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The Coastal Discovery Museum should be your first stop for all things Hilton Head.  This is place to go to gain a better understanding of the Lowcountry’s cultural heritage and history, its ecology, and its residents, both past and present.

The museum is headquartered on historic Honey Horn plantation.  This 68-acre property on the banks of Jarvis Creek is considered one of the Island’s most historically significant spots, dating back 300 years.  It contains the only original plantation house on the Island still standing today, a collection of some of the oldest buildings that exist on Island, and the state’s largest Southern Red Cedar tree dated at 1595.

There is no charge to just stop in to view their displays and walk the grounds. You can also sign up for numerous year-around history and ecology tours, and programs that are fun and educational for the whole family.

The renovated 6,000-square-foot Discovery House contains permanent and temporary exhibits as well as the fun Kids Zone.

Take a walk on the designated Horn Trail that features marshside boardwalks and colorful interpretive panels detailing the flora and fauna of the region.  You’ll also see many of the property’s early buildings as well as the cemetery.

The museum is open year around on Monday through Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. It is located at 70 Honey Horn Drive at the north entrance of the Cross Island Parkway.

For more information about museum programs, call 843-689-6767.

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When the Sea Pines Resort founder Charles Fraser built the Harbour Town Lighthouse in 1970, the skeptical public nicknamed it “Fraser’s Folly.”  With no significant maritime traffic and no rocky shoals, why build a lighthouse?

Fraser’s folly soon became Fraser’s foresight.  His red-and-white-striped lighthouse soon became the symbol of Hilton Head Island.

Climbing to the top of the lighthouse is one of the most popular visitor activities. It is also a museum, displaying a valuable collection of 19th Century and Civil War-era photographs and artifacts. Pause on large landings to read about the Island’s legends and history starting with the prehistoric Yemassee Indians, through the Island’s Civil War era, the construction of the lighthouse itself, and the Island’s development.

At the top is the world’s only store at the top of a lighthouse, a charming gift shop, and access the outdoor wrap-around balcony that has a panoramic view of Calibogue Sound and Harbour Town.  This is one of the Island’s greatest spots for “photo ops” and sunset viewing.

The lighthouse is open seven days a week from 10:00 a.m. to sundown.  There is a small entry fee with special rates for children.

Other lighthouses in the Lowcountry that you can climb include the Tybee Island Lighthouse and History Museum, east of Savannah, and the Hunting Island Lighthouse on Hunting Island State Park, east of Beaufort.

There are two other lighthouses in the Hilton Head area, but they are closed to the general public: the 1881 Range Rear Lighthouse, also known as the Leamington Lighthouse, located in the Leamington section of Palmetto Dunes; and the Haig Point Lighthouse on Daufuskie Island, built in 1873.

Harbour Town Lighthouse Museum  (843-671-2318)

Top of the Lighthouse Shoppe  (843-671-2310)

Photo courtesy of The Sea Pines Resort

Hilton Head’s mild climate, appealing natural surroundings, and careful development predetermined that this area would become one of this country’s most popular golf destinations.

Maritime forests, tidal marshes, and sandy beaches are the backdrop to 26 on-island golf courses laid out by some of the industry’s greatest course designers, including Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, Davis Love III, Pete Dye, and Robert Trent Jones.  In addition, within an hour, there are an additional 40 courses in, Bluffton, Beaufort, Savannah, and on Daufuskie Island.

Golf Digest and Golf magazine have continually rated a number of the area’s courses high on their “Best Of” lists.  Your choices are endless.  You can play anything from a nine-hole executive course to the world famous Harbour Town Golf Links in the Sea Pines Resort where the RBC Heritage is played every April.  The Hilton Head Celebrity Golf Tournament is played every Labor Day Weekend on three area courses to help raise funds for local children’s charities.

Hilton Head is also a year around center of golf schools for all ages and all abilities.  Top teaching professionals use state-of-the-art equipment and techniques to help improve your swing and your game.

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Hilton Head Island is perfect for bike riding.  Not only is it beautiful, it’s flat.  When you first arrive here, you can’t help but notice all the bike riders.  They are all over the place, meandering the miles and miles of designated bike trails, riding on the beach, exploring the Island’s beautiful treasures.

