Beach and Sand Archives - Family Fun📍Cincinnati & Beyond

May 6, 2021June 11, 2021

Best Hilton Head Island Restaurants For Families

Looking for the best Hilton Head Island restaurants for your family? There are tons of options for outdoor dining in Hilton Head with the family. We’ve been going to Hilton Head Island, SC for 35+ years, so we’ve done plenty of research on this subject, especially with kids and big groups.

During peak vacation season, the island is crowded, so expect waits. Your best bets are to:
⏰ Go early, expect a hefty wait and pack patience
🍹 Send a happy hour crew to put your name on the waitlist
🗒️ Call early in the day to see if they accept call ahead seating & get your name on the list
🥜 Give the kids, and the hangry crew a snack in the car, or get an app when you get there
💻 Some places accept reservation, so be sure to try early, even before you arrive on the island
🌱 Try takeout and enjoy on your patio
🎲 Check out my mom hacks for dining out with kids.

Looking for a good Happy Hour? Check out this Happy Hour on Hilton Head Island via Travel + Leisure.

The SERG Restaurant Group

This restaurant group offers a variety of restaurants. From fresh catch seafood to BBQ to pizza, mexican and more, there is literally something for everyone here. Click here to find the full list of SERG Restaurants.

The SERG Loyalty Program

If you plan to visit more than one restaurant in this collect, definitely get the loyalty program. It works like an app, but it’s NOT available in the app store. Click here for step by step instructions to sign up for the loyalty program.

Using this ‘app’, you can:
Make Reservations
Order Takeout – they have family meals too!
Earn Points for %off your meal
Find Restaurants and Locations

Hilton Head Restaurants | Great Seafood

There are a TON of Seafood Restaurants on the Island, but I do have my favorites.

Fishcamp on Broad Creek 11 Simmons Road, Hilton Head Island, SC, 29926, 843.842.2267 — is a family favorite. The food is fantastic and the atmosphere is VERY Carolina low country. This is part of the CRAB restaurant group and they have an app too!
☀️ Views of Broad Creek
☀️ Often live music
☀️ Lounge seating and the Fishcamp ‘boat’ to enjoy while you wait for dinner
☀️ Majority of the seating is outdoors
☀️ Reservations accepted for INDOORS only. Call ahead seating available. Expect waits over 1hr in the peak season

A Lowcountry Backyard 32 Palmetto Bay Road • Hilton Head Island, SC 29928 • 843-785-YARD (9273) — is a great option. The name says it all, it has a backyard feel.
☀️ No views
☀️ Often live music
☀️ Backyard games for the kids to play while you wait for dinner
☀️ Send the happy hour crew to put your name on the list. Wait starts about 5:30
☀️ Seating indoors and outdoors, but restaurant is quaint

Skull Creek Boathouse and Skull Creek Dockside 397 Squire Pope Road HHI, SC, 29926, 843.681.3663 — is a great option for casual seafood with a lowcountry vibe. These sister restaurants are part of the SERG group and are right next to each other, so it’s easy to float back and forth between them. Menus are similar, but there are distinct offerings at each. Click the links above to see the menus.
🕔 Expect wait times between 1-2 hours, even if you get there at 4:30pm. It’s part of the experience.
☀️ Seating indoors and out with reservations accepted at Skull Creek DOCKSIDE only for indoors when via Open Table.
☀️ Great views and sunsets right on the docks overlooking some great fishing boats
☀️ Happy Hour food & drink specials at both the Boathouse and Dockside 4-7pm
☀️ Hightop tables near the bar at the Boathouse AND Dockside are first come first serve and you can order the full menu there. We enjoy getting there early to put our name in and then getting apps like peel n eat shrimp or bacon hush puppies to share. Then the kids play while we wait.
☀️ Tons of games like ping pong, foozeball, cornhole and an outdoor boat playhouse for the kids.
☀️ Plenty of adirondack chairs to enjoy a cocktail and the live music while you wait for dinner (check music schedule here)
☀️ Tons of souvenirs and fun kid cups.

The Old Oyster Factory 101 Marshland Road
Hilton Head Island, SC 29926, 843.681.6040 — is a great option for kid-friendly seafood with a lowcountry vibe.
☀️ Great views and sunsets over Broad Creek
☀️ Happy Hour food & drink specials
☀️ Seating indoors and outdoors with reservations accepted for indoor dining.

