e invite you to sit in a porch rocker and listen to the surf break on 12 miles of beautiful Atlantic beaches. Paddle a kayak through the tidal creeks and take in the marsh's wildlife scenes. Play golf on one of many celebrated courses and enjoy the homes and villas thoughtfully placed in and around this spectacular natural setting. The Island is surrounded by pristine coastal waters that are the perfect backdrop for a variety of great activities: parasailing, wave runners, enviro-tours, waterskiing, and sailing. Hilton Head Island is one of South Carolina's most beautiful barrier islands and one of world's most family-friendly vacation destinations. You'll notice that there's something different about Hilton Head the moment you arrive. It's natural beauty and expansive Atlantic beaches have made Hilton Head a world-class resort destination for over 1.5 million visitors a year.

Hilton Head SC Vacation Activities

The Hilton Head Island area is one of the Nation's foremost golf resort destinations. Is it any wonder that Golf Digest readers named Hilton Head Island Number 10 on its list of the world's best golf resorts? Playing through peaceful woodlands of historic live oaks, stately magnolias and low country pines, over panoramic marshes, and up to the breathtaking blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean, Hilton Head Island golf is some of the most scenic and challenging in the world. And perhaps best of all, because of the subtropical sunshine that warms our shores, golf can be enjoyed year round. Provided are links to area courses. www.palmettodunes.com www.hiltonheadgolf.net www.hiltonheadclub.com www.goldenbear-indigorun.com www.hiltonheadnational.com The Verizon Heritage of Golf April 14, 2008 - April 20, 2008 Golf enthusiasts around the world anticipate this annual event each April when top golf professionals from the PGA Tour return to face the Harbour Town Golf Links during the Verizon Heritage. For ticket information, contact 843-671-2448 or visit www.verizonheritage.com.

Tennis
Without question, Hilton Head's accommodating year-round weather lends itself to the sport of tennis. There are five major tennis centers that boast more than 100 courts with a variety of surfaces to choose from, for both public and resort use. It's no surprise that Tennis Magazine continually ranks Island tennis resort among the Nation's best.
www.palmettodunes.com
www.vdmtennis.com
www.sstahhi.com

Biking Hilton Head Island Islanders and guests enjoy over 45 miles of public pathways and nature trails. The 12 miles of white sandy beaches have hard-packed sand that makes navigating by bike a breeze. There's no better way to take in the beautiful island sites and surroundings than on two wheels. Bike rentals are readily available with every size and accessory you can imagine. www.pelicancruiser.com Water Sports The Island is surrounded by pristine ocean waters that are the perfect backdrop for a variety of great activities. H2O Sports - www.h2osportsonline.com 671-4FUN Parasailing, Wave Runners, Enviro-Tours, Water Skiing and Sailboats

Fishing
Come fish the beautiful inshore waters that surround Hilton Head Island.

Off The Hook Charters - www.OffTheHookCharters.com

Children's Activities This family-friendly island is the perfect setting for youth-oriented activities. A day at the beach is a given - play in the surf, add to your seashell collection, or build a sandcastle. Navigate the meandering bike trails or take a guided beach tour at the Museum of Hilton Head. Youth instruction for both golf and tennis is available and there are also organized children's programs for all ages. Coastal Discover Museum - www.coastaldiscovery.org Fun for Kids (seasonal only) - www.greggrussell.com Guided Horseback tours with Lawton Stables - 843-671-2586 Outside Hilton Head Youth Kayaking - www.outsidehiltonhead.com

History
Hilton Head Island enjoys a rich history. Thousands of years before the first Spaniards set foot on the shores of the New World, this Sea Island was home to Native Americans dating back to at least 2000 B.C. Yemassee Indians hunted and farmed in this area until the early 18th century.

Today, the Island bears the name of the English explorer Captain William Hilton. In 1663, he was sent to prospect the Carolina region. Subsequent colonization of the area brought an era of cultivation where cotton, rice and indigo were harvested by slave labor on vast plantations. After the Civil War, the Island's land was divided and bestowed to former slaves who would live quietly on Hilton head for the better part of the next century.

After the Civil War, Hilton Head Island was a very peaceful and isolated place. Since most plantation owners were not able to produce crops without slave labor, some of the land was sold to plantation workers. Most of those who remained on the island made a living by farming and fishing. They had little contact with the mainland because the only way to travel off the island was by boat. Given this geographic isolation, native islanders were able to maintain their folkways and language. The Gullah have survived unchanged and have held on to their past. The development of Hilton Head Island began when a young, visionary landscape architect named Charles Fraser laid out the master plan for the Island's south end community. The vision was to "lay lightly on the land" by building unobtrusive homes to blend into the landscape. Roads would wind around, not through, sensitive areas, and land would be set aside in its pristine state for the enjoyment of generations to come. The rest of the Island followed suit, creating a resort community like no other.

Sea Pines
Located at the southern tip of Hilton Head Island is Sea Pines Resort, the oldest and largest planned community on the Island. Of the more than 5,000 acres in Sea Pines, 1,300 acres are devoted to parks, forest preserves, lagoons and marshlands. Sea Pines has been a renowned resort destination with the amenities and attractions that lure vacationers from all over the world. Facilities include three public golf courses and one private golf course, 6 miles of sugar-sand beaches, two marinas, riding stables, 40 plus miles of bike and leisure trails, 3 major shopping areas and a wide variety of restaurants.

Destination Vacation is proud to offer the following addresses in Sea Pines Plantation:

Forest Beach
The Forest Beach area spans the oceanfront from Shipyard Plantation to Sea Pines Resort. It is one of the original beach communities on Hilton Head Island. Properties located in this area have access to beautiful beaches and the more than 100 shops and restaurants located in and around the Coligny Plaza area. Coligny Plaza is the Island's original shopping center. More than 50 specialty shops and restaurants surround the duck pond where visitors have been gathering for 40 years.

Palmetto Dunes Palmetto Dunes is a premier Hilton Head SC golf resort and one of Hilton Head Island's favorite family destinations for golf, tennis, and adventure! Palmetto Dunes golf is legendary offering three distinctively different layouts by legendary golf designers. Consider the Robert Trent Jones Oceanfront Course, Arthur Hills or George Fazio courses - all rated an outstanding 4 stars plus by Fodor's Golf Digest Places to Play. Tennis Magazine has ranked Palmetto Dunes Resort among "The 50 Greatest U.S. Tennis Resorts" since 1975 and Palmetto Dunes Tennis was also recently ranked #5 in the "World's Top 100 Tennis Resorts and Camps" by Tennis Resorts Online. Palmetto Dunes Outfitters offers kayaks, canoes, bikes, fishing rods and reels, and beach gear. Take a nature tour, charter a boat, or experience a dolphin encounter with the whole family. For waterfront shopping and dining you're sure to enjoy The Shelter Cove Harbour's Mediterranean atmosphere and waterfront setting. Palmetto Dunes Vacation Rental Homes

The pursuit for the ideal vacation getaway has led families, couples and friends to Destination Vacation Hilton Head. Savvy guests have discovered they don't have to be saddled with the inconveniences of hotel living. The most enlightened are choosing the significant advantages found in vacation rental homes and villas. Our accommodations go beyond the comforts of home. Nestled in around the island's most beautiful settings, these Hilton Head Island vacation residences come in a variety of sizes and offer amenities like private swimming pools, screened porches, spacious decks, gourmet kitchens, free tennis and much more. Destination Vacation is redefining luxury vacation rentals on Hilton Head Island. More about Destination Vacation Hilton Head Island