The Island is linked through a system of trails, allowing you to cycle from one end to the other. With more than 12 miles of hard-packed sandy beaches and more than 53 miles of paved public bike paths, biking is a popular activity for visitors and residents alike.  It’s fun, it’s affordable, and it’s a great way to take the family on a scenic tour while avoiding traffic.

The town’s public bike trails follow alongside several main roads, starting at the south end of the Island at the back gate of Sea Pines and ending at the north end of the Island at Hilton Head Plantation.  In addition to the public paths, there are nature and bike trails within the private plantations accessible to residents and guests.  Many kiosks are located along the pathways with an island-wide map on one side, and a localized map of the area on the other. Guidelines and markings exist to ensure safety for cyclists.  Where there are bike trails, cyclists should stay on the trails, not on the road.

For more information about our public bike trails, please contact the Town Hall at 843-341-4600.

If you didn’t bring your own bicycle, there are many conveniently located bike sales and rental companies that offer a wide variety of two- and three-wheeled bicycles, from beach cruisers and comfort bikes to tandems and mountain bikes.

Most companies have a free delivery and pick-up service and a full line of accessories such as helmets, child carriers, baskets, locks, and even covered kiddie carts.  Rentals are available by the hour, day or week.

Guided bike excursions of the Sea Pines Forest Preserve are also available through H2O Nature Center in Harbour Town.

Bicycle Billy’s (843-785-7851)

Coconut Bike Rentals (843-686-5055)

H2O Nature Center  (843-686-5323)

Pedals Bicycles (843-842-5522)

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Try something completely different, an experience you’ll remember for a long time.  Explore Daufuskie Island by golf cart.

To get to Daufuskie, you’ll need to take the public ferry, operated by Calibogue Cruises.  You can also hire a shuttle service (operated by Palmetto Bay Watersports), sign-up for a private charter aboard a six-passenger boat, or rent a boat to “drive” over on your own.

Once you arrive at one of Daufuskie’s two marinas (Freeport Marina with Calibogue Cruises or the County Dock), golf carts are available for rent. Calibogue Cruises owns their own carts so a supply is available when you step off the boat.  If you go by shuttle or private charter, make sure you ask about making arrangements for a cart.

You can rent carts by the hour, half-day, or full-day (about six hours).  You’ll probably want to rent for at least two hours to give you plenty of time to explore all that the Island has to offer, from the beautiful beaches to historic Gullah sites.  Don’t forget to take time to eat at one of the Island’s two restaurants, the Old Daufuskie Crab Company at Freeport Marina and Marshside Mamas at the County Dock.

Just like renting a car, you must have a valid drivers license. You will be provided with a detailed map of the Island’s roads and significant landmarks.

Be aware that this island is undeveloped and sparsely populated.  It feels almost deserted (there are less than 300 full-time residents).  It is mostly woods and the sites of interest are very spread out.  There are a few paved roads, but you’ll be mostly traveling on sandy lanes.

Remember that cars and trucks (yes there are some) go much faster than a golf cart and have the right of way, so you’ll need to pull over to let them pass.  If you need to stop to look at the map, don’t stop in the middle of the road.  There are many blind curves.  And remember that just like with cars, do not let your young ones drive, and do not drink and drive.  There are police on the Island.

Calibogue Cruises (843-342-8687)

Dolphin Seafari (843-785-2345)

Live Oac (888-254-8362)

Outside Hilton Head (800-686-6996)

Palmetto Bay Watersports (843-785-2345)

Sky Pirate Watersports (843-842-2566)

Photo courtesy of the Coastal Discovery Museum

Every year over two million visitors flock here to enjoy the warm sunshine and more than 12 miles of beaches that encircle Hilton Head.  Beachcombing is a natural activity, literally and figuratively.  All ages have fun searching for crabs, shells, sand dollars, starfish, driftwood, and other treasures.

A number of companies offer private beach walks and beachcombing tours. These tours explain the importance of the dunes, the sea creatures in the ocean, the different types of seashells you may find while walking the beach, or the forces that are responsible for shaping the beach.  These trips are available during the day and at night under the full moon.

Visit the beaches on remote islands such as Daufuskie Island.  Or pull up on a sandbar or shell bank that yields the freshest of treasures.  Bring a picnic if you wish.

You can also rent a boat to go exploring remote islands and beaches on your own.  You’ll be provided with map and instructions on where you can and cannot go.

