Jeremy

Jeremy founded Living the Dream in 2008 to chronicle his long-term trip around Asia. Since then he has been on two long-term trips, visited 69 countries, and is just getting started. He is now on a Lifestyle Design quest to build businesses to pursue a life of travel.

Marriott Hilton Head Review – Great Location But At a Price

As I am a Marriott hotel credit card holder, I sometimes prioritize staying with this hotel chain as a means to rack up points and qualified stays to leverage them into future, grand vacations. 

So when we saw that Marriott had a resort on the beach in Hilton Head Island (a truly prime location on the beach and perhaps the biggest property as well), we knew what we had to do. We snatched up a partial ocean view room and planned for a nice long weekend right on the water.

While we do think this one is a fair bit expensive for what you get (granted, everything is expensive in Hilton Head), if accessibility to the ocean is of utmost importance to you, the Mariott Hilton Head Resort & Spa will not let you down.

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Go for a Half Day Hike at Pinckney Island in Hilton Head

Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge is a 4,053-acre park managed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. It is a collection of salt marshes, forest, and tidal creeks on protected land located between Hilton Head Island and Bluffton, South Carolina.

In fact, prior to visiting Hilton Head I had no idea that this park was there, and only thought of stopping for a visit when heading out to Bluffton to explore more Hilton Head breweries. Naturally, as soon as I saw the sign calling out the national wildlife refuge, I knew I’d have to return for a visit.

And what a visit it was!

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Sea Pines Forest Preserve is Worth the Admission Fee

Hilton Head is comprised of just one island located off the coast of South Carolina. But if you take the time to explore all corners, it really feels like there are two Hilton Head Islands.

One is the public side of the island home to the main beach, a plethora of shops and restaurants, and more. The other is Sea Pines Plantation Resort- a semi-private community on the southern end of the island that is only accessible to members and those who pay the day rate to enter ($9 per car in early 2021). 

These have a night-and-day difference between each other as the former is commercial and busy while the latter is quiet, nestled within the trees, and relatively devoid of commercial businesses outside of Harbor Town.

So while we could make the argument that the day rate to enter Sea Pines is worth it alone to simply take in the beauty of the island in a more peaceful environment, we would rather talk about a specific attraction you can see after entering- Sea Pines Forest Preserve.

The fee is worth it just to visit this one alone.

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What is the Best Inflatable Travel Pillow for Your Money?

One of the most unforgiving experiences in travel is attempting to sleep on airplanes. For some this skill comes easy, while the rest of us are not so lucky. 

Poor leg room, minimal reclining capabilities, and zero comforts make it incredibly difficult for any sort of rest and relaxation to be had. Amplify that over 12 hours, and the experience can be a nightmare.

Airlines try to provide small comforts such as pillows and blankets, however these are in poor design that leave most people wanting more. With blankets that don’t quite cover and pillows that are missing half the required fluff, it is almost easier to go without. 

To get around this, many travelers bring external items on board to increase comfort, with the most common site found on any plane being an inflatable travel pillow. 

Finding the best inflatable neck pillow, however, may be incredibly challenging as each style has its own pros and cons associated. In this one, we review several options from years of testing!

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