SEC_Meetings_Begin_at_Sandestin_155458205.html

Schedule of interviews with coaches slumming at the Sandestin Hilton.
http://www.secdigitalnetwork.com/SECSPORTS/2012SoutheasternConferenceSpringMeetings.aspx


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## Pompey Family (Jan 28, 2013)

The only problem is that the sea view eventually becomes boring.  It is, after all, a stretch of water and the horizon.  It certainly isn't worthy of the premium sea view rooms command.  When we were in Dubai recently we had two balconies, one overlooking the sea and the other overlooking the marina and skyscrapers.  I spent all my time on the marina balcony as it was much more interesting.  Mind you, the view from my house covers the city of Portsmouth and The Solent so it may be that I've become blasé about views of the sea.


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## tombo (Jan 28, 2013)

Pompey Family said:


> The only problem is that the sea view eventually becomes boring.  It is, after all, a stretch of water and the horizon.  It certainly isn't worthy of the premium sea view rooms command.  When we were in Dubai recently we had two balconies, one overlooking the sea and the other overlooking the marina and skyscrapers.  I spent all my time on the marina balcony as it was much more interesting.  Mind you, the view from my house covers the city of Portsmouth and The Solent so it may be that I've become blasé about views of the sea.



I am jealous. I think I would love tolive somewhere with an ocean view. I know it might  eventually get old, but I think it would take a long time.

When I am oceanfront I go out in the morning and put out my chairs and tent. I go up to the room and eat breakfast on the balcony. I go down to the beach and relax, walk the beach, and swim in the ocean until lunch. I go up to the room, eat, and back to the beach. If an afternoon rainstorm blows up I can run to the room, watch the rain move in from my balcony,  and be back on the beach as soon as it passes. Late in the afternoon I leave my tent frame (taking the top off) and bring the top and chairs to the room until the following morning when I repeat the process. 

With regards to what I like to see from my beachfront balcony, there are so many things to watch. The water in the panhandle is so clear you can easilly see large fish or schools of fish from the balcony. I often see dolphins in the ocean from the balcony and occasionally I see them leap out of the water. I also see schools of sting rays most days early and late. Once I saw a large shark cruising the shallows early in the morning as I ate breakfast on the balcony. There are also people to watch on the beach, people riding sea doos, people fishing, people para-sailing, and fishing boats and yachts  cruising up and down the coast. In Panama City and Destin you can watch the sun set over the water every clear afternoon. Add in the occasional helicopter, ulta-light plane, military jets, and wind surfers with their kites and I have plenty to keep me occupied from a beachfront balcony. Plus my blood pressure drops several points as I sit on the balcony before I go to bed listening to the calming sound of the waves lapping the shoreline. And if I do get bored with the view and ocean sounds I walk through a sliding glass door and watch TV or go to bed. 

To me nothing beats oceanfront beach vacations. I have everything I need at the resort. Beach, ocean, pool, kitchen, TV, beds, grills, eveything. At mountain, touristy, ski, outdoor, and city locations I am rarelly in the room. I could take a timeshare at many locations without a window. I am gone sightseeing from early in the AM until well after dark at many places like the Smokies, New York, San Fransisco, LA, Orlando, New Orleans, Yellowstone, Yosemite,etc, etc.. Not the case  at the beach.  I have spent 4 or 5 days at the resort without leaving to do anything. I rarelly want to leave a beach resort, even when I have to check out.


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## jme (Jan 28, 2013)

tombo said:


> I have stayed in Marriott timeshares and most are very nice. I must admit when I travel my top priority is location, location, location. I would rather stay on the beach with a view of the ocean from my private balcony in a nice but older place than in a 5 star new resort "near" the beach. If I am going to the beach I want to see it when I wake up, and before I go to bed. I don't want to have to drive, ride a bike, or walk to the beach. I don't want to have views of golf courses, trees, other condos. I don't want to have a glimpse of water looking between 2 buildings or with binoculars.I want to see the beach and ocean from the balcony, my master bed room, the den, and as as I prepare food in the kitchen. It is my pre-requisite for a beach destination.



Not sure what you mean, as I DO stay in oceanfront, and can see all that you describe from my balcony too.  My resorts ARE oceanfront, not a drive to beach.


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## Greg G (Jan 28, 2013)

tombo

Great story about you and your son's encounter with Jim Donnan, and Vince Dooley.  That makes for great memories.

Greg


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## Paumavista (Jan 28, 2013)

*Great suggestions!*

Thanks for the suggestions tombo and npey - Cayo costa looks great and I've looked into Seaside before (also Sandestin).  I'm starting to get a list for next summer!!  I've added Anna Maria Island, and Boca Grande looks really nice! 

We also can't afford to go too often (yes, the beach houses are really expensive in the summer!!) - but will all the kids flying in for the week it makes for some wonderful family time with everyone together.....we just cant fit into a condo or timeshare and it's fun sharing the same house/pool/dock.  

