One more Hilton Head Beachday

 

We had one final glorious day at the beach in Hilton Head before it was time to wrap up this chapter of our trip—and we were determined to make the most of it.

I woke up early and quietly slipped out of bed while Madeline and Alison were still asleep. I knew this was my last chance to fly the drone around the beach, and I didn’t want to miss it. I found a quiet chair tucked into a grassy spot near the resort and got everything set up. As I flew the drone over the beach, I was joined by a little bunny rabbit peacefully munching nearby, totally unfazed by the buzzing above. It was a beautiful, calm morning—just me, the ocean breeze, and a bird’s-eye view of the resort and shoreline. A peaceful moment before the rest of the day kicked off.

Can you spot the bunny?

Eventually, everyone else stirred and we gathered in the kitchen for one last breakfast in our room. We managed to polish off nearly all the food we had brought for the week—a small but satisfying victory that always feels good when you’re traveling.

After breakfast, we made our way down to the beach for one final day in the sand and surf. The current was a bit stronger that day, and the waves were rolling in with a little more power. Everyone got in for a splash, but after a while Kristin, Anna, Alison, and Madeline returned to the beach chairs while Skylee and I stayed behind to play in the surf.

Madeline became great at standing on this trip

The waves were too fun to resist. We dove through them, jumped over them, and laughed as they crashed around us. Time slipped away—what was supposed to be a quick dip turned into nearly an hour. The current slowly carried us a good stretch down the beach, still well within view of the lifeguard, but farther than anyone back at our chairs had expected. When we finally returned, Alison was a little upset—understandably so. She hadn’t known where we’d gone, and she was worried. A good reminder that even on vacation, communication is key.

Not long after we got back, Alison’s college roommate, Steph, arrived with her kids. Alison and Steph met while living at the BYU Jerusalem Center and later became roommates back in Provo. These days, Steph lives in Augusta, and when Alison told her we’d be in Hilton Head, Steph made the drive down with her kids to spend the day with us. It was so fun to catch up, swap stories, and introduce our kids to each other while we all played in the waves.

Eventually, Anna and the other kids had enough of the beach, so we packed up and headed back to the room. Lunch was a bit of a hodgepodge as we pulled together the last of our groceries—ramen, burgers, fruit, odds and ends—but everyone left the table happy. During lunch, Skylee and Dax started chatting about growing up in Utah versus Georgia. It was fascinating to hear their different perspectives, and things got especially entertaining when they discovered they both did debate this year. One minute they were eating, the next they were engaged in an impromptu debate about the pros and cons of AI. It was absolutely charming—and very on brand.

After lunch, we hit the pools one more time. The kids were thrilled, and the adults were equally happy to cool off and relax. 

At one point, Madeline got tired, so I found a shady spot under a palm tree, laid back with her snuggled on my chest, and let her drift off to sleep. She slept soundly for over an hour while I watched the palm trees sway in the breeze and counted more than 100 pelicans gliding overhead. It was one of those rare, peaceful pockets of time that feel like a gift—just me, Mads, and the quiet hum of a vacation afternoon.

While Mads was still asleep, karaoke kicked off at the poolside bar and grill. Skylee started things off with a confident performance of “Firework.” Then Steph and her daughter Holly jumped in with a sweet duet of “Part of Your World.” Skylee followed up with “L-O-V-E,” which really showed off her voice, and then Kristin, Skylee, and Anna brought the house down with a lively group version of “Since U Been Gone.” Karaoke was a surprise hit, and it turned into one of the highlights of the afternoon.

Eventually, it was time to say goodbye to Steph and her family. They had a two-hour drive back to Augusta, and we were so glad they made the trip. It was one of those reconnecting moments that felt easy and joyful—as if no time had passed at all.

By this point in the trip, Madeline had fully embraced her role as a little water baby. Any time we were near the pool, she would point excitedly and grunt with urgency, as if to say, “Let’s go play there—right now!” It was clear the water had completely won her over.

We rounded out the evening with poolside pizza—peak vacation kid life. Sitting in swimsuits, dripping wet from the pool, munching on hot pizza and sipping chocolate mudslide smoothies (a favorite of the trip for all three kiddos). We swam for a couple more hours after that, trying to soak up every last second. The sun was starting to dip low when Anna turned to Kristin and asked if they could stay just one more day. That, right there, is the ultimate vacation compliment—especially from Anna.

Back at the room, we turned on Muppets Treasure Island for the kids while we packed and got Madeline down for bed. Then we finished off our long-running Canasta tournament. It came down to the final hand—Skylee and Alison pulled off the win. Skylee wanted to play a few more rounds, but we were all wiped, so we called it a night.

The next morning came early. We packed the car and made the hour-long drive to the Savannah airport. Madeline did okay for most of it, but by the end she was pretty done—never a great sign when you’re just beginning a travel day. We dropped Kristin and the girls off at the airport and swapped out our rental car for a smaller vehicle, ready to head off to the next leg of our adventure.

Hilton Head, you were magical. One more beach day wasn’t nearly enough—but it was just what we needed.