You can bike about 60 miles of paths on Hilton Head Island, a barrier island on the South Carolina coast, developed since the 1950s into a planned resort with golf courses and gated communities. The beaches are wide and open to the public, Harbour Town and its red-and-white lighthouse anchor Sea Pines, and the RBC Heritage golf tournament takes over each April. For something quieter, the Pinckney Island wildlife refuge is good for birds, and Historic Mitchelville tells the story of the island's Gullah heritage.
About 38,000 people live here year round, many of them retirees, with plenty of seasonal residents. Costs are high, especially for houses near the water, though condos are much cheaper. Crime is low. The catches are hurricane season with possible evacuation, alligators around the ponds, rip currents, bugs, and heavy summer traffic. Savannah is about 35 miles away.
Trip planning at a glance
Peak season
Summer (June to August), spring break and RBC Heritage week (April rates spike)
Nearest airport
Hilton Head Island Airport (HXD)
Highlights
Beaches (Coligny Beach Park, Folly Field, Burkes Beach)
Sea Pines Forest Preserve and Harbour Town Lighthouse
Golf (Harbour Town Golf Links, Palmetto Dunes, Port Royal)
Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge
Shelter Cove Harbour and Coligny Plaza
Bike paths (about 60 miles of paths)
Dolphin and kayak tours
Daufuskie Island ferry
Gullah Heritage tours and Historic Mitchelville Freedom Park
Out of 10. Open any score to see how it’s worked out. “Data-based” scores come from published figures; “Hey! En Route estimate” scores are worked out from what we know about the city; “Hey! En Route rating” scores were set by our editors.
5.9/10Good
Connector Score7.3
5 worthwhile cities within three hours; reachable by road, intercity train, intercity bus, air, and ferry; lodging and sights for an overnight stop. Hey! En Route estimate
Affordability4.5
Cost of living index about 120, where the national average is 100. Data-based
Transportation9.5
Reachable by: road, intercity train, intercity bus, air, and ferry. Hey! En Route estimate
Car-free friendliness7.0
Intercity train or bus, plus local transit and walkability. Hey! En Route estimate
Walkability6.8
A walkable downtown. Hey! En Route estimate
Things to do4.9
Known for 3 kinds of attraction, with 7 annual events listed. Hey! En Route estimate
Food & dining5.4
A known food scene, weighted by city size. Hey! En Route estimate
Places to stay5.2
Lodging at budget, mid-range and luxury prices. Hey! En Route estimate
Nature & outdoors3.5
Known for beaches. Hey! En Route estimate
Scenic value5.8
From its landscape: coast, mountains, lakes and parks. Hey! En Route estimate
Family friendliness4.7
Zoos, aquariums, theme parks and museums, weighted by safety. Hey! En Route estimate
Solo-traveler friendliness5.8
Safety, getting around without a car, hostels, and things to do. Hey! En Route estimate
Nightlife3.1
Estimated from city size and live music. Hey! En Route estimate
Remote-work friendliness5.0
City size, affordability, cafés and connections. Hey! En Route estimate
Road-trip convenience6.0
5 worthwhile cities within three hours’ drive, plus parking, EV charging and RV options. Hey! En Route estimate
Train-trip convenience7.5
Intercity train service, with 5 nearby cities reachable by rail. Hey! En Route estimate
Bus-trip convenience7.3
Intercity buses, with 7 nearby cities reachable by bus. Hey! En Route estimate
Hilton Head; The Island; Golf and resort destination of the Lowcountry; Home of the RBC Heritage; Sea Pines and Harbour Town lighthouse
Founded
1663 named by English captain William Hilton; 1956 development began (Sea Pines, Charles Fraser); 1983 incorporated as a town
Languages
English; Spanish; Gullah (Geechee) heritage among some long-time residents; German and other languages among seasonal visitors
Airports
Hilton Head Island Airport (HXD), on the island (small; American, Delta and United flights); Savannah/Hilton Head International (SAV), about 25 miles southwest; Charleston International (CHS), about 100 miles northeast
Tipping
Restaurants 18-20%; bars $1-2 per drink; golf caddies $40-100 by round; taxis and rideshare 15-20%; hotel housekeeping $3-5 per night; bellhops $2-5 per bag; valets $2-5; spa and beach chair services 15-20%; counter service optional
About this data
Population 38,196, land area 41.35 sq mi (107.1 km2), median home value $687,400 and median gross rent $1,479 are Census QuickFacts (Vintage 2025, ACS 2020-2024). Metro figure 215,908 is the 2020 census count for the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton MSA (Beaufort and Jasper counties, Wikipedia); a Vintage 2025 MSA figure was not retrieved and the current number is higher (Beaufort County alone is 204,433). Founding, coordinates and area from Wikipedia. Elevation, hotel ranges, cost-of-living index, tipping, crime, airport distances and event names and months (some not verified as current) are approximate or from general knowledge and not verified in this pass. Official URLs found via search but not load-tested.
