Sea Pines Resort

Sea Pines Resort is the crown jewel of Hilton Head Island — and after more than 60 years, it still earns that title. Spanning 5,000 acres of pristine Lowcountry landscape along the island's southern tip, Sea Pines was one of the first planned resort communities in the United States, and its thoughtful design still shows. The live oaks draped in Spanish moss, the winding lagoon-side paths, the iconic red-and-white striped lighthouse at Harbour Town — this place has a character that no amount of development can replicate.

For first-time visitors, the scale of Sea Pines can be surprising. This isn't a hotel — it's a self-contained community with its own beaches, golf courses, equestrian center, marina, shops, and restaurants. You could spend an entire week here without ever leaving the gates, and many guests do exactly that. The Beach Club provides direct access to one of the island's most beautiful stretches of sand, while Harbour Town offers waterfront dining and shopping with a distinctly nautical atmosphere.

Golf is the heartbeat of Sea Pines. Harbour Town Golf Links, home of the RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing each April, is one of the most celebrated courses in American golf. The Pete Dye design winds through maritime forest and marshland before finishing on the 18th hole at the edge of Calibogue Sound — a setting that's as dramatic as golf gets. Even if you're not a golfer, watching the Heritage is a bucket-list Hilton Head experience.

Our honest advice: if you're staying in Sea Pines, budget extra time for the Harbour Town Lighthouse at sunset. The views across Calibogue Sound toward Daufuskie Island are genuinely spectacular, and The Quarterdeck restaurant right at the water's edge is one of the best spots on the island for a post-sunset cocktail.