New neighborhoods and communities have been growing in numbers for many years, the landscape on Hilton Head Island remains green and pristine. The well-planned neighborhood developments or plantations as they are called, provide residents on Hilton Head Island well-maintained, often gated communities each designed to offer the flavor of southern charm while highlighting and preserving the beauty of the surrounding landscape.
In 1956, Charles Fraser developed Sea Pines into the first private plantation community on the island. Sea Pines is one of the largest residential and resort plantations on Hilton Head spanning 5,200 acres. Within Sea Pines are 3839 homes and 2042 villas. The community is most famous for its four championship golf courses, including the Harbour Town Golf Links, home of the PGA Tour’s annual RBC Heritage. Sea Pines is also associated with the world-recognized Harbour Town Marina and its landmark red-and-white-striped lighthouse, built in 1969 to aid boats traveling on the Calibogue Sound. The marina hosts awe-inspiring yachts as large as 115 feet. Sea Pines has a lush, 605-acre forest preserve, access to five miles of Atlantic Ocean beaches, over 100 tennis courts, two security gates and numerous swimming pools. It is also the location of the South Beach Racquet Club, Sea Pines Racquet Club, Lawton Stables equestrian center, and restaurants and outdoor activities held at South Beach Marina Village.
Long Cove Club plantation is situated between Yacht Cove and Wexford Plantation toward the island’s south end. Within Long Cove are 569 homes. Golf Digest magazine has rated Long Cove Club’s private golf course, designed by Pete Dye and recently renovated, the number one course in South Carolina for 10 consecutive years. A membership to this challenging golf course is included with ownership in Long Cove club. In the 1980s, the plantation’s developers chose to carefully preserve the area’s live oaks, magnolia and palmetto palm trees, which create a serene, wooded environment in which its signature golf course is nestled. In addition to the golf course, a new tennis center was opened in 2002. Residents enjoy deepwater access to Broad Creek from the community’s boat docks.
Palmetto Hall Plantation is located at 108 Ft. Howell Dr., Hilton Head Island. Sandwiched between Hilton Head Plantation and Port Royal Plantation Beach House, Palmetto Hall Plantation is one of the smaller, more elite sections of private housing on the Island. Filled with beautiful grandiose homes and 36 holes of scenic golf, Palmetto Hall Plantation caters to those wishing to stay within a private gated community year-round.
Palmetto Hall does offer wedding packages for their beautiful scenery and Heritage golf packages for those golfers coming to the island to play or watch the RBC Heritage Golf Tournament held every April.
While secluded, Spanish Wells is more than worth the visit. The second smallest community, with 350 acres and only about 200 homeowners, Spanish Wells provides a private secluded place away from all the hubbub that the very center of the Island brings and does not offer vacation rentals or packages for visitors. Being two miles from the Cross Island Bridge, and three miles from the north end, Spanish Wells, while being right on the water, has a central location making it easy to access pretty much anything on the Island in mere minutes.
They house two miles of walking and jogging trails as well as Hilton Head’s only waterfront clubhouse complete with a swimming pool and cabana, and a new pro shop and grille. Four Har-Tru tennis courts are lit for night play as well as safety along the nine-hole Cobb golf course with a full practice facility.
This popular resort and residential community is located mid-island on 1,800 well-preserved acres. Inside the gates are 1012 homes and 1470 villas, and three miles of world-famous Atlantic Ocean beaches, 11 miles of winding lagoons, and one of the largest tennis centers on the island, with 25 courts. Palmetto Dunes is also home to the Hilton Resort and the Hilton Head Marriott Beach and Golf Resort, previously the Hyatt Regency Hilton Head Resort. Its three public, 28-hole golf courses were designed by PGA favorites George Fazio, Robert Trent Jones, and Arthur Hills. The community ranges from year-round residents to weekend visitors, due to the wide range of lodging available. Within Palmetto Dunes is the private community of Leamington.
After crossing the bridge onto Hilton Head Island, the community of Windmill Harbour is visible on the right side of Highway 278, along the Intracoastal Waterway. The community’s premier coastal location has 350 homes and 70 villas, with 80% of them having water views. This 172-acre private community exhibits true southern architecture with its brightly colored homes. Windmill Harbour is home to the South Carolina Yacht Club and a 15.5-acre marina with 260 boat slips and a locked harbor system that serves as a direct link to the Intracoastal Waterway.
