Harbour Town

Harbour Town is part of the Sea Pines Resort on Hilton Head Island. It’s a popular destination for both tourists and locals. It’s best known for its candy-​striped lighthouse (
), boutique shops, restaurants, yacht basin (marina), golf links, tennis courts, swimming pool, and children’s playground (
). It’s also the site of many events and activities.
I grew up vacationing in Sea Pines and visiting Harbour Town, so I have a lot of fond childhood memories. I liked to ride my bike on the trails to Harbour Town, play on the playground and giant oak trees, go to the toy store, and climb to the top of the lighthouse. Our family enjoyed dining at The Crazy Crab (
) and still do to this day. My sister and I went to Gregg Russell concerts when we were kids. 30+ years later, Gregg Russell is still performing for new generations of children under the Liberty Oak Tree.
Harbour Town has a couple parking lots near the shopping and dining area with free parking. One of the lots is located adjacent to the playground. There are also plentiful bike racks in case you want to ride your bike. I occasionally like to bike to Harbour Town because I love riding on the trails. During the peak season, parking may be hard to come by. In those instances, there are trolleys in Sea Pines that can take you to Harbour Town.
In the ~30 years I’ve been visiting, it seems to have hardly changed. Most of the changes have been subtle. I think the biggest difference I’ve noticed over the last few decades is the playground getting bigger. The Harbour Town Golf Links clubhouse is currently undergoing a major renovation and will re-​open Spring 2015.
Speaking of the golf course, it is a treat to play on. Each spring, the course hosts the PGA Tour’s Heritage tournament. Harbour Town’s golf course was designed by Pete Dye. It’s rather challenging with narrow fairways, tight lies, and «postage stamp» greens. There are plenty of hazards including alligators. :) The 18^th hole borders the Calibogue Sound with Harbour Town’s iconic red and white colored lighthouse behind the green. Very picturesque.
Admission to the lighthouse is $ 4. If you’ve never been before, I recommend checking it out. It doubles as a museum and gift shop containing interesting artifacts from Harbour Town’s history. You can read my full review for the lighthouse here:
.
There are several shops at Harbour Town. I believe most, if not all, are locally owned. They consist primarily of apparel and gift shops along with home décor, accessories, and art galleries/​stores. These shops are a great place to find high quality souvenirs, arts, crafts, gifts for others, and unique items you probably can’t find anywhere else. There’s something for all ages.
Among the multiple dining options at Harbour Town, I think The Crazy Crab is the most popular. It’s certainly been around the longest, since 1984. Other popular places to get a bite to eat are Harbourside Burger & Brews, located outdoors next to the marina, and The Quarterdeck, which is an indoor/​outdoor restaurant located at the base of the lighthouse. The Quarterdeck often features live music. Speaking of Harbour Town restaurants, does anyone remember Café Europa?
I like to grab ice cream at Cups & Cones (
), an ice cream parlor and coffee shop also located next to the lighthouse, and take a stroll around the marina. There are many rocking chairs facing the yacht basin, so you can relax and take in the scenery. Something that many visitors don’t know is that behind the Liberty Oak Tree where Gregg Russell performs lies the grave of Charles Fraser, the original visionary and developer of the Sea Pines Resort (then known as «Sea Pines Plantation,»
).