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I dare say, Hilton Head might be one of my favorite destinations this year. There are not too many destinations that we plan out ten months in advance, but this was one of them. Before we ever planned to visit the Northeast, we decided to book Hilton Head for Thanksgiving and Florida for Christmas. Chris’ business is based out of Georgia so we knew this would be convenient as he needed to be in Atlanta for at least a week in December. So far, it has all worked out beautifully, driving southbound down the coast, just ahead of the cold front. (The weather literally warmed up 25 degrees between Virginia and South Carolina in November…thats a considerable difference!)

Planning for a holiday, so far ahead (when our nomadic schedule and my husband’s job require us to be flexible)…seemed a bit crazy, but it worked! We were blessed to get reservations at Hilton Head Marina & RV Park and this place was truly perfect for us. It was worth every penny and greatly contributed to our unforgettable holiday.

Chris and I are already dreaming of a return trip.

Hilton Head is an island that is reached by a bridge on the southern tip of South Carolina, near the Georgia border. It is convenient for visiting many local towns, like Savannah, which we were able to day trip and see. However, this island is so great, we didn’t want to leave to do much else. We were here for the week of Thanksgiving and the weather was wonderful.

It was cool for a couple of days, but sunny with a high of 78 on Thanksgiving. We spent Thanksgiving laying by the pool, soaking up some vitamin D…oh,  was it lovely! I don’t remember the last time I layed out in the sun on Thanksgiving…and I am from Southern California after all!

I did not take a ton of photos on this day of gratitude. We walked and talked, played by the pool and ate fabulous food. For the second year, Chris fried up a turkey with onion rings…and all of the traditional sides. It was such a peaceful day…one of those holidays we will always remember. Although we had the “what are you thankful for” conversation….the gratitude in our hearts was unmistakable. We were all basking in the simplicity and cherished company of one another. Even my kiddos have a sense of how special it is to just “be” together. We miss our big Californian family dearly…but having just the 5 of us together will always be a cherished memory.

This island is perfect for bike riding…infact, bikes are everywhere! There are tons of cute shops and places to stop. We really enjoyed spending a day in Sea Pines. Sea Pines is a gated area at the end of the island. It has two harbors, beaches, bike trails, shopping and residential living. My tweens particularly enjoyed the playground with the giant tree…just right for walking on (we didn’t read the sign that state no climbing on the tree, until after we were done!).

In Harbour Town, there is the most wonderful ice cream shop. Literally everyone who visits the harbor stops for ice cream…This is a great place to grab a treat, wander around and find an adorable red rocking chair to claim..and enjoy your cone of deliciousness of course.

We enjoyed walking around the beach  and even found a great little spot to take some family Christmas photos.

From Hilton Head, SC to Atlanta, Georgia we go!