Attractions in Hilton Head

Coastal Discovery Museum
100 William Hilton Parkway (US 278).
(843) 689-6767
The Coastal Discovery Museum (at the foot of the Bridge, next to Crazy Crab)
Open year round, call for special tours & schedules.
Hands-on exploring of the history, wildlife and heritage of Hilton Head Island.
The Lowcountry's cultural and environmental heritage is interpreted through interactive exhibits, tours, walks, cruises, programs and a unique Museum gift shop.

Self Family Arts Center
15 Shelter Cove Lane, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
843 686 3945
Includes an art gallery and theater for the Hilton Head Playhouse

Shelter Cove Harbour and Palmetto Dunes
Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
The following is a description of one of the "plantations" on Hilton Head Island :
Palmetto Dunes Plantation is set on a three mile stretch of white sandy beaches. This makes it ideal for a variety of watersports, including wind-surfing, sailing and beach cruising. It features three championship golf courses. The Palmetto Dunes Tennis Center has 25 courts. Convenient bicycle paths wind through beautiful Palmetto Dunes and Shelter Cove Marina. At Shelter Cove you will enjoy many boutiques, excellent dining and spectacular views.

The Beach
Five beach accesses include Alder Lane, Coligny Beach Park, Driessen Beach Park, Folly Field Beach Park and Islanders Beach Park.

Sea Pines Forest Preserve
Sea Pines Plantation,
Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

Gullah 'n' Geechie Mahn Tours
847 Sea Island Pkwy.
843/838-7516
tours are at 9:45 and 1:45.
has tours of Beaufort and sea islands such as St. Helena that focus on the traditions of African-American culture.

Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge
On US 278, 1/2 mile west of Hilton Head.
Open daily dawn to dusk.
7.9 mile round trip.
Contains over 4000 acres of salt marsh and small islands. 14 miles of trails for walking or biking; no cars allowed past the parking lot.

Waddell Mariculture Research and Development Center
On Sawmill Creek Road about 3 miles west of Hilton Head.
Near the intersection of 278 and SC46.
The center researches the cultivation of marketable marine life. Tours of the facility and ponds by appointment only.

Grove Plantation.
Grove Plantation, Jebossee Island Rd., Edisto Island
843/889-3084.
Free.
Daily 7:30-4.
This 850,000-acre area, named for the rivers that bound it (the Ashepoo, Combahee, and Edisto), is one of the largest, most pristine estuarine ecosystems in North America. More than 100 bird species, sea turtles, otters, and other wildlife live here, 17 of which are endangered or threatened, including the wood stork and loggerhead sea turtle.

Harbour Town Lighthouse
The lighthouse was constructed by developer Charles Fraser in 1970 and is internationally recognized as the symbol of Hilton Head.

Audubon-Newhall Preserve.
Palmetto Bay Rd., Hilton Head Island,
843/785-5775.
Free.
Daily dawn-dusk.
Located in the south of the island, the preserve is 50 acres of pristine forest, where you'll find native plant life identified and tagged. There are trails, a self-guided tour, and seasonal plant walks.

Edisto Beach State Park.
843/869-3396
This park has 3 miles of beach with excellent shelling, housekeeping cabins by the marsh, and campsites by the ocean (though severe erosion limits availability). Luxury resort development has begun to encroach around the edges of the park.

Edisto Island Presbyterian Church.
2164 U.S. 174, Edisto Island
843/869-2326.
Free.
Grounds and cemetery, daily 9-5; church usually locked except during services.
Though founded in 1685, the present church dates from 1830. The pink Legare mausoleum at the back of the cemetery is said to be haunted by the ghost of a young girl who was inadvertently buried alive in it.

Edisto Museum.
2343 U.S. 174, Edisto Island,
843/869-1954.
Admission charged.
Tues., Thurs., Sat. 1-4.
This tiny museum houses artifacts and historical items about the history of Edisto.

Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park.
This park, off Bay Street, is a great place to survey the scene. Barbra Streisand filmed Prince of Tides here. Its 7 landscaped acres along the Beaufort River, part of the Intracoastal Waterway, include a seawall promenade, a crafts market, gardens, and a marina. Some events of the popular mid-July Beaufort Water Festival, as well as a seasonal farmers' and crafts market, take place here.

Hilton Head Beaches
Hilton Head Island has 12 miles of ocean beach, and although the resort beaches are reserved for guests and residents, there are four public entrances to the beach. Two main parking and changing areas are at Coligny Circle, near the Holiday Inn, and on Folly Field Road, off U.S. 278. Signs along U.S. 278 point the way to Bradley and Singleton beaches, where parking space is limited.

Sea Pines Forest Preserve.
Hilton Head Island, accessible via U.S. 278,
843/785-3333.

Sea Pines Plantation
Cost per car for nonguests, includes access to preserve.
Daily dawn-dusk; closed during Heritage Golf Classic in Apr.
Sea Pines is a 605-acre public wilderness tract with walking trails, a fishing pond, a waterfowl pond, and a 3,400-year-old Indian shell ring. Both guided and self-guided tours are available.

York W. Bailey Museum
Land's End Rd., St. Helena Island,
843/838-2432.
Donation suggested.
Tues.-Fri. 11-4 and by appointment.
The museum was named after a Penn School graduate, the first African-American doctor to serve the Sea Islands. The collection includes photographs, arts, and crafts of the Gullah people, as well as oral histories.