Although many large lakes surround Athens, oceanfront beaches are about 4 hours drive. Of many nice ones, we prefer the well manicured appearance of Hilton Head Island and its varied restaurant and entertainment features. We live there. We bike there. We sail there.

    Hilton Head is a 12 mile long island (north to south) which is divided up into several Plantations - (there are 10 major ones) each of which determines the style of living by setting the size of lot, type and size of houses, architectural rendering, and other considerations.

    Hilton Head can be reached from nearby Savannah by small back roads and from everywhere else via Interstate 95. "Exit 8" puts you on a new divided 4-lane which sweeps onto the island in the form of state highway 278.


Month
Temperature
Rain in
 
Mid-day
Evening
Ocean
Inches
Jan
59
38
52
3.1
Feb
61
42
54
3.5
Mar
67
46
59
4.2
Apr
76
55
67
2.7
May
82
62
75
4.2
Jun
86
68
82
5.3
Jul
89
71
84
7.0
Aug
89
71
84
6.9
Sep
84
67
80
5.3
Oct
77
57
73
2.8
Nov
69
47
63
2.0
Dec
61
39
54
2.4

    Here is a chart which reveals that Hilton Head is subtropical. The ocean becomes swimmable in April, and the swimming season extends into October.









     Although millions will visit each year, only 32,000 live on Hilton Head the entire year.


Some Hilton Head History

     You probably think that Hilton Head Island is named for the hotel chain of the same name. Not so. Real story:
The Spanish discovered the island in 1521, then occasionally occupied by new world indians who took advantage of its rich seafood bounty, especially oysters. Spain established "Port Royale", a fort on the present sight of the plantation with the name Port Royal.



   In 1562 some French Huguenots arrived and in following years the island was disputed by Spain and France until a treaty sponsored by the Pope settled it in Spain's favor.



     In 1663 the English, then a world sea power, got involved. On the ship "Adventure", Captain William Hilton identified the entrance to Port Royal, calling the identifying adjacent land mass "Hilton Head" .
     Fertile soil and ideal growing conditions made it attractive for colonization and establishing plantations. Indigo, a source of a brilliant purple color, was a major crop.

     Modern Hilton Head began in the 1950's with the re-establishment of "plantations" as residential and resort areas with concerted efforts to preserve the environment.
     The folks that run the Hilton Hotel chain saw a natural advantage: a popular resort island already carrying their name. Well, we can't blame them for making that fuzzy, but now you know the real story.
Want more Hilton Head history? Go