*This blog is not sponsored in any way. This blog is based solely off of opinion and personal experience. I also do not live on the Island (though I WISH I did!), so while I will try to keep it as up to date as possible, things may change without me knowing!*
Let me preface this blog by saying two things…one – it’s probably going to get long, so bear with me. But I have SO much to tell you about my favorite place on earth. Which brings me to number two – Hilton Head Island is very near and dear to my heart! So this blog is a very long time coming…
Just to give you a brief backstory as to why this place is so special to me…my family (started with my grandparents and mom and aunt) started vacationing on the Island in 1983 – we *think*. No one can remember the exact date, but that’s the best we can surmise!
My first trip to the Island was when I was 6 weeks old. Only to be surpassed by my youngest cousin who came at only 3 weeks old! And I’ve been every year of my life since there. Spending anywhere from 1-2 weeks at a time enjoying and falling in love with the island.
It’s more than just a vacation to me. It’s a lifestyle. And it’s a lifestyle that I truly in my heart of hearts, hope to live one day!
Anyway – I know you’re not here for my family history, but I just had to let you know that my love for and history with the island runs wide and deep! And I don’t stop talking about it. So much so that I have helped countless people plan their vacations to Hilton Head.
For the past several years I’ve kept a note on my phone with all my island recommendations. That way when people reach out, I can simply copy and paste :).
Well now, after many years in the making, I’m finally laying it ALL out in a blog for you – pictures, recommendations, ALL of it.
So here we go, let’s get started!
Oh wait – one more thing…you may have gathered this already, but I’ve experienced the Island at many stages of life…as a baby, child, teen, college student, young adult, married, and now with two little ones of my own. So just know that this blog post will most certainly be family friendly and will be filled with personal recommendations that anyone, of any age can enjoy!
Ok so first things first…
WHERE TO STAY.
So when I was growing up we stayed in a condo in Ocean Club off South Forest Beach. It’s a small little condo complex, ocean side, has a little pool right in the middle of the complex, and has a private boardwalk directly down to the beach. We stayed in a 3 bedroom condo here in Ocean Club from the time I was a baby until I was a Freshman in High School.
South Forest Beach area is a great place to be because it’s convenient to the beach (many complexes being ocean front) as well as to Coligny (I’ll come back to this in a bit). There are many condo complexes along this stretch, Ocean Club just happens to be the one I am most familiar with!
So after my freshman year in high school, our family (remember this trip is my entire family – immediate family, grandparents, aunt, uncle, cousins, etc. and we all stay together) started to outgrow the condo. As we all got older, as we started bringing friends with us, and just in general needed more space, my grandparents started renting different houses in the North Forest Beach area. Which really is just about a mile from the condo we stayed in all those years, it’s just on the opposite side of Coligny Circle (this is where the public beach access point is).
We’ve stayed in ALOT of different houses over the years. But they have all been in the North Forest Beach area, and while they haven’t necessarily been ocean front, they have been ocean side. Meaning that even if you can’t see the ocean from your porch, you’re just steps away without having to cross the road or anything. It’s by far my favorite area to stay in and I highly recommend it if you’re going the rental house route! (North Forest is all houses and South Forest is mostly all condos, save a few streets of houses down near the end right before you enter Sea Pines).
My family personally always uses Beachside Getaways for our rental houses, but there are TONS of rental companies (and of course VRBO, Airbnb, etc) all over the island. I do love on the Beachside website that you can choose which area/community you want to look at houses (or condos) in!
I mentioned above that North Forest Beach is primarily houses, and that is true. But right before you enter the stretch of houses, there is a resort/condo complex called Sea Crest. Although it was brief, we have stayed here before and loved it – highly recommend! It’s directly across from Coligny (coming back to this later), is right on the ocean, has a couple pools, and has a pool side bar/restaurant with one of my very favorite chicken sandwiches (also coming back to this later!).
