BEST THINGS TO DO IN HILTON HEAD

With beautiful beaches, golf courses, and endless trails Hilton Head is a great destination for all types of travelers. Max and I have been wanting to visit Hilton Head South Carolina for a while now and finally made the trip! We didn’t have nearly enough time on the island but I’ll go through the best things to do in Hilton Head below. This article is great for family travelers as well as couples – I’ll include travel tips and recommendations for both. In general, if Max and I were traveling prior to kids, we would’ve taken a few day trips to surrounding destinations. As a family, we found it was easier to stay on the island as there is quite a bit to do in Hilton Head!

And don’t forget to pin this for later :)

This post contains affiliate links to the products that I use and trust. Meaning that I might receive a small commission (at no extra cost to you) if you make a purchase using any of my links below. See full disclosure here.

As a beach destination, summer is the best time to visit Hilton Head. Summers are hot and humid with temperatures in the upper 80s and low 90s – perfect for the beach! While summer is the best time to visit, April-May and September-October are also a great time to visit! The weather is generally still warm enough to spend ample time at the beach but it will be less crowded and less expensive. If you’re simply using Hilton Head as a base to visit other places in Georgia and South Carolina, visit off-season.

You’ll be able to see quite a bit of Hilton Head in 2-3 days however, it’s a great place to spend a relaxing week enjoying the beach! The island is absolutely beautiful with excellent beaches and shopping. If you’re a traveler that prefers minimal downtime, I suggest spending a long weekend in Hilton Head. On the other hand, if you’re looking for a more laid-back vacation at the beach, spend a week on the island.

One of the best things to do in Hilton Head is get on the water. The waterways are absolutely spectacular and even prettier when you’re on the water. We did a dolphin tour with our daughter and she absolutely loved it! The 90-minute tour was excellent with a ton of dolphin sitings and of course beautiful scenery. This is a great activity to do with young kids as our tour guides were great with the kids! We did a morning tour but the sunset tour looks great as well.

Booking –Dolphin Cruise

Another option is to go on a kayak tour through the salt marshes, tidal rivers, and creeks. We didn’t do the kayak tour but were traveling with Max’s family and they did the kayak tour and loved it! The tour offers infant seats and kids under 12 must be accompanied by an adult in a double kayak.

Booking – Kayak Tour

One of my favorite things about Hilton Head is how many bike trails there are on the island. There are over 60 miles of Hilton Head bike trails so biking is truly the best way to explore the island. There are maps along all of the main routes so the island is easy to navigate by bike. While biking is easy on the island, the main loops go over the bridge which can be nerve-racking! There are a ton of bike rental places on the island. It’s really inexpensive to rent bikes on the island and most rental places even deliver! If you’re traveling with infants/ toddlers, there are options to add an infant seat or kiddie cart. I recommend renting a bike for the duration of your stay since the area is so bikeable. Biking is easily one of the best things to do in Hilton Head.

Bike Rentals: There are so many rental companies to choose from I’ve linked a page with several options!

As a beach destination, spending ample time at the beach is an obvious must! The best beaches in Hilton Head are known for white sand and beautiful waters. While there are several private beaches on the island, there are also many public beaches to enjoy. One of the most popular beaches is Coligny Beach which has a splash fountain for kids making it a great family-friendly beach! A few other popular public beaches include Palmetto Dunes and Folly Field Beach. If you’re looking for a quieter public beach visit Mitchelville Beach or Driessen Beach.

Harbour Town is a cannot miss on a trip to Hilton Head. The area is absolutely beautiful with everything from dining, restaurants, and shopping to water sports and golf. You can climb the lighthouse daily from 10 am to 7:30 pm for panoramic views of the island. There are also several historical sites located within Harbour Town that are worth a visit. We enjoyed the Stoney Baynard Ruins but there are quite a few to see. Harbour Town is a great place for families as there is such a wide range of activities. If you have younger kids, there is a large park (Gregg Russell Harbour Town Playground) near the lighthouse which our daughter loved!

Pricing: Generally it’s about $9 per car to enter Harbour Town.

Another popular area to explore is Coligny which is oftentimes referred to as Hilton Head’s downtown. The plaza opened in 1955 and was actually home to a lot of “firsts” in Hilton Head including, the first bakery, bike shop, dry cleaners, and several more. While Hilton Head has changed quite drastically since the Coligny Plaza Shopping Center first opened, it’s still an excellent place to visit with over 60 specialty shops and restaurants. The Coligny Plaza Shopping Center is a quick walk to Coligny Beach (mentioned above) so it’s a convenient place to stop before or after spending time at the beach!

