Hilton Head, SC

Hilton Head is very family focused. Is that what you are looking for? But by November family trips will be mostly done due to school opening dates.
It does have beautiful beaches. We went there in April and enjoyed it.

Hilton Head is basically one large developed island, it lacks the history and charm of nearby Charleston, SC and Savannah, GA.
If you just want to do the beach, it is good, but if you want more, consider Charleston and Savannah.

Not sure of the rail connections.

We lived in the DC area and worked at the Pentagon and other places. Lots to see in Washington, especially the many Smithsonian Museums: Air and Space, Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution Museum, National Museum of American History, National Museum of Art and much more. Also, the Holocaust Museum.

Also, visit Congress and the US Supreme Court. Not sure the White House is open.

Close friends who have been to Hilton Head say it’s not that interesting for non-golfers. But everyone I know loves Savannah and Charleston. We split a spring week between the two and loved them.

Yes, I, too, love Savannah. I want to watch the ocean and walk the beach, not swim in it. I don't golf, but I am looking for somewhere warmer than MN and having lived in San Diego, I'm looking for east coast relaxation. Going solo, although sister or daughter may join for part of trip. Mainly want to have a restful, more warm visit by the sea. I am glad my b'day is not in the tourist/family part of the year. A massage or facial and a walk on the beach is the kind of vacay I'm looking for. I want to spoil myself and think about what I want to accomplish in the next part of my life. The Sea Pines Resort looks good. Anyone been there, but not in the condos? Will visit Savannah and Beaufort while I'm there. I understand there is a ferry to Savannah, but don't know if it runs in off season.

Just a note: I don't want to go to Florida for several reasons. I just don't want to worry about snow or ice. When I lived in Richmond, VA, I don't remember that ever being a problem in mid Nov.

I can't imaging doing Hilton Head without a car. I mean, I guess you could. The Amtrak station is in Savannah, as you probably know. I guess if you were going to a resort and staying there the whole time, you could get by without a car and just Uber to and from the station. I grew up in South Ga. and have to agree that HH is....fine. I last went there pre-pandemic with some girlfriends. I don't remember the resort where we stayed, but it was a condo.

Also, know that Amtrak travel south of the DC area is not what you might be used to - it's been awhile since I've ridden Amtrak down here but it can be V-E-R-Y S-L-O-W. Unless you just really want to take a train, flying will be a whole lot faster and possibly cheaper. You might even be able to fly directly to Hilton Head.

Laurie Beth,
I don't know about Hilton Head (doesn't sound like my bag), but if you decide to visit Charleston, and want to visit a plantation, I really recommend Boone Hall. More than the other plantations, it covers the full history of the slaves and offers a fascinating Gullah storytelling of slave life. The emphasis is on plantation farming and daily life, and isn't all about the fancy furniture in the big house.
It also is a still-working farm, and when we were there we took a ride around the fields to learn about the operation, past and present, of the plantation. Definitely a highlight of our Charleston trip!

I have been to Hilton Head many times and it's only fun if you play golf, tennis or go to the beach. There's not much to see except birds at wildlife refuges. You will definitely need a car in Hilton Head and if you go to Charleston and want to go to the beach. HH will be somewhat warmer than Charleston. Public transportation is pretty much nonexistent in the South except for Atlanta and DC and the few trains often arrive in unsafe areas late at night. Charleston is much prettier than Hilton Head and the food in Charleston is the best of anywhere I've ever been. You might want to spend less on your hotel and splurge on food. If you stay in downtown Charleston and don't want to go elsewhere(like the plantations or beach), you can get by without a car, but would need transportation to and from the airport. If you think you might want to go to Charleston, order the Official Visitor's Guide from the tourist information center. I agree with the previous poster about Boone Hall but the house was built in the early 1900's. What I like about Boone Hall is the exhibits in the slave cabins and the informational talks, including a very enjoyable one by one of the Gullah people.

You will need a car for Hilton Head. Unless perhaps you want to arrive at a beachfront hotel and spend time walking the magnificent beaches.

As well as Savannah and Charleston, take a look at Beaufort, SC to see if that small charming historic center might be of interest. Good museum at Marine Base if that appeals. Again, car necessary, in my opinion.

Savannah can be seen without car (after arrival). Lots in city center is very close.