For our 6 year Wedding Anniversary (which happened to be in 2020), my husband and I actually took our first ever trip to the island without my family, not in the summer, and with our 8 month old. I guess technically it was still summer because it was Labor Day Weekend, but it was the first time we’ve been not in May/June!
For this trip we stayed in Carolina Beach Club and it was amazing! We loved it! It was a little further from our favorite Coligny stops than we were accustomed to (especially since we didn’t have bikes that trip, just the stroller), but other than that we loved it! It is a separate little condo complex (we stayed in a 2 bedroom condo), but it is practically on the Hilton property, so you have access to all the Hilton amenities! And it’s ocean front! So between that and the Hilton amenities, it was a win win for our little weekend away!
Like I said, and as you can maybe see from the pictures above, it’s practically on the Hilton property, so having those amenities was awesome!
I happened to have a nursing 8 month old at the time, so we spent lots of time in this covered and comfortable ocean front pavilion!
I mean, isn’t this the dream?!
Anyway – we really enjoyed staying here and I would highly recommend!
Ok now let me quickly go through a few other popular areas to stay in, that I just don’t have personal experience with (as far as lodging specifics go). All 3 are gated plantations…Shipyard, Sea Pines, and Palmetto Dunes.
These are all fantastic places to stay! I’ll talk more about these Plantations as the blog goes on, but all are private/gated communities, all have various accommodations (condos, hotels, houses), all have paved pathways and bike trails within, as well as varying beach accesses.
Sea Pines is where you will find two famous island attractions – Salty Dog and Harbor Town (you can visit these without staying here, I’ll get to that). And Palmetto Dunes is right across the street from Shelter Cove – another well known and popular island area!
Last thing I will say about lodging…I know a lot of people are Marriott/Hilton members and like to use points and/or timeshares to travel. While I don’t necessarily know the ins and outs of how all that works…I can give you a few of these properties in the areas that I’m talking about! I’m sure there are others as well, these are just the ones I am familiar with location wise 🙂
Marriott’s Grande Ocean – South Forest Beach
Hilton Grand Vacations Club Ocean Oak Resort – South Forest Beach – this is the Hilton that we had access to when we stayed at Carolina Beach Club detailed above!
Marriott’s Monarch at Sea Pines
Ok, now that we’ve covered lodging, let’s move on to…
WHAT TO DO.
So obviously I know everyone vacations differently…some people like activity, some people don’t. In my opinion, Hilton Head has both – although it is NOT a super “touristy” destination compared to the likes of some places like Myrtle Beach, Destin, Pigeon Forge, etc. There’s not amusement parks, arcade spots, rides and attractions, etc. The closest you will get to the likes of that is Putt Putt – of which there are absolutely a few fun courses to play!
But do not fear there’s still plenty to do! It’s just more of a laid back type atmosphere :). I basically wear a bathing suit or shorts and a t-shirt all week, don’t wear any makeup, and mostly ride my bike everywhere as opposed to driving in the car!
Ok so back to the initial question…what to do?
I’ll start with the obvious – beach and pool! Hilton Head ISLAND is obviously surrounded by beach access, and most rental houses have a pool, as obviously do hotels/condos. If water sports are your thing, there are definitely water rentals and water activities available! If you use a rental company, be sure to check with them, sometimes they have partnerships and deals with rentals like paddle boards and kayaks, etc. There’s also plenty of opportunity to do some real ocean adventuring – whether it be dolphin cruises, a pirate cruise, deep sea fishing, shrimping, etc – the marinas have plenty to offer in those regards! I would check out Shelter Cove, Harbor Town, and Salty Dog for water excursions and activities of the likes!
For my family personally, bike riding is another big activity! We pretty much spend our days at the beach, pool, and on our bikes. You can ride to a destination, or just ride to ride! There are bike trails literally ALL over the island. It’s incredible! Now, if you’re staying in one of the gated plantations (like Sea Pines, Shipyard, or Palmetto Dunes) they will have private trails within the plantations for their residents. And down in Sea Pines, you can actually pay for a bike pass (just as you would pay to enter in a car) so you don’t have to miss out on all the things to see and the beautiful trails in Sea Pines!