Hudson’s 1 Hudson Road • Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
29926 (843)-681-2772 — is a great option for fresh seafood with a kids menu and waterfront view as you are dining ON the dock.
☀️ Great views and sunsets
☀️ Fresh catch daily
☀️ No Reservations or call ahead

Poseidon 38 Shelter Cove Lane, Shelter Cove Towne Centre
HHI, SC 29928, 843.341.3838 — is a great option for casual seafood.
☀️ No views, except the Rooftop bar, which is 21+ at times
☀️ Excellent Happy Hour food specials
☀️ No games, but the restaurant is in a shopping complex and there is sometimes entertainment in the complex
☀️ Seating indoors and outdoors, but outdoor tables are hightops

Hilton Head Restaurants | Great TAKEOUT

Barnacle Bill’s Fresh Seafood 614 William Hilton Pkwy, Hilton Head Island, SC 2992, 843.785.9007 — is the best option for seafood takeout, particularly FRESH catch. Grab a couple pounds of shrimp to make a lowcountry boil at home or have some shrimp cocktail before you head to dinner.
☀️ Fresh catch options daily
☀️ Food trucks onsite for cooked options
☀️ Prices meet or better than Kroger

One Hot Mama’s 1 Greenwood Dr #7A, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928, 843-815-6262 — is the a great option for BBQ takeout.
☀️ Pulled pork, ribs and all the fixins
☀️ Options available starting at 2-3 people
☀️ Great options to have leftovers for lunch

SERG Restaurant Group Family Takeout — there are about 10 different places to choose from, with several options at each place.
☀️ Italian options from Frankie Bones
☀️ Mahi Tacos and other items from the Black Marlin
☀️ Mexican meals from Holy Tequila
☀️ Great options for groups large and small

Hilton Head Restaurants | Brunch and Lunch Options

Many of the SERG Restaurants have lunch specials and rewards that you find on their app – see above. Honestly, lunch is a great time to go enjoy a meal and avoid the crowds.

We LOVE Coco’s on the Beach 663 William Hilton Pkwy, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928 — this is best accessed from the beach – beach marker #94 A, Coco’s is at the end of boardwalk on the beach. We ride our bikes from Palmetto Dunes and wear beach coverups. It’s VERY casual!
☀️ The burgers are EPIC and everything is inspired by the Ohio owners, so it feels like home for some
☀️ Cold drinks are flowing
☀️ All tables are high top, FYI if you have littles
☀️ They have a sand volleyball court, so bring a ball

The Dunes House 14 Dune House Ln, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928 — it’s in Palmetto Dunes is a great casual restaurant for lunch. You can walk up from the beach with a coverup or ride your bike there. It’s VERY casual!
☀️ Great fish tacos and burgers
☀️ Ocean views from the deck

The French Bakery SHELTER COVE 28 Shelter Cove Ln, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928 – it’s in Shelter Cove Towne Center and is a great casual restaurant for brunch or a place to pick up treats for your crew back at the condo.
☀️ Chocolate croissants are AMAZING
☀️ Traditional French Quiche
☀️ Traditional French Pastries

Shelter Cover is a great place to shop and eat. There are 2 sections: Shelter Cove Marina and Shelter Cover Towne Center. The marina has water views and tons of great boats to see in the harbour. The Towne Center has new upscale shops and restaurants.

Check out my favorite Kid-friendly Vacation Rentals in Hilton Head.

Check out my favorite Beach Games and essentials for kids.

May 5, 2021May 10, 2021

Hilton Head Kid-Friendly Vacation Rentals

We’ve been going to Hilton Head Island, SC for 35+ years. I went as a child and now we go with my kids. I’ve watched the island grow up, just as I have, and have a fondness for all things in Hilton Head.

The lowcountry is like no other place:
🏖️ Don’t expect white sand beaches filled with shells & clear ocean water. But the beaches offer a TON of space at low tide and the sand is packed down making walk, pushing a stroller or riding a bike much more enjoyable than many other beach locations. Plus, the packed sand is great for beach games.
🌱 Hilton Head is famous for the spanish moss trees which offer shade and beauty everywhere you go on the island.
🚴‍♂️ The bike trails all over the island make Hilton Head so family-friendly.