Last updated September 25, 2026 · Source: Research spreadsheet · Editorial ·
Per person per day, with a room shared by two. Change anything below to fit your trip.
Budget
$170/day
Lodging about $140 a night
Mid-range
$265/day
Lodging about $250 a night
Luxury
$497/day
Lodging about $525 a night
Budget calculator
Vehicle
mpg
These are estimates from typical prices, not quotes. Real costs vary with season, events, booking time and your own habits; taxes and fees are approximate.
Cost of living
For longer stays and relocation.
Cost of living index
120 (national average = 100)
Typical 1-bedroom rent
$1,700a month
Research notes
About 115-125 versus US=100 by common indices (approximate; housing about 1.6-1.8 times national); typical 1BR rent about $1,500-1,900 per month (Census median gross rent for all units $1,479)
Research notes on prices and seasons
Hotels per night: budget $110-170 (off-island); mid-range $180-320; luxury $350-700+ (beachfront resorts). Peak is summer (June to August), spring break and RBC Heritage week (April rates spike); winter and early December cheapest. Weekly villa rentals commonly $2,000-6,000+. Rough daily visitor budget excluding lodging: $100-180
Top sights
Beaches (Coligny Beach Park, Folly Field, Burkes Beach)
Sea Pines Forest Preserve and Harbour Town Lighthouse
Golf (Harbour Town Golf Links, Palmetto Dunes, Port Royal)
Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge
Shelter Cove Harbour and Coligny Plaza
Bike paths (about 60 miles of paths)
Dolphin and kayak tours
Daufuskie Island ferry
Gullah Heritage tours and Historic Mitchelville Freedom Park
Known for:BeachesHistoric sitesFood scene
Things to do
3 listings in Hilton Head Island, ranked by traveller reviews. Featured listings are marked.
Safety information is a guide from public data and our research, not a guarantee. Conditions change; check local news and official advice before you go.
Safety overview
Crime is low, mostly property theft and vehicle break-ins from rental cars and beach lots; violent crime is uncommon. Hospitals: Hilton Head Hospital (Novant Health); Beaufort Memorial Hospital and Memorial Health (Savannah) for larger care. Hazards: hurricane season (June to November; mandatory evacuations over the bridges have occurred), storm-surge and flooding, alligators around lagoons and golf ponds (do not feed or approach), rip currents, sunburn, mosquitoes and no-see-ums, extreme summer heat and humidity
Local notes
Specific places where extra care is worthwhile, especially at night. Most visits are trouble-free.
No areas of particular note; ordinary caution for property crime on mainland roads near US 278 late at night; avoid beach at high tide near seawalls, and avoid swimming near tidal inlets where currents are strong. Traffic on William Hilton Parkway and the Cross Island Parkway is heavy on summer weekends
Times marked “est.” are estimates: drives use typical road distances at highway speeds, and train or bus times assume both cities have service. Always check a route planner and timetables before you travel.
Route ideas
Suggested by Hey! En Route from the best-connected next stops. Save one to your routes and make it your own.
2-day trip
Hilton Head Island (1 night)
3-day trip
Hilton Head Island (1 night) → Jacksonville (FL) (1 night)
About 179 mi, 3 h 27 min of travel
5-day trip
Hilton Head Island (2 nights) → Jacksonville (FL) (1 night) → Orlando (1 night)
About 319 mi, 6 h 10 min of travel
7-day trip
Hilton Head Island (2 nights) → Jacksonville (FL) (1 night) → Orlando (1 night) → Tampa (1 night)
About 404 mi, 7 h 49 min of travel
10-day trip
Hilton Head Island (2 nights) → Jacksonville (FL) (2 nights) → Orlando (1 night) → Tampa (1 night) → Gainesville (1 night)
