Here are 6 must-see hidden gems on Hilton Head SC and where to find them
Have you visited Hilton Head Island before?
Whether you’re a long-time local, summer vacationer or part-time resident, you may believe that you’ve seen everything there is to see on the island. But, is that actually true? Hilton Head has several surprising treasures that not many know exist through simple online searches.
Known as a popular tourist destination and ‘world’s best’ winner several times over, Hilton Head Island has its fair share of well-known, popular attractions and ‘must do’ activities that almost anyone who frequents the island knows about.
Such attractions and activities include the island’s famed 12 miles of white sand beaches, world-class golf courses, the Harbour Town Lighthouse, dolphin cruises, Hilton Head’s own resident mermaid, Salty Dog Cafe, Coligny Plaza, and Shelter Cove’s Neptune.
However, if you’re curious about some of Hilton Head’s lesser known attractions and sights, here’s a list of six you can visit this year.
Charles Fraser Statue
Placed just off the side of the road, you may have inherently acknowledged or even knowingly noticed this sight without ever giving it much thought.
Located on the south end of the island on Pope Avenue nearly halfway to Coligny Plaza, this hidden statue is a token toward part of the island’s history, especially to the Sea Pines resort community.
Charles Fraser, the man behind much of Hilton Head Island’s story, advocated to keep the island’s flora and fauna to preserve the natural beauty of Hilton Head as he worked to develop the resort destination.
A statue of Fraser walking beside an alligator can be found in Compass Rose Park , which is a small, quiet park dedicated to remembering the island’s unique history. It includes art, water features and covered plazas.
Hilton Head Island Rear Range Lighthouse
Also known as the Leamington Lighthouse, the Hilton Head Island Rear Range Lighthouse is located in the Leamington community of the Palmetto Dunes Resort on Hilton Head Island. This lighthouse can be entered through Palmetto Dunes, is free to visit and can be found between the 5th and 15th greens of the Arthur Hills Golf Course. For your visit, it’s important to note that passes are not given after 5 p.m. and motorcycles are not allowed in Palmetto Dunes.
The inside of this lighthouse is closed and no longer allows entry. However, it is featured on the National Register of Historic Places and is part of the Inventory of Historic Light Stations. Additionally, visitors can get their U.S. Lighthouse Society Passport Book stamped at three different nearby locations. These include the Arthur Hills Pro Shop, Palmetto Dunes General Store and the Palmetto Dunes Welcome Center.
This lighthouse is considered to be “the one true lighthouse” of Hilton Head Island, according to the lighthouse’s website, the only historic lighthouse of Hilton Head and one of only a handful of surviving lighthouses in the state of South Carolina.
However, at the moment, the lighthouse is currently closed to visitors due to a golf course project, but is expected to reopen on Aug. 27.
Audubon Newhall Preserve
The Audubon Newhall Preserve is a great place to observe and be surrounded by nature in a less populated area of the island.
The preserve is open daily from sunrise to sunset and has free guided tours led by a Master Birder every Tuesday morning at 8:30 a.m. No reservations are required to be placed in advance. Parking is available to the public and the preserve is dog-friendly as long as pets remain leashed and are picked up after.
The Audubon Newhall Preserve is a 50-acre nature preserve with over 140 recorded bird species on the south end of the island with interconnected trails that add up to around a mile total with wide paths and an observation deck.
The preserve is located at 55 Palmetto Bay Road, which can be found on the south end of Hilton Head Island. It is owned and operated by the Hilton Head Island Audubon Society.
Stoney-Baynard Ruins
The Stoney-Baynard ruins on Hilton Head’s south end is a sight to see for any history buff scouring the area. Located in the resort community of Sea Pines, visitors can still see bits of the old home to this day.
The mansion was one used as quarters for Federal forces and was later burned down, allegedly by Confederate arsonists, and the mansion’s tabby foundation, a corner wall, and the foundations of other outbuildings are what remain. These ruins are listed on the National Register of Historic Places list.
Today, the ruins are located off of Plantation Drive in Sea Pines. Baynard Ruins Park is on the right just after passing Baynard Cove Road and Marsh Drive.
Historic Mitchelville Freedom Park
Historic Mitchelville Freedom Park, located on Hilton Head Island’s north end at 40 Harriet Tubman Way, is a place of historical significance and is the location of the first freedmen community established during the Civil War.
The park features interpretive signs for visitors to learn from as well as beach access, walking trails, an observation gazebo, historic exhibits and a picnic pavilion. In addition, the island’s Historic Mitchelville Freedom Park is one of 26 sites in the state of South Carolina that is recognized on the Reconstruction Era National Historic Network.
Visitors may go on a self-guided tour of the land or a private tour on select dates and several programs and events take place in the area.
Sea Pines Forest Preserve
Located within the Sea Pines community on the south end of Hilton Head Island, the forest preserve may come as a surprise to many who view the island’s southernmost end as a shopping, dining and golfing destination nestled throughout winding neighborhoods and between the South Beach Marina and Harbour Town.
The preserve has been a protected area for wildlife, their inhabitants and guests to explore the outdoors since 1970 and encompasses 605 acres of natural flora and fauna. The Sea Pines Forest Preserve includes boardwalks over wetlands, pathways suitable for horseback riding, fishing docks and bridges.
The preserve is open from sunrise to sunset. Guests looking to explore the area will have to pay a $9 gate fee into Sea Pines, unless they hold a resident or guest pass.
