Disney’s Hilton Head Island Activities

Our trip to Disney’s Hilton Head Island in South Carolina was billed as a low key vacation. We thought we’d have lots of time to sit by the pool and walk on the beach. What we didn’t realize is how much the recreation staff at the resort had planned for every day. Just like any other Disney vacation, there was always lots going on and we could pick and choose the things that appealed to us. In the middle of the week, during an incredible pirate pool party, my husband turned to me and said “this place is like summer camp on steroids.” I find that an apt description.

When you first check-in, you will receive an activities calendar for your stay. Each day, there are different activities that appeal to a variety of ages. My mother and mother-in-law spent hours attending events with the resort’s naturalist. They were able to learn about the loggerhead sea turtle, go on a bird watching tour and take a 3-hour hike around a nearby island. As a family, we also took a walking tour of the marsh (a must-do just for the fun boots everyone gets to wear) and made a shark tooth necklace with the naturalist.

There are tons of crafts that happen throughout the week. Both of my boys decided to make a Mickey tie-dye t-shirt and my oldest son made a lanyard and button, but otherwise, they couldn’t be pulled out of the pool for other craft options. I wanted to make a vacation pillow, but ran out of time.

Disney’s Hilton Head Island Resort

This past March, the talk in my house turned to our summer vacation, as it does every year at this time. We have gone to Disney World the last two years and we have a Disney Cruise and a trip to Walt Disney World on the calendar for next summer, so my husband was thinking we should change things up a bit and expose the kids to something other than Florida. I, however, wasn’t going for it. I love all things Disney and I truly believe Disney offers the best quality and customer service while giving guests a fabulous experience. If I didn’t feel that way, I wouldn’t be an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner.

I was willing to meet my husband halfway though, so we started looking at Disney options that were not in Florida. We looked at several, including Disneyland, Aulani, Disney’s resort in Hawaii,  and Disney’s Hilton Head Resort. My initial research was pushing me towards Aulani – it’s in Hawaii for goodness sake – but after looking a bit more into Hilton Head, I found myself leaning more towards that destination.

Hilton Head Island and the Disney Hilton Head resort both seemed tailor made for a low-key family vacation that would give my whole family a chance to relax and unwind. Once my in-laws and my mother decided to get in on the fun, we pulled the trigger and booked our trip for six nights at Disney’s Hilton Head Resort. It turned out to be one of the best vacation decisions we could have made because this place is seriously fabulous.