by Julie Wood

Created on: June 03, 2008   Last Updated: April 18, 2011

Pack the kids, the sunscreen and the bathing suits and head over to Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. This sandy getaway is a great place to kick back and unwind after a long winter cooped up indoors. Soak up the sun, feel the sand between your toes and breathe in that sea air!

Even if you only have a few spare days Hilton Head is definitely worth the effort of packing your bags and hitting the road. In fact all you need are a few short days in the sun, some good old fashioned beach side fun and your batteries will be full to the brim.

As soon as you arrive you have to hit the beach. Whether it is a moon lit stroll, a dawn patrol or a lunch time dip. The minute you sink those little piggies into that gorgeous silky sand you will feel your cares begin to fade. Dive right in and wash away the stress and strain of daily life in the crisp blue waters. It is amazing how invigorated you will feel.

The beach is fantastic, miles of golden sand, rolling dunes and plenty of activities for the whole family. The scenery is magnificent. Make sure you pack the camera for lots of candid shots of the family having fun. How about booking your very own family Photo shoot on the beach. What an amazing way to capture the whole family and a moment in your family's life forever. Pack some cute summer clothes for everyone, pick a color theme, white works wonderfully against the brilliant blue and gold backdrop. It will be a constant reminder of your vacation so you had better make it a good one!

After all that fun on the beach you had better make sure nobody is getting too much sun and maybe chose an indoor activity for the rest of the day. If you have younger kids then head over to the Island Indoor Playground. You will find every kids dream, huge inflatable toys, castles and dragons and off course trains. They offer some great kids camps and evening programs so Mom and Dad can grab some alone time. It is really popular and space is limited so you need to plan ahead if you want to make use of this fun babysitter alternative.

Yet another great place to take the kids is the Coastal Discovery Museum. It is bursting with exhibits both indoors and out and full of information on the Island, its animal life and habitats. For the budding scientists try the amusingly named Sandbox. A great family friendly museum packed full of hands on exhibits that are just begging for you to try. You may end up competing with the kids for who gets to try first.

Finally, no trip to Hilton Head would be complete without a bike ride along the wonderful bike paths. Don your helmets, slap on the sunscreen and hit the trail. It is perfect family bike riding terrain. Wide flat paths with plenty of places to stop for a nice cold drink or better still an ice cream or two. Perfect training ground for those little legs to master the art of the family bike ride.

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