People also visit Charleston with no car. Uber is available to Magnolia Gardens. Boone Hall, other plantations. People even Uber to beaches. (Caveat - I personally prefer a car - rentals are easy for these out of city center trips. No concern with pick up availability.). City center areas are numerous and close for walking.

If you want to do Charleston city center without car, there is transport from the airport. Walk across the street from arrivals for limo/ride service. You or hotel can also easily arrange return to airport. Uber also easy from airport across from arrival. I’ve done both limo and Uber multiple times There is also a bus, but I have not explored it.

Thanks for asking the question - it brings back very good memories for me. I've never been but my father was a golf member back in the 1970s and he loved flying in for a week - I still have his golf bag which still has his Hilton Head tag on it.

So I am useless at your question, but just to say thanks for the warm memories.

Another option is to visit The Golden Isles of Georgia.

Jekyll Island, Saint Simons Island, Sea Island and Brunswick. We have history with Ft. Frederica on St. Simons, Jekyll Island has beaches, golf course reasonably priced and a historic area where several former millionaires had cottages (mansions). The State purchased the island after WWII from the millionaires.

Sea Island is a very exclusive resort.

I agree that Jekyll Island, is enough further south of Hilton Head to be warmer, if that's a key desire. The beach there is lovely to walk on and once on the island, a car is not necessary (bikes, carriage rides, probably golf carts can be used and there are walking paths everywhere.) However I am not sure how you'd get there without a car.

I grew up going to Hilton Head. The beach is lovely and if you get yourself to a resort, you can likely enjoy the beach without a car. A car is helpful though for getting to restaurants or other beach areas not at your resort. There was a little wildlife preserve you could walk through, or boats over to Daufuskie Island.

My experience with the Carolina coast and even the Gulf coast between Mobile and Pensacola, is that neither were very warm in mid-late November. Wind and rain is what I remember. Even the beaches in San Diego get cold that time of year.

I was going to suggest the same as geovagriffith.
Grew up near there and my mother lived on Saint Simons Island for 25+ years. Many more options of things to do than HHI, but you'll need a car.

I love St. Simons Island and it should be warmer than Hilton Head since it's so much farther south. There is an interesting museum about the homefront during WW II-more people died from submarine warfare off the eastern coast than died at Pearl Harbor. According to the New England Historical Society "On Jan 13, 1942 German U-boat attacks officially started against merchant ships along the Eastern Seaboard. In less than 7 month, the U-boats killed 5,000 seamen and passengers, more than twice the number of people who perished at Pearl Harbor...The news media agreed to government censorship, which helped to hide the military's incompetence in protecting shipping". Last June, we had a once-in-a-lifetime 2 night stay at Sea Island. The service is amazing, but so was the price-and my husband had chosen one of the less expensive weekends, which surprisingly was Father's Day weekend.
I'm sorry to burst your balloon, but there are several much better choices than Hilton Head. I agree that Charleston is not reliably warm in late Nov-it's like Forrest Gump's box of chocolates-you never know what you're gonna get. It could be beautiful or it could be cold and rainy. My 2 cents is that St Simons is your best option. Savannah is not known for having great beaches. To get to St. Simons, you would fly to either Savannah or Jacksonville. We all look forward to hearing what you decide.

Thanks for the input. I've lived on both coasts and currently live back in MN because of family. I know from living in San Diego that November can be rainy and chilly there. I also know the same for the East Coast from my years in RIchmond, VA. But neither is as bad weather wise as MN in winter. Also, I just got back from taking the SW Chief Amtrak from Chicago to LA. I travel by train at least once a year as my sister won't fly and I don't like flying much either. You have to enjoy the experience of watching the world go by outside your window (sometimes very slowly) to travel by Amtrak. I agree a car is probably a necessary evil on HH. I will also check out some of the other East Coast suggestions. Anyone have experience with hotels on HH; both good & bad?

I agree with the posters saying to skip Hilton Head in favor of the Georgia islands and that Savannah and Charleston are worth a visit. There are also several plantations to visit in the SC low country, but you will need a car.

@ cala - To get to SSI, you could also fly into Brunswick (BQK) which is home to the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC, pronounced "flet-C"). Because of that, I have had more invasive security procedures at that teeny tiny airport than any international hub! But it's so easy - drive basically up the front door, free parking, nice little display on the WWII history, and direct to ATL.

Charleston is much prettier than Hilton Head.