But seriously, we bike all over the island – sometimes just to ride, or sometimes we’ll ride to breakfast or dinner, or sometimes we will take big rides down to Salty Dog or Harbor Town. And if you’re unfamiliar with the beach on the island, it is very hard/compact sand (when the tide is out) and has very large tides. So you can absolutely go for a beautiful ride on the beach as long as it’s not high tide! You can absolutely bring your own bikes if you have them (we have), or you can absolutely rent bikes there (we have). There are bike rental shops literally ALL over the place – they’re not hard to find! And definitely check with wherever you’re staying – whether it be a resort or through a rental company, because they may have a deal or a discount with a particular bike rental shop! There’s also plenty of of options for kiddos – whether it be a seat on the back of the bike (done that) for little ones, a trailer behind the bike (done that) for multiple kids, tandem bikes, kids bikes, etc. Plenty of options for everyone!
Ok now that we have those basics covered, let’s get down to some of the other well known island must see and dos.
Harbor Town. This is where the light house is! And yes, you can pay to go up in it!
But there’s so much more to see and do here than just the light house. There’s plenty of shops and restaurants – all water front and harbor side! We personally love Harbourside (outside seating, by the water, live music) and Crazy Crab. But the new Quarterdeck restaurant is stunning! We just haven’t been there 🙂 And there’s also the cute little Harbor Town Bakery and Cafe, but it’s only open for breakfast and lunch! There’s of course two places you can grab some ice cream (Cinnamon Bear and the General Store). You’ll definitely want to just walk around and check out the enormous boats and yachts docked there! This is one of the places where you can take pirate cruises, sunset cruises, etc.
And for the kids – there is a really cool playground (it’s in sand, just to warn you if sand in shoes is an issue with your child!) built into an enormous tree!
And speaking of trees – Greg Russel also performs under the huge Oak Tree at night during the summer season!
Harbor Town is in Sea Pines, which as I’ve mentioned before is one of the gated plantations on the island. But not to worry – even if you’re not staying in Sea Pines, you can still visit, you’ll just have to pay when you get to the gate! You can buy daily/weekly passes at either gate you enter (Ocean Gate or Greenwood Gate).
And the other Sea Pines (and Island) staple that you’ll want to hit up while you’re visiting is the Infamous Salty Dog Cafe and South Beach Marina! Once again – this is an area that you can indeed stay in, but you can also just head down to shop, eat, and hang out! Salty Dog Cafe offers indoor and outdoor seating overlooking the water. It’s quite casual! And there are a couple other dining options to choose from as well!
There’s plenty of boats to see and look at, or you can book an excursion should you please. And then there’s a few shops to check out as well – you’ll definitely want to grab one of the famous Salty Dog shirts to take home with you! There’s the Salty Dog T-shirt Factory up at the top of the white staircase, or there’s Jake’s Cargo shop! Both have plenty of options to choose from, but Jake’s is a bit bigger and generally have more merchandise to choose from, aside from just shirts and apparel.
Oh and PS – if you happen to not make it down to South Beach Marina during your trip, but still want some Salty Dog Gear – don’t fear! There’s options for you too. There is a Salty Dog T-shirt Factory Store on Arrow Road (this is actually where the shirts are pressed, and you can see so through a window in the back!) that you can visit without going into Sea Pines and down to South Beach Marina! Sometimes they even have some good clearance finds! There is also a Salty Dog store at the Tanger outlets in Bluffton right as you leave the island! (Great outlets by the way!).
Alright, let’s move on from Sea Pines and on to…
Shelter Cove! Shelter Cove is an area that has totally changed since I was a little girl! And now there are sort of two different areas…there’s the older area (Shelter Cove Harbour and Marina) where all the boats are, and some shops/restaurants, and then there is the newer section (Shelter Cove Towne Centre) that features more shops and dining and is just a little more upscale feeling.
