Day Trippin

"Momma needs a Vay-Kay!"

Oh, yes...It's been too long since we've been away from the house (and work).  Over a year since our last "run away" and it's been since 2008 since we'd been to the beach!!!  (OMG!)

Back in the "good old days" (before money was tight), SM and I would try to get away for a week and travel.  But we would also take weekends here and there and buzz down to the beach since it's only about 5 hours away. 

Hilton Head Island has become our favorite "go-to" destination.  It has a true resort feel.  Very beautiful and relaxing, Hilton Head has lovely WIDE beaches.  Even the commercial areas of the island have restrictions on signage and landscaping and flowers dominate this beautiful island.

All of this luxury comes at a price though.  For a 4-5 Star Beach Front Hotel (which is really the only kind you'll find on the beach) you can easily pay upwards of $300 a night "in-season".  That's right!  $Ka-Ching$

For people in the know, before Memorial Day and after Labor Day, rates become slightly more affordable.  (I hear some people enjoy going to the beach in the winter!?!  Not me.  Momma needs some warm, salty breezes!)  We've visited HH enough to know when to start watching.  Imagine my surprise when I saw this weeks rates at $139 a night for the Hilton Oceanfront Resort. 

We've stayed there before but it been MANY years ago.  They just got too expensive.  Now the catch was you had to go on Wednesday or Thursday of this week.  Wednesday was a bit too cold (in the 70s) but we went ahead and booked for Thursday.  We wanted to stay Friday too but the hotel was sold out for the weekend.  So we so thought, "What the heck...Lets get down there and see what happens.  There's always other hotels we can stay at."

We left early Thursday morning and by lunch time I was squiggling my toes into the sand.  The hotel was quiet, the beach empty.  (Whoo-Hoo!)  This hotel also has one definite luxury.  An "Adult Only" pool.  Thats' right.  A pool set aside for grown-ups.  No pissy water or screaming kids.  After trolling the beach for awhile we ended up in the pool until about 4ish when I started to feel the sun.

It's tough being a white chick.  I put on SPF 45 and still got burned. (sigh)  SM being the "Polish-Indian" that he is...pinked up but then turned his natural dark brown.  I suggested we check out a round of "twilight" golf since SM brought his clubs.  (I personally don't care for golf but if the course would let me, I tag along for conversation and because golf courses are really beautiful.)  SM played golf and we goofed around acting silly until the evening.  We popped over to Fresh Market (a great way to get restaurant quality food for less) and took it back to the hotel for dinner.  We passed out and slept like babies.

We both woke up at 4:30 am though...We layed in bed and flipped channels and talked some more.  Fell back asleep (Oh the luxury!) and woke up in time to grab some coffee and take a stroll to witness the sunrise.



There is something spiritual about seeing the sunrise come up over the ocean horizon.  It starts to peek up and within a minute it's up completely and you can't look at it directly anymore.  Everyone pauses, for just a moment...and time tries to stand still.  I said to SM that I understand how ancient cultures worshiped the sun.

We went out for breakfast and then packed up, checked out, loaded the van but headed back to the beach and pool for a few more hours.  I could tell that I couldn't take another full day in the sun so we decided to leave and come home.

It was just enough.  24 hours of beach and sunshine.  As much as I enjoyed it I'd really rather have a cool hike in the mountains right now.

"Hey Honey...how about a long weekend in Tennessee this fall?