Hilton Head, South Carolina
SURROUNDING AREA
Hilton Head Part II...
Hilton Head Island is a great place to visit and you could just stay put and not leave the island. But there are so many things to see and do in the surrounding area.
In this guide I share some fun easy places to visit close by to Hilton Head including Beaufort, Palmetto Bluff and Bluffton.
IIf you missed Part I 👉🔗 HERE IT IS.
Beaufort, South Carolina
This is your classic picturesque, historic southern small town.
And it is well known for being the film location for movies including: Forrest Gump, The Big Chill, Prince of Tides to name a few.
Put yourself in “slow mo” mode. And feel yourself step back in time…
If you don’t want to stop for a meal in one of the restaurants on the waterfront I recommend…
You grab a coffee or maybe ice-cream and just sit on the waterfront watching the world go by.
My best advice is don’t rush your visit here, the whole point is to slow down and just BE in this place.
I highly recommend you make your way over early in the morning. Because…
Horse Buggy Tour
IMy No. 1 ”Must Do” is the Buggy Tour of the historic district.
I did the tour on my first visit with my travel bestie. I enjoyed it so much that I insisted on dragging my husband on the tour on my return visit with him.
I didn’t have to do too much dragging, all I had to do was mention horses (hes a sucker for them) and he was up for it.
Can you believe we had the same Tour Guide and horse Duke?
Now the reason why I recommend going in the morning is to book your buggy tour for an early time slot before it gets too hot.
Depending on the time of year you go, if its too hot, humid or threatening a storm the tour may be canceled.
There are two buggy tour companies and they operate from the same location.
I took the Southern Rose Buggy Tour both times and it was with out a doubt excellent!https://southurnrose.com/
Do make book your tour online well ahead of time.
On my first trip the spring of 2022 my bestie and I just walked up and grabbed a ticket.
However, two years later things have really picked up and I was lucky to get a tour on the days we were in the area.
Now you can also walk the historic district because its only a few blocks but…
The reason I love the buggy tour is because you are able to see over into the gardens and backyards of the houses which gives you a totally different perspective of what you get to see in this wonderful historic town.
Added to that the horse goes slow so that it gives you the time to rubber neck and peer into ll the gardens and yards of the historical homes and time to you can take photos.
The Tour Guides have been with the company a number of years as well as the horses.
The guides are true storytellers which makes the tour a cross between a history lesson, house tour, entertainment and light comedy all rolled into one.
And last but not least the horses are true southern characters as well and its a hoot to watch their behaviour throughout the tour.
Parking
There is a good size parking lot right on the water where the Buggy Tours leave from.
It’s paid parking something like ~$1 per hour.
The address is:1006 Bay St, Beaufort, SC 29902
There are also clean and tidy public bathrooms here.
Also don’t be put off when you roll into town if it is back to back cars. Chances are the drawbridge is up to across to St Helena Island. This happens several times a day.
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Nevermore Bookstore
If you are a book lover like me you know to find a real independent bookstore these days is a rare treat.
The books are stacked to the ceiling in this place.
Just standing in the store makes you feel like not only have you stepped back in time but that you are a character in a story.
But beware, you will be hard pressed to get out with out a newly purchased book under your arm… just sayin!
The store is one block up from the parking lot..
Eating
Plums Restaurant
Plums Restaurant https://plumsrestaurant.com/ This would be my first pick. My bestie has eaten here several times and we managed to get in when we visited.
You can eat in side or there is a lovely patio / courtyard directly overlooking the waterfront.
It’s the kind of place to have a leisurely lunch, so kick back and sip on a wine and do both a bit of people watching but also the comings and going of the boats.
Unfortunately, I could not get a reservation when I returned with hubby so DO make a reservation well in advance.
For every down there is an up we ended up exploring and came across the…
Southern Sweets Ice Cream & Sandwich Shop
It’s in the same little arcade as the bookstore.
This is your quintessential ice cream shop with ice cream cones, ice cream soda’s and floats. They also have a good sandwich menu.
Again its like stepping back in time, kind of like stepping into a Happy Days tv scene.
Palmetto Bluff
Palmetto Bluff is about a 30 minute drive from Hilton Head. It is set on the edge of salt marshes with great views.
Its a private residential club/community made up of lovely homes and the Montage Palmetto Bluff Resort.https://www.montage.com/palmettobluff/
It has this cute collection of shops, coffee shops and restaurants right on the water including a lovely little church.
It’s just one of those places that is super quiet, very few people and idyllic to have a moment of quiet solitude.
Although full confession I did some serious damage to my credit card in one of the clothing stores.
And we only went in because hubby wanted yet another baseball cap 🧢🙄
Now I have been to Palmetto Bluff both times and not had a problem driving in. There is a security gate kind of like the Plantations in Hilton Head.
We’ve just let the guard know that we are just visiting for a couple of hours to do some shopping and have a bite to eat and we’ve been good to go.
But I have read in various places on line that it is strictly private and they won’t let you in unless you can name someone or show that you are staying there.
If that is the case you only took 15 minutes out of your day because you can always head back to Bluffton and Cahill Market :-)
Bluffton
Bluffton is only 15 minutest drive from Hilton Head.
Again all credit goes to my travel bestie for pointing out these places that as visitors we might have driven past without noticing.
Again its a cute historical little town that has the one road driving through it. There are some great little shops, coffee shops and restaurants to hang out here as you meander around the streets.
You can wander down to the end of Calhoun street towards the water and you will find another quaint little church called the Church of the Cross with wonderful views of the salt marshes.
Cahills Market
Now you can not as in absolutely can NOT go through Bluffton with out stopping to eat here.
This is your classic farm to table eating place. I just love the story behind the family.
Growing up on a farm myself I appreciate the love of the land, the hard labor but also the great sense of community and hospitality you will receive here.
And did I mention the food, loads of it and straight off the farm?
Maybe its the nostalgia for those days of being a little girl growing up on a farm. But you get to sit and eat while looking out surrounded by flowers and humming birds coming right up to the window.
And, if you are staying at a place where you plan to do a little cooking then definitely load up on the fresh produce here like we did before you leave.
Shopping
Tanger Outlet Shops Hilton Head
Tanger Outlet Stores Hilton Headhttps://www.tanger.com/hiltonhead
Now even if I am not shopping for anything I do like a bit of retail therapy whenever I’m traveling.
So if you like variety and see if you can find a bargain or something you struggle to buy at home then you need to know there is a outlet mall just before you head over the bridge on to the island.
You will drive right past it so you certainly won’t miss it.
Heads up like most shopping I would avoid going on a Saturday or Sunday when all the weekenders are also in Hilton Head.
I went during the week and had the place pretty much to myself.
What I like about this outlet mall is there are a number of South Carolina specific stores in addition to the chain stores.
Harbour Town, Sea Pine, Hilton Head
There are some cute stores in Harbour Town, Hilton Head.
In my first blog LINK HERE I mentioned that as well as shopping you can go up the lighthouse and have a meal at Quarterdeck https://www.seapines.com/dining/restaurants-bars/quarterdeck?utm_source=google-gbp&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=gbp
Just an added note. Harbour Town is in the Sea Pines area of Hilton Head Island. If you are not staying there and driving to Harbour Town you need to pay for a day visitors pass.
Now you’re also in easy driving distance of Savannah and Charleston but they deserve their own blog.
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