12 Best Sights in Hilton Head Island, Hilton Head and the Low Country

Located on the grounds of the former Honey Horn Plantation, this interactive museum features a butterfly enclosure, programs for children, and guided walks of the 68-acre property that includes historic buildings and barns, marsh front boardwalks, and a wide variety of magnificent trees, such as live oaks, magnolias, and one of the state's largest Southern red cedars. A Smithsonian Affiliate, the museum hosts a variety of temporary exhibits that focus on a range of interesting historic topics and artistic mediums. Animal tours, history tours, and kayak tours are also available and should be booked in advance. Informative and inspiring, the Coastal Discovery Museum lets visitors experience the Lowcountry up close.

The island's most popular public beach is a lot of fun, but during high season it can get very crowded. It has a splash pad fountain that delights little children, plus bench swings, sometimes a beach-toy borrowing bin, and umbrellas and chaise lounges for rent. If you have to go online, there's also Wi-Fi access. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (no fee); showers; toilets. Best for: partiers; swimming; windsurfing.

A good destination for families, Driessen Beach Park has a playground, clean shower and restrooms, and a charming path to the beach that’s part boardwalk, part sandy path, part beach matting. It's often peppered with people flying kites, making it colorful and fun. Amenities: lifeguards (seasonal); parking (metered); showers; toilets. Best for: sunrise; surfing; swimming; walking.

Located within the Sea Pines Resort, Harbour Town is a charming area centered on a lighthouse and marina that's filled with interesting shops and restaurants. White gravel paths and rows of red rocking chairs add to its small-town feel, and families are attracted to the large playground and live entertainment underneath the centuries-old Liberty Oak during the summer. Stroll down the pier for excellent views of Daufuskie Island or catch one of the many vessels docked there and set sail for adventure. Rising above it all is the landmark candy-cane-stripe Harbour Town Lighthouse, which visitors can climb to enjoy a view of Calibogue Sound. (It was built in 1970 as an attraction and beacon for mariners heading to the harbor.) Summer nights are particularly lovely here, with a breeze coming off the water and music in the air; soak in the atmosphere with a drink at one of the welcoming outdoor bars and seating areas.

In 1996, Old Town Bluffton was designated a National Register Historic District town thanks to the 80-some historic churches and cottages that still stand there today. Originally inhabited by the Yemassee people, who were driven out by the first English settlers, the town's later population of slaveholders played a key role in South Carolina's secession. By the late 1990s, though, Old Bluffton had become the quirky cousin of Hilton Head, with its well-worn bungalows populated by art galleries and antiques shops. Today, historic homes and houses of worship still flank oak-lined streets dripping with Spanish moss, but now they intermingle with newly constructed tin-roofed buildings designed and laid out to preserve the small-town vibe. Anchored by Promenade Street, the modern section hops with trendy bars, restaurants, and shops. Grab a sandwich to go from the Downtown Deli ( 1223 May River Rd.) and head to the Calhoun Street Public Dock for a picnic looking over the May River. (Instagrammers and photographers should aim for sunset.) While there, check out the beautiful grounds of the historic Church of the Cross ( 110 Calhoun St.). To buy fresh shellfish off the dock, visit Bluffton Oyster Company ( 63 Wharf St.) at the end of Wharf Street.

Located within the gates of the Sea Pines Resort, the Sea Pines Forest Preserve is made up of 605 acres of protected wilderness. There are two entrances: one off Greenwood Drive, about a mile past the resort’s main gate, has a parking area; the other is located off Lawton Drive. Walking, biking, and horse-riding paths take you past a stocked fishing pond, a waterfowl pond, a 4,000-year-old Native American shell ring, a wildflower field, wetland boardwalks, picnic areas, and boat docks. Nature tours, boat tours, fishing expeditions, and wagon tours are available through Sea Pines and can be booked in advance. Nearby Lawton Stables offers a unique experience to explore the forest via a guided horseback tour.

A great place for solitude during the winter—and popular with families during the summer season—this beach has hard-packed sand at low tide, making it ideal for walking. It's accessible from the Marriott Grande Ocean Resort. Amenities: lifeguards; parking (free); showers; toilets. Best for: swimming; walking.

There are walking trails, a self-guided tour, a pond, and eight distinct areas to explore on this 50-acre preserve located off Palmetto Bay Road. Native plant life is tagged and identified in the pristine forest, and many species of birds can also be found here.

While it’s not ideal for swimming because of the many sharp shells on the sand and in the water, this secluded public beach is a terrific spot for a walk, bird-watching, or shell- and shark tooth–hunting. It is not on the Atlantic Ocean, but rather on Port Royal Sound. Bonus: It neighbors historic Mitchelville, the site of the first Civil War–era community that was built and self-governed entirely by formerly enslaved people. Amenities: parking (free); showers; toilets. Best for: solitude; sunrise; walking.

Located next to Driessen Beach, Folly Field Beach Park is a treat for families. Though it can get crowded in high season, it's still a wonderful spot for a day of sunbathing and swimming. The best waves for surfing anywhere on the island break here. Amenities: lifeguards (seasonal); parking (free); showers; toilets. Best for: sunrise; surfing; swimming; walking.

Featuring a boardwalk, a playground, a picnic pavilion, parking, and outdoor showers and restrooms, Islander Beach Park is a great spot for families looking to spend the day at the beach. When you think of a classic family beach experience, this is the place for it. Amenities: lifeguards (seasonal); parking (free); showers; toilets. Best for: swimming.

This historic site contains the remains of four structures once part of Braddock's Point Plantation. John “Saucy Jack" Stoney forced enslaved people to build the plantation in the 1790s; it was eventually bought by William Baynard in 1840. Union troops occupied the plantation home during the Civil War, and the home was burned in 1869. The 6-acre site, which includes the ruins of the main house, the plantation overseer's house, and a house used by enslaved people, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1994. Now located within the Sea Pines Resort, Baynard Ruins Park has a small parking area as well as trails and interpretative signs that describe the historical and archaeological significance of the area. If you are staying in Sea Pines, you can ride your bike to the site and explore at your leisure. Guided tours are also available through Sea Pines.