Hilton Head Island Activities & Attractions

Hilton Head Island activities are nearly limitless! Hilton Head's golf courses are nationally renown. Golf, tennis, biking, boating, and exploring are just a few of the many ways you and your family can enjoy all that this beautiful and active island has to offer. While you're at it - don't miss Hilton Head Island attractions, like the Coastal Discovery Museum, to learn all about the Island's history and habitat!

Photo by Brian Robert Birke

While golf is a highlight for many island visitors, Hilton Head Island activities also offer something for every age, taste and speed ... Check out the options below to start planning how and where you want to spend your vacation time (… when you're not at the beach, of course!)

Hilton Head Golf

Hilton Head Island is home to more than 20 golf courses, many designed by some of the world's greatest professional golfers. Sea Pines, Palmetto Dunes, Palmetto Hall Plantation, among others, boast exceptional quality courses.

The Harbour Town course in Sea Pines hosts the Verizon Heritage event on the annual PGA Tour and offers players impressive views of the Atlantic, but to play on the best, you pay for the best as the green fees are the highest on the island.

Surprisingly, the golf course at the Country Club of Hilton Head is actually a public course, so go ahead and enjoy the layout, challenges, and the feel of an old, private club.

Those seeking a golfing vacation can take advantage of Hilton Head Island golf packages, which provide special rates for access to specific Hilton Head golf courses and, in some cases, combining those rates with deals at a Hilton Head resort or hotel.

Hilton Head Tennis

Tennis is another highlight among Hilton Head Island activities. Hilton Head offers more than 300 tennis courts, including a few that have consistently made Tennis Magazine's list of the top 50 tennis-clubs in the U.S. Among these are the Palmetto Dunes Tennis Center, the Sea Pines Racquet Club, and the Van der Meer Tennis Center, all of which offer professional instruction as well as open play.

Outdoor (including hard, clay, and even grass!) courts are available as well as covered courts in the unfortunate event of rain during your vacation. Many of the island's tennis clubs offer junior tennis camps for younger players.

Whether you choose to play at a top-ranked club or you enjoy whichever court is closest to your hotel – there are a number of excellent options anywhere you stay on the island!

Hilton Head Biking

Photo by Lee Coursey

Hilton Head Island activities that let you explore the local environment are a great way to really experience and enjoy the island. Biking is a one such means of exploration. Enjoy the scenery as you ride along any of the 50 miles of trails and 12 miles of Hilton Head Island beaches (thanks to that hard sand). Print out a Hilton Head Island map to help you plan your route along the ocean, through the Island's nature preserves, and into the town or point of interest of your choosing.

Some Hilton Head resorts will provide, or coordinate, rental bikes for you. If yours doesn't, you'll find bike rentals on Hilton Head Island at a number of shops, including:

Bicycle Billy's Bike Rental,
Hilton Head Bicycle Company,
Island Cruisers,
LowSea Bike Beach & Baby Rental,
Pedals,
Pelican Cruisers,
Riding Tigers,
Vacation Comfort Rentals.

» IMPORTANT TIP: Keep the bike shop's number with you as you ride. If you get a flat or need a repair while you're out, most places will come to you to fix it or bring you back to the shop. Check with the shop you choose when you rent to make sure they provide this service. You may not need it, but if you do, it can save your whole day!

Boat Tours & Excursions

Photo by Apium

From sailboats, to double-decker powerboats, to tiny Zodiac outboard rafts, you have plenty of options for enjoying Hilton Head Island activities on the water. Watch the local dolphins frolic, ride gently through the marshes, relax on a romantic sunset cruise, or sail aboard an America's Cup competitor! Check out what these different tour operators offer:

Commander Zodiac: In a small, outboard Zodiac raft you'll see everything up close! Explore marshlands, observe Atlantic Bottle-Nosed Dolphins eye to eye, and other native marine wildlife in their natural habitat which surrounds Daufuskie Island.

Cheers Sailing Charter: Take a sail through Port Royal Sound on board a beautiful 47' sailing yacht.

H2O Sports: Located in Harbour Town, this company offers sailing tours aboard a catamaran or a trimaran. Dolphin, sunset and beachcombing tours are also available, along with a host of water sports.

