The Best Day Trips from Hilton Head Island
The best day trips from Hilton Head are close: Savannah and Beaufort are about an hour away, Daufuskie Island is a short boat ride, and Charleston, Tybee and Hunting Island make longer days out.
Day Trips from Hilton Head at a Glance
| Day trip | From Coligny | Time | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pinckney Island | 10 miles | 15 minutes | Birds and marsh trails |
| Bluffton | 15 miles | 25 minutes | Old Town, the May River |
| Daufuskie Island | By boat | Under an hour on the water | Golf carts, history, no bridge |
| Savannah | 39 miles | About an hour, or by boat | Squares, River Street |
| Beaufort | 42 miles | About an hour | Antebellum houses, Penn Center |
| Hunting Island | 58 miles | 1 hour 20 minutes | A wild beach, a lighthouse |
| Tybee Island | 57 miles | 1 hour 30 minutes | Pier, lighthouse, Fort Pulaski |
| Charleston | 105 miles | 2 hours 15 minutes | A long day: the Battery, Fort Sumter |
Times are without traffic from Coligny, at the south end of the island; from the north end, take off about 15 minutes. Most of these day trips from Hilton Head by car start the same way, west on US 278 off the island, so leave early on summer days, and come back after dinner, when the traffic has thinned.
The Best Day Trips from Hilton Head Island
Hilton Head to Savannah is about an hour by car, or a morning ferry to River Street. Distances, the two boats, parking and what to see in a day.
Daufuskie Island, SC: getting there by ferry, getting around by golf cart, where to eat, Gullah history, Haig Point, beaches and golf, from Hilton Head.
Hilton Head to Beaufort is under an hour: the drive, the waterfront, carriage tours, Penn Center, Old Sheldon Church and Hunting Island.
Hilton Head to Charleston is about 100 miles, two hours on US 17. The drive, where to park, Fort Sumter and a walking route for one long day.
Hilton Head to Tybee Island is about an hour and a half through Savannah: Fort Pulaski, the lighthouse, the pier, parking, and Tybee vs Hilton Head.
Hunting Island State Park is about 70 minutes from Hilton Head: climb SC's only public lighthouse, walk Boneyard Beach, camp, plus hours and admission.
Bluffton, SC, across the bridges from Hilton Head: Old Town on the May River, where to eat, what to do, hotels, the grocery run and Palmetto Bluff.
Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge: a former plantation turned 4,000-acre sanctuary near Hilton Head, with walking and biking trails and salt marsh.
Pinckney Island’s wildlife refuge is on US 278 between the bridges, and Old Town Bluffton, with its galleries and the May River, is just across them.
Savannah, for the historic squares and River Street, and Beaufort, for the waterfront, the carriage tours and Penn Center. Both are easy half days.
Tybee Island and Hunting Island State Park for wilder beaches and lighthouses you can climb, and Charleston, two hours up the coast, for a full 12-hour day.
Day Trips from Hilton Head by Boat
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Two day trips from Hilton Head need no car at all. Daufuskie Island, across Calibogue Sound, has no bridge: the county’s public ferry leaves from the landing on Pinckney Island, private ferries and water taxis from Harbour Town and Broad Creek Marina, and golf carts can be rented on the other side; see the Daufuskie Island ferry guide. And Savannah is a morning boat ride up the Intracoastal Waterway to River Street, with the afternoon to walk the city.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best day trips from Hilton Head?
Savannah and Beaufort, about an hour away by car; Daufuskie Island, by ferry; and, for a longer day, Tybee Island, Hunting Island State Park and Charleston.
What day trips from Hilton Head can you do without a car?
Daufuskie Island, by ferry or water taxi, and Savannah, by the boats that run from Harbour Town and Broad Creek Marina to River Street.
Is Charleston a day trip from Hilton Head?
Yes, a long one: about two and a quarter hours each way. Leave by 7:30 and plan on a 12-hour day.
What is the closest day trip to Hilton Head?
Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge, on US 278 between the bridges, and Old Town Bluffton, about 25 minutes from Coligny.
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