The Towne Centre (still on the water) has a new playground and a large area great for kids (Shelter Cove Community Park)! Lots of space just to walk and move around, the playground, some trails, and even a market sometimes. We actually went to the island over Christmas for the first time last year (LOVED it!) and being that it was not beach and bathing suit weather, we spent a lot of time at parks for the kiddos, the new one at Shelter Cove being one! There’s a yummy little French Bakery right in front of the park. We haven’t eaten there (although it looked delicious!) but we did grab some pastries and coffee to go!
Ok one last area that I’m going to give you with quite a few things to do and an area that we spend a lot of time in being that it’s so close to where we stay!
So North Forest Beach (where the houses are) and South Forest Beach (where many of the condos are) that I mentioned earlier are divided by Coligny Circle. As I also mentioned previously, this is where the public beach access and parking is. But right here in this area is Coligny that is a cute little beachy area with lots of shops, dining, entertainment, and play options! When I get to my food recommendations (coming next) you’ll notice that several of the places I mention are located in or near Coligny – it’s so convenient and filled with so many options!
But here you have the infamous Piggy Wiggy (and yes they have a t-shirt section inside!), PLENTY of places to eat, ice cream shops, coffee shops, surf shops, boutiques, playgrounds, entertainment, you name it!
This is a cute little playground within the actual Coligny shopping center that my boys really enjoy! Especially if we’re waiting on a table at dinner nearby, or mom is getting coffee to-go, etc. it’s a great little place to play and wait! Or take a little shopping break!
Now, across from Coligny (and where the actual public beach parking is) is Low Country Celebration Park and the Adventure Playground – which let me just tell you was NOT here when I was a little girl, but has been built since I had my boys, and we LOVE it over here. In our family it’s known as the “pirate ship park.” Again, this area is walking (and biking) distance from our rental house, so we come here multiple times a week! Often my husband and I will grab coffee at our favorite coffee shop in Coligny, and then we will walk across the street and let the boys play!
I’ll just let the pictures doing the talking on this one – but seriously, how cool is this park?!?
There’s also a huge open field to play in on the same property, as well as a Children’s museum called The Sandbox. Believe it or not, we’ve actually never been to the museum! But if you have a rainy day ahead, definitely check out the website and give it a go!
Now – I’m not a golfer, but if you are (or someone on your trip is) then just know that HHI is well known for its golf courses, and golf community. If you’re headed there to play, I unfortunately don’t have any personal recommendations for you (although the guys in our family typically play Shipyard or Golden Bear because they are usually cheaper and have an afternoon rate), but I know that there are plenty of options for you to choose from!
Ok, I think we’ve about covered it all…except food! So…
WHERE TO EAT
Let me preface this section with a few things…one, I don’t like seafood. I know, I know. But I don’t like ANY of it. So while some/many of these restaurants absolutely have great seafood, I can’t personally attest because I don’t like it!
Second preface – having been going to the island myself for over 30 years, we’ve been to a LOT of places on the island. Obviously some have come and gone and some have stayed the same. Any many of them, we can’t get to each year! So even if I have them listed below, I can’t promise that I have been to them recently. But I’m going to try my best to link all the websites, so you can at least take a look and see if it suits your fancy!
I will also try to add as many small personal notes as I can about each restaurant!
Ok, here we go…
Coligny Staples: (check out their website/map for even more options)
Skillets Cafe (breakfast)- the BEST French Toast. I crave it all year
Carolina Coffee and Crumbs – our go to Coffee shop. They also serve a (great!) breakfast as well as lunch! My go to is an iced coffee with coconut (room for cream) and then add the Sweet Cream creamer from the coffee bar!
The Sandbar – (connected to Carolina Coffee and Crumbs) – probably my all time favorite HH restaurant right now. I crave the “Dirty Bird” chicken sandwich all year, and usually eat here more than once 🙂 Lunch/Dinner/Live Music
Plantation Cafe – great breakfast/lunch
The Frozen Moo – our fave ice cream shop – complete with 92 flavors of ice cream!