While I would prefer clear blue water....after the beaches in San Diego I was so glad to find the Hilton Head water WARM that it's been hard to complain.  Luckily the kids don't seem to mind at all and since we're staying at the end of the Palmetto Dunes resort beach (away from the hotel)...low or high tide we seem to always find enough room at the beach for fishing/swimming/riding bikes or finding sea creatures.  

If anyone has other suggestions I love to explore and would love to hear about your favorites.  Oh, on the Atlantic side of FL.....any recommendations for Amelia Island Plantation....we loved Hammock Beach (down on the Palm Coast) and have heard good things about the Plantation.

Judy


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## tombo (Jan 28, 2013)

I have never been to Amelia Island but my brother and his wife went there for 4 days and said it was very nice. The main problem he had was they had a "red tide" while he was there. Algae blooms for some reason and it kills fish and makes it hard to breathe. He said there were huge dead fish floating in the water and laying on the shore stinking. Swimming or long walks on the beach were not an option. They had to stay in their room a lot because of the smell and because if they were outside too long they had respiratory problems and coughing fits. The red tide is by no means a reason to rule out Amelia Island. From what I understand it is a very rare occurence.


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## tombo (Jan 29, 2013)

For the OP and others deciding where to go, the Florida panhandle has received many awards.

CNN 50 top beaches in the world has 3 US beaches on it's list. Bandon Beach in Oregon is number 42. Hanelei Beach in Hawaii number 12.  Panama City Beach came in ranked at number 23rd out of all the beaches in the world. Not too shabby.

http://travel.cnn.com/explorations/life/worlds-50-best-beaches-364981

Travel and Leisure best beaches in the world have Seaside on the panhandle number 3 and Cayo Costa number 27. The only other beaches from the US listed are Hawaii and Miami.

http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/best-beaches-on-earth/3

In 2011 Trip Adviser PCB’s Beaches Ranked #3 in US and #12 in World

http://www.pcbdaily.com/pcb-beaches-are-best

If you ever visit Panama City Beach the west end has less traffic, smaller crowds, and few teenagers. The east end is very crowded and where the younger folks want to stay.

If you want to have a secluded beach experience rent a pontoon boat and go to shell Island. You ride through the bay and you can get close to dolphins. There are always dolphins in the bay. You park on the bay side of the island and  walk across the dunes to the ocean. You can easilly find a place on this 7 mile long Island where you will be alone. No roads, no electricity, no condos, no rest rooms lol. Carry a cooler with drinks and food, chairs, sun screen and get ready to relax. Be sure that you anchor your boat well. One of my friends got ready to leave and when he crossed the dunes to the bay he saw his boat floating away. He had a long swim to get it. If you have kids the bay side rarelly has waves but still has the clear water and white sand.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11tVIqSZLGs


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## legalfee (Jan 29, 2013)

Hilton Head is #6. Ft Lauderdale and Miami are the only FL beaches in the top ten.

http://travel.usnews.com/Rankings/Best_Beaches_in_the_USA/


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## jme (Jan 30, 2013)

tombo said:


> Here is a quote from trip adviser (not mine):
> "What happened to the beach's at high tide (low tide is still great!!)?
> I have been going to HHI for 30 years and there is essentially no beach at high tide- storms earlier in the year?"
> http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopi...Beach_Erosion-Hilton_Head_South_Carolina.html
> ...



The Westin is right where Barony and Surfwatch are located, in the "heel" of the island (which is shaped like a shoe)---GO is down near the ball of the foot, 8 miles away. What happens up there is not something I'd know about, since I don't frequent that part of the island as much, and when I do, I don't go to the beach.
There's plenty of beach left at GO, even at high tide. 

http://goo.gl/maps/Vjhbc


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## jme (Jan 30, 2013)

legalfee said:


> Hilton Head is #6. Ft Lauderdale and Miami are the only FL beaches in the top ten.
> 
> http://travel.usnews.com/Rankings/Best_Beaches_in_the_USA/



Travel Channel does an annual "best beach", both in the US and in the world. (I think the world ranking is annual, not sure, could be wrong.)

When doing the US, there are usually at least 5 of 10 all located in Florida.

I think a lot of those rankings are political.  There's no way an Oregon beach competes with the better Florida beaches, just no way, especially to the EXCLUSION of ALL Florida beaches.


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## SueDonJ (Jan 30, 2013)

tombo said:


> Here is a quote from trip adviser (not mine):
> "What happened to the beach's at high tide (low tide is still great!!)?
> I have been going to HHI for 30 years and there is essentially no beach at high tide- storms earlier in the year?"
> http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopi...Beach_Erosion-Hilton_Head_South_Carolina.html
> ...



Tombo, yes, certain areas of the island are more affected by natural erosion than other areas and it's a cyclical thing.  The town does scheduled reformations and the area up around Barony and to the north was done during 2012.  We were shocked during our September stay at how different the tideline is now!  Pics are here if you're interested.

