Discover there’s more to the beach than the beach!
With over 12 miles of beach there’s plenty of room for jumping in the waves and building sandcastles, but when you want to take break from all the sun and sand, come find some fun at the Coastal Discovery Museum! This is a family-friendly experience that will have you and your little sand crabs amazed. The museum exposes and educates you on Hilton Head's unique and diverse ecological and cultural history through exhibits, expert lectures, live animal presentations and more. The museum can be found on the 68-acre Honey Horn property, where you will also find hiking trails, gardens, majestic Spanish-moss draped live oaks as well as a butterfly habitat, where you can see a flurry of native butterflies from May to October. Want to make it even more of an adventure join a tour, such as a guided kayaking excursion, dolphin cruise (bottlenose dolphins are known to meander Hilton Head Island’s salt marshes) or take a trip to the museum's barn, where you'll get a meet and greet with rare Marsh Tacky horses.
It is the perfect place for kids–and kids at heart! However if you do have little ones, we highly recommend scheduling a tour or activity where they can interact with the animals that call the museum home.
SUPER INSIDER TIP: Lowcountry Critters "Meet and Greet" is one of the most popular activities.
Admission is free. However there are some reasonable fees to participate in one of the museum's tours or programs. For more information, visit https://www.coastaldiscovery.org
Zip on over!
And by over we mean soaring above magnificent live oaks overlooking sweeping beauty of Broad Creek and its boats, marshes and playful dolphins. The Island’s newest eco-adventure, ZipLine Hilton Head at Broad Creek Marina Adventures is taking the Lowcountry to new heights. You and your kids can fly like seagulls and herons along 8 ziplines with heights up to 75 feet. The ZipLine Canopy Tour is an approximately 2 1/2 hours, including a dual cable racing zipline finalé plus you can climb suspended sky bridges and an aerial staircase. Professionally trained guides lead the way, and reservations are recommended. https://ziplinehiltonhead.com
When the highflying is done you can also enjoy Broad Creek Marina Adventures other land & water activities, or come UP! for the best burgers, smoked wings & steamed shrimp at the Marina’s waterfront eatery, Up the Creek Pub & Grill. https://www.upthecreekpubandgrill.com
Let the games–and memory making–begin!
Hilton Head is considered America’s favorite island–and it certainly is one of a kind, so let Beach Play Company and its Chief Playmaker, Ken Weisner, turn it into a playground like no other!
Beach Play Company can customize a fun, fabulous and playful beach party for your family and friends. Their two-hour Beach Play packages are designed to fit every kind of beach family. From athletic competitions, nature explorations and laid back sandcastle building to bocce ball, corn hole and personalized birthday beach bashes, they’ve got a package for whatever floats your family boat! For a fun, new way to come out and play on Hilton Head Island, visit Beach Play Company today! https://www.beachplaycompany.com
Gimme shelter…Cove Harbour & Marina that is
Shelter Cove Harbour and Marina is a popular gathering place along Broad Creek for all who love to Shop. Dine. And Play. You can do it all at Shelter Cove! From one-of-a-kind retail stores to different kinds of restaurants and bars to all kinds of water sports and fishing fun there’s something for everyone here.
In the summer Shelter Cove Harbour and Marina is a kid’s island dream come true with HarbourFest; a family-friendly festival on the waterfront featuring live music, and lots of family fun with clowns, face painting, carnival games, treats from vendors, and fireworks to end the night with a boom! Plus, it’s free Tuesdays June 11, 18 & 25, July 9, 16, 23 & 30, and August 6, 13 & 20–with a special show on Thursday July 4th!
Ahoy! All hands on deck!
They’ve got a pirate ship! They’ve got a treasure map! What they need are some little, adventurous pirates to join their crew and help beat Stinky Pete, find the treasure and get their share of the booty!
The adventure starts right at the dock where each little mate puts on some pirate gear and learns to talk like a pirate, arrr! Once they’ve sworn allegiance to the ship they are officially part of the Back Dagger Crew. Then it’s time to hunt for the loot, but Stinky Pete knows about it too and he’s stole the key. The race is on to find Stinky Pete, and get the key back before he can steal the treasure for himself. Once they find him the crew will man the water cannons and blast the stink right off of Pete until he turns over the key! Fortunately, at Pirates of Hilton Head, the Black Dagger Crew always manages to somehow beat Stinky Pete and every little pirate gets a handful of the loot! Then it’s time to celebrate the victory with some music and dancing before heading back to port. All aboard for an adventure the little mates will never forget! https://www.piratesofhiltonhead.com
SUPER INSIDER TIP: Show up 30 minutes early and get your very own pirate name and a tattoo!
Your family home away from home!
Small families. Big families. Multiple families. Over the last 30 years Vacation Company has created a portfolio of nearly 400 exclusive Hilton Head Island vacation rentals that any family would love to call home while they’re here. Choose from our properties in North and South Forest Beach, Sea Pines, Shipyard, Shelter Cove, Palmetto Dunes and other mid-island beach communities. From oceanfront estates that comfortably accommodate over 20 people to well-appointed island condos, at the Vacation Company we bring you only the best Hilton Head Island has to offer.
