Hilton Head Island by Numbers

Hilton Head Island is beautiful and serene. Live Oaks, spanish moss, sandy beaches. If you're looking for a relaxing weekend away from it all, this is the place to go. Here are some things you need to know, by the numbers...

1.5 - Dollars you will need to pay at the toll to get onto the Island. If you're just driving a car.

12 x 5 - Miles across and wide. The size of the Island.

7 - Public beaches on the Island. They are Alder Lane Beach Access, Beachfront at Coligny Circle, Driessen Beach Park,  Fish Haul Park, Burkes Beach Access, Islanders Beach Park, and Folly Beach Park. Plantations and hotels on the beach offer access to their guests. Much of the beach access is private.

We personally visited Coligny and it was beautiful. The beach is wonderfully maintained and the grounds are stunning. Before you even get to the beach you can rest in one of their many Adirondack chairs or porch swings, or play in the water spouts. When you're done at the beach you just have to cross the street for plentiful shopping and dinning. Or take a walk or a bike ride down some of their trails and see if you can spot an alligator. Parking and beach access were free. Restrooms and changing rooms were available.

24 - Golf courses on the Island. Hilton Head was ranked number 10 on Golf Digest's list of the world's best golf resorts. But if you do visit Hilton Head to hit a few balls, watch out for the alligators! No joke. And only a handful of mini-golf courses. You will not find a giant octopus spewing toilet-blue water here.

7,256 - People riding bikes at any given moment. At least that's my estimate. The entire island is criss-crossed with walking and bicycle paths, plus you can ride out onto the 12 miles of beach. Bicycle rental companies are very numerous, and the average rental cost per week is around $25.

20 - Public Parks on the Island. All beautiful, without a doubt.

5 - Dollars to enter Sea Pines Resort. This area covers a third of the Island and is divided into four neighborhoods, including Harbour Town and its lighthouse. You don't have to be staying anywhere on the Resort to visit and with the lighthouse, numerous water tours and activites, and plentiful shopping and dining you will want to visit. I personally recommend stopping by Lawton Stables, a beautiful place offering rides and a small animal farm. The farm is free and food is available to feed the critters.

4 - Restaurants where you can experience the lengend of Jake, the Salty Dog. There's the original Salty Dog Cafe, The Wreck of the Salty Dog, Lands End Tavern, and Jake's Pizza. All restaurants are located within Sea Pines. The Wreck and Jake's Pizza are only open seasonally.

View from The Salty Dog Cafe

3 - Places to get your Salty Dog gear. Jake's Cargo and The Salty Dog T-Shirt Factory are located within Sea Pines, or you can visit the T-Shirt Factory on Arrow Rd. And of course, you can always shop online.

4 - Traffic circles we drove 'round and 'round. I don't know how many are on the island, but they're popular.

10 - At least the number of thrift/antique/second hand stores on the Island. From furniture, to clothes, to designer hand bags you'll find something you have to have. An entire day can easily be spent hopping from one store to another.

3 - Feet. The average height of any roadside sign. City ordinances require signs to be under a certain height, and to be colored in unobtrusive, earth tone colors. So keep a sharp eye out as you drive around looking for somewhere to shop or eat. Buildings themselves are often blocked by trees and signs are easy to miss. It's part of what keeps the Island so beautiful, but you'll need a passanger or two to help you find places.

2 - Alligators we saw. Without even trying. They like to come up out of the water during the day and soak up the sun. Don't approach them, and don't feed them though. Seems obvious, but judging by the number of warning signs posted...it isn't that obvious to some.