I agree with Cala; everything she said in both her posts.
We have been to Hilton Head and to Charleston many times. Charleston used to be our twice a year getaway place before my husband sold his company and we both retired. Now we go there more than twice a year.

will be looking at hotels in the $300/night range in mid to late November.

I think you can count on some lower than that in the Charleston (area and beaches) for November. Their high season is summertime plus a couple of weeks in the spring when the Spoletto Festival is going on.
Many hotels in downtown Charleston will have spa treatments.
There are vans/day tours that will take you on a tour of all the plantations outside of town.
You can walk most everywhere in downtown Charleston.
The restaurants are better--and in most cases cheaper--than in Hilton Head.
In Hilton Head, I thought that we were being "gouged" with tourist prices by every restaurant in which we ate mediocre seafood.

I want to watch the ocean and walk the beach, not swim in it.

I would recommend spending half your time in downtown Charleston, and half your time out on one of the islands which have lovely beaches. Isle of Palms is easily reached (across the bridge) from downtown Charleston. You can call a taxi to take you to your beachside hotel or condo.

Another beachside community that is just what you're looking for is Folly Beach. It has a laid-back 1950's vibe with mom and pop restaurants. Check out the hotels in town but also rental agencies for condos. There should be a ton of AirBnB's, etc. there. When dining in the restaurants there, watch out for a local who has been known to join people suddenly at the their dinnertable--local resident Bill Murray. (He owns the local baseball team.)
Walk to the northeastern end of Folly Beach for a view of a lighthouse that is out in the water on a very small island--Morris Island Light. The sea has washed away most of the island that used to be there back in the 1800's.

Kiawah Island is another island just off the coast. It is extremely upscale with property owners being some celebrities (Tom Selleck, Jimmy Kimmel, Kathy Bates) and wealthy Europeans. It is private, your condo will be behind a gate, the beach is lovely. There are several spas where you could get a facial, massage, etc. Your transportation from downtown will be one of the island's vans or a taxi or Uber of your choosing. Once you are out on the island, you won't be going back and forth to Charleston because it's a long way out through the marshes. One of the Kiawah Island vans would be your transportation to the airport.

Kiawah Island is where my husband and I stay when we're in the Charleston area. Imagine my surprise one summer when I left our condo to walk over the dunes to the beach and sharing the walkover trail and boardwalk over the dunes with me were Kathy Bates and her two small children! She is so very nice and friendly.

Charleston's airport is easily reached with flights coming in from all over the USA.

The AMTRAK station is downtown with taxi stand nearby.

Just a note: I don't want to go to Florida for several reasons.

If one of those reasons is a fear of alligators, then you possibly don't want any of the other places we're discussing here, either.
However, they're not on the beaches or in the downtown areas....mainly in marshy areas in brackish water where salt water mixes with freshwater. Stay away from ponds where there seems to be a log floating in the water with eyes watching you....

I do appreciate all your thoughts, but I want to stress I'm looking for an ocean beach. I've been to both Charleston & Savannah while on a Road Scholar plantation/garden tour of the southeast. I may add a couple days in Savannah if I go to Hilton Head. For some reason I preferred Savannah & Beaufort to Charleston. For my 'big' birthday, I want to walk on the beach, even if it's cloudy (hopefully not raining.)

Rebecca, I forgot to mention. No, I'm NOT looking for alligators and marshes. I remember one of the plantations we visited had alligators laying around on the grass all over & they almost didn't get me out of the tour bus. So, thanks for reminding me.

but I want to stress I'm looking for an ocean beach.

Totally understand.
The ones I listed are ocean beaches.
Separate areas from the downtown areas mentioned.
(Different area entirely from where you went on the Charleston portion of your Road Scholar plantation/garden tour)

It looks like you're headed to Hilton Head, so have a great time.
There are lots of hotels & condos right on the ocean there.
You will need a car or bicycle to get to restaurants or a grocery store.

I understand that you are looking for a "beach" vacation, but I'll throw this out there for anyone else following this thread for a "Carolinas vacation",

2026 is the Sester centennial. Check out the Liberty Trail and the SC250 Commission websites if you are interested in American Revolutionary War history.

There are also 250 Commissions in other states.

As far as HH, I've been to HH once. It was for a training seminar many years ago. We finally found a fresh, local, like "the-seafood-slept-in-the-ocean-last-night", restaurant on our last day. It was a hole-in-the-wall place. Wished we had found it on day one.

