photo by Jeffy Jeff

Once occupied by local Native Americans, this beautiful barrier island is the largest sea island between New Jersey and Florida, covering some 42 square miles.

It has about 29,000 permanent inhabitants and attracts around 500,000 visitors annually. Located on the Intracoastal Waterway, about 65 miles south of Charleston via US-17 and US-278, it was settled by cotton planters in the eighteenth century then divided into allotments for freed slaves as a result of the Civil War. Now Hilton Head is a sophisticated and luxurious vacation and retirement resort with upmarket lodging, shops, restaurants, nightclubs, marinas, and extensive recreation facilities. However, quite unlike Myrtle Beach, Hilton Head seeks to maintain a sense of balance between commercialism and the environment, limiting buildings to tree height and banning billboards. The Gulf Stream and the temperate subtropical climate keep the water and air warm for a great deal of the year.

The main attractions are the truly outstanding beaches: Forest Beach is the most popular one.

Covering 12 miles on the eastern side of the Island, they are fringed with palms, and the rolling sand dunes with their firm sand makes them ideal for cycling, jogging, hiking, and beach games. Bicycles, beach gear, and water-sport equipment are available for rent with kayaking, parasailing, sailing, windsurfing, and waterskiing all proving popular.

Hilton Head Island has about 25 miles of cycling paths and 22 golf courses. Some of the championship courses are open to the public. The island is also considered one of the country’s better resorts. It boasts more than 300 tennis courts and 19 tennis clubs, seven of which are open to the public. Visitors can also take nature cruises to the resorts of Daufuskie Island, dolphinwatching cruises, and sunset dinner cruises. Deep-sea fishing excursions offer the chance to catch sharks, king mackerel, and barracuda. Offshore fishing is best from April to October and inland waterways fishing from September to December. Crabbing is also popular on the island.

Nature preserves such as Audubon-Newhall Preserve and Sea Pines Forest Preserve offer fine walking possibilities. Sea Pines features white-tailed deer, alligators, and a 3,400-year-old Native American shell ring. Guided tours are available when the flowers are in bloom. Several stables offer horseback riding through the preserves and forests.

The Coastal Discovery Museum features aquariums, historical and ecological exhibits, and seashell collections. It also organizes nature walks and guided tours of the island that take in its beaches, marshes, plants and animals, and sites associated with Native Americans, former plantations and old forts. The Self Family Arts Center is a large complex that combines state-of-the-art facilities for both performing and visual arts, including the Hilton Head Playhouse Theater and an art gallery with changing exhibits.

West of Hilton Head Island is Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge, which covers 4,000 acres of salt marsh and small islands.

It has 14 miles of walking and cycling trails for wildlife observation; no cars are permitted beyond the parking lot.