Sea Pines Forest Preserve is the largest undeveloped tract of land in Hilton Head known for several beautiful walking trails. The preserve is a protected area for wildlife habitat spread over 600 acres of land meaning you’ll want to set aside plenty of time to explore the area. You can either visit Sea Pines Forest Preserve on your own or book a tour of the area. I’ve linked a map to the area which highlights several of the walking paths in the preserve. In addition to walking trails, the preserve also offers boardwalks, bridges, and fishing docks.

Travel Tip – Be aware of alligators!

If you’re looking for a relatively quick activity, Bluffton is a great option! It’s about 15 minutes from Hilton Head depending on where you’re staying on the island. The town is very small and walkable with a few great restaurants and shops. If you’re able to visit on a Thursday I highly suggest grabbing lunch in town and visiting the farmers market. Bluffton has a great farmers market on Thursdays from 12-5 (Sept-May) and 10-2 (June-Aug). There’s a small park next to the farmers market which is perfect for kids if you’re traveling as a family!

Since Hilton Head is more of a beach destination, I really only suggest leaving the island if you’re there for several days. As I mentioned, if Max and I were traveling solo, we would’ve definitely made several day trips! As a family destination, we decided we will probably stick to Hilton Head on future trips. The island is beautiful with a lot of outdoor activities so there’s plenty to do.

It takes about an hour to travel from Hilton Head to Savannah and as such, it’s a great addition on a trip to Hilton Head. With that said, if you haven’t been to Savannah before, you’ll want plenty of time to explore the city so I suggest getting an early jump on the day. Start your trip with a tour of the city to visit key sites and get a layout of the city. After the tour, you’ll have a better idea of what else to do in town. On a quick trip to Savannah, you cannot miss River Street, the City Market, Broughton Street, and Forsyth Park and Mansion.

Read More: 3 Days in Savannah
Booking –

• Walking Tour
• Hop on Hop off Trolley Tour
• Carriage Ride

Beaufort is a small town in South Carolina about an hour from Hilton Head SC. Beaufort also actually happens to be Max and my favorite destination in the south! The small-town charm paired with low country living is simply the best! The town is small so you honestly only need to set aside a few hours for exploring. I highly recommend grabbing a cup of coffee from Low Country Cider downtown and soaking in the waterfront views. After spending a few hours in town, I suggest driving to Hunting Island which is about 20 minutes from downtown. The island is known for its beautiful beaches and endless walking trails! I’ve attached a map with all of the trails; you can also get a map on your way into the park! It’s a great place to spend the afternoon, especially as a family since there is so much to do on the island.

Read More: Beaufort SC in 48 Hours

One of my favorite restaurants in Hilton Head is Lowcountry Produce; I love the unique atmosphere. The restaurant is open daily from 8-2:30 for breakfast and lunch making it the perfect spot for brunch. If you visit on the weekend, there will probably be a wait! My favorite dish on the menu is “the bowl”!

Nectar Farm Kitchen was at the top of my list for our trip to Hilton Head but unfortunately, we didn’t have a chance to try it! There are two locations in the area; one in Hilton Head and one in Bluffton. The restaurant is known for its health-conscious menu focusing on locally-sourced cuisine. The menu changes seasonally utilizing high-quality, farm-fresh ingredients – totally up my alley!

Java Burrito Company is a great spot if you’re looking for a quick meal! This quick and casual restaurant serves coffee in addition to fresh local dishes so you can go for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. The restaurant prides themselves in using both organic and local ingredients when in season. We actually ate here a few times in Hilton Head and highly recommend it.

Hilton Head is an absolutely beautiful destination in South Carolina. I hope this guide helps you discover a few of the best things to do in Hilton Head! It’s perfect for families since there is so much to do with kids in the area. It’s also great for solo travelers and couples since there are so many great day trips nearby. Lastly, it’s the perfect beach destination! We loved visiting Hilton Head and cannot wait to take another family trip to the area. If you’ve already been to Hilton Head, let me know your favorite things to do in the comments below!

Traveling to the South? Read more:

• Charleston vs Savannah
• 2 Days in Charleston

Safe Travels,

Sarah :)

I’ve linked a few of my favorite travel essentials below! See our travel shop for more essentials including my favorite baby travel gear. Let me know if you have any questions in the comments below, I’m happy to help!