Beaches and Wildlife: Best Free Things to Do on a Day Trip to Hilton Head SC

Huge palm trees shadowing rows of multicolour plants on a foot-by-foot planned grid flank the main parkway of Hilton Head Island.

They’re almost as big as the signs on the walled entrances of the line-up of resorts, big-name hotels, and gated communities with golf courses.

Unless it was a shopping centre, we were facing a security booth at the end of every turn we took.

“Is there anything to do here if you’re not staying at any of these places?” I wondered. “There’s no beach access anywhere!”.

One of the security guards kindly pointed us in the right direction.

At last! Our toes were eager to feel the soft sand of the beach stretching for miles after exploring a nearby wildlife refuge in the morning: watching birds, deer, alligators, and butterflies was a perfect way to start the day.

Hilton Head is a sought-after destination for a summer vacation, with pricey resorts. But you can enjoy some great attractions in a short trip from Savannah or Beaufort, SC, or a 2-hour drive from Charleston.

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Keep on reading to find out what you can do on a day trip to Hilton Head Island in South Carolina.

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Explore the Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge 

Right before you exit the bridge that takes you to Hilton Head Island you’ll find the “if you blink you miss it” sign for the refuge entrance.

The refuge spreads across the main island -Pinckney Island, the only one you can explore on foot- and smaller islands where you can see the wildlife in the wetland environments from a kayak or a boat (and check out the dolphins).

It has been a wildlife refuge since December 1975, when James Barker and Edward Starr donated the land that was managed as a game preserve to create a nature preserve. 

The refuge covers over 4000 acres of mainly salt marsh and tidal creeks. It also has pine and hardwood forests, fields, and freshwater ponds.

Before the Civil War, the island belonged to the Pinckney family (Charles Pinckney was a Revolutionary War commander, a Presidential candidate and his signature is in the US Constitution) who operated a cotton plantation on site.

The Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge Trails

All the trails share the same trailhead, located next to the parking lot, where maps are available.

Once you reach the junction of Ibis Pond and Starr Pond the trails form a big loop, with interconnecting mini loops, and some endpoints where you walk back so you’ll always end up where you started (it’s an easy, flat route and there are plenty of signs). 

You have 14 miles of gravel and grass trails to explore (some are labeled “roads”).

This is the route I followed and this is what you could see on the way:

The gravel trail from the trailhead to Ibis Pond took us through a salt marsh with Great Egrets and many White Ibis (and some juveniles) snacking on crabs and insects.

I soon encountered Ibis Pond, a man-made freshwater pond where I saw more marsh birds and wading birds than anywhere else: Juvenile White Ibis hanging out in trees (the pond is a rookery: a nesting colony), immature anhingas, and common moorhen. I didn’t see any herons or Wood ducks, but you may.

I also saw alligators. Small ones. Be careful when approaching the ponds and their vicinity as they may be around.

Keep your distance from those guys and don’t even think about feeding them or taunting them. They run fast! (up to 20 mph). If they decide to run after someone, not even Usain Bolt would escape.

After visiting the nearby butterfly garden to see some Monarch and Gulf Fritillary we headed towards the Main Road where, a few feet away from us, a Great Egret was foraging in the grass with its long and narrow yellow bill.

We then entered the forest and I was thankful for its shade.

Rather than walking all the way to Clubhouse Pond, we turned left and took the trail towards Woodpecker Road, where we spotted a White-tailed deer. We walked on the grass surrounded by loblolly pine trees and saw palmettos, with sightings of swampy environments and White Ibis feeding on the tidal creeks.

Once we reached Clubhouse Pond we turned right to access the Back Road. 

This section is one of the most beautiful, where you’ll find the mighty live oak trees with their faithful sidekick, the Spanish Moss. It’s a dreamy feeling that never gets old.

We took the Back Road to close the loop, walking through a forest environment with pine trees and listening to many birds until we reached the Nini Chapin Pond.

Hello, alligator! This one was bigger than the one at Ibis Pond.

And hello Yellow-bellied turtle.

You’ll also find here many Ibis and juveniles flying above the beautiful green coloured water.

Next stop was the Osprey Pond where I didn’t spot the resident Osprey but some Anhingas, and finished the loop at Starr Pond, with just a few Ibis, but a friendly and curious dragonfly.

Back in the parking lot, the end of the visit was crowned by the sighting of an armadillo.

Tips to Visit the Pinckney Wildlife Refuge

Did you grab your camera, ready to go to the refuge to spot some wildlife? Great!

But before you go, here are some tips:

• Cover yourself in bug spray from head to toe if you want to enjoy your time there. Especially if you visit during summer, which I wouldn’t recommend. This is the South and it gets HOT. Spring and fall are better not only for more bearable weather, but also to see migratory birds.

• No matter what season you visit, get there early in the morning. Birds are more active and you’ll have enough time to walk around before you hit midday and higher temperatures.

• Bring enough water (again, it’s hot). There are no facilities on the island (no bathrooms either).

• Bring a hat and sunscreen: some sections are shaded, but some aren’t.