Wexford Plantation, an exquisite residential community of 450 homes, features immaculately manicured landscaping, a championship golf course, a $5.2 million clubhouse, and a harbor with one of only four lock systems on the east coast. The lock system, controlled by a 24-hour, on-duty harbormaster, opens to Broad Creek, providing access to the Intracoastal Waterway and Atlantic Ocean. Four full-time golf professionals are on hand at the plantation’s world-famous golf course, designed by architect Willard Byrd. Two full-time tennis professionals teach on the plantation’s six Hard-Tru courts, four of which are lighted. The most distinguishing characteristic about Wexford Plantation is its grand homes, many with deepwater boat docks.
Indigo Run is the youngest and final private residential golf community developed on Hilton Head Island. Its 1,712 acres are located at the island’s north end, directly across Highway 278 from Hilton Head Plantation. Residential choices in Indigo Run range from the private Golf Club at Indigo Run to the waterfront River Club and Broad Pointe to the luxury and convenience of The Garden Homes at Berwick Green. Indigo Run prides itself on its two Jack Nicklaus-designed golf courses: the Golden Bear and The Golf Club. Inside the private gates of Indigo Run, residents can also take advantage of a recreation area with a junior Olympic swimming pool, hard tennis courts, basketball and volleyball courts, and playground.
One of Hilton Head’s largest and most age-diverse residential neighborhoods is Hilton Head Plantation. Spread over 4,000 acres between the Intracoastal Waterway and Port Royal Sound, the Plantation has over 4,000 homes and 500 villas. It is home to the Country Club of Hilton Head’s semi-private 18-hole golf course designed by Rees Jones. Jones also designed the plantation’s award-winning Oyster Reef Golf Course and Bear Creek Golf Course. The plantation has a fourth, private course created by Gary Player and Ron Kirby called Dolphin Head. Within the plantation, there is access to two miles of beach, a community recreation center, a shared gardening area, numerous community swimming pools, and tennis courts, Skull Creek marina, and the Old Fort Pub restaurant. Two nature conservancies possess beautiful, lengthy nature trails and boardwalks through woods and marsh. An extensive leisure path system for walking, jogging or biking winds through this beautiful community.
Port Royal Plantation is Hilton Head Island’s only completely private oceanfront residential community. It lies at the heel of the Island, with approximately 1 mile of beautiful beach where the Port Royal Sound meets the Atlantic Ocean. Residents can walk, unimpeded and unobstructed, directly along the island’s quietest beaches.
Many residents of Port Royal enjoy activities such as kayaking, tennis, pickleball, salt-water and fresh water fishing, swimming in the Associations Olympic-sized pool, farming, sailing, playing golf and so much more! Enjoy the miles of pristine beachfront, exclusive amenities, 3 challenging golf courses … you will be glad you did!
Located at the south end of the Island right before Sea Pines is Shipyard Plantation. A diverse place for residents, visitors and golfers to enjoy all the amenities the plantation has to offer. Golf courses, tennis courts, hiking, jogging and biking trails, a health spa and a great clubhouse for all residents and visitors are just a few of the things Shipyard provides for their guests and permanent residents.
Their “mix and match” style golf, split between three courses and 27 holes of beautifully manicured greenery, is what sets Shipyard apart from the other golfing communities on the Island. The Brigantine, Clipper and Galleon courses all offer different and challenging shots for golfers.
Shipyard houses one of the biggest resorts on the Island, the Sonesta Resort. They offer room rentals, villas, suites of any size to help fit any and all vacation rental needs.
In 1956, Charles Fraser developed Sea Pines into the first private plantation community on the island. Sea Pines is one of the largest residential and resort plantations on Hilton Head spanning 5,200 acres. Within Sea Pines are 3839 homes and 2042 villas. The community is most famous for its four championship golf courses, including the Harbour Town Golf Links, home of the PGA Tour’s annual RBC Heritage. Sea Pines is also associated with the world-recognized Harbour Town Marina and its landmark red-and-white-striped lighthouse, built in 1969 to aid boats traveling on the Calibogue Sound. The marina hosts awe-inspiring yachts as large as 115 feet. Sea Pines has a lush, 605-acre forest preserve, access to five miles of Atlantic Ocean beaches, over 100 tennis courts, two security gates and numerous swimming pools. It is also the location of the South Beach Racquet Club, Sea Pines Racquet Club, Lawton Stables equestrian center, and restaurants and outdoor activities held at South Beach Marina Village.
Palmetto Hall Plantation is located at 
Port Royal Plantation is Hilton Head Island’s only completely private oceanfront residential community. It lies at the heel of the Island, with approximately 1 mile of beautiful beach where the Port Royal Sound meets the Atlantic Ocean. Residents can walk, unimpeded and unobstructed, directly along the island’s quietest beaches.
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