Making Special Arrangements for your Hilton Head vacation
The best bet is to leave your pets at home. If you must bring a pet, ask the
rental agent for an accommodation that will accept pets. This will narrow your
choices to a very few properties. A few motels accept pets. You can bring your
pet and board it at some of the veterinary clinics or at the
Evergreen Pet Lodge, and on
the Internet you can find some private homes that will take in dogs.
Most condominium associations have banned pets even for property owners.
If
you try to sneak a pet in, chances are you will be noticed and reported. This
could result in eviction.
Rental equipment
Hilton Head
Outfitters rents Surf boards, beach umbrellas and chairs, paddleboards,
fishing rods and jogging strollers.
Keen's Beach Rentals rents beach stuff including coolers.
Vacation
comfort Rentals has a wide selection of items, from bikes to beds to beach
and baby stuff.
Baby Needs
Baby furniture such as high chairs, cribs, playpens and strollers can be rented
through your rental agent or supplied by your hotel. If you plan ahead these
items can be placed in your accommodation before your arrival and picked up
after your departure. For sanitary
reasons, crib sheets are sometimes not provided - play it safe and bring one.
Baby's Away,
Hilton Head Baby Rental, and
many bike rental companies (ask for a package deal) rent baby
gear.
You can expect one TV and maybe a VCR in a hotel. Rental villas often have
more - ask before you lug that heavy stuff with you. These items can also be
rented, however TV reception is not possible by antenna alone, so a TV is of
little use without a cable jack. Some villas have CD players and stereos, but
this is not the norm.
If you leave your computer at home, you can still have access to a PC at
The UPS Store. The cost is $15.00 per hour with a $5.00 minimum. They
also have copiers and all kinds of office services. 843-842-3171.
If you just want to check your e-mail, the Public Library will provide access
for only $2/Hr, though
there may be a wait to get on their computers.
Ask your rental agent if
they can provide access for checking e-mail.
If you want to go on line with your own computer,
click here.
Hilton Head has several boat launching ramps, so bringing a boat for day use
is complicated only by the need to store it and its trailer overnight.
Some hotels have parking areas for boat trailers. Rental houses usually
can accommodate trailers, but condos cannot. There are several storage
companies (the kind that have the sheds) that accept boats and trailers.
Some of them are:
U Store It 843-681-7212 (mid island) and 843-681-4130 (mid island) and Beach
City Self Storage 843-681-7333 (mid island). A new public access boat launching ramp opened August 1, 2005 in Broad Creek
at the Cross Island Expressway bridge. Access is from Helmsman's Way. It will provide deep water access and
includes a floating dock.
Details here. Another public access ramp,
Broad Creek Landing, is on Marshland Rd. but it
can be iffy at low tide. You can launch at some of our marinas.
Details here. There
are several ramps in neighboring Bluffton and one on Pinckney Island.
If you have a boat you want to launch on arrival and keep in the water, you
need to contact a local marina to make arrangements. Not all marinas will be
able to accommodate, and some may sell out of space in the summer.
List of marinas.
Hilton Head has limited parking facilities, so some properties restrict the
number of vehicles a renter can park. Most hotels do not have a problem, but if
you are staying in a condo or house and have more than two vehicles, make sure
they can be accommodated.
Motorcycles are prohibited in almost all plantations (noise) and some
condominiums and timeshares.
Vehicles with signage on them are restricted in some places, especially from
overnight parking.
If you bring any kind of trailer, make arrangements or plan to put it in a
storage facility, such as: U Store It 843-681-7212 (mid island) and 843-681-4130
(mid island) and Beach City Self Storage 843-681-7333 (mid island).
Many properties on Hilton Head were built before ADA and are not well
equipped to handle handicapped visitors. This is not to say it's impossible,
just that planning ahead is essential. If you rent a home or condo, let the
rental agent know if you cannot negotiate stairs - there are plenty of single
story properties available. Most hotels are OK, but some motels will need to
know your needs. Wheelchair mats have been added to all beaches to permit
wheelchairs to cross the loose sand to firmer sand (see
Beaches).
Equipment such as wheelchairs, oxygen systems, and other aids can be
rented from
Burke's Main Street Pharmacy and other places.
Hilton Head Island is very flat, and with parking limited in some areas,
bikes are a great way to get around. Beach bikes rent for about $25 per week
(ask for multiple bike discounts) including helmet and chain lock. You can bring
your own, but the salt air is rough on bikes and you can't take them inside your
rental property to keep them safe. During low tide, our beaches are very firm
and you can easily ride a bike with wide tires on the beach.
You can
also rent bikes by the day or even by the hour. For those with children, there
are tandem bikes (built for two - one adult, one child), kiddy trailers,
training wheels, and kiddy seats (behind the adult). For those who have never
ridden a bike, there are adult tricycles. There are even jitney bikes that hold
four to six people.
South Carolina law permits bikes on all roadways. They must adhere to the
same traffic laws as motor vehicles, including riding with the traffic,
but as far to the right as practical. The leisure trails are much safer. There are
57
miles of ''leisure" trails on the island that accommodate bikes, with 28
additional miles in progress, and more inside the gated communities. Bikes on
leisure trails must yield to traffic at intersections and driveways, which is
where most accidents occur.
During the busy season it's a good idea to reserve bikes ahead of time.
Ask
the rental company what their policy is regarding stolen bikes. There are some
people who like to take a bike at night for a joy ride and then abandon it.
Usually they are recovered, but most rental companies will hold you financially
responsible for the value of the bike.
When you arrive on the island, go to the
bike rental company and pick out your bikes and have them adjusted for
you. The
bike rental company will deliver them to your accommodation and pick them up the
day you leave at no extra charge.
Click here for a great map showing the town pathways (bike + paths).
There are two motor home parking facilities on Hilton Head. No motor homes
(or tents or anything else) are permitted on the beach overnight if at all.
Outdoor Resorts, at the south end of the island can accommodate a motor home for
$57 to $77 per day, renting space owned by individuals.
Outdoor RV Resort and
Marina, at the north end does also for $49 to $64 per night.
Motor homes can be stored at many of the commercial storage facilities such as:
U Store It 843-681-7212 (mid island) and 843-681-4130 (mid island) and Beach
City Self Storage 843-681-7333 (mid island).
Someone you know on a honeymoon or other special occasion? Their hotel or
rental agent will be glad to deliver a gift basket of fruit, candies, wine,
cheese, or whatever goodies you desire to the guest at your request. Other
sources include florists and
Basket Concepts, Inc. If
you don't have their rental property address, you can have gifts delivered to
their rental agent. Or you can
telephone a restaurant and with your credit card arrange for a gift certificate
that can be picked up at the door. See the telephone book
here.
This
page Updated
05/12/2013