Tybee Island near Savannah and Hunting Island State Park near Beaufort are also great beaches to comb.

Commander Zodiac (843-671-3344)

H2O Nature Center  (843-686-5323)

H2O Sports (877-290-4386)

Island Explorer (843-785-2100)

Island Water Sports (843-671-7007)

Live Oac Adventures (888-254-8362)

Lowcountry Nature Tours (843-683-0187)

Outside Hilton Head (800-686-6996)

Palmetto Bay Watersports (843-785-2345)

Photo by Howard Costa

Hilton Head dolphins are as friendly as the people here.  They show up in all the populated places – the Atlantic beaches, the sounds, and the creeks.   Their graceful, silvery bodies never fail to catch attention as they arc through the waters or pop up to grin at you with their smiling faces.

It’s no wonder dolphins are so easy to spot.  The Carolina coastline has a warm-weather population of Atlantic bottlenose dolphins estimated between 1,200 and 2,000, shrinking to around 600 in the winter.   It’s still a mystery where the others go in winter, but they always seem to return to greet the tourist (and the shrimping) season.

Dolphins are friendly, but remember they are wild animals with teeth.  It is also important to keep in mind that the federal Marine Mammal Protection Act strictly prohibits the feeding, touching and harassment of dolphins.  Resist the urge to pat their heads or throw them a bite to eat.  If reported, civil or criminal penalties could be imposed.

Federal laws still won’t stop them from following shrimp boats and waiting for an easy meal when the shrimpers cull their catch. These intelligent animals also know to hang around marinas where fishermen clean their fish; and a few old-timers that were in our waters  before the feeding ban will still follow pleasure boats, remembering the days of legal free handouts.

You may be lucky enough to see dolphins “strand feeding,” a phenomenon documented and studied by Jacques Cousteau and other marine biologists.  At low tide the clever dolphins will team up and herd a school of fish onto a shore and then beach themselves to enjoy a feast.  If you are out on the water around sunset, try to find a shrimp boat anchoring up.  If you can get close (but not too close), you’ll discover many dolphins hanging around the shrimp boats to feed.

There are many tour operators on Hilton Head that can take you out for a guided, narrated dolphin watch in boats ranging from large double-deck boats to small craft like a kayak.

The larger boats may not require reservations, but the smaller boats require them several days in advance in the busy season.  It’s best to call ahead in any case.

All boats are U.S. Coast Guard inspected, and all operators are licensed and knowledgeable.

The larger boats offer amenities such as on-board rest rooms, snack bars, more legroom, and shaded seating.

Pontoon boats, hard-bottomed rafts, deck boats, Florida flat boats, and smaller sailboats and catamarans will seat fewer people, give you more personal attention with your guide, and get you much closer to the dolphins in the water.  Kayaks put you right on the water, and your interpretive guide will be close by to assist you with your kayak, answer questions, and point out natural phenomena.

Calibogue Cruises  (843) 342-8687

Commander Zodiac  (843) 671-3344

Dolphin and Nature Cruises  (843) 681-2522

Dolphin Seafari  (843) 785-2345

Flying Circus  (843) 686-2582

The Gypsy  (843) 363-2900

H2O Nature Center  (843) 686-5323

H2O Sports  (843) 290-4386

Historic Savannah Waterfront Photo Safaris  (843) 524-3037

Island Explorer  (843) 785-2100

Island Water Sports  (843) 671-7007

Kayak Hilton Head  (843) 684-1910

Live Oac Adventures  (888) 254-8362

Lowcountry Wildlife Photo Safaris  (843) 524-3037

Outside Hilton Head   (800) 686-6996

Palmetto Bay Marina  ( 843) 785-7131

Palmetto Bay Water Sports  ( 843) 785-2345

Pau Hana  (843) 686-2582

Salt Marsh Photographic Cruises  (843) 681-3728

Sky Pirate Watersports  (843) 686-5323

Spirit of Harbour Town  (843) 363-9026

Stars and Stripes  (843) 363-9446

Sumo Charters  (843) 671-4386

Vagabond Cruises ( 843) 363-9023

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A “must do” for any visitor to Hilton Head Island is a boat cruise to Savannah. Skip the hassles of driving, figuring out directions, and finding a parking space. Just sit back and enjoy a bucolic cruise, complete with picturesque Lowcountry waterscapes and wildlife, arriving at Savannah’s most central location, River Street.  Cruises come with a multitude of amenities and tour options.

