Letter: How security hurts Hilton Head

The letter titled “Armed guards a touch dramatic” included a number of points that are relevant to my wife and me as snowbird visitors from Canada.

We love Hilton Head Island as a winter location and are particularly fond of the wonderful bike trail system. We have spent parts of several winters here but have never rented a property in any of the gated resorts. Typically, we like to have a feel for the area where we want to stay before identifying a particular property to rent.

Recently, we received an online quote for a unit in the Folly Field area. We were told by the security guard at the gate that we could not even walk around the resort without a pass organized and authorized by the owner of the specific unit: a definite turnoff.

We have rented properties in other parts of the U.S., and in Europe and New Zealand. None have had the level of security existing in Hilton Head gated communities. Does that mean that Hilton head is a more dangerous place to vacation? We doubt it.

We have a positive suggestion to make Hilton Head gated resorts more accessible to potential vacationers: adapt the “daily pass” access system used by Sea Pines so that cyclists or pedestrians can visit the gated communities to get a sense of how wonderful a stay there could be. We regularly visit Sea Pines for biking, shopping and restaurant meals and find it delightful. We would be happy to rent there.

This story was originally published March 4, 2016 at 7:00 PM with the headline "Letter: How security hurts Hilton Head."