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Hilton Head, South Carolina
Orientation
Probably the oddest thing about Hilton Head is in fact those aforementioned
communities. For the most part, the "series of communities" refers to neighborhoods called "Plantations".
HHI is mainly comprised of these Plantations, all gated and most providing access only to those who stay within
their gates, are visiting someone who is already "inside", or have a tee time schedule at their golf
course. For the most part, this isn't an issue. You can pretty much talk or walk your way right through the gates
and explore away. Biking through the Plantations seems fairly easy as well (we didn't try this much - but restricted
our biking time to non-Plantation areas with one major exception: Sea Pines).
Sea Pines - the exception to the rule. In order to gain entrance into Sea Pines, you must be a resident or "visiting"
guest or pay an annoying $5 per car or $1 per bike/pedestrian every time you wish to enter the grounds. Guards
are positioned at each entrance (Greenwood Gate and Ocean Gate) checking cars, bikes and pedestrians alike. We
wouldn't normally point this out as an issue, we would just avoid the place and move on. However, the "gates"
become an issue when you consider that A) Sea Pines has some of the best and scenic bike trails, B) an excellent
forest preserve to hike/bike/explore, and C) two of the greatest marinas complete with restaurants and shops (South
Beach and Harbour town). So - what to do? Pay the silly fee an move on. It's petty and for sure a profit center,
but it's literally the price of admission - one you will want to invest in so that you too can absorb the special
quality of life in Sea Pines. We won't wax prosaic, but Sea Pines has an extraordinary atmosphere - at once lush,
prestigious and natural. The bike trials wind all through the resort - traipsing lazily along Sea Pines Drive to
the South Beach Marina Village, meandering under moss draped trees to Harbour town, gently curving back past Lawton
stables and into the Sea Pine Forest preserve where you can explore one of the few remaining untouched natural
habitats on the island. Is it worth the money? We think so. Can you sneak in? Surely on foot or bicycle, but that's
not our call, we'll leave that up to your judgment once you've visited!
Other communities without gates do exist on the island. There are smatterings of neighborhoods, mostly off the
water where residences and rentals can be found. One of the most popular non-gated areas is around Coligny Circle
in the Forest Beach area. This bustling little community is centered around the shopping and dining facilities
at Coligny Circle (a real traffic circle - one of two on the Southern end of the island). Grocery stores, restaurants,
shops, movie theaters, gas stations, and some awesome ice cream parlors, all crowd into a tight little area at
the bottom of the "instep" of the island (remember, the island resembles a "foot" shape). Here
you can find hotels, villas (condos) time shares and houses available for rent. It is here that you will also find
two of the 6 public beach accesses. In the summer, Coligny is a bee-hive of activity and could
Next: Activities
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