About Hilton Head Island

Located on the Atlantic Ocean, in Beaufort County, South Carolina, Hilton Head Island features 12 miles of plush beachfront. It is known as the 2nd largest Barrier Island and is one of the most popular vacation spots along the East Coast. Hilton Head vacations offer its visitors an assortment of attractions and recreational opportunities.

Vacationers travel from around the world just to visit the island and can opt to stay at a Hilton Head vacation rental home, Hilton Head condo rental or a resort or hotel. Vacationers who are looking for a peaceful getaway, Hilton Head vacations offer a fascinating historical setting and is ranked among the top in the world.

Hilton Head Island as we know it today experienced a rebirth during the 1950s and beyond due to a man named Charles Fraser. He had inspiration to create an unprecedented resort community that would encompass uncommon beauty and spirit while preserving the land's inherent natural endowments. With exactingly careful preparation, Fraser developed Sea Pines, the first planned island community. Since then, his same environmentally sound covenants have become effective guidelines for all subsequent development.

The Climate of Hilton Head Island

The climate on Hilton Head is delightful, with semi-tropical warmth and enough of a seasonal change to keep it interesting. Springtime blooms early and fall shows up late. There are even days in the middle of December that edge up to low 70s and high 80s. Overall, the year-round average of midday and evening temperatures are approximately 75 and 55 degrees, respectively. Hilton Head Island is the ideal vacation destination for fun and relaxation.

The Beaches of Hilton Head Island

Perhaps Hilton Head Island's greatest attraction is its beaches, which stretch for twelve miles, inviting sunbathing, walking or water-oriented recreation. The beach on Hilton Head Island is actually many beaches. The sandy shoreline extends 19 miles from Dolphin Head to South Beach. The island's sandy beaches are generously wide due to 7 1/2 foot tides, also responsible for creating the sand dunes that gently arc from beach line to land.

Golf on Hilton Head Island

Courtesy of Hilton Head's invitingly warm climate, golf is truly a year-round choice for recreation. Hilton Head Island offers more than 20 premier golf courses situated on Hilton Head Island and the surrounding area of Bluffton South Carolina. The MCI Classic - Heritage of Golf is held each April at Harbour Town Links in Sea Pines. Some consider the fall and spring to be the most delightful seasons to take to the tees, but value can be found both in the winter and summer months.

Tennis on Hilton Head Island

On Hilton Head, an island only 12 by 5 miles, there are over 360 tennis courts on all three Grand Slam surfaces. In that group, four tennis resorts have been acclaimed in Tennis magazine's top 50 U.S. clubs.

Marinas and Harbors on Hilton Head Island

The marinas found on the island are all full-service, with a varying number of boat slips, depending on each harbor's size. Harbour Town, Broad Creek Marina, Palmetto Bay Marina, Shelter Cove Harbour and South Beach offer a variety of powerboats and wave runners for rent, and most harbors possess charter boats for island and offshore expeditions. Some marinas also feature boating or sailing instruction. South Beach Marina offers lessons in kayaking and water skiing, in addition to charters and rentals.

Dining on Hilton Head Island

What would vacation be without someone else preparing the meals? The island has over 250 restaurants guaranteed to offer exactly what your dining tastes might crave. The choices extend from fine dining to fast food. Whether you're looking for family fun, early bird specials & family value buffets, breakfast specialty, coffee houses, outdoor cafes, pizza parlors, Mexican/southwest, BBQ, Tapas, romantic fine dining, sunset dining, sports bars, wine tasting evenings, happy hours & appetizers, seafood, Italian, French, German, waterfront cafés, grilles, Japanese, sushi, brew pubs, dinner & jazz, delis, diners, Chinese, all the popular fast food restaurants, taverns, fish fries, Greek, steak and seafood restaurants, coffee shops, bakeries, French, Mediterranean, or food courts Hilton Head has got you covered.

Shopping on Hilton Head Island

One thing that's become a diversion in its own right on Hilton Head Island is shopping. It's no wonder that the island has earned a reputation as a shopper's paradise with over 300 shops located in more than 30 different arenas. In addition, you may want to visit our two outlet malls with over 100 brand name outlet stores.

History of Hilton Head Island

Hilton Head Island’s point to inhabitance traces back as early as 10,000 B.C. The Museum of Hilton Head Island, displays an array of artifacts that represent Native Americans way of life.

In 1525, Spanish sailors encountered a headland on the coast of South Carolina and named it "la Punta de Santa Elena." St. Helena (near Beaufort) survives and is one of the oldest continually used European names of geography in North America. In 1663, William Hilton, an English sea captain, sailed from Barbados in search of tropical lands on which to establish profitable English plantations, surveyed the abundant, untamed island. Hilton then claimed it for the British crown, establishing the legacy with his own name…Hilton's Headland. Hilton touted the island's beauty, encouraging settlement there.

In 1663, William Hilton, an English sea captain, sailing from Barbados in search of tropical lands on which to establish profitable English plantations, surveyed the abundant, untamed island. Hilton then claimed it for the British crown, establishing the legacy with his own name... Hilton's Headland.

English settlers waited for the threat of both Spaniards and Native Americans to dispel before colonizing in 1670 to found South Carolina's first permanent settlement at the confluence of the Ashley and Cooper Rivers, then called Charlestowne, now Charleston. Immigrants from Switzerland and lowland Scots from Northern Ireland settled the early townships.

As the Low country grew, plantation owners looked for new crops to thrive in this welcoming climate. The early 1800's saw the advent of agriculture to the rich island soil, and among the crops grown was Sea Island Long Staple Cotton, which flourished in the warm subtropical climate. Rice and indigo were also grown. These labor intensive crops allowed planters to prosper during the pre-Civil War time period; however, with the onset of the war, gracious homes and prolific crops were abandoned by the planters. The striking blow was what was later seen as the largest naval engagement of the entire war, The Battle of Port Royal.

Fraser developed Sea Pines, since then, his same environmentally sound covenants have become effective guidelines for all subsequent development. Today, Hilton Head has emerged to become a relaxed environment and is home to over 27,500 residents and considered the preferred vacation destination for over a million and a half visitors annually.The "modern" Hilton Head Island has existed for only a few decades. Its development began in the fifties. The first bridge was erected in 1956.

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