Hilton head, south carolina
Want to spend your time relaxing on pristine beaches, playing on imaginative playgrounds, seeing wildlife, or shopping in delightful local shops? Hilton Head is the spot for you! Here are some of our family's favorites from this beautiful island.
Must do's
Pristine Beaches with great amenities
You can't beat the beaches on Hilton Head. The white sand is pristine. Most beaches had accessible walkways out to the sand, well maintained bathrooms with outdoor showers, bins with sand toys to borrow, and baskets to help collect trash along the beach (not that we ever saw any!) Dogs are allowed during certain times of day depending on the season.
Our favorite beaches were: Coligny Beach: we loved how close this beach was to our favorite playground, the shops at Coligny and the large free parking lot, Islanders Beach: less parking spots, but also a lot less people, and Driessen Beach: this beach has two big free parking lots, a playground, picnic pavilion and bathrooms.
Delightful playgrounds
Lowcountry Celebration Park
This imaginative playground inspires both children and adults with it's massive ship and fun play structures, sand pit and splash area. It has clean well maintained bathrooms, a large parking lot, is centrally located next to Coligny beach and shopping, and is adjacent to the children's museum.
Rowing & Sailing Center at Squire Pope Park
This complex has lots of family fun activities available, and we loved the nature playground equipment.
Greg Russell Harbour Town playground
Located within the Sea Pines Resort, you have to pay a small fee to enter this area of the island, but if you plan on spending the afternoon at the playground, seeing the harbour, visiting the lighthouse or going out on a dolphin sunset cruise it makes the small fee worth it.
Shelter Cove Playground
This cute little park is located at the Shelter Cove Shopping area. It's a great place to work off some wiggles before grabbing lunch or doing a little shopping.
Jarvis Creek Park
The playground is great, but the trails and wildlife really make this place special.
Jarvis Creek Park
Playground, trails and wildlife
This park is a great place to check out....cautiously of course! The playground is nice, the trails are great and the wildlife is on full display in the lake. Be sure to keep your distance and keep all kids and animals away from the water. These pictures were taken on max zoom from a long distance.
Sandbox Children's museum
Play based learning at it's best
The Sandbox Children's Museum is located next to Hilton Head's flagship playground - Lowcountry Celebration Park, Coligny Plaza and beach, this is a great place to spend the afternoon.
The Sandbox has large play structures (ship, plane, climbing structure) inside along with great play setups including a vet clinic, and grocery store.
The art center is well stocked and included books with corresponding art projects for you to complete with your child.
coastal discovery museum & trails
The Coastal Discovery Museum & Trails have so much to offer! Walk along the boardwalks & trails to discover the natural beauty of Hilton Head
Don't miss the great science activities available for kids.
Check out the informative museum.
our favorite restaurants
Nectar
Java Burrito Company
Old Oyster Factory
We visited both Nectar locations in Hilton Head & Bluffton and they were both amazing! Hearty, healthy southern food.
Old Oyster Factory
Java Burrito Company
Old Oyster Factory
The Old Oyster Factory has delicious food and gorgeous views. We chose to have dinner at sunset and sat out on the deck for a memorable evening.
Java Burrito Company
Java Burrito Company
Java Burrito Company
Java Burrito has great coffee & burritos, in one spot. Sound like a funny combination? Well it works!
Dafuskie island
Dafuskie ferry
Dafuskie Island is a great place for a quick day trip from Hilton Head. We took the Dafuskie Island Ferry for a short trip over to the island. From there we rented a golf cart and drove around the island taking
Historic buildings
Dafuskie Island has a storied past, and many historic buildings. We had fun time driving a golf cart around to see the area, and found a few surprises along the way.
Beautiful beaches
Be sure to leave some time for the beach. It's a beautiful, unspoiled area and so quiet you'll feel like you have it to yourselves. We suggest packing a picnic lunch and a blanket to bring along and this is the perfect spot for lunch.
Hilton head tips for families
Plan ahead for Traffic & Parking
Traffic in, out and around Hilton Head can be jammed during commuting hours. Take this into account as you plan your day. Parking can be limited at certain beaches, you may want to start your day at the beach to get a spot before the crowds.
Don't miss all of the Family Friendly Activities
There are so many wonderful activities for families. In addition to the ones we listed above, we also enjoyed a sunset dolphin cruise, visited the lighthouse, and played golf at Pirate Golf. There really is something for everyone.
Local libraries
We attended story time at both the Hilton Head and Bluffton Libraries. Both had excellent children's areas and wonderful story times scheduled each week. We even attended a special Dr. Suess celebration that included stories and crafts.
Farmer's Markets
We checked out the farmer's markets on both Hilton Head & Bluffton and enjoyed both. Both included Local vendors, fresh food and great entertainment.
Try Something New
We visited pure salt studios for a halotherapy session (relaxation in a room made of salt). We had a family session and really enjoyed this peaceful break.
Shopping
If you're into shopping, Hilton Head has amazing options. Our favorite areas were: Coligny Plaza, Shelter Cove Towne Center, & Harbour Town (fee to enter this area of the island.) There are also great local shops in Bluffton and an outlet mall right next to Hilton Head.