Here are all my favorite Hilton Head kid friendly vacation rentals.

Hilton Head Vacation Rentals | Geography of the Island

Hilton Head Island, SC, famously shaped like a shoe, consists of a few different areas and plantations, each offering a unique experience. I’ll breakdown each option so you can see what’s the right fit for your family dynamic and needs.

Sea Pines Plantation – a fee is required to enter plantation
Palmetto Dunes Plantation – a fee is required to enter plantation
(North & South) Forest Beach
Shipyard Plantation – a fee is required to enter plantation
Several Hotel options if you prefer to have more amenities

Hilton Head Vacation Rentals | Sea Pines

Sea Pines offers tons of Hilton Head kid friendly vacation rentals and is famous for the lighthouse in Harbour Town and the Salty Dog Cafe in South Beach Marina.

Is Sea Pines the right place for your family to stay on Hilton Head Island? Here are some pros and cons.

PRO: Tons of non-beach things to do within Sea Pines! Plus, there’s a trolley you can ride for free throughout the plantation. This is KEY because finding a parking spot at local attractions within the plantation is HARD, especially during the summer season.

CON: There are not very many beachfront condo rentals. There are several beachfront and 2nd & 3rd row homes with private pools, but most of the condo and villa options are within a bike ride or walk from the beach. Palmetto Dunes is the best option for beachfront condos.

Within Sea Pines, your best best for beachfront condos is in south beach marina area near the famous Salty Dog Cafe. Check out Beach Properties for Hilton Head rentals in Sea Pines. Places like Lands End, Beachside Tennis and South Beach Villas will be a quick walk to the beach.

The best way to be close to the beach in Sea Pines is to rent a home. Try a 2nd or 3rd row home for a quick walk to the beach and you’ll have your own private pool. If you rent a home from Sea Pines Vacation Rentals, you still get all the amenities from the Sea Pines Beach club, the golf courses and the trolley within Sea Pines. My favorite place to stay in Sea Pines is Turtle Lane Club. They are 2 and 3 bedroom villas with your own garage. An easy walk to the beach and a community pool that is rarely crowded.

There are plenty of other vacation rentals that are a quick bike ride to the beach. Everyone bikes in Hilton Head and you can rent cargo carts to bring your beach gear with you for a quick, easy ride.

What To Do In Sea Pines

If you’re staying in Sea Pines, be sure to rent bikes to enjoy the paved trails and beach rides. We love riding bikes to Salty Dog Cafe and Harbour Town to shop, grab a meal or listen to live music.

You can ride the free trolley to harbor town, salty dog and a few other places within the plantation.

Try tennis or ride the horses at Lawton Stables.

Of course, if you have golfers in the family, there are world class courses in Sea Pines. And if you book accommodations early through Sea Pines, they often include golf promotions.

Find plenty of family-friendly activities on Hilton Head Island, here.

Hilton Head Vacation Rentals | Palmetto Dunes

Palmetto Dunes also offers tons of Hilton Head kid-friendly vacation rentals. It’s a pretty quiet, secluded family location with excellent bike paths and tons of beachfront property.

PRO: Plenty of beachfront condos and beachfront or 2nd and 3rd row vacation homes! Many homes have a private pool and the beachfront condos often have multiple pools.

CON: There are not as many non-beach activities to find like there are in Sea Pines. But, you can ride your bike on the path to Shelter Cove across the main road for shopping, restaurants, ice cream and live entertainment..

We love renting a private home that’s beachfront or 2nd – 4th row on the streets along Mooring Buoy. They are in alpha order, A – N, with A being closest to the Marriott Hotel. In general, the beaches are usually much less crowded in Palmetto Dunes, as compared to Sea Pines, with the exception of the Marriott area where there is also public beach access.

If your family is looking for a beachfront condo, my favorites are Captains Walk, Hampton Place and any of the Windsor’s. If you have littles, both of the Windsor hotels have zero entry pools!

Check out Beach Properties for Hilton Head home rentals in Palmetto Dunes.

I also often use for Sunset Rentals Hilton Head vacation rentals and Island Getaway has a great selection of homes and condo rentals.

