This past April, I took a visit to Hilton Head Island, South Carolina with my sister. It was an absolutely gorgeous location, and we would both love to visit again! Here’s what we did after arriving at the Savannah/Hilton Head airport and picking up our rental car.
Day 1
The first area we stopped in was Bluffton, South Carolina. We got lunch at Cahill’s Market then headed over to Calhoun Street. There, we walked around the block, window shopping at a few boutiques. Then was our Publix trip for essentials and groceries for some meals.
Next up was our Airbnb on Hilton Head Island. We stayed at a condo in The Dunes. It has a pool right next to our place, so of course we unpacked and walked over to take a swim.
After drying off and getting ready, my sister and I went exploring. We took the walking path covered in palm trees across the street to Alder Lane Beach (pictured above). It was very pretty and the water was actually relatively warm, especially compared to the beaches up north! The last part of our day consisted of taking a drive around, exploring and finding a unique location called The Bank. It is an outdoor venue offering a brewery, bar, a creamery, and 5 restaurants. When I was visiting, they had live music, as well as, a vendor event going on, and yard games such as cornhole. I highly recommend stopping here!
Day 2
After stopping at Carolina Crumbs for a quick breakfast, it was back to Alder Lane Beach for a couple of hours. Wanting to try out other beaches as well though, we drove over to Folly Field Beach. While it was nearly the same as the other one, I do think I liked Alder Lane Beach better.
For dinner, we ate outside at The Sandbar (the pulled pork tacos are an excellent option). Since it was raining that evening, we didn’t have much else to do besides go shopping. So, I drove down South Forest Beach Drive to the Sea Pines Community, which (apparently) has an admission fee. But, we enjoyed perusing through it, viewing all of the gorgeous mansions. At South Beach Marina (pictured above), you can find shops, such as The Salty Dog T-Shirt Factory and a few restaurants too.
Day 3
At Healthy Habit, I ordered an acai bowl, which is where I discovered that I love acai (it was my first time trying it). Because the rain had stopped, it was the perfect day to take a little journey to Harbourtown, located in Sea Pines. It is a cute mini town set along the water, with stores, a cafe/bakery, and a lighthouse, which costs $7/person. However, the panoramic landscape at the top is beautiful!
The community even has its’ own hiking trails. The Sea Pines Forest Preserve will take you down boardwalks that lead to a lake with picnic tables. It is a wonderful spot to stop and have lunch.
Our condo neighbor actually recommended going to Fish Haul Beach (pictured above) when the tide was low, so we did and it was worth it! My sister and I were surrounded by sand and very shallow, clear water, making it easy for her to find a few seashells. Close by was a cute lunch spot called Lucky Beach Bar & Kitchen, which was good.
We were hoping for the Village at Wexford to have a few more stores we were interested in, but didn’t see much. So, we moved onto Shelter Cove. Though not too many shops there either, we both got a drink at the Poseidon restaurant/bar.
Day 4
Every Tuesday, Hilton Head has a farmer’s market, hosted by the Coastal Discovery Museum. It was smaller than expected, but had some nice people and interesting vendors!
The Frosty Frog Cafe is a great spot for having an outdoor lunch. They are quick (perfect, since we were on a time crunch), and both liked the wraps we got.
Next up on the agenda was our dolphin tour we had booked. I was worried that we may not see them, but we saw them a good bit! The boat ride out to the bay was cold, yet relaxing, and the tour guide was very friendly and informative. I definitely wouldn’t mind taking another one if I went back.
When the tour was over, we went on a walk around the Shelter Cove park, and headed back to the condo. We took another dip in the pool, showered, and played a round of mini golf at Legendary Golf. They have an easier course and a more challenging one. Our challenging one was pretty tough, but still fun!
Day 5
This was sadly our last day in South Carolina. After checking out of the Airbnb, we got coffee from Sweet Al’s Cafe in Coligny Plaza. Of everywhere else on the island, this is the spot I would recommend for shops. There are a decent amount of them, some great for finding souvenirs.
That was about all we had time to do so we could catch our flight on time. But the both of us would absolutely love going back there. Everyone was so kind and the island itself was immaculate. It’s a perfect April/May vacation for a 4-5 days!
I hope this gave you more insight on Hilton Head Island. Thanks for the read! (:
-xo, Nicole
A Sweet Paradise 