Overview

The Old South meets the Atlantic seaboard at Hilton Head. This laidback but upscale beach, golf, and tennis resort has broad, tawny beaches, warm seas, palm trees and rolling dunes. Graceful sea oats anchoring the beaches wave in the wind. Hilton Head's public beaches have been ranked among the most beautiful in the world. Flat, broad beaches provide a firm surface even for biking and jogging. In summer, endangered loggerhead turtles lumber ashore at night to bury their eggs.

Hilton Head has more than 50 miles of bicycle paths. The rolling greens of the local golf courses make this fairway heaven for professionals and novices. Tennis is a big draw, with Hilton Head hosting major tourneys on the pro tour. Horseback riding through beautiful maritime forests and nature preserves is reason enough to visit Hilton Head. Make your acquaintance with the bottle-nosed dolphin. You'll see a nature magazine's lineup of waterfowl – the snowy egret, the large blue heron, and the osprey are front and center. Mammal inhabitants include bobcat, otter, mink, and wild boars.

Local seafood is the specialty, with sweet creek shrimp boiled in beer in summer and fresh oysters roasted on open pits in the cool months. From shellfish to Low Country favorites like seafood gumbo and shrimp perloo, this is the place to satisfy your cravings for food from the deep. You can also savor Old South favorites such as chopped pork barbecue sandwiches, homemade coleslaw and southern fried chicken.