What to Know About Hilton Head
If you’re looking for a tranquil, beautiful vacation destination, Hilton Head could be perfect. Hilton Head is a South Carolina Low Country Island. Hilton Head boasts 12 miles of beaches, a slow pace, and some of the best golf courses in the country.
The following are some things to know if it’s a place you’re thinking about traveling to anytime soon.
The Basics
Hilton Head is around 90 miles south of Charleston. It’s a barrier island located on the Atlantic Ocean.
Hilton Head Island is one of the top vacation destinations in the country, with hundreds of restaurants. The island is around 30 miles from Savannah, and it’s 45 minutes from the Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport. The island has its own small airport as well. You can drive within a day to the island from most major east coast cities, including New York and Washington D.C.
It’s also a manageable drive from major southeastern cities like Charlotte and Atlanta.
The island is less than five miles wide, and it’s around 12 miles long.
Hilton Head is where the Gullah culture developed. The freedman of the Sea Islands created their own vibrant culture, which you can learn more about if you visit the Coastal Discovery Museum.
Until 1956, you could only reach the island by boat.
Hilton Head is incredibly family-friendly, and it’s often a place where multiple generations of families will spend time together.
The island is lively and often crowded in the summer, so if you want something quieter, you might go in the off-season of fall and even winter.
While you do have to consider hurricane season in the fall, you may still get very nice weather with temperatures often in the 80s and warm ocean water for swimming.
If you go in the winter, you may enjoy the beauty of nearly deserted beaches, which some people prefer.
Food Scene
There are more than 250 restaurants on the island, and you can enjoy the best of Low Country fare. Low Country menu items will include local oysters and fresh seafood, as well as crab cakes and dishes like shrimp and grits. You’ll find modern restaurants that take a fresh approach to southern dining as well.
Two of the most popular events on the island include the Hilton Head Island Wine & Food Festival and the Hilton Head Island Seafood Festival.
Golfing
One of the reasons many people go to Hilton Head is golf. It’s one of the top golf destinations in the world. You should plan to reserve your tee times in advance because they inevitably fill up quickly.
There are 24 championship courses on the island, and some of the most popular include Harbour Town Golf Links in Sea Pines, Port Royal Golf Club, and Oyster Reef Golf Club.
Harbour Town Golf Links is a regular on the PGA Tour schedule since 1969, having been designed by Pete Dye, who consulted with Jack Nicklaus.
Hilton Head National is a year-round golf destination designed by Gary Player and Bobby Weed.
There’s also the George Fazio Course at the Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort. The George Fazio Course is the only par-70 on Hilton Head. It has an interesting layout, and it’s considered one of the most challenging courses on the island.
Along with golf, if you like tennis, you’ll be in luck in Hilton Head too. There are more than 500 tennis courts, and some of the best tennis resorts in the world are on the island, including the Smith Stearns Hilton Head Tennis Academy at The Sea Pines Resort.
Outdoor Activities
Even if you don’t play golf or tennis, Hilton Head is known for its plethora of outdoor activities. Along with going to the beach, you can fish, paddleboard and kayak. Also popular are biking. There are more than 60 miles of pathways. You can run or walk them too.
The Audubon-Newhall Preserve and Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge are also worth a visit for outdoors lovers.
History
We briefly touched on this history of the island above, but it’s something to consider when you’re there. Most people only think of Hilton Head as a resort area, but it has hundreds of years of fascinating history and culture. The Gullah culture remains influential in the area, which you’ll see in the food, the crafts, and more.
Gullah language is a form of creole, and a great deal of African folklore is part of the culture.
Mitchelville, on Port Royal Sound, was the first self-governed town of freed slaves. It was established in 1862 by General Ormsby Mitchel. General Mitchel was the commander of the Union forces occupying Hilton Head Island.
You can head to the Gullah Museum or the Gullah Heritage Trail Tours to learn more.
Where to Stay
As one of the country’s most popular tourist destinations, there is no shortage of accommodation options.
The Sea Pines Resort is on the island’s south end and is arguably the most well-known resort on Hilton Head. The Sea Pines Resort is beside the Harbour Town Yacht Basin, and it’s bordered by the Harbour Town Lighthouse and Harbour Town Golf Links.
There are more than 20 hotels, resorts, and inns on the island, and it’s also a popular place to rent condos, villas, and larger homes.
The Beaches
There are 12 miles of sandy beaches, which are wide and open. Hilton Head is also ranked as one of the top 10 family beach destinations in the country year after year.
Finally, Hilton Head might be worth looking into if you love aesthetic views. The coastal environment includes stunning sunrises and sunsets, ocean views, greenery, marshland, and more. The island offers diversity in the landscapes, and it’s pristinely appealing.
There are plenty of reasons Hilton Head is one of the pre-eminent tourist destinations in the country and has been for decades, especially if you like a slow, friendly pace and atmosphere.