SC has one of the 12 best beach towns on the East Coast, Travel + Leisure says. Here’s why
Hilton Head Island has made the ranks again in Travel + Leisure’s 2025 top beach towns of the United States East Coast.
This list is curated and voted on by local travel experts for Travel + Leisure, who look for the best beaches to visit for things including fresh seafood, outdoor activities and simply just enjoying a relaxing day on the shore.
Of all the beaches trailing the Atlantic Coast, Hilton Head Island was ranked No. 11 out of the top 12 beach towns.
From the breezy beaches of Maine down to warm and sunny Florida, East Coast beaches are known for their charming and peaceful atmospheres that can cater to all different kinds of beach vacations. From girl’s trips, family vacations, weekenders, spring breakers and all things in between, East Coast beaches have long been a reliable go-to.
The great thing about this list from Travel + Leisure is that these beach towns aren’t far from larger city areas like Savannah and Charleston, making them easy to travel to and from.
Hilton Head Island stuck out to this year’s travel experts for its “long stretches of beach and historic touches,” said reviewer Katie Cosgrove, director of sales and marketing at Ashore Resort & Beach Club in Ocean City, Maryland.
Hilton Head is known for its 12 or so miles of beach, 20-plus golf courses and bustling restaurant scene.
With the summer months coming up, there are endless activities to do across the island. Some of the most memorable aspects and activities on Hilton Head from this year’s experts include:
The walking and biking access and trails along the island.
Watching boats at Shelter Cove Harbour & Marina.
Learning about the island’s history with the Gullah Heritage Trail Tours.
Searching for marine life on a Dolphin Discoveries Nature Tour.
Finding fresh seafood at the Hilton Head Farmers Market.
But Hilton Head wasn’t the only Lowcountry beach that made the list this year. Here are the other nearby beach towns that also made the ranks:
Tybee Island, Georgia ranked No. 2
Sullivan’s Island, South Carolina ranked No. 10
St. Simons Island, Georgia ranked No. 12
Here is a rundown of the top five beach towns from this 2025 list by Travel + Leisure.
Best tourist destination: Palm Beach, Florida
Underrated hidden gem: Tybee Island, Georgia
Best for families: Ocean City, Maryland
Best for couples: Chatham, Massachusetts
Best for solo travelers: Duck, North Carolina
In other rankings, Hilton Head has maintained a title as one of the top islands by Condé Nast for eight consecutive years and even took the No. 1 spot in 2021 for Travel + Leisure as the best island in the United States.
To view the full list of top beach towns in 2025 from Travel + Leisure, click here.
This story was originally published February 18, 2025 at 6:00 AM.