• Leave Fido at home, pets are not allowed.

• Bicycles are allowed and biking is a great way to explore the reserve, especially if you would like to do the 14 miles of trails.

• Nope, you can’t drive through the preserve.

• There are boat tours to see dolphins that start across the refuge.

Free admission (donations accepted)

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Relax at Coligny Beach: One of the Top Beaches in the United States

As you read in my introduction, going to space is easier than finding beach access from the main road (William Hilton Parkway).

Head straight to the Coligny Beach Parking on 102 Pope Ave. where you’ll find free parking. Walk towards the nearby big roundabout, and you’ll be at the beach park in less than two minutes.

The Coligny Beach Park

Coligny is more than a beach. You’ll enjoy well-designed and maintained facilities, perfect for that time when you want to relax by the beach, but not necessarily on the beach.

You can take a stroll on the boardwalk, or chill out on the swings and benches while enjoying the landscaping in the area.

You’ll also find outdoor showers, restaurants, and changing rooms. 

1 Coligny Circle

Coligny Beach

You’ll often find Coligny among the 25 top spots of “Best Beaches in the US” lists.

The beach stretches for miles, the sand is fine, hard-packed, and flat (perfect for leisurely long walks). It’s wide so there’s enough space to keep your distance from other people, it’s clean, calm, and there are tons of cute birds to look at.

Yep, I loved it. That makes it for me and I approve the lists.

During summer it will be crowded, especially around the bar and restaurant areas with chair rentals. 

But the beach is long enough to find less crowded spots where you can set your own chair and umbrella.

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Visit the Audubon Newhall Preserve

In 1965 Caroline Newhall saw the need to save woodland from the development craze that was going around in Hilton Head, and the nature preserve was born.

In the following years, she put her heart and soul to relocate plants that would’ve been bulldozed by developers and created this 50-acre sanctuary that is a refuge for migratory birds and home to 200 birds, White-tailed deer, racoons, and Big Al, the resident alligator that lives in the pond.

Including a visit to the preserve in your itinerary won’t take much of your time. The interconnected loop trails are short; one hour is enough to see everything, have a chance to see wildlife, and learn a new thing or two about Hilton Head’s native ecosystem.

We grabbed a map and trail guide at the entrance and walked straight to Area 3, the man-made pond, hoping to see Big Al from the viewing platform.

We weren’t so lucky but saw some Yellow-bellied Slider turtles and some big birds of prey instead.

From here we entered the short loop leading to the Pine Flatwoods, a wetland with loblolly and slash pines creating pointy silhouettes against the blue sky, and a white-tailed deer that scared the heck out of us when it stormed out of the place.

After a walk through the South Woods and North Woods where you can see plenty of ferns, we checked out the Pocosin.

Poco what?

According to the informative sign on-site, a Pocosin is a “bog-like wetland”. The name comes from the Algonquin word pawksen, meaning “shallow place”, a peculiar-looking environment with persimmon trees in the centre and a site where you can spot deer, frogs, and birds. 

Within a few feet from the platform, you’ll see some Sphagnum Moss. It’s like a super sponge, holding 20 times its dry weight in water. Native Americans used it to hold pee (as a diaper) and WWI soldiers used it for wounds.

On the way back to the entrance, we found more deer on the trail, and a lovely pollinator garden full of bees and butterflies.

If your answer is ”Botanist” to “What would you be if you wouldn’t be [insert your occupation here]” you’ll love the detailed trail guide and the trail signs labelling all the plants and trees.

55 Palmetto Bay Rd.; Open from 8AM during daylight hours; Free admission (donations accepted); Dogs must be leashed at all times

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Explore Hilton Head Bicycle Paths

I saw a lot of people bicycling around Hilton Head, which was not a surprise after learning that Hilton Head has 64 miles of public pathways. Plus everything is flat, making it an easy and relaxing ride.

You can tackle the long route (21 miles and it hits three parks), the short route (15 miles) and/or the Island History Route (10 miles).

You can also take your bicycle to the Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge and bike the whole thing, or just ride along the sand at Coligny Beach during low tide.

If you’ll be driving to the island put your bike rack to use, don’t leave your bicycle at home. If you don’t have a bike, there are plenty of places to rent one. Or you can take a popular guided electric bike tour like this one.

Check this interactive map of the pathways to find the best route for you.

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Bonus tip: a must when I visit South Carolina is to go to a Kilwins store and have a scoop of the creamy, rich, and delicious ice cream (it tastes even better right after a trip to the beach).

I can’t help but have a scoop of the sea-salt chocolate caramel flavour every single time because it’s so darn good. I combine it with whatever other flavour I feel like trying (the Pumpkin pie ice cream is awesome).

If you have a sweet tooth this will make your day between spotting alligators and herons.

I know, it’s not free, but it’s so heavenly I would’ve committed a crime if I wouldn’t tell you about it.

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Whether you just want to relax all day at the beach or walk for miles in wildlife reserves, Hilton Head Island is great for a day trip or weekend getaway from other popular destinations like Savannah, with many free outdoor things to do.

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