We recently spent most of a week on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. HHI is one of my favorite beach towns. However, just like many coastal vacation areas, it can be expensive to visit there. So, I wanted to share how we saved a little money while still enjoying an amazing family trip. Before I jump in, let me just say as a disclaimer, I know that a beach vacation is not possible for every family in every season of life. Please know that this post is not an attempt to boast on what we were able to do. I just want to give a few tips and thoughts on how to save money if someone is planning an upcoming trip.
So, here are the ways we attempted to save some money and still had a fabulous vacation:
1. We stuck to our budget when choosing a place to stay.
We had a fairly strict price point that I knew we were not willing to compromise on. So, when I was browsing Airbnb, VRBO, hotels.com, and other sites, I made sure to filter out the more expensive options so that I was not even tempted to consider them. By the way, this also meant being willing to shorten our stay by a night or two, just to make sure we could actually stick to our price goal.
I searched for condos or hotels at a variety of beach locations, from North Carolina to Florida, and was open to the idea of traveling somewhere new if it meant a more budget friendly stay. I also tried to find some discounted hotels/condos available to pastors. However, due to the short time frame I had to plan this trip, none of those options were open. BUT in the future, we will try to take advantage of some of those! (Just FYI for other pastors or pastors' wives, there are some options out there.)
I was as surprised as anyone that one of the best deals I found was on Hilton Head Island! It was actually a couple hundred dollars under our budget! We stayed at Home2Suites by Hilton. This lovely hotel was a couple miles from the beaches. It had a very relaxing, shaded outdoor pool perfect for those sweltering July afternoons. It offered a complimentary breakfast that was delicious, plus 24/7 coffee and tea options in the lobby. Not to mention friendly, helpful staff and a clean, spacious room. The room had a kitchenette that had plenty of utensils, cookware, a fridge/freezer, microwave, sink and dishwasher. It did not have an oven or stovetop but we made do without.
2. We saved money by eating all of our breakfasts and lunches in the hotel, and some of our suppers.
By staying at a hotel that had a kitchenette, plus that had a complimentary hot breakfast, we were able to save money on food.
Here were some of our favorite budget friendly meals that we enjoyed at our hotel:
- chicken salad wraps or lunchmeat sandwiches with chips, grapes, and string cheese on the side.
-pulled pork taco bowls: pre-cooked pulled pork warmed in the microwave, over rice (microwavable as well), with tortilla chips, shredded cheese, salsa, and sour cream. So easy and delicious!
-Italian meatball subs: I microwaved frozen Italian meatballs, topped with marinara, and ate with sub buns along with a caesar salad.
- and of course, the hotel breakfast! Waffles, eggs, oatmeal, bacon, yogurt, muffins...it was a great way to start our day without spending extra on a pricey breakfast at a local cafe.
-We bought a carton of good quality ice-cream to enjoy in our room instead of ordering desserts at restaurants.
3. We focused on free things to do.
HHI has a variety of free things to do with kids!
-Coligny beach has free parking. We never struggled to find a parking space. There was always plenty.
- The splash pad and boardwalk with its lovely porch swings are also free to enjoy at Coligny beach
-Coastal Discovery Museum! We were pleasantly surprised by this place. Nestled in the shade of huge oak trees draped in moss, an old historic home houses a spacious, air-conditioned museum and gift shop. (The air conditioning was key on that punishingly hot day!) There is a kids' room with fun murals and animal puppets, some exhibits with facts about the history of HHI, and I was awed by the beautiful quilt art exhibits. Outside, there is a butterfly house you can walk through, boardwalks you can stroll on out over the marsh, and seasonal animal encounters for added cost. (James got to hold a baby alligator the day we were there as part of a critter meet and greet). We spent a couple hours exploring the museum and grounds.
-Burkes Beach after 5pm. This tip goes for other beaches on HHI, but we specifically really loved Burkes Beach. It was very close to our hotel, and after 5, the parking was free. We found it to be far less crowded than Coligny, and so peaceful and beautiful. I wish I was there right now..
-Jarvis Creek Park: This pretty park features a dock by a lake with signs allowing catch and release fishing. Watch out for alligators though! We saw a few out in the water.. The park also has some nice picnic pavilions and playgrounds.
4. For our restaurant meals, we found ways to save.
-Our first night, Ryan and I split fajitas at a Mexican restaurant, and James got a kid's meals. We ordered water to drink. We shared some of our food with our 1 year old. For the reasonable price, we had a waterfront table overlooking the marina and enjoyed live music. Not too shabby!
-Another night, we all split a pizza at a restaurant. A cost-effective way to all get some good food without breaking the bank.
-Another night, we found a Cookout which is a fast-food chain. They have good 7.99 platters and so we ate fairly cheap there.
We did enjoy one "splurge" meal, which was pricey, but we planned ahead for it. We ate at a seafood restaurant on the water, with gorgeous views of the fireworks that night across the harbor. Truly a special memory!
5. We drove an economical vehicle
Unfortunately, we had to rent a vehicle for this trip. While an SUV or van was an enticing idea, we chose to rent a smaller car for a much cheaper price. Was it a little snug? Yes. Was the trunk packed to the gills? Yep. But it saved us so much money on gas, and we made it work! If the pioneers could cross the prairie in a covered wagon for months, pretty sure we could ride in a slightly smaller car for 8 or 9 hours to save a hundred dollars or so.
Ok. I'll stop with that. I hope this list helps even one person! I'd love to hear from others, what are some of your favorite money saving tips while on vacation?
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