Frosty Frog – pizza, sandwiches, burgers, etc and daiquiris. Cool outside vibe/Live music
New York City Pizza – great take out for feeding a crowd!
Sea Pines Staples:
Harbor Town: Harbourside, Crazy Crab (there is also a Crazy Crab off Hwy 278 that is water front) Quarter Deck. Ample opportunities for water front dining and live entertainment.
Salty Dog: multiple opportunities for water front dining and live entertainment
Shelter Cove Towne Centre Dining Options
Captain Woodys – great food and good outdoor space for kids!
The Sea Shack – right next to Captain Woody’s – it’s a dive (order at the window and eat at a picnic table or take it to go) but it is apparently to die for and there’s always a line!
Marleys Shrimp and Burger Shack – quick service, outdoor only seating, but SO good.
Nectar – same property as Marleys. Have only been there once for breakfast, but it was absolutely delicious.
CharBar Co. – crowd pleaser in our family!
Fat Baby’s Pizza and Subs – great pizza joint!
Carolina Crab Co (at Palmetto Bay Marina)
Skull Creek Dockside / Skull Creek Boathouse / Hudson’s – we have actually only eaten at Dockside (Skull Creek usually has a very long wait, so be sure to check ahead of time or be prepared for that!) but these are all water front, are all on the same property, and have a good area for kids!
Old Oyster Factory – it’s been YEARS since I have been here…but it’s on the water and is a well known island staple!
The Bank – this is relatively new and a Beer Garden! I haven’t been here, but the guys from our crew stopped here after golfing one night and really enjoyed it. It’s a great place for kiddos with lots of activity and things to do, food trucks, beer garden, etc.
There are SO many places to eat on the island – and wherever you’re staying should have a restaurant guide – but this is just a list of places that we frequent from year to year!
I’m sure I will be updating this blog frequently, as I will probably think of things I’ve forgotten, and/or as I come and go from the island. But for now, I think that’s all I have for you.
I really, truly, hope that you love the island as much as I do – and I hope that this blog serves you well in planning your own trip to the island! If you ever have any direct questions about the island – please reach out to me and I’d be happy to help as best I can!
Happy Vacationing my Friend!
In loving memory of my Daddy D, John Howard Dorris. After about a year in the making, I finally published this blog on Thursday May 30, just a few weeks after returning from our annual family vacation on the island. Just 3 short days later, on June 2, 2024, my beloved Daddy D went to be with Jesus.
As you may have gathered from reading this blog, my love of the island comes straight from Daddy D. Him and Nana are the ones who started vacationing on the island back in 1983, and he’s the one who continued to bring us back year, after year, after year. There was never a doubt that we’d come back the next year, because before we even left our current vacation, he would book our rental for the following year.
We all knew, baring a miracle and an extreme turn of events, this year would be his last trip to the island. He made it down to the sand two last times and made one final trip down to Salty Dog. He started deteriorating pretty quickly once we returned home, and he was in the arms of Jesus two weeks and a day after we got back.
There’s not a doubt in my mind that he essentially willed himself to live to make it to the island one last time. And once he had made that trip and was back home, his body just couldn’t do it anymore.
Somewhere along the way, the ocean, and our annual trip to Hilton Head was termed “Daddy D’s Water.” This was even mentioned in his obituary. I mentioned above that we always rent from Beachside Getaway. And I do mean always – even if a house we like/previously stayed in switched rental companies, Daddy D insisted on continuing to rent through Beachside, and we would simply find another house through them instead.
The past two years, my mom really took the reins on the planning of our trip and the rental house, as it was becoming too much for Daddy D. So she was in frequent contact with Beachside – especially this last trip as we knew it was likely his last, rented a lift chair for the house etc.
After the dust settled a bit surrounding his health deterioration and passing, my mom emailed her contact at Beachside just letting them know if Daddy D’s passing and included a link to his obituary.
A few days later this showed up…
I think I’ll just end this tribute here. Because if that doesn’t just tie up this blog, and the heart within it, then I don’t know what does.
Xoxo, Alli