Island Activities

This legendary resort island has 12 miles of public beach, spectacular views and a great variety of outdoor activities and adventures year round for you and your family to enjoy during your next visit.

Hiking & Biking

Hike, bike and wander designated paths on the Island bordered by plants, wild animals and marshlands. Each trail leads to a point of interest on the Island. Explore trails from sunrise to sunset. Or, cross the bridge to the Main Trail on Pinckney Island. The 3.5 mile trail is completely bordered by water and watched over by dolphins and alligators. Birds and foliage spill onto the trail in some places making the experience even more spectacular. All trails are suitable for walking or careful biking.

One of the most popular activities while visiting is cycling. With over 50 miles of paved paths covering the Island, there isn't a place visitors can't go with their bikes, including the 12 miles of sandy beaches.

For runners and joggers, Runner's World Maps are available to our guests and feature 3-mile and 5-mile jogging/walking routes from our hotel as well as local running tips. 

Nature Preserves

Revisit nature at one of Hilton Head Island's nature preserves. Visit the Newhall Audubon Nature Preserve and view the natural flora and fauna of the Island. Find wildlife at Pinckney Island Nature Preserve, a former lookout used by early settlers. Walk the last remaining tract of undisturbed land on Hilton Head Island at Sea Pines Forest Preserves. Explore a 4,000 year-old Indian Shell Ring. Or, visit one of many registered historic landmarks designated by the National Register of Historic Places.

Four-legged Friends

Hilton Head Island natives also include deer, bobcats, otters, minks and even a few wild boar. Of all the Island creatures, the bobcat proves to be the most elusive, lurking in the forest preserves and in the undeveloped parts of the Island. With great foresight, plantation designers in the 1950's set aside areas for an animal habitat, when the master plan for the Island was first conceived. This ingenuity and high regard for environmental preservation set the standard for resorts worldwide. To view these Island creatures in their natural habitat, guests can take a Lake and Forest Hayride, Horseback Tour or Walking Tour of the Sea Pines Forest Preserve.

Endangered Loggerhead Sea Turtles

The loggerhead turtle, an endangered species, nests extensively along Hilton Head Island's 12 miles of wide, sandy beaches. Few visitors ever meet these 200 pound giants, for the turtles choose the darkest hours of the summer night to crawl ashore and bury eggs in the soft sand. If a visitor happens to spot one of these wondrous creatures, they are advised not to interact with the turtle in any way. These rare animals, some almost a century old, must be allowed to lay their eggs to help ensure the survival of the species. Anyone who is lucky enough to witness this extraordinary sight is advised to mark the spot after the eggs are covered and inform the local Wildlife Department through the wild life hotline at 1-800-922-5431.

Coastal Discovery Museum on Hilton Head Island offers a late night Turtle Watch for those who are interested in observing the habits of the loggerhead turtle. Please see our concierge or call 843-689-6767 for more information. 

Bottle Nose Dolphins

Hilton Head Island is a great place to see a bottle nose dolphin. In the summer, dolphins are prevalent along the shoreline, where they feed on small fish and sea creatures. There are also many companies offering dolphin tours.

Marine life study and dolphin-watching excursion cruises are available through several of the Island's public marinas and through Coastal Discovery Museum on Hilton Head Island.

Bird Watching

Protected wetlands make Hilton Head the place to watch shorebirds and inland birds. See Egrets, Sandpipers and Wood Storks. Look above to catch Sea Gulls in flight alongside Pelicans and Osprey Eagles. Hilton Head Island is a bird watcher's haven.

According to the Audubon Society, nearly 200 species of birds flock to the lakes, marshes and shoreline of Hilton Head Island. However, more than 350 species of native American birds have been sighted on the Island over the past ten years. Among the most notable of species are the Snowy Egret, the Large Blue Heron and the Osprey, but bird watchers will also discover the White Ibis with its unique beak that curves downward. In addition, smaller Cattle Egrets that first arrived on Hilton Head Island in 1954 from their South American habitat may be observed following Island cows, horses and tractors.

To learn more about the birds of Hilton Head Island, visitors are encouraged to take a bird-watching tour at the Audubon-Newhall Preserve. Please contact the preserve for additional information at 843-671-4721.

Audubon-Newhall Preserve

Located just off Palmetto Bay Road, the preserve covers about 50 acres on the southern end of Hilton Head Island.  There are several walking trails that lead through a wide variety of trees and shrubs.  A particularly interesting feature is a wetlands bog that is a common characteristic of Lowcountry barrier islands.  It's a great habitat for birds and other wildlife.  The preserve is open dawn to dusk and several parking spaces are available inside the entrance.  There is a kiosk with information about the preserve and trail maps near the parking area.        

Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge

If you seek a great place to see a wide variety of birds and other wildlife, the Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge is the place to go.  Pinckney Island lies between the northern shore of Hilton Head Island and the mainland.  As you come across the main bridge to Hilton Head Island, you cross the southern tip of Pinckney Island.  The wildlife preserve includes most of Pinckney Island, several smaller islands and marshes along the mainland. 

There is a sizeable parking area on Pinckney, so you can get out of the car and walk around the island on the 14 miles of trails.  Bicycles and kayaks are welcome, but motorized vehicles and pets (whether on or off leash) are not. There are a few portable restrooms in the parking area; however, there is no drinking water available.  Maps and information about the preserve are at the entrance.

*Information provided by the Hilton Head Island - Bluffton Visitors and Convention Bureau