I agree with you about the murkiness of Hilton Head's beaches and how they don't come close to comparing to Floridian or Caribbean crystal-clear waters and soft, white sands.  But it's funny, there is something in the air or the water or I don't know what that makes me prefer Hilton Head Island to any other place I've ever been.  It's in my blood now for sure.  But I'd still hate to give up my annual trip in March to visit a friend on Anna Maria Island - now there is a gorgeous beach!


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## npey (Jan 31, 2013)

Paumavista said:


> If anyone has other suggestions I love to explore and would love to hear about your favorites.  Oh, on the Atlantic side of FL...Judy



Besides Amelia I, you might also like this area and resort nobody asks about (at least in II forum), Plantation Beach Club at Indian River Plantation (PBC), Hutchinson Island, Florida. It looks like some of the communities around are private;  I'm not sure but they look very nice and, in general, the area is. No crowds either. The resort units are nice, they all are oceanfront and have 3 floor levels; we were usually the only ones on the beach (early August), which, btw, is awesome. This resort has been since my mom's favorite, and she has been all over FL and HH with me. She keeps asking to go back there.


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## kfalandays (Feb 14, 2013)

Boy I must be staying at a different beach. I LOVE the beach at Hilton Head. We have a timeshare at the old Seacrest, which is a short walk to the beach at Coligny Circle. I love it so much we bought a 1 bedroom Oceanfront villa in the area. We are renting it until we can afford to move down full time.


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## stevedmatt (Feb 15, 2013)

Wow! A lot of back and forth about Florida in a thread entitled "best quality on Hilton Head". Great, you like Florida, but can we get the OP some information that they want?

The beach is clean, they have lifeguards, and the water is about the same cleanliness as anywhere along the east coast. It is sandy, not rocky. To me, from Virginia Beach to Miami has about the same water clarity. North of Virginia Beach the water is less clear. 

I like Hilton Head for many reasons:
1: Not commercialized.
2: Many shady areas (my entire family burns easily but loves being outside)
3: The main public beach (Coligny) is wide, clean and has great facilities (restrooms, showers, splash pad for the kids, swinging benches)
4: The waves usually are not large (I have small children)
5: You can ride a bike right down the beach (as long as it isn't high tide) or you can ride many shaded bike trails around the island.

All this said, I am the type of person who would rather stay 2 weeks at a place a couple blocks from the beach (and visit the beach every other) for the same price as staying on the beach for 1 week.


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## Laurie (Feb 15, 2013)

SueDonJ said:


> But it's funny, there is something in the air or the water or I don't know what that makes me prefer Hilton Head Island to any other place I've ever been.  It's in my blood now for sure.


I agree with you - there's something in HHI that's different, at times almost magical. Maybe it's the combination tropicalness and quiet at the beaches (lack of traffic there helps). 

I love the huge oak trees and salt marshes and as well, sometimes walking thru them to get to the beach.  

I wasn't so enamored with HHI my first time there, in fact was really put off by the gated "plantations" and associations - but that's changed over subsequent trips. I have a similar feeling in Hawaii, and a few other places I've been - but I can drive to HHI in less than a day.


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## Carol C (Feb 15, 2013)

*Another plus to Hilton Head...*

ALL the women you'll see on the beach are beautiful like the bikini-clad gals in Marty's photo! But seriously, HHI has great water, actually pretty clear on wind-free days in summer. Great marshlands for kayaking and birding. Superb shopping for those few rainy days you'd otherwise be stuck indoors. And to top it off, THE JAZZ CORNER!

P.S. Ah heck...I'm gonna follow Tombo's lead and tell ya'll that HHI is a real stinker and you should go to the FL Panhandle from now on. Yep, that's your ticket to fun in the sun...just save a shell or two for another family to show their young children!


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## talkamotta (Feb 15, 2013)

Last October we went to one of the Marriotts that didnt have beach access so we went to the public beach.  It was clean and there was a small splash park.  The grandkids loved it.  Just enough waves and in October the water was still warm. 

Sure there are other beaches, namely the Gulf beaches around Sarasota that I love more. But from HHI, Savanah and Charleston are easy day trips and they are wonderful places to visit and the kids loved it.


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## Janette (Feb 16, 2013)

Isn't it nice that we all don't try to go to the same beach? We always vactioned at PCB until we discovered HHI. We thought the children would miss the amusement activities of PCB but they loved HHI. We moved to Sun City HHI 9 years ago and will actually be staying on the island beginning next Friday for two weeks. We prefer beaches where we can walk. We get our fix of clear, blue water by spending a few weeks on St. Thomas every year. Tough life, but someone has to do it. Don't take anyone's opinion of the best beach. Try it out for yourself and if you aren't happy, don't go back. Give me any beach and I promise to be happy.


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