Thanksgiving Dinner on Hilton Head Island, SC
Thanksgiving is November 26, 2026. Alexander’s dinner is $75 a person; pie and to-go orders close November 19 and 23.
Book a Thanksgiving Cruise or Resort Dinner
Vagabond’s Thanksgiving Day harvest-menu cruise from Harbour Town, and The Sea Pines Resort’s Thanksgiving buffet, dinner to go and scavenger hunt, with live availability.
Vagabond Cruise
Thanksgiving Day Harvest Menu Cruise
2 options — pick yours when booking
From$100
Check availability
Booked through FareHarbor, the island operators’ own booking system. HHI.com may earn a commission.
Thanksgiving week on Hilton Head, day by day
Order deadlines, the holiday 5Ks and the Harbour Town tree lighting, in date order. Tap the heart on anything you want to keep for your trip.
- Thu19NovPie orders close
Order byLast day to preorder Thanksgiving pies, for pickup by 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 25, or Thursday, Nov. 26.
- Mon23NovTo-go dinner orders close
Last day to order the clubhouse’s à la carte Thanksgiving menu to go, for pickup from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the day. Order it in the booking cards above.
- Nov. 23-28
The Sea Pines Resort runs festive wagon rides from Heritage Farm through the Forest Preserve all Thanksgiving week.
- Wed25NovThe day before
RaceThe Sea Pines Resort’s 5K on the hard, flat beach from the Beach Club, raising money for sea turtle preservation.
Collect your shirt and bib at the Island Rec Center, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., so Thursday morning is only the run.
Plan a night out before the holiday: browse every island restaurant, with hours, menus and reservations.
- Thu26NovThanksgiving Day
8 a.m.The Island Rec Center’s 5K from the Boathouse lot into Hilton Head Plantation. Turkey costumes encouraged.
MorningA flat beach 5K at Palmetto Dunes for the Sea Turtle Patrol, 8 to 10:30 a.m.
A family scavenger hunt around Harbour Town on Thanksgiving Day, run by The Sea Pines Resort.
- Dinner
Buffets and prix-fixe menus at Sea Pines and Palmetto Dunes from late morning into the evening, and island restaurants that open for the holiday.
- Fri27NovLights on
1-3 p.m.Caramel apples, games, crafts and a bounce house at Heritage Farm in Sea Pines.
7:30 p.m.The free holiday show under the Liberty Oak in Harbour Town, with Santa beforehand and the tree lighting.
EveningThe Harbour Town Christmas tree is lit just before Gregg Russell’s 7:30 p.m. concert, and Harbour Town Lights then shine every evening through Jan. 1.
Through Jan. 1Shelter Cove’s holiday lights and A Coastal Christmas, the town tree lighting and the Holiday Lights Wagon Ride in Sea Pines.
Pick your Thanksgiving
Seven ways to spend the day, matched to who is at your table. Every price and time here is also in the table below.
Harbour Town Clubhouse
Noon to 5 p.m. in the Champions Ballroom, $90 a person and $22 for children 5 to 11, plus tax and service. Best for a big group that wants seconds. See Links, an American Grill.
Alexander’s Restaurant & Wine Bar
A prix-fixe dinner from noon to 7:30 p.m. at Palmetto Dunes, $75 a person with tax and gratuity included and a $28 children’s turkey dinner. See Alexander’s menu and hours.
Quarterdeck
A three-course prix-fixe menu from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. beside the Harbour Town lighthouse; reserve on Resy. Walk to the tree-lighting lawn the next night. See Quarterdeck.
Big Jim’s family pack
Herb-roasted turkey, sides and dessert for 4 to 6, $150 plus a 23% service fee, picked up from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. See Big Jim’s, and add pies from Harbour Town Bakery & Café (order by November 19).
Big Jim’s dine-in plate
$28.95 a person plus tax and service, noon to 6 p.m. in Palmetto Dunes, the lowest 2026 price among the resort dinners.
Seacrest at the Sonesta
The Shipyard resort has set out a Thanksgiving buffet from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in past years. Call (843) 842-2400; groups of six or more should call. See Seacrest.
