Weekend Tourist

So what do you call the tourists who flock to Bluffton / Hilton Head Island each year for fun in the sun?

Back home, we called non-locals who visited the Jersey Shore, “bennies”, an acronym of sorts for the folks who traveled south from Bayonne, Elizabeth, Newark to visit the beaches of the Shore and make it virtually impossible for a local to enjoy what we believed was ours. The bennies would decend on Memorial Day Weekend and remain until Labor Day.

So, in keeping with the spirit of our roots, we had friends from New Jersey in town for Memorial Day Weekend (don’t worry they aren’t moving here) and they wanted to see the “sights.” We obliged and I was a tourist for the weekend and I loved it!

On Sunday we hit the beach at Coligny. It was a far cry from our usual quiet spot on Folly Field or Burkes Beach, but it was indeed where the action was. For $4 we paid for a full-day of parking, not a bad deal.

Coligny was packed with wall to wall college kids enjoying their summer freedom and with families weighed down by beach gear. I am always amazed by how much stuff people bring to the beach - more kids = more stuff. We selected a spot next what I think was a group of Ohio State Sorority sisters, which basically meant I had to suck in my stomach for 4 hours … there was just no way to compete with these young women. Ah, to be young again.

The weather was perfect, there was a nice cool breeze, and there was the Tiki Hut Bar (adjacent to the Holiday Inn). Frozen drinks were in the $6 range and perfectly refreshing. The Tiki Hut has entertainment seven days a week in the summer and we enjoyed the crooning of Jo Jo Squirrel and Home Pickles (I wish I knew where that name came from). Cooling misters keep the crowd in the check and if you manage to score the table right in front of the stage (we did) you sit beneath the shade of a large oak and a couple of palm trees. It was wonderful to feel like I was on vacation when I was only a few miles from home.

Back home later that afternoon, we assessed our sun burn and got ready for dinner. Doing the tourist thing, we of course, had to head back to the Island. Surprisingly traffic was non-existent and we made it to Hemingway’s at Palmetto Bay Marina in no time at all.

We picked the restaurant based on the recommendation of a friend and the pick was dead on. Hemingway’s didn’t take reservations, but the 30-minute wait for an outside table breezed by. For pre and post-dinner drinks you can try out Hemingway’s own outdoor bar or pop-in at Captain Woody’s. We browsed at Iguana Johns Island Oasis shop, which carries coastal inspired clothing, furniture, home accessories, and gifts. And, before we knew it we had a table looking right out over the bay and the Bridge.

Things only got better. Now, I know restaurant reviews ala me can be controversial, but Hemingway’s certainly hit the mark. For appetizer, try the Smoked Trout and Brie Dip, the Fried Mozzarella, and the Seafood Martini. For dinner, I had the Grilled Atlantic Salmon with Wasabi Potatoes – perfectly cooked with a citrus and marmalade-esque marinade. The rest of my group enjoyed the Sashimi Grade Tuna, the Paella (an old standby for Joe that he ranked as the best ever), Lobster Tails and the Cold Seafood Platter (the cold mussels on the platter didn’t taste as expected, but in no way dampened our spirits).

We were all very happy and very full. But, that didn’t stop us – we ordered dessert. I had the banana bread pudding with vanilla ice cream. It was heaven. All in all, a few rounds of drinks, appetizers, dinner, and desserts for five cost $237 plus tip. The service was excellent and the atmosphere was an added bonus. We will definitely be back, even when we aren’t playing tourist.

A tourist is defined as one who travels for pleasure. Many of the residents in Bluffton and Hilton Head will tell you that they moved here after vacationing in the area for months, years, decades. I was one of them. Maybe it is because of the vast beauty – the beaches and the rivers, the endless opportunities for recreation, the great restaurants, or maybe it is living life like you are on vacation every day. Not a bad deal, is it?