As summer approaches, here are the best outdoor activities for kids in Beaufort County
As summer nears, and before parents get caught hearing the inevitable humdrum whining tune of “I’m bored,” they should check out these kid-friendly outdoor Beaufort County activities.
Beaufort
- Hunting Island State Park
Pro tip: You never have to leave the beach if you camp there. Make some core memories with your kids by pitching up a tent at one of two available campgrounds on the park’s north end and waking up to a gorgeous sunrise to start the beach day all over again. Each campground has access to restrooms and showers. Visitors can also book dolphin-watching tours or a tour of St. Phillip’s Island, an undeveloped barrier island home to a cottage for rent that was once owned by Ted Turner.
- Highway 21 Drive-In Theater
Anyone with a hankering for the old days when drive-in theaters were all the rage can pretend they’ve been transported back in time at the Highway 21 Drive-In Theater. Featuring the latest Hollywood films, the theater boasts over four decades worth of history in the area. In 2017, it was pronounced among the best drive-ins in the country by the Travel Channel, according to previous Beaufort Gazette and Island Packet reporting.
Port Royal
Cypress Wetlands and Rookery in Port Royal
Take a walk through the Cypress Wetlands and Rookery in Port Royal and learn all about the birds and other critters who call it home. The rookery, located in Port Royal’s downtown area near Ribaut Road and Paris Avenue, attracts tourists and local birders alike year-round. Over the next six weeks, according to previous reporting, visitors will be privy to a flurry of wildlife activity from the boardwalk as birds begin to build their nests and chicks begin to hatch.
- Kayak tour
Get a front-row look at the Lowcountry’s most precious ecosystems by booking a guided kayak tour with the Port Royal Sound Foundation Maritime Center, an environmental preservation nonprofit organization on Okatie Highway. A naturalist with the Port Royal Sound Foundation will take you and your crew out from the Maritime Center for a two-hour guided tour of the Chechessee River. Kids under 13 years old must ride in a kayak with an adult. Tours can be booked online at the Port Royal Sound Foundation Maritime Center website
Hilton Head
- Pinckney Island National Wildlife Preserve
If the rookery in Port Royal wasn’t enough for animal-enthused kiddos, head over to the wildlife preserve on Pinckney Island. Thousands of migratory birds flock to the island each year and other animals like alligators, snakes and turtles also call it home. Families can go to the island from sunrise to sunset and can hike or bike to spot their favorite critters.
- Avocado Bikes
For kids who need to get a little extra energy out, exploring Hilton Head and its beaches on bicycles from Avocado Bikes might just be the ticket. The electric bike rental store is located at 890 William Hilton Parkway. Cruise along the beach and, when the kids get tired, stop in at a local restaurant on the water.
Bluffton
- New River Linear Trail
Amateur adventurers can flex their exploring muscles on this 3.4-mile stretch of walking trails along an old Seaboard Air Line Railway corridor. If you’re lucky, you might spot one of the many animals that call this trail home including alligators, armadillos and deer.
- Old Town Bluffton Farmer’s Market
Take kids to meet local farmers and vendors and teach them about the benefits of locally grown produce at the Bluffton Farmer’s Market. The market started in 2008 and received such a positive response from locals and tourists alike that it was moved from the Bluffton Oyster Company Park to a stretch of Calhoun and Lawrence Streets. In its new location, the market “serves the public better,” according to its website. Shoppers are welcome from noon until 5 p.m. every Thursday.
This story was originally published April 29, 2023 at 10:00 AM.
