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Hilton Head Island And Vicinity Guide

https://www.where2goguides.com/g/wendy-and-justin/hilton-head-island

Barrier island with ample beaches, pickleball courts, bike trails, fresh seafood, and other amenities.

Notes

  • We spent a month teleworking / visiting in February 2025. Many of these activities are our takeaways from HHI in the winter.
  • Part of the charm of HHI is that many of the trees were preserved as the island has been developed, giving it a very natural feel.

Activities / Places

#1.Hunting Island State Park

campground park beach
State park with beach, jungle, swamp and a lagoon.

Notes

  • Campground is right next to the beach. Campsites are very variable, with some nestled in the jungle.
  • The beach was uniquely picturesque but the beach-combing was meager.
    -- From visit on February 1, 2025

#2.Fish Haul Beach Park

beach
Wild beach. Broad, expansive sand at low tide.

#3.Folly Field Beach

beach
Beautiful, wide beach with excellent sunrises and sunsets

Notes

  • The beach is wide and hard packed here; good for strolling or running. Walk north up the beach to the "boot" where you will find a jetty that is fun to explore (I found a star fish, large hermit crabs, and some fossil olive shells).

#4.The Bargain Box

thrift shop
Inexpensive thrift store

#5.Hilton Head Distillery

winery / distillery tour
"Rum-forward" distillery with tours, tastings and classes

Notes

  • A bit pricey, but informative tour and generous rum tasting.
    -- From visit on February 17, 2025

#6.Hilton Head Island Coffee Co.

coffee shop
Small coffee roaster and shop

Notes

  • We wish we had found this earlier in our trip.
    -- From visit in February 2025

#7.St Francis Thrift Shop

thrift shop
Thrift shop with an excellent selection

#8.Hilton Head Outfitters & Bike Rentals

want to go shop biking paddling
Bike, ebike and kayak rentals (and more) on the island

#9.Poseidon

restaurant
Seafood restaurant in Shelter Cove

Notes

  • Not as good as the other seafood restaurants.
    -- From visit on February 17, 2025

#10.Hilton Head Community Market

market
Small Saturday market (9:30-12:30)

#11.Cactus Street Cantina

want to go restaurant

#12.Osprey Village Thrift on Main

thrift shop
Inexpensive thrift store

#13.Shelter Cove

restaurant shop hiking / walking
Harbor with beautiful views, shops and paths to stroll

Notes

    • Walk down to the Shelter Cove Veteran's Memorial park to see sculptures
    • This is the location of the Saturday community market

#14.Red Stripes Caribbean Cuisine & Lounge Hilton Head

want to go restaurant

#15.Legendary Golf

want to go amusement park
One of many, many mini golf courses on Hilton Head (well rated)

#16.Paddle Jarvis creek (or other spots)

want to go paddling

Notes

    • Looks like a fun place to paddle in a tidal mud flat
    • The Coastal Discovery Museum offers tours of the creek with a naturalist
    • You can also rent from a local company (Jarvis Creek Water Sports for example)

Links

#17.Coastal Discovery Museum

market museum tour
Living history museum with grounds to stroll around, events and a Tuesday farm market

#18.The Litter Box Thrift Store

thrift shop
Thrift store with a decent selection, good prices

#19.Hudson's Seafood House On The Docks

restaurant
Fresh, local seafood served with a view of Skull Creek

Notes

  • This restaurant is very popular. Make sure to find out ahead when is a good time to dine.
  • They catch some of their own seafood.