What To Do In Palmetto Dunes

If you’re staying in Palmetto Dunes, be sure to rent bikes to enjoy the paved trails and beach rides. We love riding to the General Store for breakfast, a treat for the kids or to replenish our adult beverages. They have great BBQ lunch options too, which he smokes right there.

You can also ride bikes to Shelter Cove Plaza for shopping, Kilwins Ice Cream and tons of lunch places.

If you’re into pickleball or tennis, you can rent a court at the Palmetto Dunes Tennis Center.

One of our favorite family traditions is to bike down the beach, about a mile, and enjoy an epic burger and beer from Coco’s on the Beach. The owners are from Ohio, so many items are inspired by towns in Ohio. Try the Buckeye Burger! You can map it on your phone navigation, but look for mile marker 94A and you will see the volleyball courts and Coco’s down the boardwalk.

Find plenty of family-friendly activities on Hilton Head Island, here.

Hilton Head Vacation Rentals | North & South Forest Beach

North & South Forest Beaches are also great places to stay. There are several hotel options and beachfront condos.

PRO: Plenty of beachfront condos at reasonable prices!

CON: You are on a main road, so biking is limited more to the beach, unless you have older kids. Also, beaches tend to be more crowded than Palmetto Dunes and parts of Sea Pines.

The most popular beachfront condo are Shorewood Villas with a zero entry pool, which is perfect for littles and non-swimmers and Seacrest Oceanfront Resort.

If you like hotel options, Marriott Grande and Ocean Oak by Hilton Grand Vacations are both great choices.

You can easily walk or bike to Coligny Plaza to find food, shopping and treats.

Additional Options For Hilton Head Vacation Rentals

While I have not stayed at many of these places, many friends I know have enjoyed these options.

Shipyard Plantation – The Sonesta Resort Hilton Head Island is a family-friendly option with many amenities included.
There are several hotel options if you prefer to have more amenities:
Marriott in Palmetto Dunes
Marriott Grande on South Forest Beach
Ocean Oak by Hilton Grand Vacations in South Forest Beach
Marriott Monarch in Sea Pines
Marriott’s Barony Beach Club near Port Royal – water slides and very kid-friendly

Check out my Beach Essentials and Games for kids at the beach.

And don't forget about my guide to dining out with kids in Hilton Head.

May 21, 2020May 10, 2021

At The Beach With Kids

The BEST Beach Games and Essentials for a Beach Trip with Kids

The beach is a great place to go with kids. Having the right beach essentials sets your vacation up for success. Here are my favorite beach games and essentials.

Best Beach Wagons

Beach wagons are key for transporting things, but make sure you get one with sturdy wheels or it might not make it through the sand. Here are 3 solid options at fair prices. You can often rent them, but sometimes it’s more economical to buy them and use them for baseball games, etc.

A great all around wagon for sporting events or the beach. The wheels are mid-level sturdy and will do the trick, but I wouldn’t advise for repeat beach use.

The TWO giant wheels together at the front are perfect for dragging across the sandy beach. This is our go-to.

A great beach or sports option. The wheels are larger which is better for tougher terrain and the folding tray is perfect for snacks and drinks for the kids.

Sand Toys For Kids

Here are some of my favorite shovels and buckets for kids and fun sand toys. I like to carry our sand toys in a mesh backpack like this. The toys are lightweight and if it’s a backpack, one of this kids can carry them.

We love the letters because even my older kids will write secret messages to me in the sand with these letters.

Water Shoes For Kids

Water shoes are a lifesaver for us on the beach because we avoid the hot sand under their flip flops. These are my favorite brands because the sand doesn’t get in too easily and they stay on your feet. The iplay brand is great for toddler feet!

Infants and Toddlers at the Beach

Looking for quick and easy entertainment and containment for babies who sit up on their own to toddlers? The baby pool or collapsible dog pool is a great trick for the beach. Fill with a very small amount of water and some water toys and they will have fun splashing around!

Shade at the Beach

Shade! It’s so important if you plan to spend some time at the beach. This ZiggyShade and Sun Ninja options are amazing. So much more lightweight than a traditional popup tent and the same amount of shade. It’s quick and easy to set up and worth the investment. A single umbrella doesn’t offer as much shade, but is a great option for a small family.

Beach games for the family

We love to toss a baseball on the beach, but golf is also really fun and easy to tote there. Try a set of kids plastic clubs and the weighted regular golf balls. Dig out holes in the sand to put into!