Island Explorer Dolphin & Nature Tours: Dolphin excursions, nature tours, as well as fireworks cruises, sunset and midnight tours are all available. On their small powerboats, you'll get an up close look at all the dolphins and wildlife around you!

Vagabond Cruises: For a truly unique experience, sail aboard 'Stars & Stripes,' the actual yacht that competed in the America's Cup regatta. This yacht departs from Harbour Town in Sea Pines. Vagabond offers other cruises as well, including dolphin and sunset tours.

Charter Fishing

Photo by Terren in Virginia

For those who love the open water (and have a strong stomach on those big ocean swells), deep sea fishing is a popular Hilton Head Island activity. Check out these local charter fishing operators:

Hop aboard the 'Gullah Gal' departing from Shelter Cove Marina and catch Sea Bass, Cobia and even Sharks!

Mighty Mako Fishing Charters
Bulldog Finishing Charters, or
Off The Hook Charters

Remember - If you choose a tour operator that departs from Harbour Town or Shelter Cove, you have the convenience of being able to go straight from one activity to another or to a nearby restaurant.

Horseback Riding

Trail rides let you tour the island the old-fashioned way. Try a trail ride through a nature preserve from Lawton Stables in Sea Pines or check out Sea Horse Farms which offers trail rides on a private beach. (The stables can be tough to find – go to 34 Mitchellville Road, Tel: 843-681-7746).

Water Sports

Photo by Lee Coursey

Enjoying the water is one of the best ways to experience the Sea Islands and Hilton Head Island activities offer plenty of ways to do just that! Kayaking, power and sailboat rentals, jet-skiing, water-skiing and parasailing are just a few!

Check out these fun on-the-water adventures during your visit:

H2O Sports: Rent your own small powerboat or a sailboat (lessons are provided to get you started), take a kayak tour and paddle along side dolphins, egrets, river otters and more or rent a kayak and make your own tour! H2O also offers water-skiing, waverunners and parasailing. Located in Harbour Town, this spot has it all!
Rent waverunners for up to 3 people from Action Water Sports, located in Palmetto Bay Marina, Tel: (843) 785-7368.

Wakeboards, water-skiing, tubing and kayaks are available from Intracoastal Water Sports, located at 43 A Jenkins Rd, Tel: (843) 681-4111.

Waverunner and Boat Rentals also offers waverunners, pontoon and fishing boats, located in Palmetto Bay Marina, Tel: (843) 785-2345.

Hilton Head Attractions & Points of Interest

As if there wasn't enough to do already, Hilton Head offers even more ways to explore, learn about, and enjoy the island.

Photo by Wildcat Dunny

Walk up the Harbour Town Lighthouse in Sea Pines to get a one-of-a-kind view of the island! The shop located at the top of the lighthouse sells works by local artists, along with the usual Hilton Head souvenirs.
The Coastal Discovery Museum is a great way to learn about the island and especially the loggerhead turtles that nest here. The museum offers nature tours, including by foot, boat, kayak, and bicycle, as well as historical tours on foot or by trolley of the Port Royal fort, a local plantation, and other points of interest. You can also take a guided evening walk along the beach with the museum's Turtle Talk & Walk to learn about the loggerhead turtles and island's conservation efforts.

Check out the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina for theatrical performances and art exhibits.

Pick up fresh, local fruits and vegetables at the Farmers Market in the Mall at Shelter Cove from 8am - 1pm, June through August. Tel: (843) 686-3090.

Kids Activities

Hilton Head Island activities arguably offer the most options for kids on the Sea Islands. Here are a few highlights for the younger set:

Mini-putt is a Hilton Head Island tradition! Elaborate courses, pirate ships, caves, and more make miniature golf a thrill for kids. On my vacations to Hilton Head as a child, my family always took in a round or two – it's a great way for the whole family to have fun together!

Here are a few mini-putt courses for your family:
- Adventure Cove offers two Caribbean-themed mini-putt courses for kids of all ages as well as an arcade. They also host birthday parties, and coordinate fishing and dolphin-watching tours with Integrity Charters.
- Adventure Golf – Pirate's Island: Arguably the best mini-putt on the island, this elaborate, pirate themed putt-putt adventure offers two courses with varying degrees of difficulty plus caves, waterfalls, and plenty of pirates!