#20.It's Greek To Me

restaurant
Greek restaurant across the street from Coligny Plaza Shopping Center

#21.Coligny Plaza Shopping Center

shop
Shopping district with touristy shops

Notes

  • Shops are mildly amusing for an hour or two; this are also provides beach access

#22.Charlie's L'Etoile Verte

want to go restaurant
Well rated French-American seafood restaurant

#23.The Village at Wexford

want to go shop
Higher end shopping district

#24.Fishcamp on Broad Creek

restaurant
Seafood restaurant with sunset views of Broad Creek

Notes

  • Excellent seafood, but be fore-warned: it is very rich.
    -- From visit on January 31, 2025

#25.Casablanca Mediterranean Grill

want to go restaurant

#26.South End Seafood

shop
Fish shop with a good selection of local fish and seafood

#27.Church Mouse Thrift Shop and Boutique

thrift shop
Large thrift shop with a good selection

#28.Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge Trailhead

wildlife sanctuary biking animal viewing hiking / walking
Parking for trails through the wildlife refuge

Notes

  • Trails weren't all that interesting. Highlight (in addition to the armadillo) were the wetland birds.
    -- From visit on February 17, 2025

#29.Sea Pines Forest Preserve

trailhead cultural site hiking / walking
Area with 8 miles of walking trails and a shell ring

Notes

  • Requires paying an entrance fee to drive into this part of the island
  • Peaceful and pleasant -- we found the lakes particularly beautiful.
    -- From visit on February 16, 2025

#30.Kung Fu Cantina

want to go restaurant

#31.Olive & Fig Mediterranean Kitchen

want to go restaurant

#32.Harbour Town

want to go shop
Shopping district with a light house; requires a fee to enter this part of the island

#33.God's Goods Thrift Store

thrift shop
Inexpensive thrift store with a good selection

#34.Palmetto Animal League Thrift Store

thrift shop
Good thrift shop, only 1 dressing room

#35.Burnt Church Distillery

restaurant
Distillery with outside seating and strong drinks.

Notes

  • Drink was good; food wasn't exciting.
    -- From visit on February 7, 2025

#36.Bluffton shopping district

river shop town
Artist colony selling mostly coastal art; beautiful view of the May river from the public dock

Notes

  • It was a rainy day when we went; coastal art isn't our jam so we were kind of bored by this town, but the view of the May river from the public dock was a highlight.

#37.Daufuskie Island

beach historic site
Historic island reachable only by ferry

Notes

  • This can be reached by a public ferry.
  • We took a private shuttle which included rental of a golf cart for the day.
    -- From visit in December 2022

#38.Heaven's Treasure Thrift Store

thrift shop

#39.Lemon Island Seafood

shop
Fish market with excellent quality local seafood and exotic meats

Notes

  • We repeatedly bought shrimp and trigger fish from this market - very good every time. Trigger fish is my new favorite fish!

#40.UGA Marine Education Center and Aquarium

zoo / aquarium animal viewing
Small aquarium focused on coastal ecology, plus a nature trail.

Links

#41.Oatland Island Wildlife Center

want to go park animal viewing hiking / walking

#42.Old Fort Jackson

want to go historic site

#43.Bonaventure Cemetery

historic site
Large and interesting historic cemetary

#44.Skidaway Island State Park

want to go campground park river
State park on the Skidaway River with an RV campground

#45.Wormsloe State Historic Site

park historic site
State park on the site of a colonial estate with iconic living oak-lined road

Notes

  • We visited during a Colonial Fair, which was quite fun and interesting, especially the vendors.
    -- From visit in February 2024

#46.River Street Savannah Georgia

shop hiking / walking
Shopping district along a scenic river in Savannah

Notes

  • Can park at Plant Riverside District Parking Garage

#47.Savannah Botanical Gardens

want to go gardens

#48.City Market

want to go shop

#49.American Prohibition Museum

want to go museum

#50.Ships Of The Sea Maritime Museum

want to go museum

#51.Coastal Georgia Botanical Gardens at the Historic Bamboo Farm

want to go gardens

Links

#52.Blackwater Preserve

want to go river wildlife sanctuary paddling
Private reserve with blackwater kayaking

Notes

    • Call ahead so they can let you in 912-690-1241; they rent boats

#53.George L. Smith State Park

want to go park boating hiking / walking
Cypress swamp with boating

Notes

    • Looks particularly nice in the fall