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Hilton Head is one of South Carolina’s newest, most popular, and fastest-growing vacation gems. This quaint and beautiful Atlantic Island has 12 miles of spectacular coastline with protected nature reserves and miles of hike and bike trails for vacationers to explore and enjoy.
Hilton Head also has plenty of entertainment options, including shopping plazas, boardwalks, marinas, and golf courses. Accommodation options are endless, with everything from all-inclusive resorts to beachfront villas, to condominiums.
For such a small island, Hilton Head is divided into quite a few neighborhoods and areas that all offer great places to stay and visit. Here, we will go over the best places to stay in Hilton Head.
Best Areas to Stay in Hilton Head
Hilton Head has various neighborhoods and resort communities, each with its own personality and unique features. Here, we will discuss the best areas to stay in Hilton Head, depending on what you’re looking for in your beach vacation or seasonal island stay.
Forest Beach
Forest Beach is an inland neighborhood that gives visitors a local experience. While there aren’t beachfront properties to rent, you’re within walking distance to the beach, so you don’t have to worry about driving or parking issues.
The best part about staying in Forest Beach is your proximity to over 100 different retail and dining options with restaurants, shopping plazas, and grocery stores to suit any traveling families’ needs.
You can spend all day at the beach swimming and relaxing, before walking back to your Forest Beach rental to shower and hit the town for an evening of exploring the lavish shopping plazas followed by an excellent meal at one of the dozens of restaurants.
With so many dining options, you can get as fancy or as casual as you like, or you can always grab some takeout and enjoy dinner at home. Grocery stores also allow you the freedom to shop for yourself and prepare your own meals, picnic baskets, or much-needed snacks for the kids during long days of exploring Hilton Head’s beaches, harbors, and trails.
Palmetto Dunes
Palmetto Dunes is a popular gated golfing community with three beautiful golf courses. It’s also home to a wealth of natural attractions like an 11-mile lagoon and three miles of clean, unfettered coastline.
Popular activities include kayaking, canoeing, paddleboarding, and fishing in the lagoon and, of course, swimming, picnicking, and relaxing at the beach. There is a large community pool in Palmetto Dunes, which you have access to when you rent a villa or beach house.
Also within the Palmetto Dunes community is the Shelter Cove Harbour and Marina that contains numerous retail shops, grocery stores, entertainment options, and boat docks to explore in the evenings. There are plenty of boat rentals available around the dock if you want to spend the day on the ocean.
Sea Pines
Sea Pines is a neighborhood with permanent residences, beach villas for rent, and luxurious resorts, not to mention the bustling boardwalk, retail, and restaurant center in Hilton Head’s famous Harbour Town. One of the high-end neighborhoods, Sea Pines is best known for its world-class professional golf courses, but you’ll find more than sprawling greens here.
Avid golfers and pros alike flock to Sea Pines Resort or rent a private villa in the surrounding Sea Pines neighborhood to play golf on some of the most pristine courses in the country. Popular courses include Harbor Town Golf Links, Heron Point, and Atlantic Dunes.
Of course, if golf isn’t your only reason to visit, you won’t be disappointed. Sea Pines backs up to the popular shores of South Beach with access to the Sea Pines Beach Club for pool and spa amenities.
Sea Pines also offers family-friendly activities like horseback riding, hike and bike trails, fishing, and even a petting zoo. If you want to spend time on the water, you can join a dolphin-watching tour, charter fishing trip, or even an adventure cruise.
Don’t forget to check out the iconic red and white Harbour Town Lighthouse for a unique look at the marina. Oh, and you don’t have to worry about food and drink because there are dozens of restaurants and cafes serving fresh seafood, local favorites, and traditional classics.
Sea Crest/Coligny Beach
Sea Crest is the best neighborhood to stay in if you are looking for the most centralized location. You have both beach and resort-like amenities like giant pools and hot tubs with luxurious lounge areas.
Sea Crest is also directly in front of the famed Coligny Plaza. This busy shopping area connotes Hilton Head’s downtown scene, replete with high-end retail stores, fine dining, souvenir shops, movie theaters, and live music. Coligny Plaza hooks up with Coligny Beach Park via beautifully manicured, scenic bike paths and pedestrian boardwalks.
You can have the best of the natural and the urban if you stay in Sea Crest as the two are seamlessly connected. We recommend renting a bike as your main mode of transportation, as the ride from the beach, through Coligny Beach Park, and over to Coligny Plaza is a highly enjoyable experience and a bucket list item for tourists no matter where they stay.
Shelter Cove
If you dream of spending your vacation on the water, then Shelter Cove may be your ideal getaway spot. Though you can access plenty of dining and shopping locations, the harbor and marina remain the true attractions.
From tours to water sports, Shelter Cove offers everything you can dream of and then some. Take a fishing charter to go sport crabbing or rent a vessel to peruse the waters on your own time. Try your hand at paddleboarding on the sparkling waters or relax on a dinner cruise.
After a day on the water, head to one of the niche restaurants and cafes or do a little souvenir shopping at the specialty shops and boutiques. There’s something for every taste – foodie or otherwise!
Mid-Island Vacation Rentals
Neighborhoods including Folly Field, Bradley Beach, and Burkes Beach that lie closer to the center of the island offer vacationers looking for peace, quiet, and less crowded accommodations. These neighborhoods may not be directly on the beach, but Hilton Head is a small beach town, so you are a quick walk away from the beach.
Additionally, each neighborhood has a community or private pool that you can use during your stay. For instance, Folly Field is home to the enormous Hilton Head Island Club, a giant complex with fishing ponds and lagoons, private beach access, tennis courts, pools, hot tubs, and a fitness center.
Windmill Harbour
Though it’s not technically on Hilton Head Island, Windmill Harbour is located on nearby Jenkins Island. This private community features some of the most incredible Charleston-style homes that you can find outside of Charleston.
Lining a 15-acre inland harbour and surrounded by breathtaking views, Windmill Harbour offers easy access to the South Carolina Yacht Club. One of the key appeals is the tide-free lock-control system that protects boats from nearly everything, including weather and strong currents.
Staying at Windmill Harbour gives you access to several local events, fishing excursions, and room to explore clean natural waters. There are several creeks and coves in the area and a series of offshore wreck sites if you feel adventurous. If you’re lucky, you may be able to witness a boat race.
Windmill Harbour is a veritable haven for peace and quiet, making it the ideal getaway for those seeking respite from the hustle and bustle of their busy lives.
