Where To Eat, Stay and Play in Hilton Head Island, SC

I wrapped up my 2018 travel with the most incredible trip to Hilton Head Island, just a couple hours south of Charleston! I had been to Hilton Head once in 5th grade, so I was super excited to be able to visit again and experience the island as an adult! Check out where we stayed, where we played, and most importantly, where we ate below:

WHERE TO STAY

We had the opportunity to stay at the Sonesta Resort this trip, and let me tell you, we were not disappointed! From the moment we walked inside we were treated amazingly! The staff very friendly, and the rooms were super clean and spacious! And can we talk about the grounds for a second: they have a pool, fire pit, and access to the beach (to name a few amazing things). Definitely a great place to bring the family!

We grabbed breakfast every morning (and dinner our first night) at Heyward's, the hotel's restaurant. They have the option to order from the menu or eat from the amazing buffet. We ordered the almond french toast one morning and it was amazing- definitely recommend ordering it!

WHERE TO PLAY

We definitely had a fun filled weekend! We tried to squeeze in as much as possible to get the most out of our trip, but if you are there for a quick weekend, I would pick one or two of these activities!

Catamaran Tour: This was hands down my favorite thing we did in Hilton Head! It was seriously SO much fun, if you do one thing, do this tour!! We did a three-hour tour with BlueWater Adventure at Shelter Cove Marina. We saw so many dolphin and learned a ton about the History of Hilton Head, and also saw some spots where Forest Gump was filmed! Nick, our tour guide, was absolutely amazing, and super knowledgable! This is such a great way to tour Hilton Head from the water!

Dolphin Tour: This is another great tour we did out of Shelter Cover Marina, and definitely more relaxed than the catamaran. For this one you are on a boat and the captain/tour guide tells you a ton of information about the wildlife and the Island itself! 

Rent a Bike: Bike rentals is another great way to see the island! We rented our bikes from Hilton Head Outfitters at Palmetto Dunes and had a half day rental. We biked our way through Palmetto Dunes and to Shelter Cover Harbor and Marina! 

Visit Harbour Town Pier: This is where the infamous lighthouse is located, inside The Sea Pines Resort. There's a ton of restaurants and shopping, and just a great place to relax and stroll around!

WHERE TO EAT

We were not short on restaurant recommendations before we made our trip down to Hilton Head! It's safe to say that there are a ton on fantastic restaurants on the island, and you can't really go wrong. We at breakfast at the hotel every morning, but ate lunch and dinner at the following places. All of these restaurants would be great spots to grab a drink and watch the sunset!

Skull Creek Dockside: We ate dinner here our second night in town and it was incredible. We sat outside on the patio, and had the perfect view of the dock/water. Food and ambiance we're both fantastic!

Skull Creek Boathouse: It was a little chilly when we ate lunch here, but we still chose to eat outside because it was just the perfect spot with a great view of the water! Definitely order the hushpuppies- they are amazing!

Hudson’s on the Docks: This was a spot that was recommended to me by a few different people, and it apparently popular among the locals- and I can see why! It's been around since the 60s and is definitely an island must! The menu's look like newspapers (which is the cutest touch), and they bring you free hushpuppies- need I say more?!

Fishcamp: We grabbed a quick brunch here before heading back home to Charleston. They have a great brunch menu, and bonus: they are pet-friendly and have fun outdoor games (like corn hole), so it's a great place for everyone!

I know we probably didn't even touch all of the amazing things that Hilton Head has to offer, but we had the best time! I cannot wait to go back, and definitely recommend everyone add it to their summer travel bucket list! 

Thanks so much for reading! xo

A huge thank you to Sonesta Resort, Visit Hilton Head, and all of the participating restaurants for making this trip possible!