When my sister Karen and I wanted to get away for a quick overnight not too long ago, we decided to meet on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. I hadn’t been to Hilton Head, but had heard such good things and couldn’t wait to visit, if even for just a night.

Driving onto the island, I was immediately impressed with the island’s development – nothing seemed to rise above the tree line. And speaking of trees, they were everywhere, providing ample shade along the winding paths and roadways.

For our night’s stay, we checked into the oceanfront Sonesta Resort Hilton Head Island. Stepping into the lobby, I was struck by the modern, yet comfortable and welcoming, décor. Our spacious room was no different – the splashes of vibrant orange were in fun contrast to the white and grey color scheme, and set the tone for our stay.

We quickly found that there’s little reason to leave the resort when staying at the Sonesta Hilton Head Island. To relieve our weary bones, Karen and I each scheduled a massage at the resort’s cozy Arum Spa. Afterwards, we each indulged in a foot soak and glass – or two! – of Prosecco. Just what we needed!

For dinner that night, we bid our diets adieu and dined lavishly at Heyward’s, within the resort. The low-country menu had several tasty-looking, seasonal dishes from which to choose, and making our choices proved to be difficult. We started with a delicious pickled vegetable crostini, followed by entrees of local fish and shrimp. But dessert – dessert’s where we hit a major league home run: sweet potato ice cream sandwiched between caramel cookies. As they say in the south, “Oh, Lordy!”

After such a decadent meal, it’s no surprise that the next morning we each laced up our running shoes and took to the aforementioned tree-lined paths of Hilton Head. Though the weather was too chilly during our stay to enjoy them, the pools looked very inviting, and I’ll be sure to make a splash and swim a few laps the next time I visit! For a bit more exercise, the resort has bikes to rent, which are a terrific way to get around the island.

Of course, one of the island’s main attractions is its beaches, just steps from the resort. After a healthy post-run breakfast, again at Heyward’s, Karen and I walked the wide beach, warmed by the sun overhead in a cloudless sky.

Our stay on Hilton Head Island was brief, but we certainly packed in a lot! When I learned upon check out that the Sonesta Hilton Head Island is pet-friendly, I started planning a return trip with my pup, Lucy. After all, she should be a part of a girls’ beach getaway, too, don’t you think?

Many thanks to the Sonesta Hilton Head Island for hosting us and making us feel more than welcome during our stay.

Susan B. Barnes is a travel writer and photographer. A proud Army brat, she was born on a military base in Belgium and has been on the go ever since. While Susan has traveled across the United States and into Canada, she has also managed to visit such European cultural hot spots as Paris, London, Ireland, Athens and Rome, and has even explored the second largest reef in the world off the coast of Belize and the cloud forest of Venezuela, among many other exotic locales. Having learned to rock climb in Yosemite National Park, surf in La Jolla and swim with whale sharks in Mexico, she’s always looking forward to her next adventure. Be sure to follow Susan on Twitter to keep up with her latest adventures @travlin_girl.