It looks like a few people on this Forum don't want you to go to Hilton Head!

I have relatives who live there. When I visit, my favorite thing is to take long walks on the beach, followed by eating seafood and drinking. Off season, the beaches aren't crazy crowded - IMHO. They have Lyft and Uber, so you can get by without renting a car.

Pool Bar Jim recently passed away, but hopefully the Pool Bar lives on. I've never stayed here, but the hotel looks good.

https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/hhhvi-marriotts-grande-ocean/overview/

Sorry but Hilton Head is borderline awful. Please don’t go. Beach sand is hard as concrete on top of general awfulness of island. Truly no redeeming qualities to HH.

I was going to recommend Beaufort and nearby Hunter Island, lots of charm and scenery here. Tybee Island off Savannah is a nice beachy East Coast town.

Recommending Pensacola even though you say Florida is out, it’s not like the rest of Florida, it’s even in the central time zone.

Totally oddball comment but if you are a member of the MN Landscape Arboretum you get free access to Magnolia Plantation.

But neither is as bad weather wise as MN in winter.

FYI: I once left Orlando in a 38° downpour and arrived to a sunny 50° Minneapolis, so warmer weather is likely but not a guarantee.

Laurie Beth - Hubby and I and adult offspring met at Hilton Head for a post - Christmas break in 2023. We stayed at the Marriott, ocean view. (we are point accumulators). Property was fine. Typical Marriott expected standard. We enjoyed waking up to the ocean sunrise every morning.

Unlike Toby above, we enjoyed walks on the “hard” beach and found the area pleasant. Upscale resort vibe where we explored. We did find the nature reserve noted above ands did a day trip to Savannah. Spending an overnight there would give more time as there is a lot.

I have spent much time on Charleston’s beaches. Folly can be “party time”, I prefer Isle of Palms. If you look at the large hotel on Folly (blanking on name), check current reviews, I have heard it needs reno help, but my info could be out-of-date.

Thanks, again, everyone. I agree with those recommending I go elsewhere that Hilton Head in season would definitely not be for me. However, I'm hoping in mid November there will be less chaos, less folks, but still the beautiful ocean for me to walk next to (definitely not swim in.) I've still not made definite plans. I'm taking everything you've said into my decision. Toby, I've had the experience you mentioned also when I've been in San Diego in Feb and MN has a freak 50degree, sunny day and it is pouring rain and chilly in S.D. Unfortunately, I was in San Diego that day.

Just to clarify, when I say awful I mean unattractive and unattractively developed, not awful in the sense of busy or chaotic.

Rebecca, what a great post. I didn't know that Amtrak comes to Charleston! Relative to what Toby said, HH is not "awful" if all you want to do is walk on a beach. But that time of year, I would choose somewhere farther south. And if the weather is bad, somewhere where you can find something else to do. To reiterate, it's not that HH is "awful", it's just that I think there are so many other better options. Relative to Tybee, near Savannah, I have never been there but a few years ago there were posts about there being lots of rattlesnakes there. That concerns me more than alligators, but then I'm accustomed to alligator sightings where I live in SC. The rattlesnake was a thing in the front yard of my house in Birmingham.

Cala, thank you.
Information posted for you below.
Cala, here's the scoop on the North Charleston Amtrak station:

"The North Charleston Intermodal Transportation Center is an intermodal transit station in North Charleston, South Carolina, United States. It serves as the Amtrak train station for the Greater Charleston area as well as a bus terminus for the Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority (CARTA) and Southeastern Stages, a regional intercity bus common carrier. The street address is 4565 Gaynor Avenue, and is located in the Liberty Hill neighborhood. The station appears in Amtrak timetables as Charleston."

"The station is served by two Amtrak routes, for a total of four trains daily:
--The Palmetto (daytime train), with the northbound train at 10:00am and the southbound train at 7:19pm.
--The Silver Meteor (overnight train), with the northbound train at 9:17pm and the southbound train at 4:51am.
Amtrak operating hours are at 4:00am–11:45am and at 4:00pm–11:45pm, which includes the ticket counter, passenger assistance and baggage service."

From the Wikipedia article, which explains it a lot better than I could:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Charleston_station

This map shows that the station is not far from the Charleston airport:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Charleston_station#/map/0

I am going to stop posting on any travel forum any information about Charleston and its beaches. They just don't need more people knowing about this lovely area. It's already too crowded in the high season.

