Where to Stay

Hilton Head is separated into many different neighborhoods. However, some are more crowded and busy than others.

Coligny Beach is the most popular and touristy area, which is on the outer-middle part of the island. It gets it’s name from the close proximity to Coligny Plaza Shopping Center.

Sea Pines, a gated community, is located on the south part of the island and is one of the nicest. That is where you can find Harbor Town, home to the popular Hilton Head Lighthouse.

Some other neighborhoods include Palmetto Dunes, Shipyard, Shelter Cove, Folly Beach, and Singleton Beach.

I’ve stayed in mainly houses with my family in Sea Pines and Coligny Beach. I have also stayed at Holiday Inn Express, Hilton Head Island, an IHG Hotel for when it was just me.

If you are coming in the summer and want to avoid the crowds, I recommend staying up in Folly Beach or Singleton Beach. If you are visiting in May or September, I would stay in the Coligny Beach Area.

Food and Drink

There are so many good restaurants on the island, but you should be prepared to wait a while at dinner time during peak summer season. Be sure to check ahead of time if they take reservation because some places don’t offer reservations. Most places are also open for lunch and not as busy.

At the top of my list for best food is Hilton Head is A Low Country Backyard. The atmosphere is full of southern charm from the great tasting food to the patio style outdoor seating.

If you are in Coligny and looking for a spot to eat there is the Frosty Frog, which has bar food and is famous for their Daiquiris. Another popular spot is The Sandbar, where you can find some of the most tender steak bites. Or head right across the street to Flatbread Bar and Grill and grab some pizza.

Some other places I’ve eaten that I would go back are Fish Camp (go on Sunday morning for some amazing breakfast options), Amigo’s (best Mexican on the Island), Giuseppi’s Pizza (good pizza in Sea Pines), and One Hot Mama’s BBQ.

Activities

Having been going to Hilton Head since 2010, I have done my fair share of different activities around the island. There is something for everyone of all ages and interests.

If shopping is a must then head over to Coligny Plaza, where you can find a variety of different shops and restaurants. Personally, my favorite shops are POP’s (a candy store), and the Shell Shop (trinkets and souvenirs). There some more upscale shops at Harbor Town, where you can also climb up the Harbor Town Lighthouse. If you are still looking for more shopping there is a Tanger Outlets right off the island also.

For the thrill seekers there’s plenty of water sports and also many on land. Take your pick; sour in the sky while parasailing, zip along the water on a jetski, catch a shark on a fishing charter, try your luck at crabbing, test your fear of heights while zipling, saddle up for a horseback ride, or go kayaking in the marsh.

There are also some more laid back activities like taking a dolphin cruise, take a tour of the Hilton Head Distillery, shot a round of golf on one of the many courses on the island, take some shrimp home after a shrimp trawling tour, or go on a sunset cruise.

Some family favorites of course are renting bikes to explore the island, walk around the Lowcountry celebration park, playing a round of putt-putt, or just spending the whole day at the beach.

Some other things that I have not done but are on my list of things I want to do include taking a ferry over to Daufuskie Island, and going to Fish Hull Beach Park to search for some shark teeth.

Travel Tips

The most popular months to visit are in the summer months with average highs in the high 80s. Hurricane season is from late September to October, making September the perfect month to visit to avoid the crowds and still have good weather.

One thing to think about when planning what to do each day is when high and low tide is. Check the tide chart for the day to see when there will be plenty of room on the beach.

The atmosphere of Hilton Head is full force beachy vibes island time. Grab your flip flops and bathing suit and prepare to relax. Remember to also put on plenty of sunscreen and drink lots of water after being out in the sun all day.

Some beach essentials include a beach canopy tent, a cooler big enough to hold all your drinks, a beach towel, a hat or sunglasses, and don’t forget some fun beach games like bocce or spikeball.

If you are looking for some fun events and festivals there is the RBC Heritage PGA Golf Tournament in Harbor Town during April. In the summer months, Shelter Cove sets of fireworks from the marina every Tuesday. There is also a Turtle Trot 5k in Palmetto Dunes every Wednesday from April-November.

Itineraries