Hilton Head Family Vacation 2016

We recently went on a family vacation to Hilton Head Beach, South Carolina. We had an absolute blast! There was a lot of sleeping, eating, laughing, and relaxing involved. Theo did exceptionally well for having to sleep in our room, stay up way past his bedtime, and be off his typical daily schedule. He was a champ! He normally takes two naps a day ranging from 1.5-2 hours, and that didn’t really happen just because we were on the go most days exploring. He did take a few cat naps here and there in the car. One day, the three of us actually slept for 2.5 hours and it was absolutely glorious. Theo normally goes to bed at 7, and we managed to keep him up until about 9 every night. That way we could stay out for a little longer instead of being cooped up in the room.

A few tips for traveling with a baby…

1. Forget the schedule (if your baby is on one that is.) Don’t get me wrong, I am all about having a routine, but when you’re traveling or on vacation, you can forget about it. I was nervous about Theo being grumpy for not taking a long enough nap and being off schedule, but he was a rock star! I just watched him and we just went with the flow. Theo is (knock-on-wood) pretty easy-going already, so that made it fairly easy as well. But as soon as we got back home, I started back up on our schedule. Now, it’s been a week and things are back to the way they were before!
2. Bring your white noise machine. We all use a white noise machine at the Graham house! It’s just something I’ve always used to help me sleep more soundly. I worked night shift at the hospital, so I’d sleep during the day and it helped and I just got used to having it. So…white noise, ocean waves, fire crackles, whatever tickles your fancy, BRING IT. It helps, especially with all the doors closing, people talking, and such that you encounter at a hotel.
3. Bring your diffuser and oils. If you are an oiler, I recommend bringing your home diffuser or a travel diffuser. I diffused Thieves when we got into our room to help boost our immune systems. I would also diffuse Lavender, Cedarwood, or Sacred Mountain at bedtime each night to promote restful sleep.
4. If you have a nursing or carseat cover, bring it. Your little one may be thrown off his or her feeding schedule; it’s helpful to have if you’re out and feel more comfortable wearing a cover while nursing. I also used it when Theo fell asleep in his carseat and we went to dinner. It just covers him up so it’s not bright and people aren’t poking their head in trying to talk to him. I have one from Covered Goods and really like it.
5. Bring a few toys for the hotel room and car ride. I am so glad I brought a little bag of toys for this vacation! We weren’t in the room a whole lot during the day, but when we needed to get ready, it made it a lot easier to put Theo on the floor with a musical toy!
6. Bring a baby carrier or stroller. Better yet…bring BOTH. There were many times we went out walking, shopping, or out to dinner, and it was easier to have Theo in the stroller. If you don’t have much room, bring a baby carrier or wrap such as, The Boba or The Ergo.

Some of our favorite places at Hilton Head were…

1. The Salty Dog. Beautiful place to eat and the food was really yummy!

2. Skull Creek Boathouse. Once again, the food was incredible! Get the hushpuppies! It’s just a really cute place! You can eat right outside on the water with cute string lights twinkling above. They even had a live band. It was just an all around fun atmosphere!

3. Lucky Rooster. This place was really neat! They serve really interesting dishes such as refined southern comfort foods like shrimp and grits or more adventurous dishes like bone marrow. We tried both! We also met some super awesome friends that were staying at our hotel, so we all went here for dinner and drinks! We had an absolute blast!

4. The French Bakery. This was a great breakfast/brunch spot! They had amazing lattes and crepes! Right across the street from the bakery was a cute little park. We went there after we ate and pushed Theo on the swing for a bit.

5. Coastal Discovery Museum. This was a fun little place! It was absolutely beautiful. You can explore history and cultural heritage on this 68 acre property. The museum offered trails, gardens, a butterfly enclosure, a kids area, and Marsh Tacky horses. Donations of course are welcomed, but this museum was free!

6. The Sandbox. We actually did not get to go here, but we were told to check it out. Unfortunately, we just didn’t have the time but definitely next time we take a trip to Hilton Head we will go. There is an admission fee, $6 for adults and children over 1. It’s an interactive museum for kids that includes fun filled play centers and engaging activities. It seems perfect for a rainy day or to go check out when needing a break from the sun!

7. Tanger Outlets. This was a fun place to walk around outside plus we found some INCREDIBLE deals. My personal favorites were the J Crew and Kate Spade outlets of course.

Overall, we had such a wonderful time, made some incredible memories, and really enjoyed time with just the three of us. Hilton Head was really beautiful, quaint, and cozy. I definitely see us going back to this beautiful place in the future!