Rebecca, as a resident of Isle of Palms, I couldn't agree more about the extreme amount of tourism. Imagine spending 2 1/2 hours to go to a grocery store a mile from your house! And listening to people from nearby areas complain because there are only 1700 public parking places on IOP. But honestly, for beauty, the beaches on the East Coast do not compare with the sugar white sand of the Florida Gulf Coast.

Relative to what I said earlier about the locations of train stations, I would not want to be in North Charleston at 4 AM in the morning.

Hey Cala! Totally agree about not being in the North Charleston station at 4 AM!!!

Rebecca, today I have been looking at the beach areas near Charleston you mentioned. On Tripadvisor, they seem to have more midrange chain hotels than beachfront resorts. Are there any you particularly like? I'm trying to focus my search. I want to be on or VERY near the water. I think a smaller resort than the kind in Hilton Head would be great. I don't want a vacation rental as I don't cook and don't need more than a nice room with maybe a frig and microwave. As I've said previously, I'm looking for relaxing beach walks, a day at the spa, a fine dining restaurant for my b'day and some points of interest in the area to visit (history &/or art being tops on my usual list) but no interest in sports.

Posted by Laurie Beth OP
Twin Cities, Minnesota 04/08/25 05:41 PM
Rebecca, today I have been looking at the beach areas near Charleston you mentioned.

Maybe consider Pawley's Island? Between Myrtle Beach and Georgetown.

Georgetown has much better dining that Myrtle Beach. Lots of history.

Small town feeling though. Last time I spent much time in Georgetown, Sunday afternoons/evenings were more like "roll up the sidewalks at sundown". Restaurants were still open, just not as many.

In Georgetown, there are also river cruises.

Georgetown is an enjoyable place for sightseeing, but I'm not sure there's much of a beach there. It and Pawley's and Myrtle Beach are also even farther north than Charleston. I really think you want somewhere farther south in Nov, since you want to walk on the beach and I think St Simons is your best fit.

Again, thank you all for your suggestions. I have expanded my search to areas mentioned other than HH. This is an important trip for me, but I love travel planning.

Laurie Beth - Reconsider Sea Island, on the Georgia coast near Brunswick. There are several levels of accommodations so you can find something in your budget, lots of opportunities for pampering yourself, and close to a number of historical sites. It's a much more elegant and laid-back vibe than many of the other places mentioned in this thread.
https://www.seaisland.com/stay/
Edited: If Sea Island is above your budget, don't let that dissuade you from the Saint Simons or Jekyll area. I still think this is a better option in November than the South Carolina beaches.

OK, I'm home from my "job". (It's 5:30 PM here) I volunteer at the local animal shelter here several days a week.

Laurie Beth, now to answer your latest questions.

Rebecca, today I have been looking at the beach areas near Charleston you mentioned. On Tripadvisor, they seem to have more midrange chain hotels than beachfront resorts. Are there any you particularly like? I'm trying to focus my search. I want to be on or VERY near the water. I think a smaller resort than the kind in Hilton Head would be great. I don't want a vacation rental as I don't cook and don't need more than a nice room with maybe a frig and microwave. As I've said previously, I'm looking for relaxing beach walks, a day at the spa, a fine dining restaurant for my b'day and some points of interest in the area to visit (history &/or art being tops on my usual list) but no interest in sports.

The chain hotels in the downtown Charleston area can be very upscale. The ones directly on the beach can either be something like a Holiday Inn Express or a "mom-and-pop" family-owned small hotel. Trip Advisor is indeed a good place to check reviews. Perhaps check Booking.com also or reviews.

My #1 choice of all the islands is Kiawah. Unfortunately, it has only one hotel on the beach; prices may run $500. and up per night. It's a gorgeous hotel, brand new, with ocean views, pool, restaurants; a top-
It is regularly featured in Vogue magazine, Travel & Leisure magazine, and Condé Nast Traveler magazine.

It is a golf and beach resort.

Very upscale with a spa. If you are looking for a luxury stay, this is the place for you.
It has an ice cream shop and bicycle rentals for fun trips around the bike trails.
Let me know if this is what you want.

Because the hotel is so luxurious and expensive, that is why I originally mentioned a condo rental as an option. Far less expensive than this hotel. November is the really off-season! There are one bedroom, two bedroom and studios for rent. If interested, I can give you condo rental sites to browse.

