The Sea Pines Resort in Hilton Head

What to expect: Birds, deer, indigenous palmetto palms, large oak trees draped with Spanish moss, bicyclists pedaling through 15 miles of quiet trails, a deeply shaded forest preserve, marshes swept by sea breezes, and green golf courses attract families and couples seeking secluded holidays between the Atlantic Ocean and Calibogue Sound.

Amenity highlights: In summer, guests congregate around two swimming pools located in Harbor Town and the Plantation Club and at the Beach Club, which provides access to five miles of light-gray sand. Year-round recreation opportunities within the resort's 5,200 acres include golf, tennis, horseback riding, watersports, fishing, dolphin-watch cruises, beach and path bicycling, nature walks, bird watching, and eco-tours.

Insider tip: Harbour Town contains a red-striped lighthouse that has become a visual landmark on the 18th hole of PGA Tour-sponsored tournaments. Across from the lighthouse is the Liberty Oak, a grand old oak tree where concerts are held on occasional evenings.

Property Ammenities

The Sea Pines Resort Welcome Center, where villa guests check in, contains a business center with a computer providing complimentary high-speed Internet access. The resort includes a conference center in Harbour Town. Two independently operated health-and-beauty spas are available within the resort.

Children and teens enjoy a wide variety of activities. A day camp for children ages 4-12 operates from Memorial Day to early September (surcharges). Other children's activities include scavenger hunts, treasure hunts, board-riding instruction at the beach, seashell gathering, soccer classes, arts and crafts, hemp jewelry making, sand art, gyotaku (Japanese fish rubbing for T-shirts), and sand-dollar painting (surcharges).

Teens enjoy photo scavenger hunts, kayak tours, poolside movie parties, and adventure boat trips to a nearby island (surcharges). Special activities are offered for July 3-4, Labor Day weekend, Halloween week, and Thanksgiving and Christmas weeks.

Rooms Information

The resort offers one-, two-, and three-bedroom villas within its heavily wooded, environmentally friendly 5,200 acres. Individually owned villas rented in owners' absences vary in decor and furnishings, but all include fully equipped kitchens with four-burner ranges, microwave ovens, and dishwashers; washer and dryers; living/dining rooms with dining sets; televisions and VCRs; and shower/tub combinations. Midweek housekeeping is complimentary. Daily housekeeping available (surcharge). All villas are nonsmoking.

Dining at Sea Pines Resort

The Harbour Town Grill - Located in the Harbour Town Golf Links Clubhouse adjacent to the inn. Breakfast, lunch, dinner daily. Dinner choices such as corn bisque, osso buco, steaks, and seafood.

Harbour Town Bakery & Cafe - Located near marina a quarter-mile from the inn. Breakfast, lunch daily. Soups, salads, sandwiches, pastries.

Surfside Grill - Casual, open-air spot at Sea Pine Beach Club two miles from the inn. Open daily in summers for lunch, dinner. Live music afternoons.

Sundeck Cafe - Located at Harbour Town swimming pool adjacent to the inn. Open daily in summers for sandwiches, salads, tropical drinks from late morning to late afternoon.

The Lakehouse Restaurant & Pub - Located at Plantation Club 1.75 miles from the inn. Open daily for breakfast, lunch.

The Inn at Harbour Town - A deluxe Continental breakfast buffet, including made-to-order omelets, is offered daily.

Note: In addition to restaurants operated by the resort, within the resort's 5,200 acres are numerous independently operated restaurants in Harbour Town, at Sea Pines (shopping) Center, and at South Beach Marina Village.

Recreation

Pools: The resort contains two unheated, year-round swimming pools. The Harbour Town pool complex features a 120-foot-long free-form pool, a 12-foot diameter toddlers' pool, and an expansive sundeck. Another pool is L-shaped, measures 40 feet per side and is part of the Plantation Club.

Fitness facilities: The Plantation Club also includes complimentary use of a fitness center and an exercise room offering aerobics, yoga, and Pilates classes (surcharges). Both fitness centers contain cardio machines, Universal gyms, and free weights.

Golf: The resort contains three golf courses, comprising Harbour Town Golf Links, site of an annual PGA Tour tournament, Ocean, and Sea Marsh. The Sea Marsh course includes tees for children age 12 and younger. The Sea Pines Academy of Golf offers a variety of instruction packages.

Tennis: The Sea Pines Racquet Club near Harbour Town comprises six clay tennis courts and the Stan Smith-Billy Stearns Tennis Academy, which specializes in lessons for children and junior players. Resort guests are permitted two hours of complimentary tennis daily. Instruction is available (surcharges).

Beach: Sea Pines Beach Club provides access to five miles of beach along the Atlantic Ocean. Independent operators rent beach chairs, umbrellas, three-wheel beach buggies, and watersports gear during summer.

Watersports: Watersports at the resort include personal watercraft, parasailing, and water skiing--all available at Harbour Town Marina on Calibogue Sound. Also available at the marina are sailboat rentals, sailboat charters, sunset cruises, and dolphin-watching cruises.

Biking: Some 15 miles of bicycle paths lie within the resort. The resort's bicycle-rental center offers adult, child, and tandem bicycles as well as accessories such as infant seats, helmets, and kiddie carts. Year-round, the beach's hard-packed sand below the high-tide mark also draws bicyclists.

Other: Other recreational opportunities within the resort include volleyball, horseshoes, basketball, croquet, crabbing, and freshwater and brackish-water fishing. (Rental equipment available for all.)

Sea Pines offers a variety of eco-tours (surcharges), many of which are at the 605-acre hiker-friendly Forest Preserve within the resort. These tours include warm-season alligator watching, cool-season bird watching, hayrides, horseback riding, bicycling, beach walking, and kayaking.