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14-night East Coast Inland Passage Cruise

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15-night East Coast Inland Passage Cruise

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7-night Holidays in the Southeast Cruise

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8-night Southeast Sea Islands Cruise

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Overview

Introduction

Located off the coast of South Carolina, the renowned resort destination of Hilton Head Island features golf, beaches, tennis, scenery and an endless selection of water recreation. Known for its carefully maintained natural beauty—tall pines, broad oaks and characteristic palmettos—Hilton Head Island has long stood as one of the major resort communities on the East Coast.

Nature has been pristinely preserved throughout the island's development as a tourist destination, beginning in the 1950s. Charles Fraser conceived what would become the model for the Hilton Head resort and residential plantations, as well as similar outlying communities. The development of Sea Pines Resort, with its environmentally sensitive construction standards and community covenants, set the standard for the island and shaped what Hilton Head Island is today.

Residents and vacationers from around the world enjoy Hilton Head Island's plethora of golf courses, 12 mi/19 km of beautiful beaches, web of waterways and saltwater marshes, more than 300 tennis courts, 30 mi/48 km of bike trails, nine marinas, two lighthouses, and its fine selection of shopping, dining, recreation and entertainment venues.

Must See or Do

Sights—The view from Harbour Town Lighthouse; the boats at South Beach Marina Village; bird-watching in the wildlife preserves.

Museums—The educational programs and nature tours at the Coastal Discovery Museum.

Memorable Meals—Mahi-mahi tacos at Marleys Island Seafood Grille; the towering caprese salad at Vine; crab cakes at The Old Oyster Factory; dining on the rooftop cantina at Santa Fe Cafe.

Late Night—Nightly live music at The Jazz Corner.

Walks—Strolling along any of the island's public beaches; hiking in Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge; a walk through Sea Pines Forest Preserve; window-shopping at Coligny Plaza.

Especially for Kids—Fireworks display at Shelter Cove Harbour; biking along the island's many paths; the Sandbox Interactive Children's Museum.

Geography

Beautiful sandy beaches, tennis courts, golf courses, dense foliage and the blue Atlantic come together at Hilton Head Island. The shape of the island resembles a foot. Visitors arrive on the "ankle" (the north end) after crossing the J. Wilton Graves Bridge. The drive onto the island sets the tone, with spectacular vistas of Skull Creek and the saltwater marshes of the Intracoastal Waterway.

Hilton Head Island is divided into plantations. The mostly residential areas of Indigo Run, Hilton Head Plantation and Palmetto Hall are located on the north end of the island. Port Royal Sound is located on the "heel" of the island; Wexford, Shipyard Plantation, Long Cove and Shelter Cove/Palmetto Dunes make up the "instep" or mid-island; and Sea Pines is at the "toe."

William Hilton Parkway (Highway 278) is the main thoroughfare, running the length of the entire island. Most of the private residential and resort plantations can be reached from the parkway. Two main traffic circles (Sea Pines Circle and Coligny Circle), located near the south end of the island, can be intimidating to some drivers, but they are attractive alternatives to the typical stoplight intersection.

The Cross Island Parkway extends over Broad Creek, connecting the north and south ends of the island (the "ankle" and the "toe"). The tastefully constructed toll bridge makes travel on and off the island quick and convenient.

History

Capt. William Hilton named the island for himself during an expedition of the Port Royal Sound in 1663. Hilton Head Island didn't see much development after its discovery, as Native Americans frequently attacked the settlers who lived in South Carolina's Lowcountry. In 1717, Col. John Barnwell received a grant for 1,000 acres/400 hectares on Hilton Head Island that spurred the island's first real growth.

The island suffered frequent invasions. The British occupied Hilton Head during the Revolutionary War and again during the War of 1812. The island was able to recover, and it became home to many of the South's richest plantation owners. During the Civil War, Union soldiers occupied Hilton Head and used it as a transfer point for prisoners of war and supplies. After Reconstruction, the island became a base for farmers and fisherfolk. Former slaves and their descendants, known as the Gullah people, resided (and continue to live) on the island.

Development picked up on Hilton Head after a bridge was built to the mainland in 1956. Charles Fraser and Fred Hack purchased much of the island's land for developing ecologically friendly residential areas. The communities were built along the boundary lines of the former plantations, and they attracted northerners who were looking for summer homes. Rapid growth continued in the plantations, and luxury hotels and condominiums were constructed along the beach, turning Hilton Head Island into a world-class resort destination.

In recent years, the island community has expanded outward into nearby Bluffton. New residential areas have flourished, attracting a variety of shops and restaurants.

Potpourri

Hilton Head Island didn't receive electricity until 1951, and the first telephone line wasn't installed until 1960.

Alligators are a common sight along the island's many lagoons, especially around Sea Pines. Although the gators appear peaceful as they laze in the sunshine, you should not approach them.

The Hilton Head Rear Range Lighthouse is supposedly haunted. People claim to see the spirit of keeper Adam Fripp's daughter walking the grounds. The legend claims that she died from the stress of keeping the flame lit after her father was killed during a hurricane.

Hilton Head Island has a "Lights Out for Turtles" law, stating that no lights stronger than 60 watts may be visible on the beach 10 pm-6 am during nesting season (May-October), when loggerhead sea turtles crawl onto the beaches and lay their eggs.

The Spartina grasses that make up the salt marshes are an important part of the island's food chain. The grasses break down into nutrients that feed sea life in the area.

Tide levels along Hilton Head Island can change as much as 8 ft/2 m every six hours.