Hilton Head Island is one of South Carolina’s finest retreat locations, offering 12 miles of pristine beaches, natural, scenic beauty and a rich history that is not easily forgotten. Also referred to as Hilton Head, this shoe-shaped island is situated in Beaufort County, and is also regarded as the second largest barrier island on the Eastern Seaboard. Hilton Head Island is unique in that the north end of the island is a sea island and the south end a barrier island, and the two halves are separated by Broad Creek, which is a land-locked tidal marsh. Its eco-friendly development policy helps to preserve the natural splendor of the island, allowing for significant tree (oaks) coverage, minimal commercial growth, and roughly 70% of the island situated within gated communities.

The island was named in honor of Captain William Hilton, an English sea captain, who in 1663 surveyed the island and identified a headland near the entrance to Port Royal Sound, which he named "Hilton's Head". The island’s rich history is rooted in the stories of the Native Americans  who were seasonal occupants of Hilton Head thousands of years ago, along with European exploration and the Sea Island Cotton trade, and its vital role in the United States Civil War, in which it became an important base of operations for the Union blockade of the Southern ports, particularly Savannah and Charleston, as well as the Union’s military hospital.

In the early 1860s, many freed slaves flocked to Hilton Head Island, where under the Port Royal Experiment program, organized by the Philadelphia Freedom Society, they could buy land, go to school, live in government housing, and serve in what was called the First Regiment of South Carolina Volunteers. The Gullah people, as  they were called, left their mark on the island, with a vibrant cultural tradition rooted in history, artistry, language, folklore and cuisine.

Hilton Head Island abounds with a vast array of wildlife found on land, in lagoons and ocean, including alligators, deer, loggerhead sea turtles, manatees, dolphins and hundreds of species of birds, such as inland and shore birds, including piping plovers, sanderlings and sandpipers, egrets, Great Blue Herons, ibis and wood stork. Sea Pines Plantation on the island’s south end of the island is a great place to spot wildlife. From history, old pines, lakes, and wildflower field, to  swamps, marshes and  incredible beaches, Hilton Head is a majestic island.

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