Turkey Trot and an afternoon table
The Turkey Trot starts at 8 a.m., so a noon or later seating at Alexander’s, Nectar or Poseidon fits. Or book the Vagabond harvest-menu cruise from Harbour Town in the booking cards above.
Thanksgiving dinner at a glance
2026 prices and hours for the resort dinners and take-out meals, in the order they close. Island restaurants that have opened in past years are listed below the table; call them for this year’s menu.
| Place | Kind | Serving | Price | How to get it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harbour Town Bakery & Café | Pies to go | Pickup by 2 p.m. Nov. 25 or 26 | Per pie | Order by Nov. 19 |
| Harbour Town Clubhouse to go | À la carte to go | Pickup 11 a.m.–4 p.m. | À la carte | Order by Nov. 23 |
| Big Jim’s family pack | Turkey dinner to go, 4–6 | Pickup 11 a.m.–5 p.m. | $150 + 23% fee | Order ahead |
| Quarterdeck | Prix-fixe, 3 courses | 11:30 a.m.–5 p.m. | Prix-fixe | Resy |
| Links, an American Grill | Prix-fixe, 3 courses | 11 a.m.–8 p.m. | Prix-fixe | Resy |
| Harbour Town Clubhouse buffet | Buffet | Noon–5 p.m. | $90, kids 5–11 $22 + tax and service | Reserve |
| Alexander’s | Prix-fixe | Noon–7:30 p.m. | $75, kids $28, tax and gratuity included | (866) 921-6639 |
| Big Jim’s dine-in | Plate | Noon–6 p.m. | $28.95 + tax and service | Walk in |
Thanksgiving dinner at the resorts
In the Harbour Town Clubhouse: a three-course prix-fixe Thanksgiving menu from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. (reserve on Resy), and the clubhouse’s buffet in the Champions Ballroom from noon to 5 p.m., $90 a person and $22 for children 5 to 11, plus tax and service.
A three-course prix-fixe Thanksgiving menu from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. beside the lighthouse; reserve on Resy.
A prix-fixe Thanksgiving dinner from noon to 7:30 p.m., $75 a person and $28 for a children’s turkey dinner (under 12), tax and gratuity included. Reservations at (866) 921-6639.
A Thanksgiving dine-in plate from noon to 6 p.m., $28.95 a person plus tax and service.
Restaurants that have served Thanksgiving dinner
The Sonesta Resort’s oceanfront restaurant has set out a Thanksgiving buffet from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Reserve at (843) 842-2400; groups of six or more should call.
A fixed-price Thanksgiving menu from noon to 7 p.m.: soup or salad, a classic Thanksgiving roast or another entrée, and dessert ($45 in 2025). Reservations recommended.
A three-course Thanksgiving dinner from noon to 7 p.m.: soup or salad, an entrée and dessert ($46 a person and $16 for children in 2025).
A turkey plate with stuffing, green beans, mashed potatoes, gravy and cranberry sauce, on the water at Broad Creek.
A Thanksgiving buffet at lunch, 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., with a lower price for children 12 and under.
Has opened on Thanksgiving from breakfast to dinner: an early plate before a race or a late meal after the drive in.
Take-out Thanksgiving meals
For a Thanksgiving dinner at your rental, order early: most kitchens stop taking orders several days before the holiday. The Harbour Town Clubhouse’s à la carte to-go menu (book it above) closes Monday, November 23, for pickup from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the day. SERG Take Out Kitchen makes full turkey dinners for 8 to 10 (oven-roasted, fried or smoked), single-serve plates, sides and pies; in 2025 its orders closed November 14.
A Thanksgiving family pack for 4 to 6 (herb-roasted turkey, sides and dessert), $150 plus a 23% service fee. Pickup 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day.
Thanksgiving pies to preorder by Thursday, November 19, for pickup by 2 p.m. on November 25 or 26.
About this list
Thanksgiving 2026 falls on Thursday, November 26. Both big resorts serve the holiday: Sea Pines has a buffet in the Harbour Town Clubhouse’s Champions Ballroom and prix-fixe menus at Links and Quarterdeck, and Palmetto Dunes has Alexander’s prix-fixe dinner and a dine-in plate at Big Jim’s. Several other island restaurants have opened for the holiday in past years, and the island’s take-out kitchens can pack a full meal for a rental.
