Hilton Head Island Travel Guide

Hilton Head Island is a semi-tropical barrier island located on the Intracostal Waterway off of the South Carolina Atlantic Coast, about 90 miles south of Charleston and 40 north of Savannah. World renowned for its pristine beaches, abundant golf courses, superb tennis facilities and picturesque natural environment of seascapes, salt marshes, lagoons, tall pine forests, magnolias and majestic moss draped oaks, Hilton Head attracts approximately 2.5 million annual visitors.

At 12 miles long and 5 miles wide, Hilton Head Island is the largest barrier island between Long Island and the Bahamas. Development at this popular travel destination has been comparatively restrained by stringent standards set forth in 1956 by visionary Charles Fraser's master plan for the island's first resort community, Sea Pines Plantation. The Sea Pines Plantation plan established Hilton Head Island as the first Eco-planned resort destination in the United States. Today, Hilton Head Island contains several environmentally planned residential and resort communities. Neon signs, bright street lights and tall buildings are not permitted, allowing visitors and residents to see the stars at night.

Hilton Head Welcome Center
100 William Hilton Parkway
Hilton Head Island, SC 29926

A good first stop for your visit is the Hilton Head Island Welcome Center, where you can collect maps, brochures on local activities, and schedules of upcoming events. The Welcome Center, which shares a building with the Coastal Discovery Museum, is located on the right side of US Highway 278, about one mile from the foot of the bridge as arrive on the Island. The parking lot is connected to the Crazy Crab Restaurant's lot. Welcome Center operating hours are daily from 8:30 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. See Driving Directions to Hilton Head Island.