Harbour Town Lighthouse. The red-and-white striped lighthouse at Sea Pines Resort is Hilton Head's most recognized landmark, perched at the edge of Calibogue Sound. Visitors climb 114 steps for panoramic views of the marina and Intracoastal Waterway, with a museum and shop at the base.
Historic Mitchelville Freedom Park. Established in 1862, Mitchelville was the first self-governing Freedmen's Village in the United States, where formerly enslaved people built a community with their own elected government and compulsory public schooling. Interpretive exhibits, the Toni Morrison Bench by the Road, and ghosted home structures make this…
Gullah Heritage Trail Tour. A two-hour narrated air-conditioned bus tour led by guides of Gullah descent, visiting plantation tabby ruins, one-room schoolhouses, family compounds, and Mitchelville. Native islanders share language, foodways, music, and oral histories from a culture that predates the bridge to the mainland.
Coligny Beach Park. Hilton Head's most popular public beach access point offers 12 miles of wide, hard-packed shoreline backed by sea oats and live oaks. Free parking, restrooms, outdoor showers, a splash pad, chair and umbrella rentals, and seasonal lifeguards make it the easiest beach day on the island.
Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge. A 4,000-acre federally protected refuge just off the causeway to Hilton Head, open daily from sunrise to sunset with 14-plus miles of trails for hiking and biking. More than 250 bird species have been recorded here, including painted buntings, ibis, herons, and egrets nesting in rookeries around Ibis Pond.
Coastal Discovery Museum at Honey Horn. Set on 70 scenic acres of the historic Honey Horn Plantation, this free museum blends Lowcountry natural history with Gullah cultural heritage. Nine historic buildings date to the antebellum era, and guided nature walks, butterfly gardens, and family programs draw more than 130,000 visitors a year.
RBC Heritage at Harbour Town Golf Links. Every April, the week after The Masters, Harbour Town Golf Links hosts one of the PGA Tour's premier Signature Events — a $20-million purse tournament on a Pete Dye–designed course that Jack Nicklaus helped shape. The winner receives a red tartan jacket in a nod to Scottish golf tradition, and crowds regularly exceed…
Hilton Head Island Biking Pathways. Hilton Head holds a Gold Level Bicycle Friendly Community designation with more than 60 miles of dedicated leisure pathways threading through maritime forests, salt marshes, and beachfront corridors. Nearly 30 bike rental shops operate island-wide, making two-wheeled exploration the most beloved local pastime.
Top-rated tours & activities in Hilton Head Island
2-Hour Private Hilton Head Dolphin Watching Cruise — 5.0★ (316 reviews)
Private Hilton Head Sunset Dolphin Cruise - Up to 6 Guests — 5.0★ (278 reviews)
2-Hour Hilton Head Guided Kayak Nature Tour — 4.9★ (1,687 reviews)
Hilton Head Island Dolphin Boat Cruise — 4.9★ (1,614 reviews)
Hilton Head Pirate Ship Adventure Sail aboard the Black Dagger — 4.9★ (720 reviews)
90-Minute Dolphin and Nature Tour of Hilton Head — 4.9★ (244 reviews)
90-Minute Private Dolphin Tour in Hilton Head Island — 5.0★ (586 reviews)
Private Hilton Head Sunset Dolphin Cruise Tour – Groups (7–15) — 5.0★ (17 reviews)