Calibogue Cruises will take you to historic River Street where you can spend the day shopping or exploring the on your own.  You’ll travel aboard their historic ferryboat, the 60-foot 90-passenger Calibogue.  Schedules vary by season so make sure you call ahead.

Photo courtesy of Calibogue Cruises

Photo courtesy of Vagabond Cruises

The Spirit of Harbour Town, operated by Vagabond Cruises, offers cruises in an air-conditioned yacht that  includes a catered lunch by Paula Deen, or a combo trolley tour with Old Savannah Tours to get an overview of Savannah’s Historic District.  They dock right in the middle of River Street for optimum access to shopping and restaurants.

Photo courtesy of Live Oac Adventures

Small boat operators (around six passengers), such as Live Oac and Outside Hilton Head, will take you to Savannah on a customized trip to spend the day shopping and exploring the historic district on your own.  Their boats usually accommodate up to six passengers.  Bear in mind that these companies’ boats do not have an enclosed cabin (they may or may not have a canopy), nor do they have restrooms.

Photo courtesy of Outside Hilton Head

All boats operate year around, but schedules and options vary by season so make sure you call ahead.  You should allow for a full day for a round-trip to Savannah.  Snacks and beverages are not necessarily included.

Calibogue Cruises  (843-342-8687)

Live Oac Adventures  (888-254-8362)

Old Savannah Tours  (800-517-9007)

Outside Hilton Head  (800-686-6996)

Spirit of Harbour Town  (843-363-9026)

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With miles of picturesque waterways Hilton Head Island offers many ways to explore. If you are adventurous and feel the call of the wild, try renting a powerboat and be your own captain.

Circumnavigate Hilton Head; sunbathe and take a refreshing deep-water dip; visit the popular sandbar on the May River; go fishing or cross-over to Daufuskie Island; watch a sunset or the Tuesday night fireworks.  It is an easy way for a self-guided tour for the whole family or a group of friends.

Boat rentals are available year around. You can rent for two, four or eight hours.  All boats are USCG-approved and range from 16-foot run-abouts that seat six people to 24-foot pontoon boats that seat 14.

Most boats are canopied and come equipped with all safety equipment as well as depth finders, coolers, GPS systems, VHF radios, and even stereos.

No experience is necessary and all companies provide instructions and maps for you to follow.

However, a word of caution:  Be aware of the time of day and the tides, which can vary as much as eight feet.  If you are not paying attention, you could easily find yourself stuck and stranded.

You must have a valid driver’s license, signed documents, and put a security deposit against damages on a credit card.  Some companies require that you pay for your own gasoline, which is available at the marinas.

H2O Sports  (843-671-4386)

Island Water Sports  (843-671-7007)

Outside Hilton Head  (800-686-6996)

Palmetto Bay Watersports  (843-785-2345)

Sky Pirate Watersports  (843-842-2566)

Photo by Ed Funk

One experience that typifies the Lowcountry is having a meal of local seafood. There are many ways to get your hands on some fresh catch.

The most authentic is to catch it yourself.  You can do this from the beach, or you can charter a boat and hit the waters. Charters are available for whatever type of fish or fishing experience you are looking for.  Your captain will handle everything, from the license to the bait and even the cleaning afterwards.

Local fishermen will also catch it for you. The two most well known and respected local seafood markets are Hudson’s Seafood on Hilton Head and the Bluffton Oyster Company in historic downtown Bluffton.  Their seafood is clearly marked as to its where and when it was caught, and they are more than willing to give tips on how to prepare it in an authentic Lowcountry manner.

There are also farmer’s markets in the area that offer the local produce as well as fresh local shrimp when they are in season.  There are a number of farmers markets in the area, but be aware that they have seasonal hours.

Some of the most wonderful aspects of Lowcountry culture are typified by two great traditions:  a Lowcountry Boil and an oyster roast.

A Lowcountry Boil is a perfectly southern experience. Shrimp, corn, sausage, and potatoes are boiled in a large pot and the results are magical. Think of it as a Lowcountry version of a New England clambake.

An oyster roast more than just a meal – it is a Lowcountry experience. A fire is built, a sheet of metal is laid over it, a bushel of oysters are thrown on underneath a burlap sack. The oysters steam lightly, open up, and are perfect.