We are a participant in an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to affiliated sites. The cost of the product for you is the same, but we appreciate the small kickback we get when you click and purchase our suggested products!

May 6, 2020May 10, 2021

17 Best Podcasts for Kids

Y’all, podcasts aren’t just for adults. There is some great content out there directly created for kids. We listen on long road trips to pass the time or a random Tuesday when I’ve had enough of the Kidz Bop Hits.

Speaking of Kidz Bop, have you seen their dance breaks on my post on awesome celebrity virtual dance parties?

Also, did you know you can ask Alexa to play a podcast for you? Try it! Here are the captain family favorites!

Podcasts for Kids

The Big Fib– one’s a liar, the other one’s telling the truth. Each week, a kid interviews two experts on a topic and has to determine, through a series of questions, which is the expert and which one is a liar.

Tumble Science Podcast for Kids explores stories of science fun for the whole family. Check out The Science of Smell and other fun topics related to science discovery.

Wow in the World is made from NPR and each episode is based on facts and questions from science and technology that intrigues kids! They have a cute feature called Two Whats!? And A Wow!

The Past and The Curious is a history podcast for kids, but parents, you might learn something too. History was NOT my favorite school subject, so, yeah, I’m learning too.

Brains On! is all about the science questions curious kids have! We loved the episode, Flush! Where does our poo and pee go?, because ‘poo’ is a favorite subject in this house ;)! There are tons of other topics, including Bigfoot, Unicorns and Dragons: Making Sense of Myths.

If you like that, you’ll probably like the Smash Boom Best podcast, also produced by Brains On crew. It’s a debate show for kids & families during which they take two cool things, smash them together and let’s you decide which is best. Alien vs Robots. Sharks vs Skunks. Chocolate vs Cheese. How do you ever decide?

This podcast reminds me of one my sons favorite book series called Who Would Win? This series explores battles between 2 things to see who would win! Grab a copy or a set if your kids likes the podcast.

But Why is a show for kids, led by kids. Kids ask the questions which fuel the subject matter for the shows as they answer the questions! A few favorites, Do Animals Get Married?, ‘Are Llamas Ticklish?’ and What Is Electricity?

Story Pirates is such a fun listen. Hosted by actors, comedians, improvisers and musicians, they adapt stories submitted by kids into sketch comedy and musical theater. We’re big fans in this house!

Red School Bus is a clean comedy podcast from Father/Son duo sharing hilarious real-life stories. Kids can submit their own real-life stories and hear it ‘on air’ when they read the story.

Noodle Loaf is an interactive music podcast created by a dad and music-ed specialist that will get your kids dancing, laughing, singing and having fun. Check out more fun with their videos on their YouTube Channel.

Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls is an awesome fairy tale podcast for kids about extraordinary women in history from all over the world. Just like the book (<–link), that explores women who have done amazing things, this story podcast dives deeper into the lives of these bad*$ women!

PODCASTS FOR LITTLE KIDS

Highlights Hangout is a monthly podcast that brings Highlights Magazine to life in a whole new way. This is good for the little kids. They have the kids talk on the podcast, which is super exciting for other kids to hear. It plants a little bit of excitement in their brain, like maybe they can be famous too 😉

StoryNory Podcast explores classic fairytales in a silly and engaging way, perfect for the little kids!

Podcast stories and audible Books

Longer car ride? Remember the days of books on tape from the library? Yikes, I’m showing my age! Try an Audible book from Amazon, they’re even better. Have the Harry Potter series read to your entire family.

The Saturday Morning Cereal Bowl – think of this as a DJ for kids that parents want to hang with. Looking for a playlist of music that both kids and parents will enjoy? These eclectic 2 hour shows offer fun songs that kids and parents enjoy! Spare the Rock, Spoil the Child is another good one like this!

The Alien Adventures of Finn Caspian – Start at episode 1 and venture along with Finn, his friends and their pet robots solve the mysteries in the universe. This is great for 15-20 min breaks of fun, or binge-listen on a long road trip.

Don’t want to listen to the podcast WITH them? Grab some cute unicorn headphones like these!

Or some basic kids headphones to keep in your car and a headphone splitter if you have more than one kid listening. Then, crank up your tunes and cruise.