Kiawah is a luxury golf resort with major golf tournaments played there regularly. Tiger Woods' yacht is regularly seen at the nearby marina. I know you said you have no interest in sports, but I just didn't want you to be surprised if you go to Kiawah and see a lot of golf courses.
The good part of this is there are lots of restaurants in the golf clubhouses for your upscale meal(s).

To give you something to do of a cultural nature, I suggest a trip into downtown Charleston (while you're staying at the beach) one afternoon to go to the Gibbs Museum of Art....quite good.
The Gibbes houses a premier collection of over 10,000 works of fine art, principally American works.
I don't know if your Road Scholar tour included this museum, but if not, I do recommend it.

Websites to browse:

Charleston Convention and Visitors Bureau:
https://www.charlestoncvb.com/beaches/
Choose one of the beaches here to see hotels.

https://www.explorecharleston.com

Both websites will have hotels both on the beach and downtown listed.

Laurie Beth, I agree with you about enjoying train travel!

I will ask....not arguing just asking....why have you ruled out Florida?

Because AMTRAK goes into several nice beach areas in Florida.
You can take a train into Orlando--actually it's Winter Park, a section of Orlando--and taxi to Cocoa Beach, which is lovely.

NICE beachfront hotels there.
You're sitting on your balcony staring at the ocean, literally.
Warm in November but definitely not hot.
Inexpensive hotel prices in November.

I agree with Rebecca above re Kiawah Island - except, I believe the hotel is The Sanctuary (with Sandcastle being private for association members????).

Gorgeous property and surrounds if the budget stretches or there is a random less expensive few nights.
https://kiawahresort.com/accommodations/the-sanctuary-hotel/

I remember when we had recently moved to SE Georgia and we drove up to HH. We were bored and could not figure out why it was so popular, but then again we are not golfers.

Even before I read other responses, my first idea was Jeckyll Island/St Simons. I am not a fan of Brunswick. I know it is Florida, but have you considered Amelia Island/Fernandina Beach? We lived a mile over the GA/FL border and this is where we would go to just relax on the beach, more so in the off season as it is so peaceful. If you get a car, you could do a day trip to Cumberland Island, which the ferry leaves from St Mary's, for the day.

Laurie Beth,

We've been going to HHI for 39 years. Considered moving there in retirement, but wanted to be closer to grandkids. We're not golfers. Dozens of hotels to choose from on or off the beach. Novermber is low season, so good deals should abound. You'll want a car. Ubers, etc. will cost much more than car rental fees.

Your OP mentioned trains. Amtrack stops in Savanah. IMO, a night or two in Savanah is well worth the time.

I agree with mikliz97:

have you considered Amelia Island/Fernandina Beach?

Amelia Island Resort has everything you need, including a lovely white sand beach. It's isolated and not overcrowded as an area.

It's just barely in the state of Florida, right outside of Jacksonville. It's a small resort with restaurant and spa.

There are many people on this forum who have expressed concerns about the subject of going to Florida or not going, for political reasons. I am not one to wade into this type of conversation.

If this plays any part in your decision,
remember that by staying away from a state, you hurt the people who may actually vote the same way you do and have exactly the same political views you do.
Not everyone can afford to pick up and leave when they disagree with the latest government BS in their state. They have jobs and must stay.
One might hurt the businesses of mom-and-pop restaurants, hotels, people renting out their homes on AirBnB, etc.

I'm uncertain how much better it is to go to another state besides Florida and stay at a Hilton, or a Marriott, etc., as I have friends who argue against making large corporations richer.

If your choice is to stick with Hilton Head, I support that 100%.
Easy to get to, lots of restaurants around there, bicycle rentals and bike trails will be your way around the island if you don't want a car.

Good luck choosing your vacation destination and doing more research yourself. That's a fun part of any vacation...the research and planning.

Yes ORDtraveler, the Kiawah hotel is The Sanctuary. Thanks for your follow-up.
Favorite restaurants in the area or in downtown Charleston?
I'm always making a list of new places to try next time!

Thanks everyone. I have decided to limit my search to around Savannah or Charleston. I really don't want to go further south than SC and I have friends in Columbia, S.C. Thanks for helping me make my decision. As my Dad (a pilot) used to say, "over and out."