Book as soon as you have your dates. The resort dinners take reservations and fill up, and take-out orders close days before the holiday. For a restaurant that hasn’t posted its holiday menu, call before you plan around it.
More ways to choose where to eat
The best Hilton Head restaurants: a top 10 by guest rating, then every restaurant by dinner, lunch and breakfast, with phone and reservation links.
Easter brunch Hilton Head Island: restaurants that have served Easter buffets and brunch menus, from Alexander’s to the beach. Book ahead.
Hilton Head private chefs and caterers who cook in your vacation rental: in-home dinners, cooking classes, catered events and how to book each one.
Upscale casual dining on Hilton Head Island: celebration dinners, bistros and harbor views, with what each restaurant is known for and how to book.
Watch: Thanksgiving Dinner on Hilton Head Island 2026: Where to Eat and When to Book
Thanksgiving 2026 falls on Thursday, November 26, and both big resorts on Hilton Head Island serve the holiday. In Sea Pines, the Harbour Town Clubhouse sets out a buffet in the Champions Ballroom from noon to 5 p.m. ($90 a person and $22 for children 5 to 11, plus tax and service), Links serves a three-course prix-fixe menu from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., and the Quarterdeck serves one from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. beside the lighthouse. In Palmetto Dunes, Alexander’s serves a prix-fixe dinner and Big Jim’s a Thanksgiving plate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Updated
What restaurants are open on Thanksgiving on Hilton Head Island?
For Thanksgiving 2026 (Thursday, November 26), Sea Pines serves a buffet at the Harbour Town Clubhouse and prix-fixe menus at Links and Quarterdeck, and Palmetto Dunes has Alexander’s and Big Jim’s. Red Fish, Seacrest at the Sonesta Resort, Nectar Farm Kitchen, Poseidon, Coast, The Salty Dog Café, The Porch Southern Kitchen & Bar, Frankie Bones, Old Oyster Factory, Fishcamp on Broad Creek and Skillets Cafe & Grill have opened for the holiday in past years.
Do I need a reservation for Thanksgiving dinner?
Yes. The Harbour Town Clubhouse buffet, Links, Quarterdeck and Alexander’s all take Thanksgiving reservations and fill up, so book as soon as you have your dates.
What are the Thanksgiving order and reservation deadlines on Hilton Head?
Harbour Town Bakery & Café pie preorders close Thursday, November 19. The Harbour Town Clubhouse’s to-go Thanksgiving menu closes Monday, November 23, for pickup from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the day. SERG Take Out Kitchen closed its orders on November 14 in 2025, so order early. Dine-in resort dinners take reservations until they fill, so book as soon as you have your dates.
How much is Thanksgiving dinner on Hilton Head?
In 2026 the Harbour Town Clubhouse buffet is $90 a person plus tax and service ($22 for children 5 to 11), Alexander’s prix-fixe dinner is $75 with tax and gratuity included, and Big Jim’s dine-in plate is $28.95 plus tax and service.
Can I order a Thanksgiving dinner to go?
Yes. Big Jim’s in Palmetto Dunes has a family pack for 4 to 6, the Harbour Town Clubhouse has an à la carte to-go menu (order by November 23), Harbour Town Bakery & Café takes pie preorders, and SERG Take Out Kitchen offers full turkey dinners and sides.
What if I would rather have a chef cook at my rental?
A private chef can cook the holiday meal in your rental’s kitchen; see the private chefs page.
What is there to do on Hilton Head on Thanksgiving Day?
Two 5Ks start Thanksgiving morning: the Hilton Head Turkey Trot (the Island Rec Center's race, starting in the Boathouse parking lot) at 8 a.m. and the Turtle Trot on the beach at Palmetto Dunes. Vagabond runs a Thanksgiving Day harvest-menu cruise from Harbour Town, and the resort buffets and prix-fixe dinners run from late morning into the evening. Sea Pines’ Dolphin Dash 5K is the day before.
When is the Harbour Town tree lighting?
Friday, Nov. 27, 2026, the day after Thanksgiving, just before Gregg Russell’s 7:30 p.m. concert in Harbour Town. Harbour Town Lights then shine every evening through Jan. 1.
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